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Beaufort County caucus refers Ramsey Farm and Pine Island development agreements to special meetings, orders outside counsel interviews and waives potential COI
Summary
Council voted unanimously to refer the Ramsey Farm and Pine Island development agreement applications to special county council meetings for discussion and public hearings after staff and legal review, directed staff to set up interviews with outside law firms for counsel recommendations, and waived a potential conflict for attorney Andrew Lindeman in pending litigation.
During the caucus meeting, the chair and councilmembers moved a series of procedural actions to prepare for formal hearings and legal review of several development matters. A councilmember moved "that county council refer the Ramsey Farm Farms residential development agreement application ... to be a special county council meeting for discussion and a public hearing at the earliest opportunity after the staff report and legal review has been completed and council has had adequate opportunity to review the staff report," and the motion was seconded and approved by unanimous show of hands.
Council also directed staff to set up interviews with representatives from outside law firms so the executive committee may conduct interviews and make a recommendation to council on engaging counsel to represent council in reviewing and negotiating the Ramsey Farm development agreement application. A separate, parallel motion directed the same counsel-interview process for the Pine Island development agreement application; both motions passed unanimously.
At the caucus the chair read proposed executive session items under South Carolina Code section 30-4-70(a)(2), specifically listing: negotiations and legal advice related to an application for a development agreement for 98 Jennings Road; a development agreement application related to Pine Island; and receipt of legal advice concerning pending litigation, Woodlake Villas Owners Association v. Beaufort County. The chair then called a vote and the council entered executive session.
A separate motion addressed a potential conflict of interest: a councilmember moved that "council waive any potential conflict of interest which might exist with mister Andrew Lindeman representing Beaufort County in the case of Woodlake Villas Owners Association versus Beaufort County." The motion notes that Lindeman currently represents the South Carolina Insurance Reserve Fund in a related case and that council would waive this conflict; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
All motions recorded during the caucus were approved by show of hands and noted as unanimous; the caucus adjourned and the regular council meeting was scheduled to begin in five minutes. Council repeatedly conditioned public hearings on completion of staff reports and legal review before special meetings and formal hearings are scheduled.
