In a special-called meeting, Chapin Town Council unanimously approved removing the town administrator role, a position held by Nicholle Burroughs since 2022.

The town administrator was responsible for human resources duties and day-to-day operations. Newly elected mayor, Bill Mitchell, who won the mayoral seat on Nov. 4, will become a full-time mayor, as said in a statement from the town.

A Facebook post from the town said the new direction and leadership come with some changes. 

“At a recent special-called meeting, the town council unanimously updated the town's organizational structure, removing the town's administrator position,” the post read. “These changes reflect Chapin’s transition to its first full-time mayor and align operations with this new model of governance. The town looks forward to the future and remains committed to serving residents with transparency and accountability.”

Mitchell earned 67.87% of the vote cast on Nov. 4. Opponent Ron Colley earned 7.51%, while 24.32% of voters wrote in candidates. Former Mayor Al Koon died unexpectedly in October; he was a candidate for re-election at the time of his death.

Mitchell is currently under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). 

An alleged assault is said to have happened at the town hall on Nov. 7, when Mitchell was sworn into office, according to earlier reporting from the Chronicle. 

"Prior to that ceremony, a town employee alleged that I 'grabbed her by the shoulders,'" Mitchell wrote in a Facebook post.

On Nov. 20, town council members met in executive session to “discuss investigation proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct." The next day, the Town of Chapin made a statement on Facebook stating it is cooperating fully with SLED.

In a Facebook post on Dec. 4, Mitchell said that since the alleged assault occurred between a town employee and the mayor-elect, SLED was called to investigate the situation due to a conflict of interest. 

Mitchell wrote that he is prohibited from discussing details while the investigation is ongoing. 

“What I can say is that I have full confidence in our legal system and hope for a prompt resolution,” his statement read. “I am the same person you have known for the past 51 years. I have never been accused of criminal conduct or inappropriate physical contact of any kind, nor do I tolerate such behavior.

“I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming support from the Chapin community and look forward to putting this matter behind us. This announcement ahead of local media is a campaign platform issue of true transparency. Promise made…promise kept.”