Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Richland County Council once again voted 6 to 5 to terminate the contract of County Administrator Gerald Seals, this time with him present.
Last Tuesday, during a regular scheduled council meeting, council approved a surprising motion to remove Seals as county administrator and bring in an assistant county admin. to take on his duties.
On Monday, during a special called meeting, Seals sat in council chambers, in his county administrator seat, and listened to council outline the reasons why his contract was to be terminated with the county.
County deputy attorney Bradley Farrar advised council that they have to give specific reasons why Seals should not be in that position.
A motion made by Councilman Jim Manning did just that.
"The motion this evening was for Richland County to remove the County Administrator for the following reasons, unauthorized major change of county policy direction, rapid turnover of county staff, number three sleeping during meeting and number four council members renaissance program questions went unanswered," says Manning.
Seals was put on paid administrative leave and was asked not to return to the county administrative building. Council explained, that despite their vote last week, Seals did return to work on Monday and explained to them that he had not been formerly let go.
"The process worked, it's about the majority of council," says Councilman Norman Jackson, who made the original motion to let go of Seals during last week's meeting. "That's all we have in the system of government. You may not like it, but the the majority rules."
Seals left council chambers without commenting on the allegations and his contract termination. He has five days to appeal the motion by council.