Fired Veterans Office employees' grievance held behind close doors

A decision on the two fired Veterans Affairs Office clerks' grievance against Veterans Affairs Officer Sammy Willard is expected within the prescribed 20 days despite some lingering legal questions.

Grievance Committee Chairperson Delisa Coggins, director of E-911, said the committee will seek legal advice from county attorney Joe Mathis on how Willard's status as an elected official impacts the grievance.

The grievance hearing for Kathy Love and Michele Tucker began at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Cherokee County Council chambers. At their request, the hearing was closed to the media.

Love and Tucker were fired Sept. 29 by Willard. Their allegations against Willard triggered a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigation, the results of which have yet to be released.

The committee heard more than an hour of arguments. Willard addressed the committee first and was expected to argue the pair made unfounded accusations against him.

The fired employees have maintained they were protected under the Whistleblower Act and their firing was unjustified.

Love and Tucker have 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.

Tucker said Thursday she was optimistic about her chances with the grievance committee.

"I feel confident that we presented our side well," she said.

Spartanburg attorney Pat Knie represented the fired VA employees in the grievance hearing.

In addition to Coggins, the other members of the grievance committee include emergency preparedness director Rick Peterson, Sheriff's Department Capt. J.P. Manning, magistrate office employee Tallulah Goforth and tax assessor department employee Sarah Reddish.

The committee has 20 days to file its report and forward it to the hiring official. In this instance, that would be Willard, who would have the authority to either accept or reject the committee's findings.