County slices ad arrangement with paper

On a second reading budget vote, Oconee County Council agreed tonight to defund part of its advertising arrangement with The Journal newspaper in Seneca.  A motion by the Seneca member, Paul Cain, cuts off all ads, except those which are statutorily required. Cain motioned to re-direct the ad money to efforts to cultural diversity training for law enforcement and to improve law enforcement relations with the community.  Walhalla’s council member, Wayne McCall, wanted the county to stop all of the ad business  and complained that this year the county has so far paid the paper $113 thousand.  McCall accused the paper of “slanting and twisting” the news and further called for the county to ban Journal employees from county property.  But the councilman was overruled by County Attorney David Root who said such a ban would be illegal. The vote last night came a day after The Journal published a cartoon which members of the African American community and others considered racially offensive.  Although the paper apologized, explained how the cartoon made it into the paper, and promised to work toward better relations, seven audience members tonight registered their displeasure with the paper.  Some of the speakers called for an end to the county’s advertising relationship with the paper.