Lowcountry Lowdown: What kind of Legal advice is County Council getting?

New Administrator amidst Controversy

In Beaufort County, the controversy surrounding county operations continues, despite the new hire of an administrator. The County Council unanimously agreed to hire Michael R. Moore, a deputy administrator from York County, S.C. The job has been held via interim by John Robinson since the firing of the previous administrator, Eric Greenway.

The hiring procedure did not pass without issue. Matters of legal compliance with the state law concerning transparency about the top three contenders for the job before the official decision were raised. Concerns escalated when reports confirmed that Michael Moore was, indeed, the second choice, after their prime candidate declined the offer.

Legal Advice in Question

With a council serviced by a legal department of four lawyers and several contracted legal firms, questions about the legal advice they receive are arising. Recently, the firm Haynsworth Sinkler and Boyd conducted a limited investigation on the actions of former administrator Eric Greenway, an exercise that taxpayers authorized a budget of up to $350,000 for.

Interestingly, Beaufort County isn’t alone. Beaufort City Manager, Scott Marshall, was also reported to have departed from proper public notification rules when hiring the new city chief of police, Stephanie Price.

Demolition of Historic County Building

Meanwhile, county operations are not the only source of local attention. The demolition of the former Arthur Horne County Office Building has sent a wave of nostalgia through those who remember the “old days” of county government. The historical building, which housed the meetings of the County Council, the county administrator and his staff, as well as the county elections office, is making way for the rapidly expanding county government complex.

Proposed Sales Tax for Transportation

The Beaufort County Council has its hands full juggling the various challenges. A much-debated transportation sales tax referendum is due for finalization by August to be presented to voters in November. The council is currently revising the proposal after facing objections to the idea of a 15-year sales tax. The renegotiation has led to reductions in the tax, which is now proposed to be imposed over 10 years, with the hope of raising $950 million.

Rejected Proposal for Plastic Straw Ban

Lastly, the Council’s recent rejection of a proposed plastic straw ban left many environmentalists disappointed. Despite a notable trend in local governments across the country passing such regulations, the council members argued that change should come from consumer demands on businesses, rather than being enforced through regulation.