Council Amends Ordinance 2018-07 to Require Positive Vote of Four Members for Employment Decisions

The Simpsonville City Council debated and acted on a proposed amendment to Ordinance 2018-07 that changes the vote threshold for certain employment decisions.

A council member moved to amend Ordinance 2018-07 to modify sections identified in the ordinance and to require a positive vote of four council members for employment decisions; the motion also called for deleting section 4 in its entirety. The mover said the change would align decision-making with majority rule and avoid allowing a minority to block actions supported by a majority.

Council members and staff debated whether the ordinance's existing text included a five-vote requirement and whether that requirement survived codification. The municipal attorney was asked to clarify legal questions raised during discussion; staff reported that the 2018 ordinance, as codified, did not include the 5-vote override in the codified text and cited attorney-general guidance about council authority.

After extended discussion, the council took a voice vote on the motion. The mayor called for vocal responses for and against, and the motion passed on that voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.

The ordinance cited by the mover was introduced as “Ordinance 2018-07,” and the amendment as presented listed sections for modification and the deletion of section 4. Council members debated the parliamentary consequences of postponement, reconsideration, and how the amendment would affect the ordinance's future treatment.

The council did not adopt a second, separate ordinance at this meeting; the action recorded in the transcript is the amendment motion as described and passed by voice vote. Staff and council members discussed the possibility of the item returning under the statutory procedures for reconsideration if a council member chose to pursue that route.