South Carolina Ethics Commission Schedules Hearing for Shannon Loper
Shannon Loper, the former Director of Beaufort County Parks and Recreation, has been scheduled for a hearing by the South Carolina Ethics Commission. Loper has been accused of using her position to financially benefit her family members and for the alleged misuse of county equipment for personal purposes.
The Charges Laid
The hearing has been set to commence on October 17 in Columbia. Loper’s charges arise from two distinct complaints lodged against her. Loper was dismissed from her position in Beaufort County in September of the previous year, after more than 20 years of service. This decision was based on her alleged violation of the Beaufort County policy manual.
The first of the two allegations involves Loper’s payments to her sons, which aggregate to $6,687, and the appointment of her son for coaching duties at a county-run cheerleader camp. The second complaint accuses Loper of utilizing county equipment for personal work. According to a letter from the ethics commission, neither of these complaints is connected to the installation of the accessible playground at the Port Royal Community Center without proper authorization, an investment close to $800,000.
Loper Defends Allegations
Loper has fervently defended the payments to her sons, insisting there were numerous instances where she was unable to secure officials for sports games. She would consequently enlist her sons’ assistance. Coupled with their existing experience, Loper’s son had been sought for his expertise. “My child was well-qualified. He coaches at another cheer camp in the evenings” she asserted.
Council’s Decision and Loper’s Termination
The council ultimately approved the upgraded playground’s expenses, even though the project was complete before any official discussions took place. The payment received by the county for the playground’s equipment was dated May 25, 2023 – at least four months before the council examined it. This delay incurred an unwelcome surplus in the allocated budget by nearly fourfold. Two weeks after the playground’s assessment, Loper was discharged by the temporary administrator, John Robinson.
In January, Loper resumed her career by accepting the position of director for parks and recreation for the city of Rincon. She currently serves provisionally, awaiting the conclusion of the ethics complaints against her. Jonathan Lynn, the City Manager, maintained the outcome of the ethics inquiries would influence whether Loper is granted the position permanently.
From Loper’s end, the pending issues were openly presented during her interview. Lynn further added, “The City will withhold further comments at this time to uphold the integrity of the process and await its conclusion.”
Since Loper’s exit, Beaufort County has filled the vacant position of the parks and recreation director with Eric Brown. Brown previously served in the parks departments of Hollywood and Dania Beach, both in Florida. Loper, when contacted for comments, has yet to respond.
Source: HERE News Network
