Council authorizes attorney and administrator to sign Project Connect documents after executive session

Richland County Council voted to authorize the county attorney and the county administrator to sign any documents related to Project Connect after a closed-session briefing on the matter.

The authorization was moved by the vice chair during the portion of the meeting that followed an executive session addressing item 8b, which required outside counsel. The motion was seconded and approved by council. The record notes the council went into executive session to discuss item 8b and returned with an authorization for the county attorney and county administrator to execute documents for Project Connect.

Council did not provide additional public detail about the specific documents or terms discussed in executive session. The chair noted for the record that the executive session covered item 8b and that no other action was taken during the closed session. The motion authorized administrative and legal staff to execute the documents discussed to advance the project as presented in executive session.

Because discussion and the briefing occurred in executive session, the council did not disclose counsel's advice or the underlying negotiation details at Tuesday's public meeting. The action authorizes staff to sign documents but does not by itself disclose terms or create a public contract until those documents are brought forward according to county procurement and transparency rules.