By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Lisa Lynch, the former Director of Wellness for Beaufort County, addressed the Beaufort County Council members during their regular session meeting on Monday in Beaufort.
In the public comment session, Lynch alleged sexual harassment and retaliation against former county administrator Eric Greenway.
“My life has been destroyed, and I have chosen not to remain silent,” Lynch said on Monday.
Greenway’s contract was terminated with cause on Friday, July 28, and he is also the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) for a criminal charge.
Lynch was originally hired to her role with Beaufort County by Greenway in April 2023.
At the end of July, after Greenway was initially put on administrative leave with pay, she released a statement through her lawyer alleging sexual harassment by Greenway and retaliation by Assistant County Administrator Whitney Richland for “pretextual reasons,” but she said in her prior written statement and in her statement to Council members on Monday that she has no doubt that she was terminated for her reports of harassment, her complaints of the same, and her willingness to participate as a witness in the criminal investigation with BCSO.
Lynch told council members that she filed with the county a complaint against Greenway on May 16 under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on the grounds of sexual harassment because she is a woman.
“It is important that you all know what happened to me and take action to prevent it from ever happening again,” Lynch said to council members.
She also said she isn’t the only one – there are two other women with complaints against the county and other women have reached out to her since she went public with her story in July.
Lynch said that she has been subject to retaliation and has been terminated under Title VII.
Per Lynch, not only was she well qualified for her job with the county, but she loved it as well.
She requested to reinstated to her position with the County 10 days ago, shortly after she was terminated.
“This complaint has never been about money,” said Lynch. “My firing was unjustified.”
Lynch said that for three months before she was terminated, she treated very poorly by those in charge.
“They tried their best to make me quit, but I stood firm and took their abuse,” Lynch said. “They had to resort to firing me, just one day after Mr. Greenway was put on administrative leave. Coincidence? I think not.”
She asked for council members to consider transparency as they go into executive session to discuss Greenway’s hearing.
“Mr. Greenway should have a public hearing,” she said. “If you are considering ways to make that a closed session, I ask you not to.”
She continued to ask council members, “If this had happened to your wife, your daughter, your mother, how would you feel?”
She finished her three-minute time by saying she will not go away, she will not remain silent, she will not shrink away, “because powerful men are in the room and women who enable them,” and she will do this for all women who are too afraid to come forward and they have no voice.
Following public comments, council adjourned to go into executive session to discuss and receive legal advice about Eric Greenway’s request for a public hearing, retention of an outside law firm to conduct reviews and audits as previously approved by council and employment of John Robinson, who is the current interim County Administrator.
When they came out of executive session, County Council Chairman Joe Passiment said that they had no matters arising out of executive session to discuss and then promptly adjourned.
There is currently a Special Called Meeting of County Council scheduled on Monday, August 21, and two scheduled for August 28, but it is currently unclear if Greenway will be speaking publicly at this time.
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.
