Note to public officials: Open is always better

Published Thursday, July 2, 2009

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Too often, people make things needlessly complicated.

That's especially true of public officials when it comes to open meetings and records laws. Keep it simple; keep public business out in the open. Few complain about a public body being too forthcoming.

The latest case in point was Bluffton Town Council¹s dinner meeting with two town manager candidates. There was no good reason for Bluffton Town Council to try to keep the public away. What happened last Friday night bears that out. When a reporter and a few members of the public showed up at Myrtle¹s restaurant, they eventually were invited in, met the out-of-town candidate and sat in on the discussions for a while. (The second candidate present was Marc Orlando, Bluffton¹s assistant town manager for planning. A third candidate was unable to attend.)

The state¹s Freedom of Information Act is clear that meetings must be open to the public when a majority of council is present to discuss matters over which they have supervision, control or advisory power.

The law also states that "no chance meeting, social meeting or electronic communication may be used in circumvention of the spirit of requirements of the law, which requires that ³public business be performed in an open and public manner." The dinner meeting was town business, "social setting" or no. It was a part of the town manager selection process. A majority of council was present. The town paid $515.16 for dinner. There¹s little doubt candidates were being assessed during the evening.

Mayor Lisa Sulka said before the meeting that the council would not be in "interview mode," although the interview committee, including town clerk Sandra Lunceford, assistant town manager for finance Shirley Freeman and human resources administrator Jessie Hershey were expected to attend.

Councilman Fred Hamilton Jr. described it as a chance to get to know the candidates before their formal interviews.

"We want to see them how they are ‹ not like the press is recording them."

Here's an idea: Public officials should be "how they are" whether the public is there or not. The public's presence should make little difference in what they say or do.

Bluffton should have followed the example set by Beaufort County Council when it interviewed candidates for the county manager's job in 2003.

The candidates interviewed with council members, then went to a reception, where interested members of the public could meet them, ask questions and tell them their concerns.

That's a forum that would have better served Bluffton Town Council. The town manager is a main point of contact with the public. A public reception would have allowed the council to gauge how the candidates comport themselves in that role.

Of course, they would have been on their best behavior. But it¹s safe to assume the two candidates at dinner last week were on their best behavior, too.

Keep it simple; keep it open. Everyone¹s better off — the public and the council. And if it's all innocent, what difference does it make?

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151 Gascoigne Bluff, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
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Rick Caporale (R-District 1)
17 Salt Wind Way, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 680-9999; fax: 681-6700
Steven Baer (R-District 2)
10 Heather Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 689-3570; fax: 689-3569
Stu Rodman (R-District 3)
27 Baynard Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Office: 363-470; fax: 363-6472
Weston J. Newton chairman (R-District 4)
P.O. Drawer 7049, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29938
Office: 842-6111; fax: 706-9981
William McBride (D-District 5)
P.O. Box 77, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
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Home:(843)838-2264
Gerald Dawson (D-District 6)
64-A Horace Dawsone Drive, Seabrook, SC 29940
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Paul Sommerville vice chairman (R-District 7)
1509 Pigeon Point Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
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Herbert N. Glaze (D-District 8)
P.O. Box 4053, Burton, SC 29903
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Home:(843)846-2845
Brian Flewelling (R- District 9)
25 Petigru Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902
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Office:(843)379-9805
Jerry Stewart (R-District 10)
11 Teaberry Lane, Bluffton, S.C. 29909
Office: 705-4753; fax: 705-4723
Laura Von Harten (D-District 11)
166 Fuller Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29902
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Office:(843)379-1367

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Beaufort County Board of Education members

Fred S. Washington chairman (District 11)
PO 325, 804 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29901
(C) 843-524-8404
Bob Arundell vice chairman (District 2)
198 Woodlake Villas, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8502; work: 7855-8040; fax: 785-3056;
Joan Deery (District 1)
5 old Fort Drive, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8968
Wayne Carbiener (District 3)
Home: 843-363-2113
Laura Bush (District 4)
P.O. Box 172, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Home: 757-2638; fax: 757-2638
Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 5)
734 Seaside Road, St. Helena, SC 29920
(H) 843-838-2277
FAX 843-838-1192
Earl Campbell (District 6)
93 Bruce Smalls, Grays Hill, P.O. Box 768, Lobeco, SC 29931
(H) 843-846-4531
(C) 843-476-7512
FAX 843-846-1373
Jim Bequette (District 7)
4 Broomfield Lane 2532, Beaufort, SC 29907
(H/C) 843-263-8327
Herbert Burnes (District 8)
95 Pine Grove Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
(H) 843-846-445
(C) 843-263-2776
Ronald Speaks (District 9)
3121 Palomino Dr., Burton, SC 29906
(H) 843-525-1163
(W) 843-525-8277
FAX 843-525-1163
George Wilson (District 10)
20 Osprey Circle, Callawassie Island, S.C. 29909
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Mayor Billy Keyserling
771 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 986-2444 (Work)
(843) 521-2600 (Home)
Councilwoman Donnie Ann Beer
P.O. Box 1171, Beaufort, SC 29901
379-6099 (Home)
379-2750 (Work)
Councilman Gary Fordham
860 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
524-3334 (Home)
Councilman Mike Sutton
809 Craven St., Beaufort, SC 29902
252-5687
Councilman Mike McFee
2302 Wilson Dr. Beaufort, SC 29902
843-321-0556 (Work)
843-522-1528 (Home)

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Town Hall: One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928; 341-4600

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Mayor Thomas D. Peeples
4 Hartford Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-3922
Home: 686-4138; office: 681-2600; fax: 689-3229
Bill Ferguson (Ward 1)
634 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 686-2863
William Harkins (Ward 2)
3 Old Fort Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
263-3261 - cell
Drew A. Laughlin (Ward 3)
5 McIntosh Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 689-5723; work 689-5700; fax 689-9300
John Safay (Ward 4)
19 Starboard Tack, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
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George Williams (Ward 5)
8 Braddock Cove, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
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Ken S. Heitzke (Ward 6)
3 Audubon Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 681-8182; fax: 681-9864