‘Looming crisis’: Former Beaufort Co. officials demand council members remove chairman
Two former top Beaufort County elected officials emailed a majority of council members late last week, demanding that members remove Stu Rodman as chair of the Beaufort County Council.
“Guys, please, stiffen those spines and do something now,” wrote former council member Rick Caporale. “Most of you haven’t said a word so far. Is that the legacy you want to leave?”
Caporale’s email, and one from former council member Steve Fobes, were sent Friday afternoon to members Chris Hervochon, Gerald Dawson, Mark Lawson, Mike Covert, York Glover and Brian Flewelling, lambasting the group for doing nothing about “a looming injustice” and a “crisis” behind the scenes.
The emails come less than a month after a meeting in which the council members — with the exception of Lawson, who was absent — attempted to force Rodman from the chairmanship, citing frustration over the chairman’s repeated circumvention of rules, unilateral decisions and backdoor conversations with employees.
The plan to remove Rodman failed on a tie vote.
Caporale, who served on the council from 2007 to 2018, and Fobes, a council member from 2011 to 2018, were outspoken during the contentious search for a county administrator to replace Gary Kubic in 2018. The pair were among six on council who opposed hiring former interim administrator Josh Gruber for the permanent job.
In his email, Caporale states that Rodman and Vice Chairman Paul Sommerville “have bullied [County Administrator Ashley] Jacobs to the point where she is wondering why her Council has not stepped up to defend her.”
“I’m wondering too,” Caporale’s email said. “You should be champions for fairness and honesty, but it sure doesn’t look that way from here. Do none of you care at all?”
The former council member said the county “made an incredibly good hire” with Jacobs, but they’re “screwing it up.” In the email, Caporale said he suspects that Rodman and Sommerville want to replace Jacobs with Gruber, now Hilton Head Island’s assistant town manager.
“Now it appears the final curtain will not come down until Ashley Jacobs is banished from the kingdom and Josh Gruber is returned to the throne,” Caporale said.
Later Friday, Fobes sent his email to the same council members, saying they “are on the brink of a major crisis in Beaufort County.”
Less than a year after hiring Jacobs, whom Fobes called a “competent and professional administrator,” there are still unresolved leadership issues in the county, his email says.
“Without addressing them, immediately, and I mean within the next few weeks, the result will be disastrous” for Beaufort County, Fobes said. “It is likely that BC will lose a competent and very committed County Administrator who is trying to do her best for our residents.”
The alternative, Fobes said, “without an immediate change in leadership, will set the county back another 3-4 years at a minimum. What seems more likely is there will be a ‘hard press’ on council to bring back Gruber as County Administrator. That move would be very unfortunate for CC and everyone in Beaufort County.”
“Vote out the current leadership, retain Ashley and restore the faith and trust of the residents,” Fobes’ email said. “Everyone needs your support and affirmative action in this eminently critical matter.”
The Beaufort County Council is scheduled to meet on Monday.
