More Turnover, Turmoil in Mauldin Public Works Department

Mauldin Fire Chief and assistant city administrator Russell Sapp will temporarily oversee the day-to-day operations of the Mauldin Public Works Department following the firing of interim director Charles Kirksey, city administrator Trey Eubanks said.

Kirksey recently was terminated for unspecified reasons. Eubanks declined to comment on the reasons for the firing, citing it as a personnel matter. 

However, a friend of Kirksey's, George Caldwell, indicated the termination stemmed from Kirksey's alleged improper use of department equipment for his personal use. Caldwell railed against Eubanks and the Council at its Monday meeting, saying he believed Kirksey, who is African-American and without a college degree, had been railroaded just as he was vying to become the department's full-time leader.

Kirksey had been interim director since last September after then-director William Greg Fincher was arrested and charged with kidnapping and subsequently fired. 

Fincher was arrested in August 2012 after he allegedly detained a 21-year-old woman who had shown up at the Public Works Department for a job interview. Fincher allegedly held the women there against her will until she was able to flee over an eight-foot chain link fence surrounding the property.

Council member Larry Goodson said, "this has been tough, but we will get through it," referring to the department's turmoil. Eubanks said, "it's been challenging during the transition," but said he hoped the department could be under new full-time leadership as soon as next month.

"I'm hoping as early as the end of this week we're going to be able to continue to pursue looking at a leading candidate," said Eubanks, whose role is to recommend a candidate for the Council to hire. "What I'm hoping to do, and planning on at this time, is to make a recommendation and approve an appointment during the March Council meeting."

While Sapp will assume leadership for the time being, Eubanks said the department's supervisors "are doing a fine job keeping the service levels up."