Atlantic Beach council votes to remove interim town manager and town attorney after disputed cancellations

Councilman John David led an emergency session of the Town of Atlantic Beach council on Nov. 6, 2024, saying the town had canceled official meetings without notice and that town staff and some council allies had tried to prevent newly seated members from taking office. David moved to remove Interim Town Manager Orton Bellamy and Town Attorney Duane Green "for cause," and the motion was seconded by Councilman Edward Lamar Campbell and approved unanimously by the three members present.

The vote followed an extended statement by Councilman John David accusing town leadership of "dereliction of duty," "misleading and lying to the town" about a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) matter (David said SLED had stated there was no investigation), and failing to ensure legal representation for the town in the case Josephine Isom v. Town of Atlantic Beach. David listed four specific grounds for removal, including submitting legal filings on behalf of the municipal election commission without a formal MEC meeting.

Councilman David said the council would deliver letters to the named officials the following morning, take their keys and "change the lock so that they are not able to come onto the premises." He also urged judicial review and possible enforcement, saying he hoped Judge Seales would consider contempt proceedings or other charges if town actors continued to defy a court order. David told the gathering, "We will have a letter for them tomorrow morning. And we will ascertain their keys and change the lock..."

Councilman Carla Taylor, whom David said a judge had ordered seated (he described the judge's communications as saying "immediately" effective Oct. 30 while noting the order itself referenced Nov. 1 and was signed Nov. 4), thanked supporters and framed her efforts as representing residents: "It's not about me, it's about them and what they want for this town that we all call home."

Residents in attendance questioned whether the informal gathering could qualify as a formal council meeting. A member of the public asked about the three-minute rule and whether the group had to follow parliamentary procedures; David moved and the council voted to place the session "in session," with Taylor seconding. After the procedural vote, the council proceeded to the removal motion.

Council members reiterated that recordings of the event and media coverage could be used to prepare minutes. David said recordings would be made available and minutes could be pulled from them.

The council also discussed alleged filings the municipal election commission had submitted to the court without a formal MEC meeting and the lack of notice to the MEC chairman. David said some statements supporting the filings had been signed "after the fact" and criticized the practice as improper. He called on state lawmakers to consider changing the state's "holdover status" law, which he said had been used to keep people in office beyond voters' intent.

With no further public questions, Councilman David moved to adjourn; Councilman Campbell seconded and the council voted to adjourn. The video recording ended shortly thereafter.

What the council did: the three-member quorum voted to remove the interim town manager and the town attorney for cause; Councilman John David was the mover and Councilman Edward Lamar Campbell seconded. The action passed on a 3-0 vote. The council announced plans to deliver letters, secure locks and post or otherwise provide the meeting recording after the fact.

Next steps noted in the session included delivering written notices to the removed officials, possible court action or requests for the judge to enforce his order, and the council's intent to replace at least one municipal election commission member at a future meeting.