Recently Fairfield County Council made a unilateral decision to eliminate the second public comment agenda item for their regular meetings. At a meeting in September I asked that Council explain how that was done and when that item would be returned to the agenda. Only councilman Ruff addressed my request by suggesting that the county attorney look into how that was done. Thank you councilman Ruff for that. I am no attorney but it’s clear to me that council did not follow their own rules. Council’s bylaws are in SC Resolution 2018-09 and paragraph 13 defines the agenda for their regular meetings, which includes two public comment items. Paragraph 9 of the bylaws states “official action may only be taken at a regular meeting”. Paragraph 14 states that Council may change the agenda but only with a proper motion, second and majority vote. This is not how the agenda item was removed.
Citizens of Fairfield County, if your council can’t or won’t follow this simple rule (that is a law), what other rules and laws will they choose not to follow? Will they decide where to spend our newly-increased tax dollars behind our backs? I suggest we all start paying attention!
Don Goldbach
Fairfield County
