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CAMPAIGNS ARE LIKE POLITICAL CHRISTMAS TREE LOTS

2012-01-19T15:48:00.005-05:00

Christmas tree lots. They’re set up overnight, they open on a busy corner, they run for a few weeks, and they’re gone. Employees often come from out of state, and, let’s just say, it’s easy to question the skill sets of a lot of them.

The same can be said for political campaigns.

Are there exceptions? Yes, especially when the staff hires are local.

We have some incredible, battle-tested political talent in this state, but the number of Lee Atwater wannabes and “I read PRIMARY COLORS, watched THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, and have THE WEST WING box set” types can really do more harm than good if they’re given too much rope.

This cycle, there’s been a lot of that from the presidential campaigns. It’s too late to do anything now, but to the out-of-staters who made South Carolina home for a couple of months and to the fresh-faced campaign workers (who aren’t limited to the “just got out of college” set) who think campaigns are a great career path, take an old guy’s advice for success down the road.

1) Don’t act like you’re local iffin you ain’t.

It’s important to learn your area, who the players are, what the personality dynamics are, and how things are done, but that takes time. I know that with a presidential campaign, especially in SC, time is a commodity. After Saturday, we won’t get another presidential campaign visit until 2015, but that means you have to squeeze more in to that finite campaign calendar. Make friends, let them guide you, and LISTEN to what they have to say. If you try to do things YOUR way, you’re failing yourself and your candidate.

2) Know the rules.

This goes both toward an application of the law and just how things are done. Never assume. Find a strong legal counsel – one recommended from people in the know. Talk with state party officers, major donors, activists. The way you do things in Wisconsin may very well be different than the way things are done in South Carolina. In fact, I’d pretty well bet on it.

3) Build relationships.

Sensing a theme yet? When former House Speaker Tip O'Neill said that, “All politics is local,” he wasn’t kidding. It wasn’t just some nifty saying he thought would look nice on a bumper sticker. You can’t go in to an area and think you know it all…or anything, for that matter. The local elected officials, party officials, and activists got there before you, and they’ll be there after you. They’ll be your best sources of information, networking, and volunteers.

4) Utilize relationships.

When you build relationships, you’ll discover that people want to help you. They, just as much as you, want your candidate to win. Let them help. Plug them in so that they can actually help. Don’t just give them busywork. Don’t let their emails and voicemails go unanswered. Aside from showing no common courtesy, ignoring or discounting what were once enthusiastic supporters makes them, at the very least, blasé about your efforts. At worst it makes them frustrated or angry at you, which could spill over to your candidate. Neither of those would be considered “good things.”

5) Be appreciative and keep your word.

Real friends are very difficult to come by in politics. It’s a difficult and sometimes painful lesson to learn. When you find friends, keep them. If somebody helps you, make sure you thank them appropriately. It’s important to embrace the “Dance with the one who brought you” philosophy. If you make a promise, keep it. The only thing you can ever really control about yourself is your word. The second you go back on it, is the second those friendships and loyalties disappear. Trust is paramount, and friendships must be reciprocal. Just because you’re working on the same campaign with someone doesn’t make you friends, though. Sometimes you’ll work with people you can’t trust, and this is the most difficult concept for a lot of people to grasp because you still have to be nice. You’re temporarily on the same team and likely will be again down the road if you decide to stay in politics. Just know the difference between friends and people you work with and have to be nice to.

Politics isn’t brain surgery – especially if your job is to build grassroots support. Strategy and messaging are coming from people above your pay grade. Should you show initiative and do some out of the ordinary things to help your candidate (like creating blogs or creative collateral)? Absolutely. Should you forego your duty to build relationships in order to do these things? Absolutely not.

Your time as a presidential campaign staffer is short. Make sure you leave something for yourself when it’s over. Make sure you have a network in place and an established reputation that will make candidates want to come to you down the road. Then you can set up your very own Christmas tree lot.

Taft Matney is a partner with TM Public Relations, a strategic communications and governmental affairs firm in Greenville, SC. Follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/taftmatney) and "like" TMPR on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TMPRGA).

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

Brand names, product names, services, companies, events, and publications are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks of, and are used to identify, products or services of their respective owners in the U.S. and/or other countries.

IT'S 2012. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?

2012-01-03T15:01:00.002-05:00

It’s not something you automatically think about when the new year rolls around, but you should.

It has nothing to do with typical resolutions, but it is something you should resolve to do.

Take a look at your web site. Look at your copyright and legal notices.

If your web site doesn’t have copyright or legal notices, that’s the first problem you need to address. The content on your site, except for what you’ve found elsewhere and properly attributed, is your intellectual property.

You need to protect it.

You need to date it so you have some basis to make a claim on something that is rightfully yours. If other people falsely pass off your content as their own or use it in a way that’s contrary to how you want your content used or represented, you need to have documentable evidence of what you wrote, photographed, recorded, or illustrated and when you created it.

That takes care of the first issue. Now for the second.

What does your copyright date say? If it’s 2011 or earlier, make a mental note. It’s now 2012.

Update your copyright date. While it’s important to document when your intellectual property was created, it’s equally important to keep those copyright protections up to date. You might not necessarily surrender your copyright protection by not making the immediate change to the new year, but you’re certainly sending a signal that you: 1) aren’t concerned with how or where your intellectual property is used, 2) you don’t really monitor what people are doing with your intellectual property, and 3) theft of your intellectual property is an offense that will carry no penalty because chance are you won’t engage in litigation.

I’m not an attorney and don’t offer legal advice. I’m a PR flack and a political hack, but I care about what I create. I care about things that I write, photograph, record, or design. I put time and effort in to those things that are, at different levels, piece of me. I don’t want to see them used in ways contrary to why I created them.

Now, there are “fair-use” doctrines and “public domain” issues to consider, but ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how your content is used. Protect it, and start by updating copyright dates on your web sites. The Mayan calendar may end this year, but your copyright protection doesn’t have to.

Taft Matney is a partner with TM Public Relations, a strategic communications and governmental affairs firm in Greenville, SC. Follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/taftmatney) and "like" TMPR on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TMPRGA).

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

Brand names, product names, services, companies, events, and publications are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks of, and are used to identify, products or services of their respective owners in the U.S. and/or other countries.

“CRESCENT: THE MAGAZINE” LAUNCHES

2011-10-04T12:10:00.003-04:00

FOCUSING ON “SOUTH CAROLINA LIFE, POLITICS, AND A LITTLE BIT IN BETWEEN”

(OCTOBER 4, 2011 / GREENVILLE, SC) Launched at www.CrescentMag.com, CRESCENT is a new web-based magazine designed to highlight “South Carolina life, politics, and a little bit in between,” said its editor Taft Matney today.

CRESCENT’s offerings come from two directions. One will profile famous and influential South Carolinians, South Carolina food, travel, and entertainment. The other will include state-based current events and opinion. According to Matney, CrescentMag.com is a place where lifestyle issues and current events can converge in to a single digital infotainment outlet.

“When we first started piecing CRESCENT together, we thought we had an idea of what people wanted, but we didn't know if we were on target. There was only one way to find out. Ask. We asked friends and family. We surveyed a cross-section of nearly 200 folks who are movers and shakers in their fields. We tried to find out where people were getting their information and what they were interested in. With a mix of aggregated material and original content, I think the product we're putting together is on the mark,” Matney said.

One of those survey results showed that the majority of respondents get their information electronically, so CRESCENT is targeting the digital space – specifically people who are surfing the web with smart phones, tablets, netbooks, notebooks, and desktop computers.

“The CRESCENT that's here today isn't by any means the final version, but it's a starting point. It's going to evolve with input,” Matney said. “Keep telling us what you want to see. Let us know what interests you. What's going on in South Carolina that people need to know? Where in South Carolina do we need to eat or travel? What's a South Carolina business or group that people should know about? Who is a South Carolinian people need to know more about? Tell us how to make CRESCENT better.”

Some of the people CRESCENT will profile include: Former presidential advisor Tucker Eskew, country music star Aaron Tippin, Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghman, and James Beard Award winners The Lee Brothers.

When asked about pay walls, registrations, and subscriptions, Matney responded, “No. Our readers won’t be bothered with pay walls or unnecessarily collected information. We listened to what people said in our survey. Just visit CrescentMag.com. Read what’s there. Learn something about our state, comment on an article or two if you feel like it, support our advertisers, and keep coming back to see what's new.”

“Our state has a lot to be proud of,” he added. “It’s not all about partisan bickering. It’s not about what allows us to be the punch line on late night talk shows. South Carolina has a lot of great stories to tell and a lot of great people to tell them. CRESCENT exists to give them a voice.”

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@crescentmag.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

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This statement contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. CRESCENT undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

2011-09-20T12:38:00.010-04:00

There are times when South Carolina deserves to be laughed at. Let’s face it. There are certain aspects of our state that are great as running punchlines.

We have so many, in fact, the folks at THE ONION gave us this little piece:

Obama Visits South-Carolina-Ravaged South Carolina

September 20, 2011

COLUMBIA, SC—Calling the devastation "heartbreaking and appalling," President Barack Obama toured South-Carolina-ravaged South Carolina Tuesday, vowing never to turn his back on the 4.6 million residents whose lives have been turned upside down by the horrors of South Carolina. "For decades, citizens from Columbia to Walterboro have suffered a kind of pain and anguish that most Americans could never fathom," said Obama, who later led a silent prayer for the countless victims of the Southern state. "But I'm confident you will rebound. Maybe not in a month. Maybe not in a year. But South Carolina will one day emerge from the ashes of this South-Carolina-torn land." Obama will reportedly be traveling to Charleston next, a city the president said has miraculously escaped the devastation of South Carolina.

It’s funny. It’s really funny, but there’s more to the story.

You see, South Carolina has a lot to be proud of, and that’s part of what our new project is about -- not just what's happening, but those things that make South Carolina a great place to live, work, play, vacation, rear a family, and just plain enjoy.

There’s more to come soon.

Until then, “Like” TMPR on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TMPRGA), or sign up (http://eepurl.com/e2xi2) and stay tuned to find out more.

MEDIA ADVISORY – BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT TO CONDUCT 9/11 OBSERVANCE

2011-09-10T11:49:00.004-04:00

Contact: Taft Matney

Date: September 10, 2011

Phone: 864/505-8866

E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

Tomorrow, September 11, 2011 the Boiling Springs Fire District (Greenville County, SC) will hold a brief 9/11 remembrance ceremony at its headquarters located at 5020 Pelham Road in Greenville to observe the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States.

The ceremony will begin at 8:00 a.m. and is expected to last approximately 20 minutes and will include participation by the BSFD Honor Guard and remarks from Chaplain Gary Rogers.

Members of neighboring fire departments are expected to attend, and the public is invited.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, two Boiling Springs Honor Guard detachments will leave the district’s headquarters to participate in other area observance ceremonies.

Officials from Boiling Springs Fire District say that they plan to hold a larger scale ceremony when construction is completed on the district’s privately-funded 9/11 memorial that features a steel beam from the World Trade Center as a centerpiece.

For planning purposes, directions to Boiling Springs’ headquarters are below.

From Greenville

Take I-85 North to Pelham Road
Bear right at the top of the exit ramp on to Pelham Road.
BSFD Headquarters is located on the right on the corner at the first traffic signal.

From Spartanburg

Take I-85 South to Pelham Road
Turn left at the top of the exit ramp on to Pelham Road.
After crossing back over I-85, BSFD Headquarters is located on the right on the corner at the intersection of Pelham and Garlington Roads.

About the Boiling Springs Fire District

Established in 1968 and located on Greenville County's Eastside, the Boiling Springs Fire District covers 15 square miles and serves over 26,000 residents. Governed by five commissioners recommended by county council and appointed by the governor, the Boiling Springs Fire District is a special purpose district responsible for addressing specific concerns and local issues among commercial and residential interests through 40 paid personnel and 20 volunteers operating out of 3 fire stations. The Boiling Springs Fire District is South Carolina's only ISO Class 1 fire department with a combination of paid and volunteer fire fighters.

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

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FIRE DEPARTMENTS REQUIRE MONEY TO MEET NEEDS

2011-09-07T10:35:00.006-04:00

By Butch Kirven
Published Sunday, September 4, 2011
The Greenville News
Section 9A -- http://bit.ly/qDmZ98

Greenville County is notoriously tightfisted with tax dollars. The last time County Council raised tax millage for the county’s general fund operations was 1993.

Since then County Council has consistently decreased tax millage.

Aside from its own business, County Council is the approving fiscal authority for many, but not all, separate Special Purpose Tax Districts, a task complicated because the Council does not have operational control of these fire districts, relying instead on the commissioners of each one.

Fire protection is not optional. Lives and property depend on the level of protection provided. Fire protection services are paid for directly by property taxes collected from the citizens who are the beneficiaries of the services. Needs for fire protection services and the capabilities to provide them vary greatly throughout Greenville County.

That means funding levels for each fire district must be judged on the merits of each case, and not on a “no-tax increase” dogma that does not account for the actual situation in each fire district. Some increases may be justified, some may not, but each should be evaluated carefully and business-like decisions made for each one.

There are some 30 separate Fire Districts, Special Purpose Fire Districts and Fire Service Areas in Greenville County. Thirteen were created by County Council, and 17 were created by the state Legislature, eight with statutory budget limits, and nine with full autonomy and unlimited taxing authority. Only the first group and those with limited autonomy require County Council’s approval for millage adjustments.

Each Fire District contains a specific array of demographic and economic characteristics determining how fire protection is provided and funded. Consider both ends of the spectrum: Boiling Springs Fire Department serves a densely populated 15-square mile area with a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial properties.

Dunklin Fire Department serves a 28-square mile largely rural-residential area, including large amounts of agricultural or undeveloped land that produces little tax revenue. It is obvious that these differences determine how each department is manned, equipped, trained and how much it all costs. Comparing them would be like comparing apples to oranges.

In the case of Boiling Springs Fire Department, the facts and circumstances support their request for County Council’s approval for a bond to pay for a strategically located new station to serve their densely populated area and diverse mix of property types. In the case of Dunklin Fire Department, the circumstances and facts support their request for a very modest increase in revenue just to maintain the basic capabilities which the citizens currently rely on.

Despite the archaic arrangement of so many fire and other special purpose tax districts, no local service does more to protect life and property than the fire departments. They do much more than put out fires. Firefighters are usually first to arrive when anyone has a stroke or a heart attack. When a traffic accident occurs, the rescue vehicle from the local fire station is usually the first to arrive on the scene. When corporations and industries look for places to locate, a top priority is the quality of fire protection and ISO ratings.

Fire departments and firefighters are essential; they save lives, support economic development, give us peace of mind, and are taken for granted.

Changes in state law a few years ago limited tax millage increases to a combination of population increase plus a cost-ofliving index. That led local government entities to review their budgets every year and to ask for the allowed small millage increase maintain services.

However, the new state tax law also created a problem by having so many subdivisions of local government asking for the allowable adjustment in millage, which appeared to those not thinking through the matter that County Council was on a tax increasing binge.

Having so many separate tax districts is not an ideal system, but it is the one we have, and we have to make it work. The high level of cooperation among the fire departments is amazing and saves money. They have a preplanned system to back-up engaged units. They share training resources and equipment. Many firefighters are volunteers who spend enormous amounts of time learning and honing the skills that can make the difference between life and death.

In order to provide the level of resources essential to maintaining readiness County Council and citizens must fully appreciate all that fire departments do in serving the community.

Without adequate resources, readiness will deteriorate, training will be reduced, outdated equipment will not be replaced, and facilities not maintained.

If public safety is important, money has to be spent to keep fire departments capable of performing their missions. Citizens seem to understand this and County Council should.

RESIDENTS BACK NEW FIRE STATION

2011-09-07T09:18:00.006-04:00

By Anna Lee
Staff Writer
zlee@greenvillenews.com
September 7, 2011
Section B2 -- http://bit.ly/poakca

Business owners and residents who came to Greenville County Square on Tuesday night all had one agenda: to support the Boiling Springs Fire District.

Each had three minutes or less to ask County Council to consider issuing a $2 million bond that would allow the fire district to buy a former church building on 208 Blacks Drive and renovate it into a fire station.

Some, including Milton Murphy, general manager of Speedway Packaging and Distribution, said a new fire station would help Boiling Springs keep its ISO rating of 1, the highest a department can achieve.

“If it were to drop, it would mean our insurance costs would go up, and we would have, basically, some choices to make,” Murphy said. “We can reduce our personnel at the site, or we have to raise our prices to our customers. Either way, it’s not good for us or the economy.” Claire Sizemore and Tim Greaves, a former firefighter, said the station’s proximity to heavily traveled Pelham Road and Interstate 85 would shave crucial minutes off emergency response times.

“The bottom line of this whole issue is life or death,” Sizemore said.

At issue is a fire district that spans 15 square miles across Greenville’s growing Eastside area. Its ISO rating will drop to 3 if a fourth station isn’t built soon, said Fire Chief Steve Graham.

“It was a godsend to find this piece of property with an existing building that we can renovate for about $2 million,” Graham said.

The general obligation bond would increase property taxes by $4.35 on a $100,000 owner-occupied home.

County Council members were divided on the issue during a Finance Committee meeting earlier this year.

Meadows and Councilman Sid Cates voted against the proposal, while Butch Kirven and Jim Burns voted in favor. Councilman Bob Taylor was absent but later cast the deciding 3-2 vote to allow the bond issuance to move forward.

A public hearing and second reading will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 4.

■ Staff writer Nathaniel Cary contributed to this report.

NEWS RELEASE – WADE HAMPTON FIRE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT ON LAKECREST APARTMENTS FIRE

2011-08-27T09:10:00.009-04:00

Contact: Taft Matney
Date: August 27, 2011
Phone: 864/505-8866
E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

At 9:39 pm on August 26, 2011, the Wade Hampton Fire Department received a call reporting a structure fire at Lakecrest Apartments located at 3900 East North Street in Greenville.

The first engine arrived on scene at 9:41.

26 apartment units in two buildings were involved in the fire. Each building contains 12 units, and two units in another building received water damage from runoff.

The fire is believed to have originated in a third floor unit.

The Greenville County Sheriff's Office has been called to investigate, and it is expected that the investigation will begin on Monday.

The complex is currently being fenced off around the affected fire area.

No major injuries were reported.

In addition to the Wade Hampton Fire Department, units from the City of Greenville Fire Department, Taylors Fire Department, and Piedmont Park Fire Department responded as part of a mutual aid agreement.

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

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This statement contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Wade Hampton Fire and Sewer District undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

BOILING SPRINGS WANTS TO TURN OLD CHURCH INTO FIRE STATION

2011-07-07T11:22:00.006-04:00

By David Dykes Staff writer ddykes@greenvilleonline.com

Published in THE GREENVILLE NEWS July 7, 2011

http://m.greenvilleonline.com/latestupdates/article?a=2011307070015&f=1157

"Boiling Springs Fire Chief Steve Graham and Communication Service Center's Ronnie Channell looks at plans for the possible new station in a former church building off Pelham Road." - MYKAL MCELDOWNEY/GREENVILLE NEWS Staff

The Boiling Springs Fire Department plans to convert a church building off Pelham Road to a new fire station, adding firefighters to one of the fastest-growing areas of Greenville County and helping protect a coveted insurance rating for homeowners.

Boiling Springs Fire Chief Steve Graham told GreenvilleOnline.com that the department has a contract to purchase property on Blacks Drive from the Vineyard Church of Greenville in a transaction that should close about Aug. 10.

He declined to discuss the purchase price or the cost of any renovations.

Church officials couldn't be reached for comment.

Graham said fire officials plan to ask Greenville County officials to issue a $2 million general obligation bond to buy the property, pay for renovations and purchase a fire truck and related equipment.

Fire officials are scheduled to make the request Monday to the County Council's Finance Committee, he said.

The new station should open Nov.1 and house an engine company and nine firefighters, Graham said.

Graham said the new station will the department's fourth and help it maintain a Class 1 ISO rating, which can directly impact homeowners' insurance premiums. The department's headquarters will remain on Pelham Road near Interstate 85, Graham said.

ISO evaluates municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States.

Officials say a community's investment in fire mitigation is a reliable predictor of future fire losses, and insurance companies use the information to help establish premiums for fire insurance -- generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection.

According to its website, the church in May began meeting at the Eastside YMCA. Greenville County property records show the church owns three parcels on Blacks Drive.

Graham said the site totals more than 5.4 acres. It has a swimming pool, which could be used for the department's dive-team training, but "that's one of those things -- do the costs outweigh the benefits?" Graham said.

"The main focus is to get the station in operation," he said. "And then we're going to take some time and look at would it be better for the taxpayers of this (fire) district and operation of this fire department to maybe look at splitting that down and maybe selling some of the property."

The department has an agreement with county recreation officials to use Oak Grove Lake for diver training, Graham said.

He said environmental assessments and surveys are being conducted at the church site along with engineering and architectural reviews.

County records show Graham and the Vineyard Church filed an application with the county Board of Zoning Appeals to convert the church building to the fire station.

A Greenville County spokesman said no rezoning for the fire station is necessary. By special exception, the Board of Zoning Appeals can approve uses such as fire protection in residential areas.

The board will hold a hearing on the application at 3 p.m. July 13 in the County Council's chambers.

RELATED VIDEO STORY FROM WYFF: http://www.wyff4.com/video/28469074/detail.html

MEDIA ADVISORY – BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT TO CONDUCT PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING

2011-07-06T09:40:00.005-04:00

Additional Fire Station and Bond Issue are Top Agenda Items

Contact: Taft Matney
Date: July 6, 2011
Phone: 864/505-8866
E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

This Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 7:00 p.m., members of the Boiling Springs Fire District (Greenville County, SC) will conduct a public information meeting at 208 Blacks Drive, Greenville, SC 29615 – the former site of Vineyard Church and the site of the district’s proposed new fire station (Click HERE for directions).

During the meeting, Chief Steve Graham will present the district’s need for an additional station based on a recent survey from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), and he will present an overview of the station’s design to renovate the existing structure.

There will also be a presentation concerning a general obligation bond to pay for the additional station, and Boiling Springs Fire District Commissioners will take questions from the public in attendance.

Currently, the Boiling Springs Fire District holds a Class 1 rating (the only one in the Upstate) from ISO, but based on its recent survey, due to population increases, without the new station the district will fall to a Class 3 – a move that could impact insurance premiums for commercial and residential policy holders.

According to Chief Steve Graham, “Our commissioners and personnel work tirelessly to ensure that our residents and business owners receive the best fire and emergency response protection we can provide. This event is designed to obtain public input as we prepare to add another level of service to a growing part of our district.”

About the Boiling Springs Fire District

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

OH, WE GOT RID OF HIM, AND THEN WE JUST SHUT UP.

2011-06-07T11:48:00.002-04:00

Just shy of his 80th birthday in February 2011, Hootie Johnson, former chairman of Bank of America and Augusta National Golf Club, spoke to THE (Columbia, SC) STATE newspaper.

He talked about his professional rise and his successes, but from a communications standpoint, one of his most interesting remarks came during a discussion of Augusta National's decision to remain a single-gender private club and the media attention that drew in the early 2000s.

If you don't remember, THE STATE recalls the situation as:

As chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, Johnson drew the most attention for declining attempts by a national women’s organization to admit women as members. Johnson was quoted as saying the club would not be forced to have a female member “at the point of a bayonet.” Critics decried Johnson as sexist, while supporters applauded him as protector of individual rights.

Mr. Johnson knew then and now that he and Augusta National received bad advice on how to handle the situation. When asked what happened to the communications consultant Augusta National used, Johnson replied, "Oh, we got rid of him, and then we just shut up."

It's a strategy that proved to be both simple and successful (and, much to the dismay of my fellow PR flacks, didn't require their services).

Yes. There are times when you need to be vocal. Sometimes it's necessary to play offense, and sometimes, it's necessary to play defense. There are other times when it's best to "just shut up."

Taft Matney is a partner with TM Public Relations, a strategic communications and governmental affairs firm in Greenville, SC. Follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/taftmatney) and "like" TMPR on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TMPRGA).

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

MEDIA ADVISORY – BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT TO RECEIVE PIECE OF WORLD TRADE CENTER

2011-04-27T17:23:00.001-04:00

Steel Beam Slated as Centerpiece of Greenville County 9/11 Memorial Plaza

Contact: Taft Matney

Date: April 27, 2011

Phone: 864/505-8866

E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 3:00 p. m., Greenville County’s Boiling Springs Fire District will receive the first piece of the only planned 9/11 memorial in the county.

What will become the central focus of the memorial is a 16” I-Beam that was originally a part of the World Trade Center towers that were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The beam itself measures 80 inches long and weighs 1360 pounds and will be placed in a memorial that officials say will be constructed in front of the district’s headquarters located at 5020 Pelham Road.

District officials are currently in the process of bidding the architectural part of the project and will plan the memorial’s construction after selecting a designer. The district’s goal is to have the memorial completed in time to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

Initial cost estimates range between $50,000 and $80,000 to complete the plaza with financing coming through community and corporate sponsorships as well as fundraising efforts by off duty Boiling Springs Fire District personnel.

Fundraising efforts will begin once the steel from the World Trade Center arrives in Greenville County.

Captains Jeff Nelson and Pat Howard along with Engineers Steve Carpenter and Philip Hutcheson made the trip to NY to pick up the steel, also saving the district money versus hiring a commercial trucking firm to transport the beam.

“We are grateful to the Port Authority of New York / New Jersey and the September 11th Families Association for the honor of being able to display this important part of our American Heritage,” said Chief Steve Graham of the Boiling Springs Fire District. “This piece doesn’t just belong to BSFD, it belongs to every American who remembers that tragic day. More especially, it belongs to ALL of our local First Responders who still feel that kinship with our brothers and sisters who gave their lives that day.”

About the Boiling Springs Fire District

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

WANTED -- ADVERTISING/MARKETING CONTRACTOR

2011-04-18T02:00:00.004-04:00

OPEN: Director-level position serving as the primary advertising and marketing contact for an upscale web-based magazine focused on South Carolina.

Duties include:

Advertising Sales
Assisting with Creative Development for Client Ads
Event/Program Creation and Planning
Sponsorship Development
Work under limited supervision.

Must be self-directed. Initial salary based on commission.

Send inquiry, resume, and requirements to files@taftmatney.com.

~~This posting is open unless otherwise noted.~~

UPDATE: This posting is closed as of May 2, 2011. Thanks to everyone who expressed an interest in the position.

I’M SORRY – AN APOLOGY FROM A PR FLACK

2011-02-03T18:36:00.009-05:00

I’m sorry. I really am, and I issue this apology on behalf of PR practitioners all over.

I was originally going to write a post saying that I wished more PR people had the guts to tell their clients to shut up, to just not say another word.

I was going to talk about how professional PR people are and how part of their job is to think about what words mean and how words impact the public’s perception of the client – whether that client is a person, company, group, product, or idea. I was going to say that clients need to listen to their PR people. I would have qualified that by saying that communication is a two way street and that PR people need to listen to clients to understand his/her/their needs.

Then it dawned on me that the glaring mistakes over the past couple of days are making the profession and its clients look bad. That’s why I’m apologizing.

For instance, South Carolina’s new Lt. Governor was questioned about how he used some of his campaign funds following his election. His response when questioned by the FREE TIMES was, “I’ll be honest, I’m not really good at dotting i’s and crossing t’s, but I’ve got a lot -- a lot -- of money in here and I’m certainly not spending any money on my own personal behalf.” According to the Columbia weekly he added, “I’ve got a vast amount of my personal wealth tied up in this campaign and I’m just trying to recoup as much of that as I can.”

Really? That’s the response? While my media friends absolutely hate my saying this, the lt. governor’s communications people should never have allowed the call to get through without prepping him first, and since the call did get through, someone should have said, “Governor, please quit speaking now.”

How about today’s gaffe from designer Kenneth Cole (http://twitter.com/kennethcole)?

“Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC,” according to the now deleted tweet.

Really? Egyptians are rioting, their president is on the verge of resigning and going in to exile, foreign media members are being beaten, and American citizens are being kidnapped and threatened at gunpoint as the United State’s military prepares to airlift them to safety. You go with a weak joke about riots being caused by your spring line? Seriously?

My hope is that the Cole tweet didn’t actually come from Mr. Cole. I hope it came from some low-level inexperienced fresh-out-of-college PR hopeful who should still have “making coffee” somewhere in his or her job description, and as boneheaded of a move as it was to tweet that, the hammer should drop on the senior-level PR person who put Little Miss or Mister Wet Behind the Ears in a position to control social media messaging just because he or she doesn’t yet get the fascination with MyFace or SpaceBook or TweetieBird or whatever social media outlets the Kenneth Cole brand is using to communicate.

So, that’s why I’m apologizing. I’m apologizing because there are a lot more of us who think about our clients, their brands, and public perception than there are of these glory-seeking wannabes who think they can step behind a podium and that gold will pour from their mouths with no effort when in reality they don't even understand what it is to do the job. Those of us who take our jobs seriously and who hold our clients’ faith in us as a trust allowed ourselves to get pwned by these bush league goof ups.

Now that the apologies are out of the way, here’s my advice:

First, realize that you have a brand. That brand may be you as an individual, a politician, a political candidate, a company or organization, or a thing. That brand’s success or failure is more often that not based on what people think, based on its image. Protect that image. Find a public relations professional who understands your needs and the job at hand. Find someone who will be honest with you but who will make sure you don’t get blindsided. Find someone who is a good fit with you or your organization but who doesn’t always say, “Yes,” just because you said it. Remember, a good PR person is about strategy in messaging, and sometimes that means questioning.
Second, realize that we no longer live by news cycles. You can generate news or deliver a response 24/7/365. That’s the news cycle now. It’s never ending.
Third, make sure your PR person understands that fax machines aren’t the preferred methods of distributing information. I’m taking that to the extreme, but your PR folks should know and be able to operate in an environment that allows information to be created and consumed through multiple channels, including and especially social media.
Fourth, Facebook isn’t for middle school girls. Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and the like are viable and invaluable channels to communicate with your customers or constituents, investors, and media, and you have to be able to use those outlets to help manage your reputation.
Fifth, chances are your opposition already knows these things. If you or your PR people mess up, somebody will be there to capitalize on the situation, dilute your brand value, and work to increase their market share.
Sixth, this is just for South Carolina’s lieutenant governor. You can weather this storm, but you need to be brutally honest. Completely open your books and let the sunshine in. It may not be painless, but with the current damage done, your saving grace can and should be an abundance of transparency to keep your voters’ trust.
Seventh, this is for the folks at Kenneth Cole. Keep the interns away from your Twitter and other social media accounts. If Mr. Cole himself actually sent the tweet (which, since it ended in “KC” claims to be the case), please contract with public relations professionals who can handle those communications for you and help enhance your brand instead of playing defense. Make sure you apologize profusely, too. You goofed. Admit it and ask for forgiveness for a poorly-timed weak joke. Then apologize some more. People want contrition and will trust you more when they see it.

That’s it – my apology and some advice. The past two days provided cases in lessons learned from what to do to what not to do. Hopefully everyone is a little wiser, and we can move forward.

Oh, and hire a good PR person. He or she can save your brand.

UPDATE: It’s a start. Kenneth Cole issued an apology on his Facebook page saying, “I apologize to everyone who was offended by my insensitive tweet about the situation in Egypt. I’ve dedicated my life to raising awareness about serious social issues, and in hindsight my attempt at humor regarding a nation liberating themselves against oppression was poorly timed and absolutely inappropriate. -- Kenneth Cole, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer.”

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SC's 95th INAUGURAL

2011-01-04T11:45:00.003-05:00

The Palmetto State's 95th Inaugural (http://2011inaugural.sc.gov/) festivities are rapidly approaching (January 11-12), and organizers want to involve South Carolinians from across the state.

Right now, there is a need for volunteers for "Family Fun Night" on Tuesday Jan 11th.

There are spots open from 9:00am until 3:00pm that need to be filled for set up that include activities like organizing tables, decorating and setting out supplies. I've been told that it should be easy and laid back.

If you or anyone you know is interested but can't work the entire time, shifts can be split.

There is also a need for volunteers during the "Family Fun Night" event itself to help with a few things going on. Kids will paint flags to send to the troops, so they'll need help with that, and they'll also need help with drinks and tables. Organizers told me that they don't want anyone to have to work the entire event, so they're slating people for 1.5 hour shifts in order to allow volunteers to enjoy the rest of the event.

Volunteers will also be needed after "Family Fun Night" ends to do things like help make sure people exit and assist in clean up.

There may be a small need for some volunteers at the Statehouse on the day of the ceremony (Wednesday, January 12), but I'm not sure of availability there because Statehouse staffers usually fill those slots.

If you're interested in or know anyone who may be interested in volunteering for the inaugural events, please contact Ashley Martin at ashleyhmartin@gmail.com to let her know.

Taft

GET DRESSED FOR TELEVISION

2010-11-30T12:24:00.008-05:00

There are a lot of stereotypes out there. Like it or not, they often exist because there's some basis in fact, which, in itself, is a fact.

One of these stereotypes is that American males simply cannot dress themselves, and judging from what I've seen on television over the past couple of weeks, I can see why the stereotype exists.

Look. I'm not a fashion editor for GQ, ESQUIRE, or DETAILS. I don't know Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, or any of the Brooks Brothers. What I know is that as a PR guy who also wears a number of other consulting hats, I have a duty to my clients to be honest with them. Sometimes, that includes the client's "look."

Whether we're working with a civic group, in the Statehouse lobby, or broadcasting for the world to see, every occasion has an appropriate look. The image of the message's presenter is almost as important as the message, itself.

How can people trust the message if the messenger doesn't look credible? How can I in good conscience allow my clients to present their messages if they haven't dressed the part?

There's a look for every occasion, and it only takes some common sense (or a thick skin if I have to tell you that you look ridiculous) to figure it out.

More and more, especially on television, we're seeing an inability for men to wear jackets correctly. It's a jacket. How tough can it be?

Guys. Two things. First, if you're wearing a two-button suit jacket or blazer, don't button both buttons. This is the first rule you should have learned when you got your first navy blazer. For a more informal or casual look, it's perfectly fine to leave it completely unbuttoned. If you want to go for a more professional or formal look, button the top button only (just make sure you unbutton it again when you sit down, or you'll look like an idiot).

Second, if you're wearing a double-breasted jacket, keep it buttoned or take it off. An unbuttoned double-breasted immediately takes away your credibility with the audience because it makes you look like you don't know what you're doing. Even if your audience isn't sitting there saying, "I can't believe he doesn't have his jacket buttoned," and there's a good chance they aren't, people will notice that something about you doesn't fit. They'll have a harder time trusting you, and that only hurts your cause.

I know there are going to be some laughs about this post, but realize one thing, you got some free advice that everybody else has to pay for.

Just use your head when you're getting ready to go on camera or in front of an audience. If that doesn't work, ask your wife or girlfriend, "Honey, do I look stupid?" It works for me...well the "wife" part, anyway.

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

MEDIA ADVISORY – BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT TO PRESENT SIDE-BY-SIDE BURN

2010-11-08T08:43:00.003-05:00

Event Designed to Demonstrate the Protective Benefits of Residential Sprinkler Systems

Contact: Taft Matney

Date: November 8, 2010

Phone: 864/505-8866

E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

Today, Monday, November 8 at 1:00 p.m., Boiling Springs Fire District personnel will conduct a “side-by-side” burn at the Taylors Fire Training Tower located at 2 Space Drive in Taylors (Near Wade Hampton Boulevard off of N. Watson Road).

Firefighters will ignite two nearly identical rooms (including build, floor coverings, furniture, and
smoke detector). The only difference is that one room will be equipped with a residential sprinkler system.

The purpose of the burn is to demonstrate how inclusion of fire sprinklers can and is saving lives and property.

This event is made possible through generous donations from the following sponsors:

The Home Depot – Structural Building Materials
American Fire Protection Corp – Sprinkler System
Millers of Greenville – Room Furnishings
Wal-Mart – Room Furnishings

Fire Marshal Jeff Nelson will be the primary spokesperson on-site and will be available at the burn
demonstration.

ABOUT THE BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

WHAT NOT TO DO: BAD, BAD BEST BUY

2010-11-04T09:36:00.007-04:00

I got an e-mail regarding Best Buy’s RewardZone program.

It began, “You are receiving this e-mail because Best Buy® has changed the way marketing e-mail communications are managed. Currently you are registered to receive marketing communications from the Reward Zone® program, but have opted to not receive marketing communications related to Best Buy generally.”

OK. Great. I need to know about changes.

“We are writing to let you know that Best Buy has changed the way it manages opt-out preferences.”

That’s good. I need to know what I need to do to cut out any unwanted mail. Thanks for the heads-up, Best Buy.

“Going forward, opting out of either Reward Zone or Best Buy marketing communications will result in being removed from both marketing lists. In order to honor your request to receive Reward Zone program e-mails containing special offers, invitations to events and account updates, you have been opted-in to receiving Best Buy marketing communications generally.”

Huh? You opted me in to another list? One that I already told you I didn’t want to be a part of? And, if I tell you again that I don’t want to be on the list I already told you I don’t want to be a part of, you’re going to punish me by also taking me off the list I DO want to be a part of? Am I reading that correctly?

“If you do not wish to receive these e-mail communications, you will need to update your opt-out preferences. Please note that if you do opt-out of Best Buy marketing communications, you will also opt-out of marketing communications from Reward Zone.”

Really?

“Thank you for being a valued Reward Zone member.”

If I’m so “valued,” then why are you spitting in my face as a loyal customer?

Way to blow a good thing, Best Buy. Of course you also help illustrate a valuable lesson.

Whether you’re Best Buy, a specialty boutique, an elected official communicating with constituents, or a campaign connecting with supporters, respect your audience.

E-mail marketing was social media 1.0. Yes, it was a one-way street going from you the messenger to the messengee, but its purpose was/is to build some sense of community and loyalty to your store, your product, your brand, your issue, or just you.

And it works. That’s why it’s still used.

Building goodwill and giving your audience what it asked for was and is paramount in maintaining that successful relationship.

That means don’t opt your audience in to a new list if they told you they didn’t want to be a part of it and don’t opt out your audience from a list they said they wanted to be a part of.

Then you can thank be for being a valued Reward Zone member.

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

WHAT SHOULD I DO? SHOULD I BE WHO YOU WANT ME TO BE?

2010-10-26T14:10:00.002-04:00

Coinciding with NBA’s opening night, Nike is set to launch its new TV spot tonight during the TNT broadcast.

Titled “Rise,” some are calling it LeBron James’ answer to critics, but let’s call it what it is.

It’s Nike at its best.

It’s a fantastic piece of creative to pull back in customers who were so mad at LeBron (my son, included) that they saw him as a turncoat. Some burned his jerseys. Others tossed out his memorabilia with the garbage. He didn’t get a lot of support for his move to Miami.

Right, wrong, or indifferent, when LeBron James left the Cavs for the Heat, he didn’t just impact “LeBron James – The Brand,” he impacted every other brand that “LeBron James – The Man” represented.

That included Nike on a multi-million dollar scale.

Is this LeBron answering critics? No. It’s really, really, really, really expensive damage control and customer retention…and it’s really well done.

It’s also an example to brands everywhere that redemption is (almost always) possible – no matter how much your pitchman or woman messes up.

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

I HELPED A REPORTER.

2010-10-18T09:01:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, an editor was pulling some background on a story she was working on. She asked:

whether there are any different guidelines governing political campaign ads on YouTube/online video vs. broadcast TV, and
why politicians may see online video as a better option for campaign media.

A big part of my job is to work with media to help them get the information they need to do their jobs better. It’s not about getting our names in print. Hopefully, my answers to her questions provided a little extra insight. With the 2010 election just weeks away, maybe those answers can help you, too.

Taft

--------------------

As one of the first pieces of Web 2.0, video distribution sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Viddler, Veoh, and Blip.tv completely changed the rules for political campaigning. Building on a preexisting freedom that provides political campaign ads with a lot more leeway and essentially exempts them from truth-in-advertising laws, video distribution via the web created an entirely new channel that is still evolving.

First, the guidelines are that there are no guidelines in creating direct to web videos. Now there are ethical constraints that limit how far a campaign can/will go, but those are left up to the consultants and ultimately the candidate or authorizing third party. Outside of creating libel and slander situations, the web remains the Wild West. A great example of this is the 2006 congressional campaign of Republican Paul R. Nelson against Congressman Ron Kind. Nelson's ads were so over the top (e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKln7salIrg), I don't know of any broadcast outlets that aired them. They found a home on the web that garnered Nelson a nationwide audience, though. It's worth noting that Nelson lost, but nevertheless, the web is a broadcast outlet for material that wouldn't be distributed via traditional media.

Answering the second piece, it's not that politicians see online video as a better option, it's mostly that their consultants (and politicians peripherally) recognize that there are simply things that can be done sometimes via the web that can't be done via broadcast media. Part of that can be taken from the previous example, but often web video distribution is a medium of convenience and cost.

If you're running a local campaign with a small budget or a budget that has little room for broadcast advertisement, you have the ability to work locally to produce a campaign advertisement that can be posted to multiple sites and outlets or e-mailed to friends, family, supporters, and potential supporters. It isn't bound by 30 or 60 seconds of a television spot, either. If tied in and distributed with certain e-mail programs, you can tag each e-mail with a personal identifier and know who is watching the video and how it's being distributed. In other words, to a certain extent, you can track the frequency and reach with which your campaign video is being viewed and by whom. You're also doing this for a fraction of the cost of a major broadcast media buy.

Another situation where campaign web videos are more efficient is from a frequency standpoint. Let's say you're an incumbent and you want to have periodic video updates available for your constituents or you have a hot-button issue going on and need to explain your stance without it being edited or editorialized by local media. Web distribution is the way to go. Consulting firms and new media firms can bring in the right equipment for you to record your message and get it posted online without the expense of a TV production team or a media buy every time you want to say, "Here's what's going on at City Hall."

The third benefit for web video distribution is those "gotcha" moments. Let's say you're running for US Senate and your opponent talks about his military service in Vietnam -- except he never served in Vietnam. With everyone carrying a camera or a smart phone, gaffes and flubs like that are almost inescapable and are prime for web distribution.

The fourth web distribution benefit is a trickle-down from the previous three. You never know when you're going to strike gold with something you say or something that happens on the campaign trail. As mainstream media members become more entrenched in social media applications, it's more likely than ever before that they'll see what you're posting. They're always looking for new material or that next story, so if you post something that strikes them, who knows? You may have a whole new audience for your pieces as they go mainstream.

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

IF IT AIN’T BROKE…

2010-10-04T13:26:00.006-04:00

If you grew up in or around any Southern city of size, the department store that first comes to mind is probably Belk. After all it’s been around since 1888.

As a kid, you shopped there with your parents or grandparents. When you grew up and you and your friends started to get married, you either registered at Belk or bought wedding gifts for someone at Belk. Even if you registered somewhere else, you still registered at Belk because, as my dad said, “That’s the only place the older ladies shop.”

And, as I learned on many occasions later in life, dad was right.

Belk has been more than a store to Southern shoppers. It’s been a retail neighbor that you felt comfortable with. As a loyal customer, you knew this was a brand you could trust.

In spite of the changes the chain has endured over the past several years (declining market conditions, increased competition and shopping alternatives, more crowded store pathways filled with items directed to impulse buys, less professional service personnel, inclusion of lower quality brands), we still trusted Belk because we saw that script logo with the oversized “B” on the front of the building and were at ease.

Now, after 43 years of building immeasurable brand equity among its customers, the third generation Belks who now operate the nation’s largest privately-held department store decided that this is the time to upset the applecart.

A new logo. A new tagline. A new color palate. $70 million to do it.

Refreshing your brand from time to time is understandable. It’s even necessary to keep yourself fresh.

Want to change the tagline? Sure. Everybody needs a new slogan every now and then. People change. Attitudes change. You want to do everything you can to keep yourself relatable with your current and potential customer base.

Need to change your color scheme? Yeah. It happens, but there’s usually a direct connection to the past palate and is done to denote a different member of the same product family (think

“Sprite” and the color reversal for “Diet Sprite” and “Sprite Zero.”).

Flat out changing the logo? Why? The current Belk logo has been around for 43 years. Despite the way the retail business has changed, 43 years is a long time to build up brand equity. Though on a much smaller scale, this is like when Coca-Cola changed its formula and gave soft drink buyers New Coke. Aside from the horrible new formula that drink makers said we’d love, the company ditched the Coca-Cola script logo in favor of Coke in big letters running up the side of the can.

Coke drinkers were up in arms over the changes, and I honestly don’t think Belk’s new logo will go over well with its customers, either. The difference is that with the massive $70 million investment by the Belks in this effort, there’s probably no undo.

It’s yet to be seen how Belk loyalists will react. How will they view Belk now? Will they still see Belk still a trusted friend and neighbor? Will they break those loyalties and be more inclined to shop around at competitors. I don’t know, but if my wife’s response to the new logo is any indication of how the company’s “modern customers” (as the news release called them) react, the reaction won't be good.

How much will Belk ultimately lose by fixing a logo and brand identity that wasn’t broken?

UPDATE (OCTOBER 12, 2010): After a significant investment by American retailer GAP and its announcement of a new logo only days after the Belk unveiling, due to a barrage of negative comments via social networking (specifically, comments on the company's Twitter and Facebook pages and pop-up sites urging people to create their own GAP logos), the company reversed its plans and will keep the old logo for the time being. As Britain's THE GUARDIAN reported, "Marka Hansen, president of the Gap brand in North America, conceded that the 'outpouring of comments' showed the company 'did not go about this in the right way.'" (THE GUARDIAN Story can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/12/gap-logo-redesign)

This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted in whole or in part upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

NORTH AMERICAN RESCUE DONATES FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT

2010-09-23T16:32:00.008-04:00

UPDATE: Although this release was originally posted on September 23, 2010, the donation was presented on October 1 at North American Rescue's headquarters off of I-85 in Greenville County. The above video was shot following the presentation.

More than $20,000 in innovative Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) Firefighter Survival Equipment goes to Boiling Springs Fire District.

(Greer, SC / September 23, 2010) This month North American Rescue is donating more than $20,000 in innovative Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) Firefighter Survival Equipment to their local fire service, Boiling Springs Fire District. The equipment donated includes 75 Firefighter Survival Kits, 75 Bail Out Kits, 10 Roof Rescue Kits, and 18 High Anchor Kits.

The VooDoo® line of Firefighter/RIT Survival Gear was designed to overcome the factors of survival stress and developed to decrease firefighter mortality. By carrying the least amount of equipment with the most versatile number of applications, firefighters are better equipped to successfully execute a rescue while operating in unpredictable and unforgiving situations on the fireground.

Firefighter Survival Kits, comprised of wire cutters, knives, harnesses, and a variety of special cords, ropes, and carabiners, can accomplish a wide range of rescue operations with minimal equipment. Bail Out Kits allow for firefighters to bail out under extreme circumstances while maintaining control of their descent. Roof Rescue Kits make it possible to perform multiple simultaneous rescues via roofs, balconies, or windows, allowing rescuers to access places outside the reach of ladders. High Anchor Kits enable the hoisting and lowering of victims with fewer personnel and are specially designed for rapid set up and deployment.

This gear will better equip the firefighters with the tools needed for a means of egress from multi-story structures and other numerous lifesaving interventions in times of entrapment and distress. The NAR representatives responsible for spearheading this donation are President Samuel D. Wyman III, CFO Dean Bugner, COO Jim Carino, and Director of Non-Military Products Brent Bronson.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to support the brave first responders of the Boiling Springs Fire Department. It’s great knowing that their service plays an important role in the safety of our community,” said Samuel D. Wyman III, President of North American Rescue. “In keeping with the passion of our business, we have a sincere desire to see this donation of firefighter survival gear help increase their survivability in the line of duty so that they can return home safe to their families.”

Chief Steve Graham of Boiling Springs said, “The Boiling Springs Fire District is grateful to receive this equipment that we otherwise would not be able to afford.”

“By deploying these kits provided by North American Rescue, we can enhance the safety of not only our firefighters but those responders in our neighboring departments as well,” Graham added.

About North American Rescue

North American Rescue, LLC, based in Greer, South Carolina, has enjoyed the honor of serving their country, community, and customers for over a decade. By providing innovative casualty care solutions to first responders, health care professionals, and security forces at home and abroad, NAR is leading the fray to decrease preventable death on the battlefield, whether it be a foreign combat zone or the streets of America.

For media inquiries regarding North American Rescue, please contact Lonnie Johnson by e-mail at marketing@NARescue.com or by phone at 864/675-9800.

About the Boiling Springs Fire District

Established in 1968 and located on Greenville County’s Eastside, the Boiling Springs Fire District covers 15 square miles and serves over 26,000 residents. Governed by five commissioners recommended by county council and appointed by the governor, the Boiling Springs Fire District is a special purpose district responsible for addressing specific concerns and local issues among commercial and residential interests through 40 paid personnel and 20 volunteers operating out of 3 fire stations. The Boiling Springs Fire District is South Carolina’s only ISO Class 1 fire department with a combination of paid and volunteer fire fighters.

For media inquiries regarding the Boiling Springs Fire District, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

-30-

Brand names, product names, services, companies, events, and publications are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks of, and are used to identify, products or services of their respective owners in the U.S. and/or other countries.

This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: industry conditions, changes in supply, pricing, and customer demand, competition, other industry vagaries, and changes in key supplier relationships. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

A GHOULISH PROCESS

2010-09-20T21:04:00.011-04:00

It seems ghoulish. Political professionals have a bad enough reputation as it is, but when you throw something like this in to the mix, it’s tough to put a smiling face on the profession’s reputation.

I’m talking about the flurry of activity when an officeholder or party nominee passes away.

We’re unfortunately facing this distasteful situation right now in Greenville County with the recent passing of Representative Bill Wylie.

Representative Wylie was loved in his community, involved in local philanthropy, and a sharp-minded businessman who passed away on a Saturday night while dancing with his wife at a college class reunion.

By Sunday, as Bill’s family was still being notified, phones were lighting up across the state with discussions taking place to see who would run for his seat.

Before I go any further, if you're a political activist or a campaign professional, stop reading now. This isn't for you. You'll just say, "Of course. Who doesn't know that?" Well, plenty of people don't, so I'm not writing this note for you. I’m writing this for real people who want to know the answer to a couple of questions:

Why can't these vultures at least wait until he's laid to rest before fighting over his seat?
Have they no couth?

The answer to question two is easy to answer. No. The first requires a little more explanation, so here goes.

Frankly, even as someone who's involved in the process, it gives me pause, too. I don’t think I'd be human if it didn't. There's a feeling in the pit of my stomach that knows how this man served his district and state, is credited by many as the man who put Greenville on Southwest Airlines' radar, and didn't have the chance to be mourned properly.

There wasn't a choice, though, and that's what needs to be explained.

Bill passed away on Saturday the 11th, word began circulating a day later, and his funeral was Friday the 17th. Filing for the special primary opens tomorrow at Noon and lasts until Noon on the 28th with the special primary election slated for October 12. Does any of that matter, though?

Since Bill was originally running unopposed, it matters a lot because any certified political party can field a candidate. There were no Democrats running before, but now they can use this opportunity to put up a candidate for what is now an open seat (no incumbent). At the same time, Republicans will want a strong candidate to defend the seat, so at this point a five-way primary isn't out of the realm of possibility.

If all primary contests are settled with the October 12 special primary, the election for House 21 will stay on the November 2 general election ballot.

If there is the need for a runoff for any party, the special election for House 21 will be taken off the November 2 general election ballot and moved to a special election to be conducted in mid-December.

You with me so far?

South Carolina election law creates a tight timeline. It's one that's legalistically designed for the people of a district to be without their representative (or other elected official) for as short a time as possible. From a strategic standpoint, it's a way for groups with special interests (right wing, left wing, pro-gambling, anti-tax, and so on) to have their voices heard and potentially have their candidates elected.

If the election moves to a special date in December, the race will be decided by turnout -- specifically by who is able to get out their supporters and allies. People aren't as motivated to vote in special elections, so if you're a candidate and can motivate your people to vote on a random Tuesday, you just might get elected.

That's why we're hearing so much talk about so many people running for House 21 and why they started so soon. It wasn't because they were uncaring, unfeeling, or unappreciative of Bill Wylie's work. It was because under our system, both legally and strategically, they don't have time to wait.

Time is a commodity, no matter how you look at it, and it's rarely on your side.

Taft Matney is a partner with TM Public Relations, a strategic communications and governmental affairs firm in Greenville, SC. Follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/taftmatney) and "like" TMPR on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TMPRGA).

MEDIA ADVISORY: BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT TO COMMEMORATE 9/11 ANNIVERSARY

2010-09-10T10:28:00.002-04:00

Contact: Taft Matney
Date: September 10, 2010
Phone: 864/505-8866
E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

On Saturday, September 11, 2010, the Boiling Springs Fire District (BSFD) will hold a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at its headquarters located at 5020 Pelham Road in Greenville.

The ceremony will begin at 8:40 a.m. and will mark the time that the World Trade Center’s north tower was struck by American Airlines Flight 11 nine years ago at 8:45 a.m.

The BSFD Honor Guard will present the nation’s colors and post a set of firefighter’s turnout gear at the flagpole to honor responders who gave their lives.

Chaplain Gary Rogers will read the Firefighters’ Prayer, and a moment of silence will be observed.

BSFD has requested and been approved to receive a piece of steel from the World Trade Center that will be used as a centerpiece of a 9/11 memorial in front of the Pelham Road station. District officials hope to have the memorial completed with a dedication ceremony on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

For planning purposes, directions to Boiling Springs’ headquarters are below.

From Greenville
Take I-85 North to Pelham Road
Bear right at the top of the exit ramp on to Pelham Road.
BSFD Headquarters is located on the right on the corner at the first traffic signal.

From Spartanburg
Take I-85 South to Pelham Road
Turn left at the top of the exit ramp on to Pelham Road.
After crossing back over I-85, BSFD Headquarters is located on the right on the corner at the intersection of Pelham and Garlington Roads.

About the Boiling Springs Fire District
Established in 1968 and located on Greenville County’s Eastside, the Boiling Springs Fire District covers 15 square miles and serves over 26,000 residents. Governed by five commissioners recommended by county council and appointed by the governor, the Boiling Springs Fire District is a special purpose district responsible for addressing specific concerns and local issues among commercial and residential interests through 40 paid personnel and 20 volunteers operating out of 3 fire stations. The Boiling Springs Fire District is South Carolina’s only ISO Class 1 fire department with a combination of paid and volunteer fire fighters.

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

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CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF THE UPSTATE CELEBRATES 1st BIRTHDAY

2010-09-01T11:00:00.008-04:00

The Children's Museum of the Upstate celebrated its first anniversary by throwing itself a birthday party on Thursday, July 29, 2010 at the museum.

With TMPR's Senior Executive Consultant and VP of Community Relations Addy Matney being so heavily involved with the museum over the past seven years (first through the Circle of The Children's Museum and now as a member of the museum's board), the Children's Museum holds a special place here.

In this photo from Heidi Heilbrunn of THE GREENVILLE NEWS, you can see Addy's arm, eyebrow, and top of her head directly behind the woman standing front row center. She's never been one to look for the spotlight, though.

Addy's volunteer work is more focused on making the community better than it was when she found it, and TMPR is proud to support those efforts. After all, this is our home, too.

You HAVE to Engage with Social Media. Well, Not Really.

2010-08-26T09:02:00.013-04:00

Haven’t you heard?

“You have to be on Facebook.” “You have to use Twitter.” “You have to check in on Foursquare.” “You have to broadcast a YouTube channel.”

You have to. You have to. You have to.

No. You don’t.

I admit, I’m cutting off my nose to spite my face in making this admission because creating those avenues are some of the services we offer clients to help distribute their messages.

Another service we offer our clients is being open and honest with them and not selling components they don't need.

We work with our clients to understand their goals, understand their audiences, create messages based on the client’s need in relation to reception by the audience, and establish ways to effectively and efficiently present and distribute those messages.

Sometimes, that may not include new/social media.

New and social media outlets are all the rage right now. Why? Because they’re still relatively new methods of interaction with targeted audiences, and when something’s new, it’s often popular.

They’re also relatively inexpensive ways to distribute messages.

Employing new and social media may cost as little as nothing for a do-it-yourselfer to throw up a Twitter page or Facebook account (I don’t recommend this), or it may cost a modest investment to have a professional firm or boutique agency use those same tools but tailor images, messages, and visual themes to be consistent with a client’s brand and goals.

While I’d recommend inclusion of new and social media components in most of our clients’ overall communications programs, I also know they aren’t for everybody. They aren’t a collective one-size-fits-all or the be–all end–all of communications vehicles.

Both of my sisters-in-law work in PR in New York. For the past couple of years, I’ve evangelized social media to them, but ultimately they convinced me that for their clients, employing social media wouldn’t provide the benefits associated with the cost. Both of them tell me repeatedly, “Our clients and media contacts aren’t using social media yet, and we don’t deal with our clients’ end-user audiences.”

Fair enough.

They know their clients better than I do. One thing we all know is that you can shout your message all day long, but if there’s no audience to hear it, you’re creating a lot of extra work with little prospect for return.

I’m certain that one day and one day soon, my sisters-in-law will see their world change. With 500 million people now using Facebook, roughly 200 million using Twitter, more than 100 million people broadcasting on YouTube, and approximately 3 million people using Foursquare, somebody somewhere is employing new and social media components – maybe just not in their niches, yet.

For many or even most people, campaigns, organizations, companies, brands, and causes, social and new media outlets can be powerful tools, but it’s important to remember that these tools aren’t a silver bullet for distributing messages. It’s only one total medium. Just as newspaper advertising may not be right for one client or radio may not be right for another or a trade magazine may not fit another, social and new media (or at least a part of it) may not be for you.

Don’t let someone sell you a service that won’t help you achieve your communications goals. Don’t let someone tell you, “You have to.” You don’t – especially if it doesn’t help you.

The bottom line is that if you have a message you want to distribute, know your audience. Know what they think and feel and believe and how they get their information, and make sure the professionals you work with understand your needs. If you don’t, you may be spending a lot of time and money to yell in to an empty room.

Taft Matney, is the president of TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs. He can be contacted by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/taftmatney. You can “Like” TM Public Relations on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TMPRGA.

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This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

OP-ED: RESIDENTIAL FIRE SPRINKLERS -- DISCUSSING THE IMPACTS OF H.4663

2010-05-05T10:02:00.002-04:00

There’s been a lot of discussion about H.4663 regarding the new construction requirements for residential fire sprinkler systems. Some say it’s turning South Carolina in to a “Nanny State,” while others tout sprinklers’ safety benefits.

In the interest of full disclosure, I represent two Upstate fire districts. While that gives me a certain insight in to the fire protection implications for the bill, I also have information about the legislation’s financial implications. Since that seems to be what the legislation's opposition is focusing on, that's what I'll focus on, too.

In short, there's a lot more to 4663 than the homebuilders are saying.

To be clear, 4663 doesn't mandate sprinklers. It allows South Carolina to make the newly adopted residential sprinkler section of the international building code unenforceable. So it's an opt-out, not a legislative idea to install sprinklers in newly constructed single family residential projects.

The homebuilders’ association cites cost as the reason it opposes the new sprinkler requirements. Having listened to many of its these industry leaders during Sen. Thomas' hearings, their testimony simply didn’t ring true. There is misinformation being perpetuated as fact.

Retrofitting isn't a requirement, so for all of the people who would be "shut out of homeownership" due to the cost of residential sprinklers in new construction, there are other homeownership options that do not and will not require sprinklers.

You haven't built every house you've moved in, have you? No, and those homes would not fall under the code requirements. The Realtors would be happy to sell the state’s existing inventory of homes on the market.

If you're already a homeowner, you aren't subject to the new construction requirement, either.

We also have to look at what residential sprinkler requirement means for insurance premiums. In short, they'll go up.

If the state opts out of enforcing the building codes, the groups that help set insurance premiums will note what is now accepted as higher risk of death and property damage/destruction. As those ISO ratings drop, the insurance companies will raise premiums for SC's policy holders (that's across-the-board single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial, and industrial) due to the added risk. Current estimates are that as many as 44% of fire protection jurisdictions across the state will be negatively impacted through ratings reductions.

Even former Senator and current Department of Insurance director Scott Richardson noted this during his testimony to Senator Thomas.

I understand the opposition by those who are in the business of building new homes. They don't make money unless they build them and then sell them, and they're afraid that an additional $1500 - $3000 may make their jobs more difficult.

As the HBA opposes the new building codes, they talk about the added cost on the front end to install the systems as the homes are built. What their lobby neglects to talk about is the costs to the homeowner on the back end which will add up over time with increased premiums. Why don't they talk about that? Because when the house is sold, those new costs don't matter. That becomes the homeowner's problem. The profit has been made.

The debate over this issue in SC is fairly new, but the legislation to ignore the requirements is moving through the General Assembly with lightning speed. Slowing down this legislative train until we can sort through the cost implications for the short and long-term isn’t unreasonable.

The new code doesn’t take effect until next year, so even if 4663 dies this year and we take the summer and fall to go through all of the information to get to the actual cost of the matter outside of the gloom-and-doom perpetuated by the homebuilders, the General Assembly would still have ample time when they return in January to create a legislative remedy if necessary.

Let's slow down and get to the truth before we make a mistake we can't undo.

Taft Matney, is the president of TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs and represents the Boiling Springs Fire District and the Wade Hampton Fire and Sewer Districts in areas of public policy. He can be contacted by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com.

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This op-ed may be reprinted/reposted upon written notification to taft@taftmatney.com.

CITY, FIRE DISTRICT REACH ANNEXATION AGREEMENT

2010-04-30T10:45:00.006-04:00

WADE HAMPTON WILL KEEP TAX MONEY

FROM: THE GREENVILLE (SC) JOURNAL [link]

PUBLISHED FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010

By Cindy Landrum

An agreement between Greenville and the Wade Hampton Fire and Sewer District will allow the city to annex key properties along I-85 and Woodruff Road and the district to continue to provide fire protection and keep tax revenue.

Mayor Knox White said the agreement could be the most important intergovernmental agreement ever reached by the city.

“I think this will be a positive thing for both the city of Greenville and the district,” said Wade Hampton Fire Chief Randy Edwards. “It is a positive thing for both sides.”

As the city added important parcels of land in the Interstate 85 and Woodruff Road area to the city limits, Wade Hampton officials bristled over the deterioration of its tax base and worried about how the loss of important commercial property would impact the district’s ability to provide services.

“It was the simple loss of revenue,” Edwards said.

City officials approached the district about nine months ago with a proposal to allow the fire district to continue to provide fire protection to annexed property and to receive tax revenue for that.

The annexed properties are closer to a Wade Hampton fire station than city stations.

“From a public safety standpoint, it makes sense,” White said.

The agreement allows gives the fire district the option of allowing the city to provide fire services.

“One of the first things we agreed to is we weren’t going to do anything to compromise the safety of the public we both are sworn to protect,” said Greenville Fire Chief Tommy McDowell.

The agreement includes the four properties in the district annexed by the city since Jan. 1, 2009.

“We’re after two different things,” White said.

The district wants to preserve its tax base, while the city is “more about building our population,” White said.

White said the agreement could lead the way to similar agreements with other special purpose tax districts.

BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT DEDICATES & COMMISSIONS NEW PLATFORM TRUCK

2010-02-22T22:42:00.003-05:00

NOTE: WYFF broadcast this report (Disable "HD" function for faster loading) anchored by Nigel Robertson during its 5:30 p.m. newscast on February 22, 2010.

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On the morning of February 22, 2010, Boiling Springs Fire District officials dedicated and commissioned Platform 2 -- the newest truck addition to the district's fleet which includes 8 fire engines, 2 aerial ladder trucks, and a rescue vehicle.

The traditional “wet down” ceremony took place at the district’s headquarters on Pelham Road in Greenville County (SC).

ABOUT “PLATFORM 2”
Platform 2 is an American LaFrance Eagle equipped with a 100' platform and a 2000 gallon per minute pump. This truck's platform extension has the capability to reach the roof of a seven story building and includes an option to remove unconscious victims from upper floors via a cradle system to secure a rescue basket while still allowing room for firefighters to operate inside the platform area.

-----------------------

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: February 22, 2010 during the 5:30 p.m. (EST) newscast. Copyright 2010 WYFF and Hearst Television, Inc.

Media Relations and Public Affairs handled by TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs (www.taftmatney.com).

MEDIA ADVISORY – GREENVILLE FIRE DISTRICT TO DEDICATE AND COMMISSION NEW PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

2010-02-19T10:18:00.003-05:00

Contact: Taft Matney
Date: February 19, 2010
Phone: 864/505-8866
E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

Monday, February 22 at 11:00 a.m., Boiling Springs Fire District officials will dedicate and commission Platform 2 -- the newest addition to the district's fleet which currently includes 8 fire engines, 2 aerial ladder trucks, and a rescue vehicle.

The traditional "wet down" ceremony will take place at the district's headquarters located at 5020 Pelham Road.

Immediately following the ceremony, the district will host a reception with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.

For planning purposes, directions to Boiling Springs' headquarters are below.

From Greenville
Take I-85 North to Pelham Road
Bear right at the top of the exit ramp on to Pelham Road.
BSFD Headquarters is located on the right on the corner at the first traffic signal.

From Spartanburg
Take I-85 South to Pelham Road
Turn left at the top of the exit ramp on to Pelham Road.
After crossing back over I-85, BSFD Headquarters is located on the right on the corner at the intersection of Pelham and Garlington Roads.

About “Platform 2”
Platform 2 is an American LaFrance Eagle equipped with a 100' platform and a 2000 gallon per minute pump. This truck's platform extension has the capability to reach the roof of a seven story building and includes an option to remove unconscious victims from upper floors via a cradle system to secure a rescue basket while still allowing room for firefighters to operate inside the platform area.

About the Boiling Springs Fire District
Established in 1968 and located on Greenville County's Eastside, the Boiling Springs Fire District covers 15 square miles and serves over 26,000 residents. Governed by five commissioners recommended by county council and appointed by the governor, the Boiling Springs Fire District is a special purpose district responsible for addressing specific concerns and local issues among commercial and residential interests through 40 paid personnel and 20 volunteers operating out of 3 fire stations. The Boiling Springs Fire District is South Carolina's only ISO Class 1 fire department with a combination of paid and volunteer fire fighters.

For media inquiries, please contact Taft Matney by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at 864/505-8866.

GREENVILLE'S PENDLETON PLACE CHILDREN'S SHELTER TOPS SC "ANGEL" CHARITIES IN 2009

2009-11-19T08:26:00.005-05:00

WSPA broadcast this report (Disable "HD" function for faster loading) from Dianne Derby during its 6:00 p.m. newscast on November 18, 2009 as South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond released his office's 2009 “Angels and Scrooges” list.

The list, started by former Secretary of State Jim Miles, spotlights charities the office identifies as the top 10 best and worst for funding spent on each charity's programs and goals instead of administration.

Greenville's Pendleton Place Children's Shelter was recognized this year as one of the state's “Angels” for applying 95% of every dollar it spends to the children it serves.

TMPR's own Addy Matney has been involved with Pendleton Place since 2002 and has spent the past 6 years as a member of its board.

TMPR would like to congratulate the staff, volunteers, and board of Pendleton Place for this honor and salute them for saving these children who might otherwise fall through the cracks.

For more information on Pendleton Place, visit: http://www.pendletonplace.org
For more information on the 2009 “Angels and Scrooges” list, visit: http://bit.ly/3ZqRmt
For WSPA's full report, visit: http://bit.ly/2cMoOy

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ORIGINAL AIR DATE: November 18, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. EST
©2009 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. All rights reserved.

BOILING SPRINGS FIRE CHIEF GERALD LUKER RETIRES

2009-11-06T12:49:00.003-05:00

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS TO OVERSEE OPERATIONS WHILE SUCCESSOR SELECTED

(November 6, 2009 / Greenville, SC) Commissioners with Greenville County’s Boiling Springs Fire District announced that Chief Gerald Luker has retired.

Chief Luker joined Boiling Springs in 1984 after serving the Gantt Fire, Sewer and Police District beginning in 1974.

As district officials plan for Chief Luker’s replacement, Assistant Chiefs Steve Graham and Bill Stewart will manage the department’s day-to-day operations while commission chair J. R. Christy will oversee the district’s administrative functions.

“We appreciate Chief Luker’s years of dedication to the protection of the Boiling Springs Fire District and the people it serves. Under his leadership and with the commission’s cooperation, we became the only ISO Class 1 fire department in the Upstate,” Christy said noting the district’s achievement of the highest rating available by the organization that scores a department’s protective capability.

He added, “The assistant chiefs and I will work together to maintain a superior level of protection and to create a seamless transition over the months ahead.”

About the Boiling Springs Fire District
Established in 1968 and located on Greenville County’s Eastside, the Boiling Springs Fire District covers 15 square miles and serves over 26,000 residents. Governed by five commissioners recommended by county council and appointed by the governor, the Boiling Springs Fire District is a special purpose district responsible for addressing specific concerns and local issues among commercial and residential interests through 40 paid personnel and 20 volunteers operating out of 3 fire stations. The district’s equipment battery includes 8 fire engines, 2 aerial ladder trucks, and a rescue vehicle. The Boiling Springs Fire District is South Carolina’s only ISO Class 1 fire department with a combination of paid and volunteer fire fighters.

To make inquiries regarding this release, please contact Taft Matney by phone (864/505-8866), by fax (864/297-3871), or by e-mail (taft@taftmatney.com).

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TRUST FUND ESTABLISHED TO ASSIST WITH FIREFIGHTER’S CANCER TREATMENT

2009-10-15T14:25:00.004-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Taft Matney Phone: 864/505-8866
Date: October 15, 2009 E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

WADE HAMPTON FIRE & SEWER DISTRICT CREATES FUND FOR EXPENSES

(Greenville, SC / October 15, 2009) Wade Hampton Fire Chief Randy Edwards announced that the district established a trust fund for firefighter Bryan Clark who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

According to Edwards, surgery removed the mass and most of the cancer, but Bryan Clark's recovery will include additional treatments that incorporate additional testing, scans, chemotherapy and/or radiation.

"You can imagine how difficult this time has been for Bryan and his family, and they still face a long road over the weeks and months ahead," Edwards said.

He added, "Bryan is not just a member of this department. He's our friend. He’s a 42 year old husband and father of two. He's a dedicated 22 year member of the fire service who served 17 of those years here at Wade Hampton."

Because of the anticipated cost of Bryan's treatment, his friends and fellow firefighters established a trust fund to assist with expenses during his treatment through the Duke University Health System.

Donations are tax deductible and can be presented at any Palmetto Bank branch or at Wade Hampton Fire & Sewer District's headquarters located at 4211 East North Street, Greenville, SC 29615.

Checks may be made payable to "Wade Hampton Fire Department -- Bryan Clark Trust Fund."

Chief Edwards said that people shouldn't feel they need to give a specific amount or that their donations aren't enough and that any amount will be appreciated.

"We hope that as people hear about Bryan and his story, they'll think about him, his wife, and their children and be moved to contribute," Edwards said.

About the Wade Hampton Fire Department
Established in 1958 with boundaries that encompass much of Greenville (SC) County's Eastside, the Wade Hampton Fire Department provides an array of programs to protect the lives and property of residents and businesses the throughout the special purpose district.

For further information about the Wade Hampton Fire Department, visit www.WHFD.org.

For media inquiries regarding this release, please contact Taft Matney by phone (864/505-8866), by fax (864/297-3871), or by e-mail (taft@taftmatney.com).

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This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The Wade Hampton Fire Department undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ADDRESS HAS BEEN REVISED AND POSTED

2009-09-07T16:15:00.007-04:00

Normally, I wouldn't use the TMPR blog section for a personal editorial, but because of the events of the past week and the controversy surrounding President Obama's speech tomorrow, I wanted to add a small note to the discussion and post the documents in question so other parents can make up their own minds about tomorrow's speech.

Like many Americans, especially parents, I had concerns about President Obama's address to our school children -- not because of his message but because of the US Department of Education plans surrounding it.

No one knew what the president would say, but initial support documents reminded me of a political campaign push poll designed to move people to answer a certain way. The DoE documents were drafted in a way that suggested children follow the president and other elected officials because they were asked and tasked with doing so. That's where so much of Americans' initial concern began.

Since the documents were published last week, the White House and the Department of Education received letters phone calls, e-mails, and other communications about President Obama's speech.

Schools and school districts were inundated with inquiries from parents to the point that many schools in South Carolina will not broadcast the speech live and that school officials will instead record the speech for later broadcast if individual teachers feel this speech fits with their lesson plans.

Today, the White House posted the speech on-line for parental review, and you can find the speech below this post. Overall, I like the speech. It's a good motivational speech with messages we work to reinforce at home. Among them are:

education is a key to success in life,
parents and teachers have a certain responsibility for educating students, but the ultimate responsibility remains with the student,
your life's circumstances, no matter what they are, can be overcome and are not excuses for not trying, and
nothing in life comes without hard work.

The Department of Education also posted its revised classroom activities (Grades preK-6 and Grades 7-12) and still leave me with the same hesitations I had initially.

In case you are wondering, my child's class will not watch the piece live, but we will watch the speech with him and discuss it as a family without the DoE supplemental materials.

I hope this service of providing the text of President Obama's speech and links to the DoE materials gives you the information to help you decide what's right for your family.

Sincerely,
Taft

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Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama Back to School Event

Arlington, Virginia September 8, 2009

The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class.

Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

WEIGHING IN ON SC'S GUBERNATORIAL SCANDAL

2009-07-03T16:08:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-30T14:48:00.002-04:00

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.

Sincerely,
Taft

CEREMONIES HONOR FIREFIGHTERS

2009-04-20T10:29:00.004-04:00

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.

NOTE: A photo gallery from THE GREENVILLE NEWS is available from http://tinyurl.com/cn5k5s. Video of FOX Carolina's coverage is available at http://vimeo.com/4242178.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Upstate Fire District to Dedicate Two Stations

2009-04-16T14:38:00.007-04:00

Contact: Taft Matney

Date: April 16, 2009

Phone: 864/505-8866

E-Mail: taft@taftmatney.com

The Commissioners of the Wade Hampton Fire & Sewer District will dedicate and rename two of its stations on Sunday, April 19, 2009.

The first event will begin at 2:00 p.m. at Station 1 located at 2815 Wade Hampton Boulevard.

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 - Greenville County) 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.

-30-

DID OBAMA WIN USING A REPUBLICAN MESSAGE?

2008-11-12T20:46:00.001-05:00

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.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

MAIN STREET PANEL WRESTLES WITH ADOPTING BOUNDARIES

2008-07-31T13:06:00.004-04:00

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:

US Mail = PO Box 249, Mauldin, SC 29662
City Hall = 5 East Butler Road, Mauldin, SC 29662
Fax = 864/297-3411
E-Mail Responses or Comments = MauldinMainStPlan@landdesign.com.

USC UPSTATE ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT -- TAFT MATNEY

2008-06-20T07:18:00.000-04:00

Published: June 18, 2008 [LINK]

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.

THOMPSON ANNOUNCES SOUTH CAROLINA STEERING COMMITTEE

2007-10-18T18:13:00.000-04:00

Medal of Honor Recipient to Chair Candidate's Advisory Group
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 18, 2007

McLean, VA - In a strong signal of growing organizational strength in the early primary state of South Carolina, Fred Thompson today announced his South Carolina Steering Committee. Chaired by Medal of Honor recipient Major General James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret.), the committee reflects the full spectrum of conservatives from across the state.

"Fred is proud to have this team of strong conservatives join him in his effort and looks forward to them playing an important role alongside Congressman Gresham Barrett and our entire regional and county leadership team," said Dean Rice, South Carolina Campaign Manager.

In accepting the chairmanship of the committee, Major General Livingston said, "These are very serious times and we need a president with moral credibility who can lead with authority on social, economic and national security fronts. We need a leader who can inspire our nation to rise to the challenges that face us and that leader is Fred Thompson."

Vice Chairs include Kirkman Finlay III of Columbia, Phyllis Henderson of Greenville, Ed McMullen of Columbia, Cyndi Mosteller of Charleston, Wendy Nanney of Greenville, and Randy Page of Lexington.

Kirkman Finlay, III is a member of the Columbia City Council. He is a noted businessman and entrepreneur in the Columbia area and a member of the Board of Carolina National Bank.

Phyllis Henderson is former Chair of Greenville County Council and an experienced Republican activist whose past work has included managing Jim DeMint's successful 1998 congressional campaign.

Edward T. McMullen, Jr. is president of the South Carolina Policy Council Education Foundation. He served on the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, as well as Governor Sanford's transition task force and as the Director of Development Research at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Cyndi Mosteller is the former Chair of the Charleston County Republican Party and former First Vice-Chair of the State Republican Party. In 2000, she was a National Advisor on Life Issues to the McCain for President campaign and is a past president of South Carolina Citizens for Life. She is also Governor Sanford's at-large appointee to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

Wendy Nanney is the immediate past Chair of the Greenville County Republican Party, a well-respected Upstate Republican activist and alumnus of Bob Jones University.

Randy Page is president of South Carolinians for Responsible Government. Mr. Page has a long history of public service in the executive branch of state government, including as the former Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer, and former member of Governor David Beasley's staff. Mr. Page is actively involved in a number of pro-family, pro-life organizations, including serving on the Board of the Palmetto Family Council. Randy is an alumnus of Bob Jones University.

Other members of the Steering Committee include:

Lin Bennett, Chair of the Charleston County Republican Party.
Phillip Bowers, Chair of the Pickens County Republican Party.
Arthur Bryngleson, Chair of the Dorchester County Republican Party.
State Senator Chip Campsen, District 43; Berkeley and Charleston Counties.
State Representative Harry Cato, Chair of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry (LCI) Committee; District 17, Greenville County.
State Senator Ray Cleary, District 34; Georgetown, Horry, and Charleston Counties.
Chad Connelly, Board Member of the Palmetto Family Council and South Carolinians for Responsible Government.
Stephen Davis, Principal and Project Manager for Davis & Floyd, Inc. He is a member of the Erskine College Board of Trustees, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources from the Third Congressional District.
Robert Dozier, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Midlands Technical College. He is a former Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, appointed by the Bush Administration. He is also the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of the Homeowners Mortgage Company and was named one of The State's "20 under 40" most successful businessmen in 2004.
Brantlee Fulmer, President of a multi-facility, faith-oriented day care business. She is a past Vice President of the South Carolina Child Care Association.
State Senator Larry Grooms, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee; District 37, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton and Dorchester Counties.
Todd Kincannon, South Carolina Republican Party Parliamentarian.
Hunter Limbaugh, former advisor to Governors Carroll Campbell and David Beasley. He is also a former legislator, having represented the Florence area in the State House in the 1990s.
State Representative Dwight Loftis, District 19; Greenville. Representative Loftis is also a former member of the Greenville County School Board.
Larry Marchant, former advisor to Governor Carroll Campbell and principal of the Palmetto Policy Group in Columbia.
Taft Matney, a small businessman specializing in government relations with long-time ties to conservative grassroots political efforts.
State Senator Jim Ritchie, Senate Majority Whip from District 13; Spartanburg, Greenville, and Union Counties.
Terrye Seckinger, member of the South Carolina Charter Schools Board who has previously served as a member of the State Board of Education and is widely recognized as a leading social conservative.

###

POLITICAL FALLOUT SHOULD BE MINOR IN "PHONEY FRED"

2007-09-12T16:19:00.000-04:00

SCPols.com – A SUPPLEMENT TO CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS MAGAZINE [LINK]

Posted Wednesday, September 12, 2007

By - John Boyanoski

Pundits believe the controversy over an anti-Fred Thompson site that has links to South Carolina won't last long.

Media outlets have been buzzing over a site that was shut down this week that denounced former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., as a "phony." The site was connected to Wesley Donehue, who has been on the payroll of the presidential campaign of former Republican Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Donehue is also a business associate with two of Romney's top South Carolina advisers.

However, while this may be the first major controversy of the 2008 campaign in South Carolina, it likely won't have a major bearing down the road.

"I think this will be relatively short-lived," said David Woodard, a Clemson University political science professor. "In this media-fragmented environment, things get out of hand more quickly than they did in the past."

Taft Matney, a Greenville-based Republican political consultant, said the story won't factor much into state politics either even though the controversy has been tied to Warren Tompkins, one of the state's pre-eminent political pundits.

"It's great fodder for talking heads today," Matney said. "But in the grand scheme of things, it's not much more than a story to break up the monotony of a presidential campaign season that still has another year to go."

Romney and his campaign leaders said they did not authorize the site and did not know anything about http://www.phoneyfred.com until they got calls from the media this week.

The site was hosted by a company in Utah and had links to Under the Power Lines, a political consulting site run Tompkins', a former executive director of the state Republican Party. He is one of the state's most recognized political leaders, and served as President Bush's Southeast regional director during the 2000 campaign.

Thompson's campaign fired back saying, "today's half-baked cover-up attempt by the Romney campaign does not even pass the laugh test."

Matney said (this) should be expected.

"There will be a lot of puffing from every campaign -- with candidates and their staffs denouncing the action -- but I'm sure that with another 14 months before all of the dust settles, there will be bigger 'scandals' than this," Matney said.

John Boyanoski can be reached at jboyanoski@scpols.com.

To stay up-to-date on the latest campaign news, visit all of the sites in the Campaigns & Elections network.

http://www.campaignsandelections.com/
http://www.ohpols.com/
http://www.politicsiowa.com/
www.NJPols.com
http://www.nhpols.com/
http://www.scpols.com/
http://www.mypoliticalpages.com/

"CONSERVATIVES IN ACTION" ON WOIC RADIO

2007-09-08T16:19:00.000-04:00

This is audio from The "Dangerous Doug Kendall Show" on WOIC-AM in Columbia, SC broadcast on September 8, 2007.

The audio is available for download by clicking HERE.

The interview with “Conservatives In Action” spokesman Taft Matney discusses Greenville County, SC’s hospitality tax implementation and the group’s thoughts on the tax’s funded projects.

The clip also mentions Greenville County Council Vice Chair and Finance Committee Chair Judy Gilstrap’s published comments in THE GREENVILLE NEWS. According to the paper, “When asked what Trout’s proposal would have done, committee chair Judy Gilstrap told GreenvilleOnline.com Tuesday, ‘I didn’t study it that carefully.’”

The clip also mentions pending General Assembly legislation limiting government spending.

COUNCIL REJECTS MORE OVERSIGHT OF RESTAURANT TAX

2007-09-05T12:16:00.000-04:00

Page 1

New tax revenue earmarked for parks, tourism
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (S.C.) NEWS
POSTED WENDESDAY, September 5, 2007

By Ben Szobody

STAFF WRITER
bszobody@greenvillenews.com

County Council ignored the request of conservative activists Tuesday night for more oversight of the way it uses a new restaurant tax to fund parks and tourism improvements, ratifying instead a short
set of "guidelines" drafted by county staff.

Taft Matney, who videotaped the proceedings and said he represented Conservatives in Action, told the council that the group had dropped a lawsuit against the county over the use of its new "hospitality tax" because taxpayers would have paid for the dispute on both sides, through donations to his group and taxpayer-supported county attorneys.

As a compromise, Matney said Councilman Tony Trout proposed a "comprehensive approach" to tracking the tax money, reporting its use and establishing penalties when the rules are breached.

However, Matney said a county staffer told the council's Finance Committee last week that the document was unnecessary because another proposal dealt with the same issues.

Matney said that was "misleading," and that the version on the floor before council Tuesday provided "minimal" oversight.

It filled just over one page.

When asked what Trout's proposal would have done, committee chair Judy Gilstrap told GreenvilleOnline.com Tuesday, "I didn't study it that carefully."

"I just wanted a simple procedure for setting forth how we handle the hospitality tax," Gilstrap said. "The hospitality tax was set up under an ordinance. We don't need another ordinance."

She said the approach mirrors how hotel tax money is handled.

Former council candidate Robert "Butch" Taylor also objected to the use of the money, saying half the parks projects were designed to satisfy council egos instead of real needs.

The council approved the two percent tax on restaurant food -- the biggest new county tax in 13 years -- last year, and it went into effect in April.

It will generate an estimated $6.75 million a year and help fund trails along the
Reedy River, community centers in low-income areas and tourism attractions such as a downtown
cultural district.

No one on council responded to Matney's claims in Tuesday's meeting, although Trout moved to send the matter back to committee to "put some teeth in it."

His motion was defeated with only two audible votes in favor -- his own and that of Lottie Gibson.

Councilman Joe Dill asked for an explanation, but got none.

"What's the issue?" Dill said, but no one responded. "This has been working for a long time. Or is there not an issue? Go ahead then."

He then joined the council majority in approving the guidelines before them.

Trout and Gibson could be heard voting "no."

DAWSON LEERY OF MICHIGAN MOVE

2007-08-20T15:54:00.000-04:00

FROM: SCPols.com – A SUPPLEMENT TO CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS MAGAZINE [LINK]
PUBLISHED MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007

By John Boyanoski

South Carolina Correspondent

In the latest move on the primary chessboard, Michigan could move its primary up to Jan. 15, but South Carolina Republican leaders aren't concerned.

Katon Dawson, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said it was unfortunate that U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., has pushed for the move because it throws off an already-delicate primary schedule.

"A Democrat[ic] senator shouldn't control Republican politics in a state," Dawson said.

Dawson said he could have moved South Carolina's date to Jan. 12, but wanted to keep the tradition of the early primaries intact. South Carolina worked with New Hampshire leaders to move the primary date here to Jan. 19 in order to give the Granite State, as well as Iowa, time to hold their early events, he said.

Keeping South Carolina the first Southern state was important to Republican leaders here, which is why the primary date was moved from its original slot of Feb. 2, Dawson said.

In South Carolina, the Republican Party chairman can move the primary date when desired, while most other states require legislative action. While he likely won't move the primary ahead of Michigan because it doesn't affect the first-in-the-South status, he could not rule it out when called Monday.

He said, though, Michigan's move likely wouldn't take away from the South Carolina spotlight in 2008. Republicans here have picked the eventual GOP nominee every time since 1980, which Michigan hasn't been able to, Dawson said.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., won Michigan in 2000 while President Bush won South Carolina and McCain returned to the Senate.

Taft Matney, a Greenville-based political consultant, said the Michigan move likely won't affect South Carolina because it is a northern state, and has a much different voting base than here. However, he said he expects state Republicans would at least consider moving their date again if a Southern state would make a move.

"At this rate, we will elect the next president by Halloween," he said.

Dawson said this is a perfect example of why the parties should set primary dates and not let Congress become involved, a proposal that has been tossed around this election season.

Republican and Democratic leaders nationwide have used threats of stripping away convention delegates from states moved ahead of Feb. 5, but that didn't stop Florida from moving its date up to Jan. 29.

That move, in part, sparked South Carolina Republicans to move to Jan. 19. The state Democratic Party will hold its primary on Jan. 29.

It was reported Friday that the two parties in Michigan were close to settling on a joint primary as opposed to the caucus the Democratic Party typically holds. However, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer told the Associated Press he still wanted to show the Democratic National Committee plans for a caucus as a possible alternative.

Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis told The Associated Press that Republicans said the date was not his first choice he would back it if Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, and Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon propose legislation.

John Boyanoski can be reached at jboyanoski@scpols.com.

To stay up-to-date on the latest campaign news, visit all of the sites in the Campaigns & Elections network.

www.CampaignsandElections.com

www.MyPoliticalPages.com

EDWARDS LATEST TO SET UP S.C. OFFICE

2007-07-10T20:28:00.000-04:00

FROM: SCPols.com – A SUPPLEMENT TO CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS MAGAZINE [LINK]
PUBLISHED TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2007

By John Boyanoski

South Carolina Correspondent

Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina became the third Democratic presidential candidate to set up an official office in South Carolina Wednesday morning.

Elizabeth Edwards, the candidate's wife, opened her husband's office on Taylor Street in Columbia this morning.

With almost seven months until the presidential primary, Edwards joins U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, who have offices in Columbia, and U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, who has an office in Orangeburg. Obama will be opening a Lowcountry office later this month, as well, making his the first campaign with more than one site.

The proliferation of offices has come much faster in 2008 than it has in past campaigns, said Joe Werner, executive director of the state Democratic Party. That is in part because of the rise in political awareness as well as the wide-open uniqueness of this election with no one from the current White House running.

"I think this will become a little more normal," he said.

Republican candidates also have been quick to set-up offices.

U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and businessman John Cox have offices in Columbia while former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has an office in Spartanburg.

These physical offices come on top of several of the campaigns creating South Carolina-specific Web sites. So far, McCain, Edwards, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson have set up sites related to South Carolina.

Taft Matney, president of Greenville-based TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs, said campaign headquarters were once vital to the election process because it provided a physical rally point for volunteers and supporters.

But with more campaigns becoming increasingly tech savvy, Matney doesn't see the same need. The key is getting to the people now, and not the other way around.

"On the national level, it's just not as important as actual contact with the people," he said. "It's a nicety, but not a necessity."

John Boyanoski can be reached at jboyanoski@scpols.com.

To stay up-to-date on the latest campaign news, visit all of the sites in the Campaigns & Elections network.

THE POINSETT CLUB: EMBRACING TRADITION, LOOKING AHEAD

2007-01-05T14:05:00.000-05:00

FROM: TALK GREENVILLE (Pages 36-39)
PUBLISHED JANUARY 2007

Written and Photographed By Taft Matney

Anyone who spends time downtown often passes the Poinsett Club. They see beautifully manicured grounds, historic charm, and a parking lot that’s almost always full. A home to weddings, receptions and parties, and a place where friends can relax and enjoy each other’s company, it is also a place with a storied history.

The Poinsett Club began in 1935 after John Arrington and several prominent Greenvillians met in South Carolina National Bank’s boardroom to issue membership invitations.

In a March 26 letter, they explained the new “social club to occupy what was originally the Lewis W. Parker home on Washington Road” and moved forward to organize the club.

At an April 16 meeting in the public library’s auditorium, they named the club in honor of South Carolina statesman Joel Roberts Poinsett – a congressman, the first United States ambassador to Mexico, Secretary of War, co-founder of the Smithsonian Institution’s predecessor and, probably most well-known, the man who introduced what is now known as the Poinsettia.

Shortly thereafter, the club opened its doors at the Washington Street location it occupies today – more than seventy years later.

Constructed in 1904, the club’s main portion once consisted of two parlors, a ladies’ lounge and a bar on the main floor, with the second floor used for recreation. Expansions and renovations over the years added meeting rooms, dining rooms, new bars and the main Red Ballroom.

As you enter the main hall, which greets members and guests with a double staircase, dark wood accents and wall coverings that evoke thoughts of Ambassador Poinsett’s fiery red plant, the club changes from the center of social activity seen from the outside to an inviting home away from home where friends can share a meal and unwind.

As private clubs compete with a growing hospitality market, the Poinsett Club continues to thrive.

Club maitre d’ J.C. Rosemond celebrated 40 years with the club in October and offered his own insight about the club’s survival. “It’s a friendship. It’s a community. We work with members, and members work with us so we can give back to the community,” he said, noting that part of the club’s original mission was to promote social interests and encourage cooperative relations among area residents.

Another reason for the club’s success is its diverse membership. According to general manager Brent Reeder, current members include third- and fourth-generation members as well as area newcomers.

“We have a membership ranging in age from 26 to 96, and they are as varied as their ages. The Poinsett Club is home for business and community leaders, elected officials, young professionals, and everyone in between. Those wide-ranging backgrounds are one aspect differentiating us among other private clubs,” Reeder said.

With workplace longevity now the exception instead of the rule, Paul Latimore is one witness to the Poinsett Club’s changes. After 48 years, the self-described “semi-retiree” serves the club’s “Bull Table” five days a week and has his own ideas about the club’s endurance.

“Some of my Bull Table members have told me that I know them better than their wives,” he said with a laugh. “To be honest, the members like us, and we like them. We want our members to feel as comfortable as they do at home.”

Asked about full-time retirement, Latimore just smiled, walked back to the Bull Table and said, “Maybe when I hit 60 years I’ll think about it.”

Latimore’s description embodies the Poinsett Club as a place where past, present, and future coexist.

Club president Hayden Hays said he thought about the future when he joined 25 years ago. He actually credits his wife as a primary reason for joining. “My wife told me that’s where our daughter’s wedding reception would be.”

She was right. Their daughter’s reception was there, and so were thousands of others.

Newlywed Lance Crick said that when he and his bride considered reception locations they didn’t hesitate in selecting the Poinsett Club.

His wife Cindy agreed. “It’s one of the most beautiful locations in the area no matter the time of year. For us, there was only one choice,” she said.

The club is also the scene for Greenville’s debutantes and charity events like the Rose Ball. Today, as the Poinsett Club embraces its tradition, it also looks ahead.

Reeder noted that the club was again designated as a Platinum Club of America, awarded to the top 3 percent of the country's 6000 private clubs

The Poinsett Club is the only Platinum Club in Greenville, the only city/dining club in the Carolinas to hold the distinction and one of only 35 nationwide.

Part of that is due to Chef Emile Labrousse raising the level of the club’s cuisine with menus unlike others in Greenville and seasonally rotated signature dishes ranging from meat to poultry to fish and the club’s crabcakes.

Complementing Chef Emile’s menu, operations manager Charles Brewer (a 25-year Poinsett Club veteran) continues expanding the club’s wine selection beyond other cellars in Greenville and ensures that wine pairings are as close to perfect as they can be.

Continuing its pursuit to be the premier dining club in the Southeast, Hays said that the Poinsett Club is also adapting to technological advancements.

“We introduced business amenities such as meeting/conference capabilities and wireless broadband access, but we want to make certain that we do not veer from the club’s original mission.”

Hays also pointed out that members are not limited to enjoying their home club.

“We have reciprocal relationships with over 25 clubs in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. Many offer overnight accommodations, so it’s a great benefit for our members to spend the week in New York and feel as comfortable as they do in Greenville,” he said.

Looking to the future, Reeder said, “The Poinsett Club will continue to be the focal place for community functions, weddings, receptions and events. It’s important that we serve our members and that we follow the mission of the club’s founders to support the community’s civic progress. It’s about being a good neighbor.”

(Author's Note: Copies of TALK may be purchased throughout the Greenville area at 8 O'Clock Superette, Asha's Gift Shop, Barnes & Noble, Bloom, Books-A-Million, Hyatt Regency Gift Shop, Lake Forest Quick Shop, News & More, The Open Book, The Shops of Provence, Twigs. TALK subscriptions are available here.)

OUR TURN: SHOULD REPEAT CHILD SEX OFFENDERS FACE DEATH PENALTY?

2006-03-31T08:46:00.000-05:00

DEATH PENALTY APPROPRIATE UNDER STRICT GUIDELINES
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (SC) NEWS [LINK]
PUBLISHED FRIDAY, March 31, 2006

There aren’t a lot of things I take seriously, but I can’t make light of this.

On the one hand, people will say that unspeakable torture faced by pedophiles among their fellow inmates is a fate worse than death. After all, daily assaults by the worst of South Carolina’s inmate population would make convicted molesters want to die. Even murderers see child molestation as that criminal line not to be crossed.

On the other hand, we have no qualms about putting murderers to death, and if you think about it, child molestation is similar to murder.

A child is precious and innocent – only beginning the process of forming what his or her adult life will bring. In an instant, a sexual predator with fantasies unfathomable by society’s majority can take away that innocence and effectively assassinate a childhood.

These perverted individuals kill a child’s trust in adults who are their supposed protectors and slay the ability for them to grow up and have healthy relationships. Pedophiles are emotional murderers.

I have no problems with adding repeat pedophilia to our list of capitol crimes but also understand that guidelines need to be strictly established to prevent the punishment’s use from becoming too broad.

In the end, I know that if someone took my son’s innocence, I would do all in my power to make sure that person paid for the crime, and I commend Attorney General McMaster and the state Senate for their commitment to our children’s protection.

Taft Matney, 33, lives in Greenville and is the president of a local public relations and governmental affairs firm. He can be reached by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at (864) 505-8866.

NEW FIRE STATION OPENS TO ADDRESS GARLINGTON ROAD CLOSING

2006-03-23T13:26:00.000-05:00

BOILING SPRINGS FIRE DISTRICT ADDS FACILITY TO ELIMINATE SERVICE DISRUPTION

(March 16, 2006 / Greenville, SC) To prepare for Monday's Garlington Road closing at Rocky Creek Bridge, Boiling Springs Fire District officials dedicated a temporary station at a 10:00 a.m. news conference and ribbon cutting ceremony this morning.

The additional facility, to serve areas affected by the road closure that will last a forecasted eight to twelve months, is the result of more than a year of planning and discussions with the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

Knowing that bridge repairs would temporarily sever a crucial infrastructure artery between Boiling Springs fire personnel and the residential and commercial interests they protect, Boiling Springs commissioners created a taskforce led by Chief Gerald Luker to address the issue and formulate a solution to a problem that would have increased emergency response times to nearly double-digit minutes.

That solution is the district’s Station 4 located at 1102 Garlington Road near the entrance of Hartness International.

“The area’s repairs will be welcome changes for our engineers and response personnel forced to maneuver equipment along that treacherous stretch of narrow road, substandard bridge, and dangerous curve,” said Boiling Springs’ new chairman Rick Williams of the road that has been the site of several fatal and near fatal accidents.

Chief Luker said that while the road with its 25 mile per hour speed limit must be redesigned and repaired, the district was not willing to sacrifice safety during the year-long construction process.

“Our current response time from our Pelham Road station and headquarters is currently two to three minutes. We were not about to let response times more than double and place people and property in harm’s way. Station 4 allows us to continue providing the county’s most highly rated fire protection,” Luker said.

Williams agreed. “Our personnel worked hard for several years to achieve the ISO Class 1 rating we maintain. We want everyone in the district to see that we remain committed to their safety and hope that this measure demonstrates a renewal of that commitment.”

High resolution still photos of the news conference and Mr. Williams’ remarks are available by request. Call Taft Matney at 864/505-8866.

About the Boiling Springs Fire District

Established in 1968 and located on Greenville County’s Eastside, the Boiling Springs Fire District covers 15 square miles and serves over 26,000 residents. Governed by five commissioners recommended by county council and appointed by the governor, the Boiling Springs Fire District is a special purpose district responsible for addressing specific concerns and local issues among commercial and residential interests through 40 paid personnel and 20 volunteers operating out of 4 fire stations. The district’s equipment battery includes 8 fire engines, 2 aerial ladder trucks, and a rescue vehicle. The Boiling Springs Fire District is South Carolina’s only ISO Class 1 fire department with a combination of paid and volunteer fire fighters.

To make inquiries regarding this release, please contact Taft Matney by phone (864/505-8866), by fax (864/297-3871), or by e-mail (taft@taftmatney.com).

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This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: industry conditions, changes in supply, pricing, and customer demand, competition, other industry vagaries, and changes in key supplier relationships. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

OUR TURN: SHOULD WE ALLOW WIRETAPPING WITHOUT COURT APPROVAL?

2006-03-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

BUSH GOES TOO FAR IN SPYING ON AMERICANS
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (SC) NEWS [LINK]
PUBLISHED FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2006

I don't know why we're surprised this is happening. As far back as their 1981 position paper, policy experts Hall and Oates warned us, "Private Eyes. They're watching you. They see your every move."

What else needs to be said?

I supported President Bush and many initiatives even when they were unpopular, but I can't play ball on this one. The implications are too broad.

Wiretapping is no longer limited to monitoring Barney Fife's phone conversations when he asks Sarah the operator to connect him to Thelma Lou. Now we're constantly connected by cell phones, desktop computers, notebook computers, palmtop computers and messenger pigeons to convey information from point A to point B.

Thanks to technological advancements, we created a world that lets the government, pedophiles and Amway salesmen into our homes without so much as a peck on the cheek. I don't know about you, but I don't want the FBI logging on my computer and publicly exposing the Barry Manilow collection in my iTunes catalog.

We opened the door, and the NSA, RIAA and WWE all came strolling through. President Bush is wrong to abuse his ability to spy on American citizens within our country's borders, but we are equally at fault for not speaking up until now.

As Benjamin Franklin once told a group of shareholders at a Krispy Kreme convention, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Roughly translated, that means, "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."

Taft Matney, 33, lives in Greenville and is the president of a local public relations and governmental affairs firm. He can be reached by e-mail at taft@taftmatney.com or by phone at (864) 505-8866.

AGENCY'S MISSION DREW ON MATNEY'S SENSE OF CIVIC DUTY

2006-01-18T11:44:00.000-05:00

FROM: CITY PEOPLE – A SUPPLEMENT TO THE GREENVILLE (SC) NEWS [LINK]
PUBLISHED WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2006

By Addy Matney
GUEST COLUMNIST

Because I wanted to be involved with an organization dedicated to helping children, my initial exposure to Pendleton Place came in 2003 when I chose it as the agency where I would complete my Junior League of Greenville volunteer service.

On my first day, I found myself studying the children and thinking how they look like every other child I see whether at church, in the mall, or at the park.

We hear about problems in our community but until we stare them in the face they are easy to put in the back of our minds. Knowing that these children had to be at Pendleton Place because they didn't have anywhere else to go made me sad until I started thinking about what could happen if it didn't exist.

Pendleton Place residents come into our care for a variety of reasons. Some stay with us while their families work to improve the home environment, others are placed until a foster family can be identified, and another group lives with us in a long-term capacity.

Working with Pendleton Place residents is a rewarding experience. Each time I walk through the door I am greeted by the outstretched arms of many kids in need of a hug. The kids I met during weeks past yell my name as I walk through the door while others I never met are equally as excited to see me.

The best thing about volunteering at Pendleton Place is that no two days are the same. From helping a teenage girl with a math assignment to reading a story with a toddler to taking a group outside to play, there is never a lack of activity. The children are appreciative of every little thing we do together, and I leave each week having received as much love as I have given.

During my first few months of volunteering, I felt I wanted to give more. I approached the Development Director about sitting in on a board meeting and explained that I wanted to be more involved.

By June of 2004 I was a member of the board which provided the perfect balance to my volunteer work. I can work with our children on a weekly basis as a volunteer and help Pendleton Place raise money, expand offerings for residents and serve as a liaison between the board and the day-to-day activities of the children.

Some days are harder than others. One day a little boy sat on my lap crying the entire time I was there because he couldn't understand why he and his sister couldn't go home. Another day I spent with a teenager who opened up to me about the abuse she has faced in her life. There is always something that lets me know I need to be there. After coming home and gaining perspective, it's those days that make me happiest to be associated with a facility that gives these children a place to call home.

OUR TURN: WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS FOR 2006?

2006-01-09T09:46:00.000-05:00

CELL PHONE USERS COULD LEARN MANNERS IN 2006
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (SC) NEWS [LINK]
PUBLISHED FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2006

With Nick and Jessica divorcing and Britney and K-Fed on the outs, what's the use in even having hope for the new year?

Well, I guess if I had one dream for this year I'd have to hope for the return of etiquette to society.

I'm not thinking about anything unreasonable like keeping your elbows off the table or not wearing open-toed shoes after Labor Day. I mean cell phones.

First, neither cell phones nor their accessories are designed to serve as couture. Yes, they come with belt clips, but you're not required to wear them. Most people have cell phones, and we assume you have one, too. Put your phone in a jacket, pants pocket or purse. Oh yeah, we also think you look ridiculous when you wear your headset while shopping. Just leave it in the car.

Second, since you're going to stash your phone, go ahead and set that thing to vibrate when you receive a call. We don't need to know when you get a call, and we don't need your Kanye West ring tone to announce that you got one.

Third, if you're in public and receive a call that you have to take, excuse yourself to a secluded area that will allow you to complete your call as loudly as you desire. Not only do we not want to know when you get a call, we also don't care who you're talking to or what you're talking about.

Happy New Year.

OUR TURN: HAS THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS BEEN LOST?

2005-12-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS DELIVERS FRIENDS TO THE RESCUE
FROM: THE GREENVILLE (SC) NEWS [LINK]
PUBLISHED THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2005

We became unexpected recipients of "Extreme Makeover: Mauldin Edition" when last Thursday afternoon an oak tree created a new skylight in our dining room. Between 3:30 and 6:00, I discovered the damage, had a neighbor help move furniture and had eight friends help remove the tree and cover the house from additional damage while five more cleared our belongings from affected areas.

Although the old adage says that we learn who our friends are when they help us move to a new house, I think the same is said for those who help take a tree off of the old house.

We'll begin repairing the damage in a week or so, but I can't help think that aside from the friendship I share with those who so quickly helped my family in 30-something degree temperatures as the ice changed to rain, there's something inherent in the Christmas season that encourages us to help our friends, our families, our neighbors and even those we've never met.

Like the Griswolds in "Christmas Vacation," we have a hole in our house, but I'm going to be able to look up at the night sky after all of the festivities and say, "We did it."

We'll be at Mauldin Methodist on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Santa will come to Trey's house, but the reindeer will have to step lightly on the roof.

Have we lost the meaning of Christmas? I hope not. Who knows where we would be without our own little Christmas miracle.

UPSTATE FIRM RELAUNCHES WEB SITE AND ADDS NEW BUSINESS DIVISION

2005-10-03T13:01:00.000-04:00

TM PUBLIC RELATIONS & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BROADENS SERVICES WITH PHOTOGRAPHY SEGMENT

(October 3, 2005 / Greenville, SC) TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs (TMPR) today launched its redesigned web site www.TaftMatney.com which includes the firm’s new division -- Taft Matney Photography.

“As marketers our first job is to work with our clients to heighten positive impressions of their businesses or causes, but too often we take our own public face for granted. Our redesigned web presence better reflects who we are and what we do today. It shows how we grew not only in terms of client experience, but in our service offerings as well,” said TMPR principal Taft Matney.

The new site is redesigned throughout with what Matney describes as a “clean consistent look and feel with user friendly sections” for both TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs and Taft Matney Photography.

He said the TaftMatney.com’s simple design approach is intentional. “So many of today’s sites get bogged down with flash animation, musical scores, or sound effects that play automatically and drown out a site’s purpose or message. When people are in front of their computers and search the Internet for information about a product or a company, they don’t want a lot of intrusive additional material that exists only to say, ‘Look what I can do with a web site.’ Our new site takes our visitors’ attitudes into consideration and provides a simple browsing experience that allows our firm’s work and accomplishments to speak for themselves,” Matney said.

The new TaftMatney.com opens with a front page that offers site visitors a choice between TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs or Taft Matney Photography.

The TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs section includes pages people expect like information about the firm and its principals, client experience, client testimonials, and a link to Taft Matney Photography section. Newly added is the “Client & Firm News” page which incorporates web log (or “blog”) concepts to quickly add information that can also serve as a tool for media outlets with questions about one of the firm’s clients.

Taft Matney Photography (TMP) is the group’s newest venture and is now a part of the site. With photographic samples, service information, and a contact page, Matney said that the firm hopes the additional offering will help set the firm apart from larger organizations.

According to Matney, “We began TMP because our clients often operate on smaller budgets and do not want to incur the additional expense of hiring a third-party photographic resource. Since we felt that this was something we could offer, we invested in the equipment and found that our clients not only appreciated our efforts to save them money but felt that the work we produced was as good as anything else we did for them. Eventually, that service naturally grew into a stand-alone offering.”

Matney said that the TMP division is geared toward corporate, political, non-profit, and freelance editorial clients and does not anticipate branching out into the wedding market which he feels is already well-served by numerous area photographers.

He added, “We’re excited to offer both types of services in this innovative way and look forward to the opportunities ahead.”

About TMPR

Based in Greenville, South Carolina with client experience including non-profit organizations, Fortune 500 companies, political candidates, local businesses, technology firms, and third-party marketing agencies, TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs (TMPR) provides public relations and governmental affairs services to companies, individuals, and organizations in both public and private sectors.

About TMP

Taft Matney Photography (TMP) is a separate business unit closely tied with TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs that sprung from a love of creating and reinforcing public personas for people, agencies, organizations, and businesses throughout South Carolina. Because of the nature of TMP’s business, there is no in-house studio. Instead, all photography occurs on location to more accurately capture the subject.

For further information about TM Public Relations & Governmental Affairs or Taft Matney Photography, visit each company on the Internet at www.TaftMatney.com.

To make inquiries regarding this release or the companies mentioned within it, please contact Taft Matney by phone (864/505-8866), by fax (864/297-3871), or by e-mail (taft@taftmatney.com).

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This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: industry conditions, changes in supply, pricing, and customer demand, competition, other industry vagaries, and changes in key supplier relationships. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

POINSETT CLUB ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT

2005-09-27T14:56:00.000-04:00

OFFICIALS ALSO CELEBRATE STAFF TENURE

(September 27, 2005/Greenville, SC) Board members of Greenville’s Poinsett Club today announced Brent E. Reeder as the club’s new General Manager and Chief Operating Officer replacing Warren Arseneaux who retired last month.

The former president of The Jefferson Club in Louisville, Kentucky, Reeder is a Camden, South Carolina native and a graduate of Furman University.

Mr. Reeder has been in the private club industry for nine years and is a member of Rotary of Greenville, Club Managers Association of America, Paladin Club, and Chaine des Rotisseurs.

He and his wife Emily have two young children – seven year old Ben and three year old Caroline.

“We are very fortunate to have a general manager of the caliber of Brent Reeder,” commented Phillip Kilgore, Poinsett Club president. “

“The candidates we interviewed were among the very best club managers in the country, and Brent was our first choice. Brent has the experience, knowledge and skills to take the Poinsett Club to new levels of quality.”

In addition, Poinsett Club officials recognized several employees celebrating milestones with the club.

Patti Huffman, Business and Human Resource Manager, celebrated 25 years with the Poinsett Club in September. With years of accounting expertise, Huffman is responsible for the club’s business affairs and assists the staff with human resources related issues.

Operations Manager Charles Brewer will celebrate 24 years with the Poinsett Club in October. Brewer started with the club as a kitchen steward and now oversees the service staff and all food and beverage operations.

Well-known around Greenville as the Bull Table Waiter, Paul Latimore, will celebrate 47 years of service at the Poinsett Club in January 2006 and has been with the club longer than any other employee.

“This is an exciting time for the Poinsett Club,” Kilgore added.

About the Poinsett Club

Named a Platinum Club of America in 2003 - which classified it as one of only 35 five-star private city/dining clubs in the US - the Poinsett Club is located in a former private home in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The 40,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse features two ballrooms, 11 private dining rooms, several sitting rooms, a library, one fine dining room, and two cocktail lounges. Poinsett Club members enjoy reciprocal privileges at numerous private clubs across the US, British Columbia, and London.

To make inquiries regarding this release, please contact Taft Matney by phone (864/505-8866), by fax (864/297-3871), or by e-mail (taft@taftmatney.com).

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This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: industry conditions, changes in supply, pricing, and customer demand, competition, other industry vagaries, and changes in key supplier relationships. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

COLONIAL TRUST VP TO ADDRESS NATIONAL CONFERENCE ABOUT INDUSTRY CHANGES

2005-09-26T16:43:00.000-04:00

(September 26, 2005 / Spartanburg, SC) Camp R. Wynn, CFA^® and Vice President of Colonial Group – parent company of Colonial Trust Company and Colonial Asset Management – will address the National Center for Due Diligence (CFDD) at its national conference.

Held this year in Chicago, on October 5, Wynn will serve as an expert panel member for the seminar “How to Price Services when Transitioning from Commissions to Fee-Based Business.”

According to the CFDD, its 2005 advisor conference is an “all business conference dedicated solely to helping retirement advisors grow their business. The CFDD's conferences have become ‘advisor-centric’ forums” and “more than 500 retirement advisors” will attend the conference.

Wynn said, “Scalable technology has brought powerful and efficient solutions to small and mid-sized companies and changed advisors’ roles to become trusted consultants rather than salespeople. Clients benefit from this change through factors including more transparent cost structures, access to more investment options, and more flexibility in design.”

The conference will be October 4-6 at the Fairmont Chicago Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

About the Center for Due Diligence

The Center for Due Diligence (CFDD) is an independent consulting/research firm specializing exclusively in full service 401(k) program competitive analysis for the trade. The CFDD has been providing competitive analysis for more than a decade and our business model has been centered around advisors since inception. As a networking organization, most of our analysis is based on advisor feedback and clients include most of the advisor-sold providers, wirehouses, regional b-ds and elite retirement specialists. The CFDD has also become a forum for the top advisors specializing in retirement plans. Unlike other infomediaries, survey takers, news wires and proposal exchanges, the CFDD actually analyzes 401(k) programs. The CFDD is not a “pay-to-play” model. Its analysis is not tied to vendor revenue and providers and is 100% product neutral. For more information about CFDD, visit the website at http://www.401kduediligence.com. For information regarding this year’s CFDD advisor conference, visit http://www.401kduediligence.com/CFDDconference2005.asp.

About Colonial Group, Inc.

Colonial Group, is the parent company of Colonial Trust Company (South Carolina's oldest private trust company established in 1913), and Colonial Asset Management. The company provides investment management, trust and estate services to its clients and manages assets under management totaling approximately $450 million at the end of 2004.

For more information about Colonial, visit the website at http://www.colonialgroup.com.

To make inquiries regarding this release, please contact Taft Matney by phone (864/505-8866), by fax (864/297-3871), or by e-mail (taft@taftmatney.com).

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This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: industry conditions, changes in supply, pricing, and customer demand, competition, other industry vagaries, and changes in key supplier relationships. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.