GUEST EDITORIAL: Failures – Oaths and Leadership by Pine Ridge leaders

Pine Ridge, SC (David Busby) - Pine Ridge Town Council members were selected and elected as leaders, individuals who were perceived to possess leadership skills. Each of you swore an oath to faithfully protect, preserve, and enforce the ordinances and laws of this town and the State of South Carolina. Can each of you recall your commitment and promises on the night when you took the oath of office?

Having sat in the very seat and have held the very office each of you now holds, I can tell you with utmost certainty that you have failed yourself, your neighbors, and your community. While the community is outraged about the leadership of and the absence of a police department, it is the entire town council that is to be held accountable, for you were constituted as a strong council form of government and you have failed to execute the duties and responsibilities as town council members.

I know some folks will say that I am a sore loser concerning the 2017 election, but the results of your leadership as it relates to the police department and the inability to sustain a presence of certified law enforcement personnel to enforce our ordinances and protect our citizens is an abject and total failure which has nothing to do with the 2017 election results. Sure, my pet peeve is the lack of enforcement of our sign ordinance, but the total lack of a police personnel in Pine Ridge is a much greater issue. I am going out on a limb and suggest that at least three council members, which is a majority, will develop some backbone and take the necessary steps to pass a motion to correct this lack of police personnel issue and take back the supervision of the Police Chief.

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