We, the undersigned citizens, taxpayers, and supporters of York County, South Carolina, stand united in demanding immediate reform of the Bethel Rural Fire Tax Board.

This Board has repeatedly violated the trust of the public it serves. Through misconduct, hostility toward citizens and employees, and blatant disregard for state and federal law, the Bethel Rural Fire Tax Board has shown that several of its members are unfit to continue in operation.

Violations of Law, Ethics, and Public Trust

1. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Violations

• Numerous violations of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (S.C. Code Ann. §30-4-10 et seq.) have occurred, including failure to properly notify the public of meetings, denial of access to official records, and refusal to provide minutes and documents as required by law.
  These actions constitute not just negligence but willful obstruction of the public’s legal right to transparency.

2. Hostile and Dismissive Behavior

• Members of the Tax Board have displayed a hostile demeanor when confronted with accountability.
• Official paperwork submitted to the Board by staff and citizens has been disregarded, ignored, or met with outright hostility, further eroding trust and undermining lawful governance.

3. Ethical and Legal Breaches under SC Home Rule Authority

• Under SC Code §4-9-10, public officials are legally required to act in good faith and in the best interest of the public.
• The Tax Board’s actions—ranging from hostile behavior, ignoring official documentation, and mismanagement—constitute clear breaches of this legal and ethical duty, violating both the spirit and letter of state law.

4. Federal Employment Law Concerns

• The Board has taken actions that may constitute violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including inconsistent handling of pay, overtime, and work assignments.
• Additionally, the Board’s conduct raises concerns under the Equal Pay Act (EPA), which protects employees from discrimination in compensation between workers. 
• Staff have been discouraged from discussing pay and have been indirectly pressured regarding perceived “loyalty,” creating an environment that may undermine employee rights and protections under federal law.
  
  

5. Mirroring Violations - SC Code §19‑210.01

• Under SC Code §19‑210.01, fire district operations are required to maintain equitable staffing, coverage, and operational parity across all shifts and stations (“mirroring”).
• The Board’s recent staffing reductions across all shifts as of September 17th, coupled with delayed hiring despite the July 1st approved budget, constitute a violation of this statutory requirement, undermining operational fairness, safety, and professional standards.
   
• 6. Impact on Staff and Public Safety
  The repeated violations, hostile behavior, and poor governance have caused massive mistrust among professional fire staff, leaving them uncertain about leadership decisions and departmental direction.
• This environment of confusion plagues the minds of firefighters and staff, creating stress, frustration, and operational hesitation.
• Most critically, these failures hinder the safe and effective delivery of fire and emergency services, directly endangering both firefighters and the citizens they are sworn to protect.
  Staffing Challenges:

6. Additional Failures / Staffing Challenges

• The Board approved a new budget effective July 1st, yet has failed to act on urgently needed hiring, leaving staffing shortages unresolved.
• As of September 17th, staffing across all shifts was cut down under the justification of “saving money,” directly worsening shortages and undermining safe operations.

1. Leave Policy Changes: Reduced accruals for sick and vacation time, leaving staff disadvantaged compared to peers.
   Authority and Governance Issues: Overreach into daily operations, confusion over accountability.
2. Leadership Conflicts: Dual roles of the Chairman undermining clarity and fairness.
3. Employee Handbook Protocols: Unapproved and improperly communicated changes.
4. Communication and Transparency: Widespread confusion and lack of openness with both staff and the public.
5. Staff Evaluations: Alterations to evaluations without justification, targeted at specific individuals.
   Training and Overtime Management: Inconsistent and inequitable policies, with contradictory claims about funding.
6. Departmental Concerns: Micromanagement without vision, refusal to engage staff expertise.
7. Leadership Breakdown: Professional standards collapsed due to lack of clear support and direction.
    

OUR DEMAND 

We, the people of York County, demand that:

The current Bethel Rural Fire Tax Board be restructured, and
Unfit and unprofessional members be removed and replaced with fair, accountable, and professional citizens who will uphold the law, respect the public, and restore integrity to the management of fire tax funds.
 
Conclusion
The Bethel Rural Fire Tax Board has repeatedly violated FOIA law, demonstrated hostility toward those who seek accountability, ignored official documentation, breached ethical duties under SC Code §4-9-10, engaged in actions raising potential violations of FLSA and the Equal Pay Act, and failed to comply with mirroring requirements under SC Code §19‑210.01.

Its failures have now escalated into a serious public safety concern, where mistrust, confusion, and intentional understaffing undermine the confidence and focus of professional staff, ultimately hindering safe and effective emergency operations.

We, the undersigned, call for the immediate removal and replacement of its unfit members to restore trust, transparency, professionalism, ethical governance, and safety.