Murphy Appeals Removal from District 5 Board

Kim Murphy, a former Lexington-Richland 5 board member, filed an appeal Thursday in an effort to reclaim her seat on the seven-member panel.

Murphy has filed in both the Richland County Court of Common Pleas and the state Administrative Law Court. See the appeal in the attached documents. 

The board voted 6-1 to remove Murphy from the seat during a special meeting on March 19 after state officials determined her Old Laurel Lane home in Chapin, which she believed to be in Richland County, was located in Lexington County.

Murphy's attorney Todd Kincannon said the board didn't have the authority to remove Murphy from the board and that she was being unfairly punished.

The board has said they were following the law, which requires three members to live in Richland County and four in Lexington County. 

Murphy, who was elected in 2010, said she was told by county officials she resides in Richland. She said she has paid property taxes in Richland County for a number of years and was issued a voter registration card in the county. 

An annexation petition has been filed requesting all of Murhpy's property be considered in Richland County instead of being split between Lexington and Richland counties. 

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