Columbia, SC (WLTX) - South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has removed two more members of the Richland County Recreation Commission, saying they didn't do enough to protect employees of the agency from harassment and mistreatment.
Haley said Wednesday found J. Marie Green and Barbara Mickens guilty of neglect of duty, misfeasance, and malfeasance. Haley had accused the panel of mismanagement, ignoring nepotism and employee complaints about sexual harassment and intimidation.
She did allow one member, Thomas Clark, to keep his job on the seven member panel. The other four commissioners had already resigned.
The commission had been under scrutiny for months over its handing of personnel issues, including involving the agency's former executive director, James Brown III. Since March, five civil lawsuits have been filed against the commission, Brown, members of the board and other employees.
In October, a majority of Richland County's state senators and representatives asked Haley to remove five members of the board. Haley appointed a three-person panel to hear the case against the panel on November 30. In advance of the hearing, four members chose to voluntarily leave the group.
During the hearing, Green and Mickens did not apologize for their actions. Clark said he had not joined the commission until after most of the allegations were made.
The recreation commission is responsible for managing the parks and recreation programs throughout the county.
Brown retired from the commission in October.