<b>By MINDY LUCAS</b>

After a lengthy and, at times, heated discussion on parliamentary procedure, Beaufort County Council members attempted to unseat council chairman Stu Rodman at its regular meeting held Monday, Feb. 10.

Council member Mike Covert attempted several times during the course of the meeting to make a motion to amend the council’s rules and procedures and terms governing the chairman’s position. However his motion to amend was overruled by Rodman.

A motion to overturn Rodman’s ruling and allow for the earlier motion also failed in a 5-5 vote.

Later in the meeting, Covert made additional remarks voicing his displeasure with the chairman, citing recent controversy as reported in local media.

“Throughout the last year or so there have been numerous articles in local, regional as well as national newspapers and social media ‘newspapers’ on the state of affairs of the current chairman,” Covert said.

Covert went on to say he has received countless anonymous letters and phone calls on the chairman’s harassment of the county administrator, county employees, vendors and other members of political bodies as well as his “strong arming” of meetings and agendas for his own purposes.

“This can not continue,” Covert said.