Why is Beaufort council discussing land deals, personnel in a closed-door meeting?
The Beaufort City Council is planning to close the doors to the public to discuss proposed land sales in its Commerce Park and an undisclosed “personnel” issue Tuesday evening.
The City Council is meeting for a work session that includes discussion about short-term rentals, Southside Park improvements and distribution of hospitality fees.
Three items are listed under “executive session,” which is when the City Council cites exemptions to the state Freedom of Information Act to discuss issues considered sensitive due to legalities, contracts, business recruitment, personnel and other issues.
This is what Tuesday’s agenda lists under executive session:
- Receipt of legal advice regarding the appropriateness of activity in the Commerce Park.
- Discussion regarding the conveyance of property located in the Beaufort Commerce Park: Lot D, 5.25 acres; Lot B, 6.64 acres; Lot K, 7 acres; lots A, C, E, F, H and J, 31.79 acres.
- Discussion regarding personnel employed by the City Council.
What the closed-door discussions are about
The discussion regarding the appropriateness of Commerce Park activity, and lot sales totalling 31.79 acres, clearly refers to the city’s proposed sale of 31.79 acres for $2.27 million Clarendon Farms LLC, which is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises.
The City Council discussed that issue publicly earlier this month and approved that sale on a preliminary basis. But the issue also sparked a debate with Councilman Josh Scallate raising objections about the role of the Beaufort County Economic Development Corp., which markets the Commerce Park on behalf of the city. The sale calls for the BCEDC receiving $1 million of the proceeds, which it says it plans to reinvest in the Commerce Park. One of Scallate’s objections was that BCEDC’s receipt of those funds was not disclosed in the council’s motion approving the sale. Amendments were eventually approved that ensure BCEDC’s role in the sale will be noted in the final agreement the council votes on next month.
The other three lots up for discussion in the closed-door session total 18.89 acres. Those lots have not been previously discussed publicly.
City Manager Scott Marshall said the sale of those lots are separate from the proposed Clarendon Farms transaction. He said he could not divulge the parties involved at this time.
What about the personnel discussion?
The city also would not specify the identity of the “personnel employed by City Council” who will be discussed. According to the city’s website, “Council members set policy and govern through their single employee, the city manager.”
In South Carolina, meetings must be held in public unless a public body cites one of eight exemptions to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.
For the discussion about “personnel employed by the City Council,” the city cites an exemption for discussions dealing with individual employment matters. According to the Freedom of Information Act, that exemption reads: “Discussion of employment, appointment, compensation, promotion, demotion, discipline, or release of an employee, a student, or a person regulated by a public body or the appointment of a person to a public body.”
Regarding the land sales in the Commerce Park, the city cites the exemption for discussions related to contract negotiations and legal advice.
The public portion of the meeting includes additional discussion of short-term rental rules that were approved on a first reading last week but with significant amendments. Marshall says those changes are substantial and require additional discussion before final adoption. One of the changes is the proposed removal of a ban on STRs in The Point neighborhood.
When he meeting begins
The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 1911 Boundary St.
This story was originally published March 24, 2026 at 12:52 PM.
