Beaufort County Council held a special called meeting Monday, July 24, to discuss several issues. Called to order at 10:30 a.m., Council voted to immediately go into Executive Session to receive legal advice on matters covered by attorney-client privilege and to discuss issues related to the employment of a person regulated by Council. 

As a result of Executive Session, the items put before Council for discussion and voted on unanimously are as follows:

• County Administrator Eric Greenway has been placed on paid leave until further notice. Assistant County Administrator of Public Safety John Robinson will be Acting Administrator at this time;
  
  

•  A motion authorizing the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee to contract with one or more professionals or professional firms to conduct a thorough review of all purchases that have occurred since January 1, 2023, to confirm that those purchases comply with the County's procurement codes, to identify any purchases that do not comply with County's procurement codes, to bring to Council those that do not comply, and to provide a description of the discrepancies. The Acting Administrator will bring forward a budget ordinance amendment to fund these contracts if necessary.

• A motion authorizing the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee to a contract with one of more professionals or professional firms to conduct a thorough review of all contracts for professional services which the County has entered into since January 1, 2023, to confirm that those contracts comply with the County's procurement codes, to identify any contracts that do not comply, and to bring to Council those that do not comply, and to provide a description of the discrepancies. The Acting Administrator will bring forward a budget ordinance amendment to fund these contracts if necessary.

• A motion authorizing the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee to contract with one or more professionals or professional firms to conduct a thorough review of the Beaufort County's procurement codes to provide the county with recommendations for any updates, revisions, new measures, in order to strengthen the procurement code. The Acting Administrator will bring forward a budget ordinance amendment to fund these contracts if necessary.

• A motion authorizing the Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee to contract with one or more professionals or professional firms to conduct an audit of the County's P-Card system for the fiscal years 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 22022-2023 and to report the findings to Council along with recommendations for changes, if any. Funding will come from Council's Contingency Fund. The Acting Administrator will bring forward a budget ordinance amendment to fund these contracts if necessary.

As a final comment, Chairman Passiment noted that this is an ongoing personnel matter and for legal reasons, members of Council are not able to answer further 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. That will happen," stated Chairman Passiment. "Unfortunately, consistent with County policy we cannot say more at this time because this is an ongoing personnel matter. 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."