County Council authorizes review of all 2023 contracts, 2023 purchases, review of procurement codes, audit of P-card system
By Delayna Earley and Mike McCombs
The Island News
Beaufort County Administrator Eric Greenway was placed on administrative leave with pay following executive session held during the special called County Council meeting on Monday, July 24, 2023, in Beaufort.
Assistant County Administrator of Public Safety John Robinson has been appointed as the acting county administrator during this time.
He will receive an additional $3,000 per month while serving in this capacity, County Council Chairman Joseph Passiment (District 5) said during public session.
County Council members met at 10:30 a.m., for the special called County Council meeting and went directly into executive session following the Pledge of Allegiance.
After two hours in executive session, County Council members resumed the public session where it was revealed that the issues discussed in Monday’s executive session were first brought to light in a July 10 meeting between council members Mark Lawson (District 9), Anna Maria Tabernik (District 6), Chair and Vice-Chair of the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee; County Council Chairman Joseph Passiment (District 5); Vice Chairman Larry McElynn (District 10); and legal counsel for the Beaufort County Council and Beaufort County.
The Special Called County Council meeting was held to review documentation and information revolving around issues of compliance with the county’s procurement codes, budgets and P-card policies, among other issues, and to receive legal advice on the matter, said Passiment.
Four additional motions were made and passed following executive session.
County Council authorized the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee to “contract with one or more professional or professional firms” to do a thorough review of all purchases and contracts for professional services with the County that have occurred since January 1, 2023, to determine if the purchases and contracts comply with the County’s procurement codes.
Additionally, council authorized the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee to hire a professional or professional firm to conduct a review of Beaufort County’s procurement codes see if there is need for any updates, revisions or new measures, in order to strengthen the code.
Finally, council authorized an audit of the County’s Purchasing Card (P-Card) system for the fiscal years of 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to see if there are any changes needed to the system.
The P-Card is a charge card that enables authorized S.C. employees to make “small value purchases of supplies, materials, equipment and services for State business use,” according to the S.C. Division of Procurement Services website.
Passiment closed out the meeting by acknowledging that this is an ongoing personnel matter and that for the time being, for legal reasons, members of Council will not be able to answer additional questions.
“County Council members realize that everyone wants to know the reason or reasons that caused today’s decision to place Mr. Greenway on Administrative Leave – and rightfully so,” Chairman Passiment said. “That will happen…There will come a time when we can talk about it openly and freely, and we will do so. But we are not there yet. So, please be patient with us as we go through this process together.”
A criminal complaint against Greenway for misconduct in office was filed May 11, 2023 with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner and 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone discussed the complaint and determined it needed an independent review.
The complaint will be investigated by the Public Integrity Unit, a team of prosecutors and investigators from the 1st and 14th Circuit solicitors’ offices.
The incident report states that the alleged offenses took place between 8 a.m., January 9, 2023 and 4 p.m., June 29, 2023. Aside from that, there is no complainant listed and there are no details of any alleged crimes.
“At this particular time, that is all that we’re saying,” Tanner said July 3.
South Carolina recognizes the common law offense of misconduct in office. It occurs “when duties imposed by law have not been properly and faithfully discharged.” To constitute a crime, such conduct must be willful and dishonest.
Legally, there are three kinds of misconduct – malfeasance, which means acting illegally; misfeasance, which means acting legally but corruptly; and nonfeasance, which means not carrying out a required duty of the office.
When contacted initially by phone Monday afternoon, July 3, Greenway said he had initially been made aware of the complaint just that morning and had no comment.
Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She joined The Island News in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
