Beaufort County Council split on joining regional economic alliance

While Beaufort County officials agree that economic development is a critical priority, they don’t appear ready or willing to decide whether to join a regional economic alliance.

Tempers briefly flared earlier this week a council Finance Committee meeting as the body debated whether to join the Southern Carolina Alliance.

That nonprofit organization facilitates business development in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.

The County Council was clearly split into two factions: one, led by Councilmen Stu Rodman and Rick Caporale, who want the county to join the alliance as soon as possible, and another group of officials who want more time to study the benefits of the alliance.

The issue proved so divisive that the committee declined to even hold a vote on whether to recommend a resolution to join the alliance.

Joining would cost the county $175,000 a year, plus $20,000 in start up fees, according to the resolution.

Beaufort County has not participated in a regional economic partnership since the Lowcountry Economic Alliance dissolved in 2014.

Earlier this year, the mayors of the county’s municipalities told the council to follow through on a resolution passed last summer to form a nonprofit corporation, with a board of directors representing each area of the county that would hire a staff director to lead economic development efforts, before joining an alliance.

The mayors also requested the county hire an outside consultant to study the pros and cons of joining a particular alliance.

“The mayors and municipalities were consistent in their belief we should proceed with a consultant first to evaluate all of our options thoroughly,” Councilman Brian Flewelling said.

Caporale argued that the options have been evaluated enough.

“If you want to throw away some more money on some more outside opinions, we can do that,” he said.

But by dragging its feet on joining an alliance, “we’ve done ourselves enormous damage,” he said. “... This is just about as disheartening as anything I've participated in.”

Councilman Steve Fobes said not joining the alliance immediately is akin to the county “shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Opponents of joining the Southern Carolina Alliance without more consideration expressed dismay that their position could be framed as anti-economic growth.

“I'm fully, 100 percent behind economic development if it's done in proper and professional manner, which we are not doing,” Councilman Jerry Stewart said.

Flewelling agreed.

“To say that we are standing in the way (of economic growth) is just not true,” he said.

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Beaufort County Council split on joining regional economic alliance."