Resident urges decorum and challenges council social-media blocking; Council refers government-form discussion to committee

During the public-comment period at the Jan. 14 Union County Council meeting, resident Leslie Swigart criticized a council member's social-media conduct and urged the Council to address transparency and moderation practices.

Swigart said she had been blocked from a council member's Facebook page after posting criticism and that the council member later called her an "idiot" in a comment that was later deleted; she said she had screenshots and intended to share related Supreme Court case citations she described as "Lengthy vs. Freed" from 2024. Swigart asked Council to handle economic-development communications in public meetings and to allow public review of comments made at public hearings, specifically calling out the upcoming Project Panama final reading.

Councilman Danny Bright acknowledged he made the social-media post Swigart read aloud and said he nearly abstained on the Project Panama second reading because he felt Council had limited information; he urged open discussion among council members. Council members expressed differing views about the timing and appropriateness of debating a change to the county's form of government during the business meeting. Councilman John Flood cautioned about transparency and potential costs of changing from the Council/Supervisor form, citing a rough estimate that a hired administrator or manager could cost the county roughly $160,000 annually versus a supervisor in the $85,000 0- 0$95,000 range. Vice Chair Sinclair and others recommended public education on options before any referendum.

By motion of Councilman Bright, seconded by Vice Chair Sinclair, the Council voted unanimously to refer study of possible changes to Union County's form of government to the Administration & Finance Committee for review and public education.