The city of Cayce has the opportunity for a reset with the election of two new council members.

But the years-long division among the council members has been in full swing even recently.

The tension came to a head Oct. 13 when City Council met and decided to investigate an elected official who wasn’t named publically.

Councilman Phil Carter said an event involving a staff member and an elected official needed clarity in the form of a council investigation.

“We felt like due diligence tells us that we had to find out exactly what happened,” Carter told the Carolina Reporter.

Councilman Byron Thomas agreed and said City Council must hold itself accountable in these instances.

Mayor Elise Partin, who was not at the meeting, that night posted on Facebook, saying the subject of the council meeting was a “personnel complaint” against her. She said the complaint should have been handled by the city manager, not council, and referred to the meeting as an “effort to circumvent our normal city processes.” Partin hired a personal attorney during the investigation.

No council member would confirm or deny who the complaint involved.

An attorney, Ryan Hicks, investigated and concluded Oct. 30 that council members’ distrust of one another and “City leadership” must be improved.

But Partin also said in the Oct. 13 Facebook post that the previous Friday, Oct. 10, was “the deadline for the city of Cayce to turn in documents for a state investigation regarding how the majority of council has voted to spend taxpayer dollars.”

Carter and Thomas told the Carolina Reporter there was no such investigation.

“The implication that council was under investigation is inaccurate,” Carter said.

Thomas said he was let down by the negativity being spread online by the mayor.

“I was disappointed seeing (the post) and I wish she was at the meeting where we all could have discussed things,” Thomas said. “But that’s her right to post what she wants to post.”

New members, meanwhile, said they would like to help calm the waters.

Tiffany Aull, a former school vice principal and current school administrator, won the District One council seat with 61.8% of the vote against Ron Wright. Tim James did not run for re-election for the seat.

Alice Rose, a stay-at-home mom, won the District Three council seat with 54.2% of the vote against incumbent Hunter Sox.

Their swearing-in ceremony Nov. 10 was filled with family members and other Cayce residents.

Carter thanked Aull and Rose for “stepping up and being willing to serve our great city” as they took their council seats for the first time.

Partin, who wasn’t on the ballot, thanked Cayce’s voters for participating and told the council “today is a new day” and “let’s get back to work.”

Aull said her biggest goal is for the council to work together and maintain transparency with constituents.

“That’s what I really hope to do, is bring people together,” Aull said. “Not only the council, but the community.”

Rose said she is excited to have a positive impact on the community and wants to see more involvement from the people of Cayce, including her family, friends and neighbors.

Aull referred to the election as a “restart button” for the council, saying “the past is the past.”

But, two days later, the city found itself looking for another city attorney when Will Dillard left his position after 10 months on the job.