Bluffton Fire chairman suspended, ongoing investigation sent to state Ethics Commission
The chairman of Bluffton’s fire department board has been suspended.
The suspension comes from actions he took in relation to a pending investigation, which has been referred to the state’s Ethics Commission.
Rick Krob’s suspension was unanimously approved by County Council Monday following a closed-door executive session. It will continue until the ongoing investigation is completed or when a permanent new fire chief is hired by the county administrator, whichever occurs last.
Krob was appointed to the department’s Board of Commissioners in 2022 and elected as chairman in February 2024.
The ongoing probe involves former Bluffton Fire Chief Paul Boulware, who was replaced in February in a sudden personnel change. Boulware’s status is now “retired” after working for the department for over 30 years.
The investigation, which was being handled internally, has since been referred to the South Carolina Ethics Commission, according to county spokesperson Hannah Nichols. The county has not spoken with law enforcement agencies about the matter, she said.
Brian Hulbert, who as of Monday was promoted to county attorney, said that decisions made from outside agencies will determine whether the county will call its own investigation complete or will continue to call more witnesses.
Bluffton fire district employees, including Boulware, were present at the meeting. Daniel Connelly and Carson Stone, both firefighters for the district, spoke to Boulware’s character during public comment. They described the former chief as honorable and selfless with his time dedicated to the department and the community.
“At the end of the day, he’s a man that we all respect,” said Stone. “Right now, with not a lot of details being put out about this investigation, his reputation has certainly taken a hit. We feel it in the department.”
Stone went on to say the former chief’s reputation has been tarnished without his ability to defend himself.
Bluffton Fire’s seven-member board of commissioners is appointed by the Beaufort County Council. The board members serve without pay. The fire board makes recommendations to the County Council on matters such as annual operating budgets, expenditures for equipment, personnel, and facilities and other business-related matters of the district.
The board is responsible for conducting a yearly evaluation of the chief, but the Beaufort County administrator, Michael Moore, after consultation with the board, ultimately has the authority to make decisions such as promotion or demotion based on the chief’s performance.
