Beaufort County Council works hard on pet projects while others are ignored. For example:
• Seven months have elapsed since siphoning of Library Funds ($590,000 in the past two years) was discovered. The Finance Committee refuses to close loopholes which permit this to continue unnoticed.
• Four months have elapsed since errors by the Finance Chair derailed the promised partial restoration of library hours. No progress is visible.
• It has been years since airport removals of almost $2 million from the General Fund were discovered. Repeated requests for cures have been stalled by the Finance Committee.
Contrast that with council’s vigor on pet projects, including:
• The Finance Chair’s push of $31,000 in Heritage tournament loan interest forgiveness.
• The $850,000 Project Robot, for which no analysis has ever been seen.
• Plans for extra bathrooms and terminal expansion for shrinking business at Hilton Head Airport.
• The determined push to include a controversial runway into the marsh in Lady’s Island Airport plans, also with shrinking business.
Now, a new Agricultural Tax Exemption is being rushed through without analysis. How much in services or dollars will this cost the rest of us?
Meanwhile, the meager 10 hour partial restoration of library hours at four branches languishes without visible progress.
Councilmen Rodman, Sommerville and Stewart are key players in condoning fund siphoning, support for special interests and tax increases, while dallying on library promises.
Steven M. Baer, Hilton Head Island
