Beaufort Co. Council chairman resigns during heated meeting, denies any wrongdoing
Beaufort County Council member Stu Rodman resigned from the chairmanship Monday night after it became clear that council had enough votes to remove him.
Throughout the heated meeting — the second in which a member tried to remove the chairman — Rodman attempted to adjourn but then demanded that his “accusers” state in public what he did wrong.
For nearly 90 minutes, Rodman continually asked council members for examples of his wrongdoing, heard their responses and asked, “what else?” Then, saying he felt he did nothing wrong, he begrudgingly agreed to step down and allow an election for a new leader.
Rodman initially had agreed to step down later, but council members called for him to resign immediately.
“This is very troublesome,” Council member Joe Passiment said. “There is a path forward that I think should be taken. Stu, as chairman, you have offered to have an election in the future to elect a new chairman. We really can’t do that unless the chairmanship is vacated. It’s in the best interest tonight for you to vacate the chairmanship. We will then have a motion to elect a new chairman.”
All 11 council members voted for Passiment, who lives in Sun City and represents District 6, to replace Rodman. Passiment was elected to council in 2019 and is chairman of the county’s finance committee.
Rodman’s decision to step down came after weeks of reporting in The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette that detailed the chairman’s repeated circumvention of rules, unilateral decisions and backdoor conversations with employees — despite the council’s job to set policy, not manage employees.
A day before Rodman resigned, the newspapers reported that Rodman used his private email and phone to discuss government projects and refused to allow the public access to them.
Several council members acknowledged Rodman was overstepping in his role and said they had had conversations with staff members and Administrator Ashley Jacobs about Rodman’s behind-the-scenes behavior. Two council members said they had witnessed Rodman direct staff members.
So what happened?
Rodman began Monday night’s meeting saying he would address a “need for an election for a new chairman” at the end of the meeting.
After the council finished its agenda, Rodman listed some of his achievements as chairman, including directing that more of the council’s work happen at committee meetings rather than at council.
Rodman said he would be OK with setting a time to elect a new chairman, adding that it would be council’s opportunity to “come back together again” — but only if he could be “confronted by my accusers.”
As he had done at the Feb. 10 council meeting, member Mike Covert moved to reword the council’s rules and procedures to allow a vote of the majority present to remove the chairman.
As Rodman did at the February meeting, he ruled the motion out of order and tried to adjourn.
However, unlike the previous vote that failed on a tie, seven council members — Covert, Passiment, Chris Hervochon, York Glover, Alice Howard, Brian Flewelling and Gerald Dawson — voted Monday night to override Rodman’s ruling.
That indicated there were enough votes to remove Rodman as chairman.
Council members Larry McElynn and Mark Lawson argued against Covert’s motion, saying the rule change would allow future council members to remove a chairman without cause.
“You’re asking people to participate in a public humiliation for selfish reasons,” McElynn said, calling the attempt to remove the chairman “kangaroo court.”
That, Dawson responded, implies “that we’re trying to change the leadership without actually having evidence of wrongdoings, without cause, and I don’t think that’s the case.”
Dawson added that McElynn was supposed to investigate concerns about the chairman and report them to council, “which didn’t happen.”
After further discussion about the rule change, Passiment asked Rodman to resign. Council member Howard agreed.
Rodman again said he wanted to be confronted by his accusers and asked council members to say why he should be removed.
“Thats all I’ve asked for,” Rodman said. “I don’t think I did anything wrong.”
Multiple council members then described problems, including agendas set and meetings canceled unilaterally without discussion with the county administrator or council members; public business conducted “in secret”; refusal to comply with public record requests, direction of staff employees and unprofessional behavior toward Administrator Ashley Jacobs.
“What I’ve read in the newspaper is really disturbing,” Council member Glover said, adding that the county should be more transparent so its citizens understand how public business is being conducted.
Council member Hervochon said Rodman was wrong to use his personal email to privately discuss the Jenkins Island road project. He has not complied with public records requests, Hervochon said, and Rodman referred to Windmill Harbour residents as “restless” and “Indians” in a personal email. Hervochon also implied that Jacobs and other staff members might leave their jobs if Rodman remained chairman.
“Bigger picture. Has anybody noticed that the administrator is not here?” Hervochon asked. “That’s why it’s got to be a decision tonight. That’s why we need certainty on council. That’s why we need certainty in the public, and that’s why we need certainty for the administration. Period.”
Jacobs, who was not at Monday night’s meeting, said she had an appointment she couldn’t reschedule.
Finally, Rodman motioned for a five-minute recess. When he came back, he agreed to resign as chairman.
Vice Chairman Paul Sommerville was then appointed chair and held a brief election for Rodman’s replacement. McElynn motioned for Passiment to serve as chair, and all council members agreed.
“So my first official act,” Passiment said, “will be to call for a motion to adjourn.”
