CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – The Horry County treasurer filed a lawsuit against the county and the county administrator and now she’s explaining why she filed the suit.
Thursday, Angie Jones told News13’s Taylor Herlong she was ready to talk because she says she’s one of the few that’s willing to stand up to county administration.
There are several departments in Horry County that we’ve told you have had problems with shortages – including police and fire, but the Horry County treasurer Angie Jones says the shortages don’t end there.
Jones says she’s short employees, and because she’s elected by the people, she feels it’s her time to stand up for them.
“I do not work for council, I do not work for administration. I work for the citizens, and for me it is not okay for citizens to come in my office and stand in line for 2-3 hours,” said Jones.
Jones says she’s gone to administration multiple times to ask for more people because the way shortages are now, her employees don’t have time for lunch breaks, and the workload makes it difficult to efficiently do her job.
“When one or two people are out and it cripples your entire organization, it’s not fair to the taxpayers and it’s not fair to the staff,” said Jones.
The county recently moved the Hospitality Fee and Business License departments from the treasurer’s office to the finance department, and in the lawsuit, Jones asks for those departments back, despite the already heavy workload.
Jones says that’s because it would be more convenient for the people and because it’s her job to be there for anyone applying for a license or with questions about appeals.
“When my name is on that business license, those people can call me. They’ve always called me. They still think it’s under the treasurer’s office, and it’s not. When you have an administrator’s name on your business license, he doesn’t even talk to me – who are they going to call,” asks Jones.
Jones is elected by the people. So, unlike the police chief or fire chief who could be punished by speaking out about a lack of funding, Jones says she has nothing to lose.
“If I can help other departments by standing up and getting what we need, that’s fine. I wish the lawsuit didn’t read Angie Jones vs. Horry County. I wish it read Horry County Citizens vs. Horry County because this benefits me in no way shape or form personally. This is about the citizens,” said Jones.
Horry County Spokesperson Kelly Brosky gave us this statement in response to the lawsuit:
“The county has received the complaint filed by Angie Jones and will respond appropriately and in due course to the allegations, by way of the litigation process.”
