Richland Co. Recreation Commission to discuss Exec. Dir. position in meeting

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Richland County Recreation Commission has released an agenda stating it will discuss its executive director Wednesday night.

The meeting agenda states that there will be a “Motion for Executive Session” to discuss a personnel matter involving the Executive Director position. That position is currently filled by Lakita Watson, who was voted in in 2018.

RELATED: Former Richland County Recreation Commissioner acquitted

Watson and Commission Chair Donzetta Lindsay both declined to all comment. All other commission members either didn’t return a request for comment or also declined to comment.

The commission is funded by Richland County, but commission members are nominated by the Richland County Legislative Delegation before getting approved by the governor.

Delegation Chair Rep. Leon Howard (D-Richland) said he was aware of friction between Watson and the board.

“Who’s right, who’s wrong, I don’t know. As a I said, I have a handful here in the General Assembly. So I’m not there micro-managing what’s happening. But at the end of the day, the board members are the boss and if they decide that they need to separate their relationship and go a different way, there’s nothing much we can do about that,” he said.

Howard said he had also received complaints about Watson’s performance.

“Met with Ms. Watson, called those complaints and those deficiencies to her attention not in an effort to micromanage her. I think she made an effort to address those concerns with the community and I thought they were addressed. Maybe there were addressed too late, I don’t know.”

Watson’s predecessor, James Brown III was acquitted from criminal charges in December 2021.

The meeting will be held at 7494 Parklane Road at 6:30 p.m.

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