VA employees' grievance hearing set for Oct. 23

The two fired Veterans Affairs Office clerks will plead their case before the county's grievance committee on Thursday, Oct. 23.

Kathy Love and Michele Tucker were abruptly fired Sept. 29 by Cherokee County Veterans Affairs Officer Sammy Willard.

Allegations made by them against Willard triggered a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigation.

"Your employment with Cherokee County Veterans Office is terminated effectively due to your making unfounded accusations against Cherokee County Veterans Affairs Office," stated a 1-sentence letter to Tucker and Love from Willard.

The fired employees claim they were told their jobs were safe under the Whistleblower Act.

Tucker said State Rep. Olin Phillips (D-Gaffney) publicly stated in a meeting with the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation that she and Love couldn't be fired or harassed by Willard.

Tucker said her attorneys Pat and Grace Knie notified county officials on Tuesday of the former employees' intentions to appeal the firings.

The committee has 20 days to file its report and forward it to the hiring official. In this case, Willard has the authority to either accept or reject the committee's findings, according to the county's grievance policy.

The policy also allows for Tucker and Love to open the grievance hearing to the public. But Tucker said Thursday she was unaware of that provision.

"We've never been told that," she said.

The fired employees also may support their case with witnesses, but they aren't permitted legal representation at the hearing, according to the grievance policy.

Love and Tucker said they have spotless work records during a combined 27 years of service with the county, including a total of eight years with the local VA office.

A majority of the Cherokee County Veterans Council, made up of the heads of the county's various veterans organizations, including VFW and American Legion posts, have sided with the fired clerks.

Given their long-brewing frustrations with Willard for withdrawing his support for the local Memorial Day ceremony, the council withdrew its letter of support for Willard in a memo to the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation in June.

The county grievance committee was involved in another high-profile county firing in 2005 when it upheld the dismissal of former Cherokee County Tax Assessor Barry Kelley, who claimed he was fired unjustly for reporting the county had not properly charged taxes to certain citizens who claimed tax exemptions for agricultural property. Kelley filed a wrongful termination suit against the county and agreed to a $9,500 settlement in June.

THE COMMITTEE

The grievance committee is composed of five county employees. They are:

Emergency Preparedness Director Rick Peterson

Sheriff's Department employee J.P. Manning

Magistrate Office employee Tallulah Goforth

Tax Assessor Department employee Sarah Reddish

E- 911 Director Delissa Coggins