stars and stripes celebration 06-19-08

THERE WAS A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN GREENWOOD'S CITY HALL TODAY. STATE SENATOR DAVID JORDAN, THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, CALLED THE MEETING TO SPEAK WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BETH STEVENS. THIS CAME AFTER THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY. EVERY YEAR, THE CHAMBER ASKS THE COUNCIL TO FUND A FOURTH OF JULY EVENT CALLED "STARS AND STRIPES." SINCE MS. STEVENS WAS OUT OF TOWN, SHE SENT CHAMBER PRESIDENT TISH GOODMAN TO THE MEETING. JORDAN WOULD NOT ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO VOTE ON ANYTHING, HOWEVER. HE SAYS HE WANTED TO TABLE THE FUNDING BECAUSE OF A PERSONAL ISSUE. JORDAN SAID HE WANTED TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM STEVENS HERSELF TO MAKE SURE SHE IS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH CITY COUNCILMEN JOHN LEE'S RECENT RACIAL COMMENTS. STEVENS WAS ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS OF A RACIAL EMAIL LEE SENT OUT A MONTH AGO TO 15 LEADERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. TODAY, STEVENS SPOKE. BETH STEVENS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREENWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SAYS, "IT IS NOT, NOR HAS IT EVER BEEN, THE CHAMBER'S POLICY OR THE PERSONAL POLICY OF THE CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENGAGE IN SOLICITED COMMENTS, CONVERSATIONS, OR ACTS THAT WOULD BE REGARDED AS POLITICALLY OR RACIALLY CHARGED IN NATURE.  IT IS MY JOB AS CHAMBER DIRECTOR TO HELP UNIFY THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO GIVE SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME, TALENTS AND MONEY TO WORK ON CHAMBER EVENTS AND PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT US ALL." IN CLOSING, STEVENS DID REQUEST FOR THE COUNCIL TO FUND "STARS AND STRIPES." SHE SAYS SHE APPRECIATES THEIR CONSIDERATION AND HOPES TO GET THEIR OKAY.