Kershaw County Council officially appoints Danny Templer as County Administrator
After a period of deliberation, the Council voted to formalize the appointment with an annual salary of $145,000 and a monthly vehicle allowance of $800.
3 votes2 passed1 failed
The vote behind the headline
Appointment of Danny Templer as County Administrator:The Council unanimously voted to appoint Danny Templer as the permanent Kershaw County Administrator.Appointments
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
Following extensive deliberations by Council members, Danny Templer was formally appointed as the Kershaw County Administrator. The motion, which passed unanimously, establishes an annual salary of $145,000 and a monthly vehicle allowance of $800 to cover the use of his personal vehicle. This appointment follows a period where Mr. Templer served in a transitionary capacity, earning praise from Council members for his composure and leadership under pressure. While there was brief internal discussion regarding the necessity of a formal, written employment contract, legal counsel advised that such an agreement is not strictly required at this stage, particularly given the impending transition of the Council later this year. Mr. Templer expressed his gratitude and humility regarding the appointment, noting his commitment to working with the existing county staff. He will assume his permanent duties immediately, aiming to provide stable leadership for the county organization through the remainder of the current term.
PASSED (Unanimous). The motion included terms for salary and vehicle allowance
Appointment of Danny Templer as County Administrator:The Council unanimously voted to appoint Danny Templer as the permanent Kershaw County Administrator.Appointments
Unanimous · 7-0
▸detailsless
How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Tom Gardner
What this was about
Following extensive deliberations by Council members, Danny Templer was formally appointed as the Kershaw County Administrator. The motion, which passed unanimously, establishes an annual salary of $145,000 and a monthly vehicle allowance of $800 to cover the use of his personal vehicle. This appointment follows a period where Mr. Templer served in a transitionary capacity, earning praise from Council members for his composure and leadership under pressure. While there was brief internal discussion regarding the necessity of a formal, written employment contract, legal counsel advised that such an agreement is not strictly required at this stage, particularly given the impending transition of the Council later this year. Mr. Templer expressed his gratitude and humility regarding the appointment, noting his commitment to working with the existing county staff. He will assume his permanent duties immediately, aiming to provide stable leadership for the county organization through the remainder of the current term.
PASSED (Unanimous). The motion included terms for salary and vehicle allowance
Appointment of Russell Brazel as Contract Liaison:Council appointed Russell Brazel to serve as the point person for any future administrator contract negotiations.Appointments
Unanimous · 7-0
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How they voted - unanimous
✓ Julian Burns✓ Russell Brazell✓ Sammie Tucker Jr.✓ Ben Connell✓ Jimmy Jones✓ Brant Tomlinson✓ Tom Gardner
In a unanimous vote, the Council appointed Vice Chairman Russell Brazel to serve as the official liaison regarding any future contract negotiations for the County Administrator. This measure was introduced as an amendment to ensure that there is a designated point of contact should the Council decide to formalize a written agreement with Mr. Templer. The move was clarified by Council member Brant Tomlinson, who sponsored the amendment, as a way to streamline communication and prevent inconsistent discussions between individual Council members and the administrator. Legal counsel noted that while this liaison role is now officially established, it does not force the creation of a contract, but rather provides a structured path for the Council if they choose to pursue one in the coming months. Mr. Brazel accepted the responsibility, acknowledging that he will coordinate with the Council as a whole during any such potential negotiations.
PASSED (Unanimous). This amendment tasks Mr. Brazel with serving as the council liaison for any future contract negotiations with the administrator
During the discussion on the terms of the administrator's appointment, a motion was introduced to amend the compensation package from $145,000 to $150,000 annually and to increase the monthly vehicle allowance from $800 to $1,000. This proposed amendment was brought forward by Council member Danny Catoe to address concerns that there were varying opinions among the Council regarding the appropriate pay scale for the position. However, the motion failed to receive a second from any other member of the Council. Consequently, the proposed salary increase was not brought to a formal vote of the body, and the Council proceeded to approve the original, lower compensation terms proposed earlier in the meeting. This process highlighted a brief divide in the Council's preference for the administrator's pay structure, but the final outcome maintained the original figures suggested by the Council leadership.
FAILED (No second). A motion to increase the administrator salary to $150,000 and the vehicle allowance to $1,000 per month failed to receive a second
Council members and legal counsel discussed the necessity of an immediate formal employment contract.
It was determined that because a new council will be seated in four months and the statutory notice period for termination is significant, a formal contract is not currently required for Mr. Templer to assume his duties.
Public comment▸showhide
There was no public comment section held during this called meeting.
Coming up▸showhide
The Council noted that future contract discussions, if required, would likely be addressed by the seated Council in September.
Independent summary, generated from the county's public video, not an official county communication.
How this recap was made: Prepared from the meeting's live-stream transcript. The county's official minutes (the verified vote record) will be cross-checked automatically once the county publishes them, often a couple of months later. This is an automated summary written by software (a neural-network summarizer working from the documents above). Rely on the official county record for anything important.
