Jasper Co. adopts map fixing councilman’s address issue. Does this resolve the problem?
The Jasper County Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to adopt a redrawn map of its voting districts during a tense virtual meeting with multiple heated exchanges and one councilman shouting at another before being muted.
Chairwoman Barbara Clark and council members Alvin Adkins and Curtis Brantley voted to pass the map while members John Kemp and Marty Sauls voted against it.
The approved map moves Adkins’ address from the Coosawhatchie District to the Pocotaligo District, which he was elected to serve in 2020. Adkins’ eligibility to represent the Pocotaligo District was called into question last month when it was discovered he ran in a district he did not live in. The state’s Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office was presenting the initial proposal for redistricting based on 2020 U.S. Census data when council members realized three incumbents were in the same district, one more than legally allowed.
Adkins has since refused to resign and the council does not have the power to remove him from his seat.
Once a deadlock on the residency issue was obvious and councilmen obtained outside legal representation, Jasper County filed legal action against Adkins and the county voter board asking a judge to call a special election and rule on multiple issues, including whether adopting a map that places Adkins’ address in the correct district would alleviate the need for another election.
There hasn’t been any action taken by the court since the filing on Feb. 15, according to the public index.
However, after executive session, council voted to assume financial responsibility for the county’s election board to hire an attorney “related to the situation with Pastor Councilman Adkins.”
‘Please don’t ignore me’
Before discussing the maps, five public comments were read. All of the comments involved Adkins with four of them calling for a special election.
Two of the comments referred specifically to the redistricting ordinance: One saying redrawing the lines to move Adkins into the correct district is “crooked” and another saying that allowing Adkins to sit on the board that decides redistricting is “outrageous.”
“It’s an example of dishonest politics that has no place in this county from either side of the aisle,” the commenter said. “... Trying to cover up serious misdeeds is not acting in good faith as elected — or in this case wrongfully elected — officials.”
Two of the comments also called for Adkins to recuse himself from voting on any redistricting issues.
The Council took roughly 15 minutes to discuss the redistricting ordinance and vote.
After county attorney David Tedder presented the most updated map, which was amended earlier this month in a 3-2 vote to move Adkins’ address into the Pocotaligo District, Sauls asked about the differences between the two.
Tedder said the biggest changes was the Pocotaligo area expanding into Coosawhatchie.
Kemp asked Tedder whether he would classify the change between the first and second map as “major or minor.”
After some cross talk, Tedder said “200 people-plus were moved from one area to another and 200 people were moved the other way.”
Kemp asked twice more whether that was a “major change,” explaining whenever a drastic change is made, the voting process should restart with a first reading.
Tedder disagreed.
“We have to do this right,” Kemp said. “Because everything we do wrong we’re going to be challenged. You know that.”
The back-and-forth between the councilmen continued until Chairwoman Clark cut in and asked for a motion to move into public hearing.
“I’m still waiting for an answer to my question!” Kemp interrupted.
“We’ll have an answer for you at the next meeting,” Clark said.
“There’s not a next meeting,” he said.
As Clark attempted to continue into the public hearing, Kemp said, “Don’t ignore me. Please don’t ignore me because I have the floor.”
Clark and Kemp continued talking over each other.
“I’m just following rules,” Kemp said. “That’s what we live by. We live by rules.”
“We are going to move on,” Clark said. “We’re going to move on.”
“No we aren’t,” Kemp cut in again. “We aren’t going to move on because I’m not going to let you move on.”
Clark then threatened to have Kemp muted on Zoom.
“Please mute me,” Kemp shouted. “Just do that. Just do that. I want to show everybody. Mute me.”
“That’s right because you’re acting ridiculous now,” Clark responded.
Kemp could be seen talking on his camera, but his microphone at this point was muted.
Councilman Brantley motioned the council to go into a vote. Adkins seconded the motion.
The two men vote in favor of the redistricted map.
Sauls voted no.
“I also think we’re making a mistake silencing a council member when we’re taking a vote,” Sauls said. “I’m just making that statement.”
“He can vote,” Clark said. “I don’t have a problem with him voting but he’s not going to sit here all night and argue. We’re not going to do that.”
Instead of voting, Kemp asked to amend the motion so that the council would be voting on the first map.
After a few moments of silence, the motion dies because of a lack of second.
“Let’s move on,” Clark said.
Tedder clarified that the final vote on the new map was 3-2.
This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Jasper Co. adopts map fixing councilman’s address issue. Does this resolve the problem?."
