FOSAD member Rex Williams addresses City Council
Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter
Bamberg City Council
members heard a presentation
from FOSAD (For Our Sons and
Daughters) member Rex
Williams at their January 9
meeting concerning the alleged
banning of his group from
speaking at council meetings.
Williams called the alleged
actions of council in banning the
group from speaking before
them as “unethical” and he was
there to address the “violations.”
“The banning of FOSAD is a
violation of the U.S.
Constitution’s First Amendment
of Equal Protection under the
Law, the South Carolina
Constitution and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights,”
Williams said, in asking Mayor
Alton McCollum, “What gave
you the right to ban FOSAD
from meetings?”
Mayor McCollum noted
that FOSAD has not been
banned from coming before
Council to speak and he did have
the authority to do so “by the seat
I hold right here to control and
regulate what goes on, on
council”, adding “as far as the
banning goes, we didn’t want to
hear some of the things brought
up in the past.” “We thought the
items had been discussed
adequately. It was Council’s
intention to treat FOSAD and
everyone else fairly and there
was “no right to disrupt
meeting,” McCollum said.
Councilman Bo Griffin said
he didn’t recall FOSAD being
banned from meetings. Griffin
noted that he did recall FOSAD
being allowed on the agenda to
discuss the basketball courts.
“Anytime you want to come to
this public forum and express
yourself I agree with you,”
Griffin said, adding “the thing is
you’re on the agenda to protest
not being on the agenda, that tells
you something right there.”
As tempers began to flare,
Williams was informed that he
had used his allotted time and
was escorted from the meeting
by Chief George Morris under
the threat of being arrested.
Williams could be heard saying
“We are taking legal action
against the ban.”
In the public comments
portion of the meeting regarding
Williams’ presentation
Councilwoman Cynthia Summer
took issue with Chief Morris
“shaking your finger in my face
and raising your voice at me”
and questioning whether nor she
was involved with FOSAD.
“That was disrespectful to me,”
Summers said, adding “I’m not a
part of anything but trying to
keep peace in here. This is only
my second time hearing about
FOSAD. I don’t know anything
about FOSAD. If someone
comes before Council and wants
to speak the best thing is to let
them speak, summers said.”
Chief Morris noted that for
a council member to be involved
with FOSAD would be “stepping
over a line.” “Williams (Rex) has
not been banned from meetings,
but threatening people and
having his own personal agenda.
The majority of the people are
not behind FOSAD. Somebody
that works with the City is
reinforcing him and that’s the
person that needs to back off,”
Chief Morris said, adding “I’ve
been dealing with Rex Williams
for years, I know the whole story,
I know what’s going on.”
Rita Sease, who was in
attendance at the meeting said
she thought Chief Morris owed
Councilwoman Summers an
apology. “Observing what went
on, I didn’t like it,” Sease said. “I
think the Chief owes the Council
lady an apology.
I don’t appreciate anyone
insinuating or implicating
anyone, I didn’t see your
professionalism,” Sease, who
noted that she serves on a board.
Local businessman James
McMillan said to Chief Morris
“you need to be professional
about it.”
