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Councilman urges clearer rules for members' outside‑meeting reports, motion referred to committee
Summary
Councilman Eugene R. Baten urged clearer limits on which outside meetings and trainings councilmembers may report at public meetings, saying contentious behavior harms Sumter's image; a motion to schedule a discussion received no second and vice chairman recommended committee referral.
At the April 26 Sumter County Council meeting, Councilman Eugene R. Baten raised concerns about the council's public image and asked for clarification about what counts as permissible "Reports From Council Members On Other Meetings, Trainings, And/Or Conferences." Baten said recent media coverage that suggested officials were quarreling was worrying and said, "to Attract, you must be Attractive," adding later, "Team Sumter is dead," framing his remarks as a call to restore unity to help with economic recruitment.
Baten asked whether routine constituent outreach, town halls and community‑group participation should be eligible for council reports and moved to schedule a meeting to set boundaries. The motion received no second. Vice Chairman James R. Byrd recommended the issue be referred to the appropriate council committee so the committee can discuss acceptable categories of meetings and return a recommendation for full council action.
No formal disciplinary action was taken at the meeting. The committee referral means council members will have an opportunity to define what outside activities may be summarized during regular council meetings.
