Greenville County Council elects Benton Blunt chair; Rick Bradley wins vice chair ballot

Greenville County Council elected Councilman Benton Blunt as its chairman and chose Councilman Rick Bradley as vice chairman during its Jan. 7 organizational meeting.

Blunt was elected chair by voice vote after nominations were opened. The council then used paper ballots to decide vice chair; Bradley received eight votes to Liz Seaman's four, and was declared vice chair following the tally.

The meeting opened with Councilman Russo leading the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before members moved to organizational business. A councilmember nominated Benton Blunt for chair; another motion to close nominations was made and the council proceeded to a voice vote. The chair election was announced as unanimous.

After his election, Councilman Benton Blunt thanked colleagues and singled out his predecessor, saying, "I would like to say to my predecessor, Mr. Tripp, that coming into this and watching how you've had to handle counsel and the jabs and the fights and the everything else you've had to navigate, I know it's been, very tough, and I did not envy you then." He said one of his main goals is to reduce unnecessary fighting on council and to increase transparency and accountability.

Following the vice chair ballot results—8 votes for Rick Bradley and 4 for Liz Seaman—the clerk announced Bradley as vice chair. Councilman Rick Bradley said, "I plan on supporting chairman Blunt a 100%." The transcript does not record individual member votes by name.

With no further business, the new chair entertained a motion to adjourn and the council adjourned.

Votes at a glance: Benton Blunt — elected chair (voice vote; announced unanimous; numeric tally not specified). Rick Bradley — elected vice chair (ballot: 8 votes for Bradley, 4 votes for Liz Seaman).