The Times and Democrat - ‘He did a lot of good for the community’

John Rickenbacker’s history-making climb to the pinnacle of elected leadership in Orangeburg County has come to an abrupt end.

The first African-American to become chairman of County Council, Rickenbacker gained a reputation as personable, shrewd and hard-working.

When a federal indictment issued in June accused him of bribery and extortion, his colleagues and friends expressed shock and disbelief.

Tuesday’s surprise guilty plea by Rickenbacker – along with his retirement from his job as a high school assistant principal – produced further sorrow and dismay.

County Councilman Harry Wimberly, who has served as interim chairman since Rickenbacker’s indictment, learned about Rickenbacker’s guilty pleas from a reporter. He said they came as a “surprise” to him.

He was still reeling from learning that Rickenbacker had resigned his council seat, effective Dec. 15.

“I have not read the letter,” Wimberly said at midday Tuesday. He said a courier was being sent to deliver a copy to him.

Councilman Johnny Ravenell said he also learned of Rickenbacker’s guilty pleas from a reporter.

“I’m certainly at a loss for words right now,” Ravenell said. “I had all respect for Rick. He’s a strong politician. He did a lot of good for the community and was very proactive in industrial growth for the county. I’m sorry this happened.”

“I’m shocked!” County Council member Janie Cooper said.

“When I heard about the indictment, I thought I was dreaming, and I still think it’s not true. That’s not the Rickenbacker I know. The Rickenbacker I know was dedicated to his job, his family and his church. He’s a great man, a fantastic leader! I can’t conceive of (him) doing what (prosecutors) said he did.”

Councilman Johnnie Wright reacted to the news of Rickenbacker’s plea with a long sigh. “I don’t know what to say,” he said. “My prayers go out to him and his family.”

The former chairman “was always open to ideas,” Wright said, citing the Lake Marion regional water project as an example.

“He was a good team player. He was a good team builder as well,” Wright said. “Rick was a great leader. He has that gift. You can’t take that away, regardless.”

Other council members could not be reached for comment.

A former council member, the Rev. James R. McGee, said he was “just heartsick” about his longtime friend’s situation.

“I feel bad for John. I feel bad for his family. I feel bad for the people of Orangeburg County,” McGee said.

On council, Rickenbacker was “a visionary, looking out 10, 15 years into the future,” McGee said.

Besides taking the lead on industrial development, Rickenbacker worked closely with McGee and former Chairman Vernon Ott in fighting the drug problem and installing street lights in the New Brookland community, McGee recalled.

“There were a lot of people counting on him,” but “he made a serious error,” McGee said. “There are things you wish would not happen, and this is one of them.”

“If he did it, he has done the right thing to go ahead and confess to it and not draw this thing out any longer,” McGee said.

Resignation from council

County Administrator Bill Clark said Rickenbacker’s resignation letter “was delivered to me after (Monday) night’s County Council meeting.”

In it, Rickenbacker said he “was resigning his current seat on council and also for the new term to which he was elected last month,” Clark said.

Rickenbacker won re-election in November without opposition.

Clark said Rickenbacker’s situation was a legal matter that went on “outside the scope of the county’s organization. ... I’m just focusing on the work of the county.”

Events were occurring so quickly that Clark was unsure what would happen next.

Because the governor had suspended Rickenbacker from council upon learning of the indictment, Clark surmised that “at some point we’ll receive some instruction from the governor’s office as to what to do.”

Actually, that won’t happen, said Joel Sawyer, a spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford.

“Former councilman Rickenbacker resigned late (Monday) so there’s no action to be taken on the part of the governor’s office,” Sawyer said. “In the event of a vacancy, the county has to hold a special election.”

Special election

Deputy County Administrator Earl Whalen said state law 7-13-190 sets out the special election process.

Filing for the District 7 seat will open on the third Friday after the vacancy occurs and will remain open for 10 days, closing at noon. Write-in candidates have an additional 14 days to declare their intentions.

If there is only one candidate at that point, that person wins.

If there are two or more candidates of the same party, the primary will be held on the 11th Tuesday after the vacancy occurs (Feb. 27) and the runoff, if necessary, will be held two weeks later.

If two or more candidates remain at that point, the election will be held on the 18th Tuesday after the vacancy occurs (April 17).

As for the selection of a new council chair, Wimberly said the council members routinely elect their officers annually at their first meeting of the calendar year, which will be Jan. 2 next year.

Retirement

It’s not just his political position that Rickenbacker has relinquished.

As of Friday, Dec. 15, Rickenbacker also retired from Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5, spokesman Greg Carson said Tuesday.

Rickenbacker started working with then-Orangeburg School District 5 in August 1987, serving as a teacher, guidance counselor and administrator.

Most recently, Rickenbacker was making $67,190 a year as assistant principal of Bethune-Bowman Middle/High School. He was suspended with pay as of July 31, a little over a month after being indicted.

“He was a jam-up administrator,” Carson said. “He’s going to be sorely missed in the district, but we’re going to wish him well.”

Carson said Rickenbacker’s suspension was in place until his case could be adjudicated. Though he has now pleaded guilty, there is no legal requirement for return of any compensation from the district.

RMC reaction

Also wishing Rickenbacker well was Willie B. Owens, chairman of the Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees.

“I was saddened to hear the news and I wish for him and his family the best. I hope things will go well for him,” Owens said.

Rickenbacker’s arrest followed charges that he solicited money and received bribes from an FBI agent posing as a consultant for a health care company interested in buying the publicly owned hospital.

Federal officials said Rickenbacker agreed to provide the company with an exclusive copy of a financial and operational analysis of the hospital in exchange for $5,000 a month.

The indictment claims he took $50,000 from the FBI agent and gave him a copy of the analysis.

“I hope the idea of selling the hospital is completely oblivious and off the board at this particular time,” Owens said. “I think the hospital is one of the county’s greatest assets and it should always be a public hospital and not a private hospital.”

“The judge has spoken and I think we need to move forward to work with the county and to continue to improve the quality of service that the RMC provides for the community,” Owens said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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Comments:

A friend wrote on December 20, 2006 10:19 AM:"He was a jam-up administrator! He’s going to be sorely missed in the district, but we’re going to wish him well.” I can't speak for everyone a BBMHS, but he will be definitly missed by a lot of people there!"

Fellow Colleague wrote on December 20, 2006 9:56 AM:"Mr. Rick and family be encouraged. God forgives and it doesn't matter what people say. Thank you for coming foward. From truth comes healing and restoration. Keep the faith and know that God still is able to be all and do all for everyone!"

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