Beaufort County Seeks Clarity Amid Transparency Concerns
In the quaint town of Beaufort, where the charm of low-country living meets local governance, a storm is brewing over transparency and accountability. Residents are raised eyebrows over recent events surrounding the resignation of former County Attorney Brittany Ward, an issue that’s currently sparking debates and questions across the community.
Partial Responses Raise Eyebrows
It all began when a request for public records was made in late October by The Island Packet, asking for “all records and communications related to Brittany Ward’s resignation, including resignation letters.” A straightforward ask, right? Well, the county’s records department provided a response by November 20, but it wasn’t all that complete. They sent documents that included an email tagged “Brittany Ward Resignation,” coincidentally dated just one day after an independent legal review was made public concerning allegations against Ward involving a land sale with her family’s property.
This twist of timing has many locals scratching their heads. The Gap between the resignation announcement made to her colleagues on October 22 and the completion of the county’s legal review left many wondering whether Ward’s resignation was strategically timed after a concerned citizen raised serious questions about potential illegality and ethics regarding the land deal.
Legal Review Raises Further Questions
The independent legal review, conducted by Ashley Story of White & Story, LLC, pointed out that while Ward adhered to the county’s ethics policy, there was an issue: her familial connection to the property owners was never disclosed to the entire county council. This left many residents questioning if more transparency should have been exercised. The review cost the county around $2,181 and took nine hours to complete, which included nearly three hours of interviews. However, it didn’t specify a precise date for Ward’s resignation, only mentioning it occurred before the citizen complaints.
Document Delays and Oversight Explanation
Puzzlement spiraled as more inconsistencies surfaced regarding the dates of actions taken. When further inquiries were made, the county provided additional documents on December 6, including Ward’s actual resignation letter to County Administrator Michael Moore that had been dated for October 1. The county spokesperson, Hannah Nichols, addressed the oversight, explaining that there was an “internal misunderstanding” regarding the completeness of the records, causing the premature closure of the case.
“This is not a common occurrence,” Nichols reassured the public, as she detailed how the team works tirelessly to handle thousands of requests each year. “The oversight was realized when a department contributed additional documents to the request, so the case was reopened.”
The Bigger Picture: Multiple Resignations Amid Ethics Complaints
As transparency issues ramp up, it’s important to take note of the bigger picture. Ward isn’t the only legal figure in Beaufort to resign; former County Attorney Thomas Keaveny also recently announced his retirement. The pair both exit during a tense era marked by numerous ethics complaints against various Beaufort County officials.
It’s reported there were complaints against former Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Loper and several others, raising the stakes for county governance. As for the future, the deputy attorneys, Dylan Kidd and Brian Hulbert, are stepping in temporarily to manage the caseloads left behind while the county begins the process to find permanent replacements for Ward and Keaveny.
Community Voices Grow Louder
With all of these developments, citizens in Beaufort are keeping a close eye on how things unfold. As doubts about the county’s transparency linger, many are expressing their hopes for clearer communication and accountability moving forward. After all, the heart of local government lies in its relationship with the community it serves, and the residents of Beaufort are certainly keen on ensuring that trust is restored.
