Two years after the mayor of Norway fired the town’s controversial veteran police chief, local voters will get a chance to weigh in on the dispute.

Both incumbent Mayor Brad Fogle and Jim Preacher, the former chief of police who’s now head of law enforcement in Ehrhardt, have filed as candidates for mayor in the Nov. 3 nonpartisan municipal election.

Filing for local offices in 15 of Orangeburg County’s 17 municipalities ends at noon on Friday.

With two days left before the filing deadline, the only other contested race shaping up so far, except in Norway, is in Eutawville, where three candidates have filed for mayor and three candidates have filed for the two council seats up for election.

Eutawville Town Councilwoman Margaret Jean Akers, Harry Lee Brown and Russell L. Parker are seeking a four-year term as mayor. Incumbent Mayor Robert Collins, who has indicated that he will not seek re-election, had not filed as of Tuesday. Also, the town has a contested town council race, with three candidates filing for the two seats up for re-election. Incumbents Roger Adkins and David West, who are seeking new four-year terms, and James Nutt are the candidates.

Eutawville, with a population of 344, has 150 registered voters. Of those voters, 120 are white, 29 are black and one is designated “other.”

In Norway, the population is 389. Of the 281 registered voters, 145 are white, 135 are black and one is designated “other.”

In July 2007, after 17 years with the town of Norway, Preacher was fired as police chief by the mayor through a hand-delivered letter detailing reasons for his ouster. Fogle claimed that Preacher cursed out town employees and took his police vehicle out of town while off duty.

Preacher dismissed all of those claims and said he did nothing to warrant being fired. The former police chief charged that he was fired because of a fallout with Fogle and former Norway mayor Rose Dukes over missing traffic tickets and a dispute Preacher had with another officer. He has also complained of a ticket “quota” system.

According to Fogle, the firing was a tough decision, but one he believes was in the best interest of the town. The mayor subsequently denied Preacher’s request for a hearing before town council, because he said that it was not required by state or town law.

After the firing, an estimated 200 protesters held a rally in Norway in support of Preacher, with several in the crowd criticizing Fogle’s actions.

A few days after his firing in Norway, Preacher was hired by the Bamberg County town of Ehrhardt as its new police chief.

In Orangeburg County, candidates who have filed for municipal offices as of Tuesday and the incumbents whose terms are expiring are:

Bowman

Town Councilman Marion Glenn has filed for mayor. Candidates for the two council seats are incumbent David Stack and Patsy Rhett.

A special election will be held to fill the unexpired term of the late Mayor Zelda Pelzer, whose four-year term ends in 2011.

Stack and Paul Holt are up for four-year terms on council.

Branchville

No one has filed for the three seats up for election on Branchville Town Council.

Amy Ott Bryant, Benita Gibbs and Georgianna E. Harmon are up for four-year terms on council.

Cope

No one could be reached at Cope Town Hall.

Mayor Janet S. Joye and Council members Emma Jean K. Gallagher, Darren E. Jump, Marlene Workman and Will D. Workman have two-year terms that are expiring.

Cordova

No one returned a message left at Cordova Town Hall on Tuesday.

Mayor James V. Martin and Council members Richard E. Fogle, Jo Ann Mooney, James N. Preveaux and Richard B. Fogle are up for four-year terms.

Elloree

Mayor Van Stickles and Water Commissioner Jane Singh have filed for re-election.

Stickles and Council members Barbara Butler of District 1 and Michael G. Fanning of District 4 are up for four-year terms. Also, Water Commissioner Singh is up for a six-year term.

Eutawville

Candidates who have filed for mayor are Councilwoman Margaret Jean Akers, Harry Lee Brown and Russell L. Parker. Filing as council candidates as of Tuesday are incumbents Councilman Roger Adkins and David West and newcomer James Nutt.

Mayor Robert Collins and Council members Adkins and West have four-year terms that are expiring.

Holly Hill

Council members Woodrow Wilson of District 3 and Henry Louis Damon of District 4 have filed for re-election. No one has filed yet for mayor.

Mayor Jim Jeffers and Council members Wilson of District 3 and Damon of District 4 have four-year terms that are expiring.

Livingston

No one returned a message left Tuesday at Livingston Town Hall.

Mayor Bobby Gordon and Council members Ronnie Cribb, John R. Jeffcoat Jr., Tony Linder and Robert M. Yongue are up for two-year terms.

Neeses

Council members Jimmie E. Dyches and Wanda H. Ammons have filed for re-election.

Mayor Joseph M. Corbett and Council members Dyches, Ammons, Kenneth L. Gleaton and Renee Olenick have two-year terms that are expiring.

North

Incumbent Councilwoman Rose Binyard and Bill Courtney have filed for the two North Town Council seats up for election.

Council members Binyard and Aubrey Gleaton have two-year terms that are expiring. The new terms will be for four years.

Norway

Mayor Brad Fogle and Jim Preacher have filed for mayor. No one has filed yet for council.

Mayor Fogle and Council members Bonnie Fogle of District 1, Geraldine Bell of District 2, Kenny B. Bates of District 3 and Emma G. Reed of District 4 have two-year terms that are expiring.

Rowesville

The incumbent mayor and two council members have filed for re-election.

Mayor Glenn Simpson and Council members Jeremiah Jamison Sr. and Marguerite Russell have four-year terms that are expiring.

Springfield

Mayor Marilyn McCormick and Councilwoman Lydia Lackey have filed for re-election.

Mayor McCormick and Council members Lackey, David R. Fogle, Eddie Lee and Hattie Wood have two-year terms that are expiring.

Vance

No one has filed yet.

Mayor Vernell Wright and Council members Arletta Rowe and James White Jr. are up for four-year terms.

Woodford

The incumbent mayor and four council members have all filed for re-election.

Mayor Charles Stoudemire and Council members Timmy Jefferson, Anne Derrick Johnson, Carol Faye Jeffcoat and Vernetha Williams have two-year terms that are expiring.

T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached by e-mail at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5545. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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