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Alice Howard elected chair as Beaufort County Council swears in three members
Summary
At its first 2025 meeting in Oak Hill, Beaufort County Council administered oaths to three newly elected members and elected Councilmember Alice Howard as chair by a 6-5 roll call; Tab Tabernick was named vice chair.
Beaufort County Council convened its first meeting of 2025 at the Oak Hill office, swearing in three newly elected members and electing Councilmember Alice Howard as council chair by a 6-5 roll call vote.
The meeting opened with County Administrator Mike Moore noting that council leadership terms expired at the end of 2024 and that he would preside until the chair election. Reverend James Moore led the pledge and offered an invocation asking that leaders be guided to “make wise decisions on behalf of the people.”
Probate Judge Heather Galvin administered oaths of office to Gerald Dawson (District 1), York Glover Sr. (District 3) and Logan Cunningham (District 7). After the swearing-in, Moore explained the rules for electing a chair: a two-year term with a nominee needing six votes to win and nominations to be taken from the floor.
Councilmember David Bartholomew nominated Alice Howard for chair. Larry McEllen nominated another member, identified in the transcript as Joe Passamont. A motion to close nominations was moved and seconded, and the slate of two nominees was approved without objection.
The clerk conducted a roll-call vote on Councilmember Howard's nomination. According to the roll call as read in the meeting transcript, votes were recorded as: Council Member Dawson — No; Council Member Bartholomew — Yes; Council Member Glover — No; Council Member Howard — Yes; Council Member Passamette — No; Council Member Tabernick — Yes; Council Member Cunningham — Yes; Council Member Brown — Yes; Council Member Lawson — No; Council Member McAllen — No; Council Member Reitz — Yes. With six 'yes' votes, Alice Howard was declared elected chair and the meeting was turned over to her.
Chair Howard thanked outgoing leadership and pledged to work with the council over the next two years, concluding with a light moment: “I promise to talk louder than the blower outside.”
Howard then opened nominations for vice chair. Tab Tabernick was nominated and, after confirmation there were no other nominees, was named vice chairman; the transcript does not record a roll call for the vice-chair vote. The new chair invited brief comments, several council members thanked past leadership and urged collaboration, and Howard adjourned the meeting.
The meeting record shows the council confirmed public notice in compliance with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act and that all 11 members were present at the dais, constituting a quorum. The transcript includes several minor transcription inconsistencies (see audit notes) that are noted in clarifying details below.
