After SC Governor Mark Sanford's nearly week-long absence from his duties, subsequent revelations of a year-long extra-marital affair, and additional instances in which the governor admittedly crossed lines with other women but that he "never crossed the ultimate line" with anyone but Maria Belen Chapur, on June 30, 2009, WSPA's Amy Wood spoke with Taft Matney about the public relations and potential political fallout.
Amy Wood's full coverage can be found at The Ribbit.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS: SLED to Cease Conducting Background Checks on Fire Service Personnel
I received some disturbing information from the South Carolina Firefighters' Association today and am asking for your help on a critical issue affecting everyone in South Carolina.
Since 2001, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has performed background checks for fire service personnel in our state.
Historically, SLED performed these checks and billed the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation's (LLR) Division of State Fire Marshal for this service.
The Fire Marshal's office funded this service through its normal budgeting process, and the system works well.
SLED Director Reggie Lloyd recently decided that he will no longer invoice LLR for background checks as SLED did for 8 years and is now mandating that fire departments requesting background checks pay for the service themselves upon making the request.
Officials with the South Carolina Firefighters' Association and LLR staff conducted numerous discussions with Chief Lloyd, and discussions are now at an impasse with no help to South Carolina's fire service.
Without your action, beginning tomorrow, July 1, you and the fire department that serves you will pay for background checks on newly-hired personnel.
Chief Lloyd stated that LLR could and should do the background checks instead of SLED, but as South Carolina's chief law enforcement agency, it’s SLED that’s budgeted through the state to perform this function, and the agency has the investigative processes already in place.
If LLR is assigned responsibility of fire fighter background checks, existing state funds should be reallocated to LLR to assume the new task. Currently, SLED is not planning for any budget cuts, and LLR does not expect receive reallocated monies to fund the mandate.
The bottom line is that the system is not broken. It worked well when the program began in 2001, and it works well now. It also helps assure South Carolinians and its visitors of the professional nature of the fire service.
LLR still maintains funds available to pay for this service, so no additional tax dollars are needed. The program could continue as it has in the past, but Chief Lloyd opted for another path.
Please contact your legislators and express your dissatisfaction and concern with Chief Lloyd's change and how it could impact your fire department.
This is not a request for additional funds. We simply want to have SLED continue the checks as has been done for 8 years with billing handled through LLR. Again, we aren't asking for any new funds.
When you contact your legislators, please let me know (taft@taftmatney.com).
Just a brief note, if you choose to e-mail your legislators, make sure to type "Constituent" in the subject line. If you don't know who your legislators are or how to contact them, go to http://tinyurl.com/bkdg9f and enter your ZIP code. It's that easy.
Thank you, and please take time to contact your legislators today.
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (S.C.) NEWS POSTED MONDAY, April 20, 2009
PUBLICATION: The Greenville News
WRITER: Abe Hardesty
PHOTOGRAPHER: Heidi Heilbrunn
PUBLISHED: April 20, 2009
SECTION: Local News
PAGE NUMBER: A2
Two longtime Greenville firefighters were remembered by the Wade Hampton Fire & Sewer District in separate ceremonies Sunday afternoon.
District commissioners formally renamed Station 1 (2815 Wade Hampton Boulevard), W.M. "Bill" Edwards Station, in honor of the man who helped organize the Wade Hampton Fire District in 1954 and served it until his retirement in 1980.
Edwards, who served as a volunteer or at a minimal salary for most of those years, died in 1996.
Later in the day, the station at 1112 Pelham Road was renamed in honor of the late R.B. "Rudy" Singleton, who was its first employee and served in the organization from 1958 until his retirement in 1992.
Retired Captain Curt McCain was among the speakers at the dedication of the Edwards Station. Retired chief Gary Downey spoke to the crowd at the Singleton Station.
Former volunteer Otis Coggins said Edwards spearheaded the drive to build water lines in the Wade Hampton District in 1954 and the effort to add fire protection in 1958. Coggins calls Edwards "one of the hardest-working men I've ever seen in my life."
Singleton helped increase the district's protective capability from one truck, one station, and one employee to forty-five employees, three stations, four engines and two ladder trucks. He also led the department from a Class 10 insurance rating to its current Class 2 rating. Wade Hampton was the first special-purpose district in South Carolina to receive a Class 2 rating.
Wade Hampton Fire District officials unveiled photos to the families of the men in ceremonies Sunday. State Representative Dan Hamilton presented resolutions passed by the South Carolina House of Representatives to commemorate the events and honorees.
The second event will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Station 2 located at 1112 Pelham Road.
During the ceremonies, Wade Hampton officials will unveil each station’s new signage renaming the facilities, commissioners will place a plaque at each station, and Representative Dan Hamilton (District 20 - GreenvilleCounty) will present the district with resolutions passed by the South Carolina House of Representatives to commemorate the events and honorees.
District commissioners, department personnel, and attending elected officials will be available for comment following the presentations and announcements.
For media inquiries and to arrange a copy of event video footage and/or still photography, contact Taft Matney by phone at 864/505-8866 or by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com.
FROM: GSA BUSINESS (LINK) POSTED WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008
EPISODE 44 | Nov. 12, 2008
A week removed from Election Day, Francis Allgood talks with public affairs consultant Taft Matney Jr. about the 2008 election and its impact on the business community. Matney also discusses the hot topics heading into 2009 for the South Carolina General Assembly.
MAIN STREET PANEL WRESTLES WITH ADOPTING BOUNDARIES
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (S.C.) NEWS (LINK) POSTED WENDESDAY, JULY 16, 2008
By Kelly VanLeeuwen • TRIBUNE-TIMES WRITER
Members of the steering committee to redesign Mauldin's Main Street met for the first time July 10 where they were tasked with determining the parameters of the study.
But first they had to decide where Main Street is.
The redesign study is the first phase of a long-term project that could invest many city dollars and volunteer hours into building a future city center.
The City Council voted unanimously in May to approve the $90,000 proposal from Asheville-based firm LandDesign to craft a redesign plan for Main Street that addresses beautification, traffic control, land use and economic development.
Officials have said both the city's growth and the planned developments up 276 toward Greenville have created a sense of urgency toward establishing Mauldin as its own place.
Taft Matney said what makes Mauldin unique is "not something people can put their hands on or even name. There's something here that makes people want to stay."
Members said they wanted people to think of Mauldin as a home for friendly neighbors, walkability, a small town attitude, great shops and a "village appeal."
These visions influenced the conflicting opinions about where to build the city's Main Street.
The first choice would be Main Street, also known as Highway 276, from North Main at Forrester Drive down to the Southern Connector and also down South Main toward Simpsonville to I-385.
That's the section that Mayor Don Godbey has referred to as the "concrete landing strip" in need of an overhaul in light of coming developments such as the ICAR campus and a St. Francis hospital.
Redesigning this area would involve overhauling a main thoroughfare that could end up setting Mauldin apart along the 276 corridor.
"It's time we got out of the shadows and let everyone know from Travelers Rest to Fountain Inn (that) Maudlin is a great place to come live and work," Dave Chesson said.
The second choice would be Butler Road, the second, much narrower thoroughfare that intersects 276, I-385 and runs into Woodruff Road.
Keith Brockington, representing the Greenville County Planning department and the Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study -- which is funding $45,000 of the project -- said developing Butler Road as Main Street would keep congestion where it should be: on 276 as a thoroughfare.
The money budgeted for the project now -- more than $600,000 of enhancement funds from the S.C. Department of Transportation -- can be used only along 276, City Administrator Trey Eubanks said.
The first meeting for the public will be on Aug. 14. The time and location have not been set yet.
Public meetings also are scheduled for Oct. 2 and Nov. 13.
TMPR NOTE: To voice input on the Main Street Corridor plan, download PDF survey HERE, and return it no later than Friday, August 8, 2008. You may return the survey in one of the following ways:
Many from the class of 1997 remember Taft for his mouth. In fact, he was asked to deliver the benediction at the graduation exercises, and he jumped at the chance. “It just seemed fitting,” he said, “that after running my mouth all this time, I’d get the last word.”
Many might also remember him for his creative use of time, as he enjoyed extracurricular activities, in particular, political campaigns, a little too much, necessitating a “university requested sabbatical.” When he returned to campus a few years later, he felt older and more prepared to complete his undergraduate studies, and he went on to graduate with a BA in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in government and business.
His fond memories of his years at Upstate include Drs. Ron Romine, Dwight Lambert, Choong Lee, Warren Carson and Rachelle Prioleau, who all created an atmosphere where individual thoughts and opinions were encouraged.
In 2001 Taft started his own firm, TM Public Relations and Government Affairs, a company that offers a host of marketing services including lobbying, media kits, as well as the organization of public events and grassroots coalitions. Taft has branched out to include photography, audio and video components to the firm’s overall service list. Taft also is a managing member of Sandlapper, a political consulting firm, which specializes in crafting strategy, messaging, polling and collateral materials for state and local campaigns.
Born, raised and currently residing in Mauldin, Taft is married to wife Addy, and they have a four-year-old son, Trey. In his spare time he loves to play golf, watch movies, and stay involved in his church, Mauldin United Methodist.
