By Wendy Weinhold
Independent-Mail
September 17, 2003

Stepping off what he called the beaten path for politicians, Gov. Mark Stanford visited Anderson Wednesday afternoon to meet local residents.

About 20 people were waiting outside the Wal-Mart on the S.C. 28 Bypass to meet the governor, who arrived a little late for his 4 p.m. "Neighborhood Office Hours" appointment but stayed beyond the meeting’s hour time limit to give all those in line a chance to be heard.

About 50 Anderson-area residents visited with the governor and most wanted two things — to shake the governor’s hand and to have their concerns taken seriously. They shared stories of personal conflict and aired grievances with the government on issues ranging from tourism and transportation to healthcare and industry.

South Carolina Highway patrolmen Lance Cpl. Jim Dean and First Sgt. Brad Freeman said they waited in line to thank the governor for his pro-law enforcement stance.

"A lot of times he doesn’t get to hear about the good things he does," said Lance Cpl. Dean. "We just wanted to thank him for his support."

For Iva resident Chuck Ebbeler, the chance meeting with the state’s leader was an opportunity to express his concern with the loss of American jobs to foreign competition. He urged the governor to use the auspices of his office to protect local jobs.

"I think it’s great he came to Wal-Mart where the average people are," Mr. Ebbeler said. "However, he’s meeting in front of a store full of foreign-made products while millions of people are out of work in this country."

The governor, who is a self-proclaimed supporter of Wal-Mart, smiled when the store’s training coordinator, Gerri Smith, presented him with a Wal-Mart associate’s vest and personalized name tag reading, "Mark." A co-worker joked that the governor was welcome to push carts out of the discount chain’s parking lot since being initiated as a member of the store’s family.

Praising local residents for coming out to the meeting, Gov. Sanford said he heard a lot of good ideas, including Anderson County Taxpayers Association chairman Dan Harvell’s proposition that the governor hold a private meeting with members of taxpayers groups in the Upstate.

"I’m listening and learning," Gov. Sanford said. "If you get trapped in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Columbia visit model, you miss out on some of the issues. These backyard visits allow me to hear a different range of views."

Wendy Weinhold can be reached at (864) 260-1248 or by e-mail at weinholdwm@IndependentMail.com.

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