Lancaster County Council votes to terminate county administrator’s contract, authorizes chair to negotiate new deal

After returning from an executive session on multiple legal and personnel matters, Lancaster County Council on Nov. 24 unanimously voted to terminate the existing contract of the county administrator and authorized the council chair to negotiate a new contract. Councilmember Luis made the motion to terminate and to give the chair authority to negotiate; Councilmember Neil seconded the motion. The chair called for the vote, which passed unanimously.

Council met in executive session to receive attorney–client advice on four items, including a personnel matter related to the county administrator’s evaluation and contract and several potential contractual matters. According to the public record read after the executive session, no motions or votes were taken while in executive session.

The action taken at the meeting was procedural: the council directed that the existing contract be terminated and that the chair enter negotiations on a replacement. The motion did not include details on severance, timing, or terms of the new contract, and the council did not announce a timeline for completion of negotiations during the meeting.

The council’s public minutes state that the executive-session topics also included legal advice on a potential economic development contract (Project Alpine 2), a contract related to the EMS headquarters bay, and a funding contract involving the South Carolina Department of Social Services. The council did not disclose further details while in open session.

The chair closed by confirming the motion and then adjourned the meeting. No members of the public addressed the personnel action during the open meeting.