Highlights and Actions: County Council Caucus and Meeting

Thursday, April 16, 2026 2:54 PM
County Council

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The Beaufort County Council met Monday. Below are some agenda highlights from each meeting.

Executive Committee

The following reappointments to forward for full Council consideration.

Daniel Anderson and Bruce Kline, Construction Adjustments and Appeals Board
Thomas Peth and Nancy Ludkte, Daufuskie Island Fire District Board
Galen Sturup-Comeau, Disabilities and Special Needs Board
Janet Porter, Library Board
Barbara Childs and Henry Criss, Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority
Bruce Yeager, Parks and Recreation Board
Lynne Hoos, Zoning Board of Appeals
Robert Bible, Board of Assessment Appeals
Paul Manning, Beaufort County Transportation Committee
Jessica Reitz, Keep Beaufort County Beautiful Board
Chet Houston, Lady's Island/St. Helena Island Fire District Commission

Matters arising out of Executive Session:
Appointments voted unanimously to go forward to Council for consideration:

Nick Borreggine, State ATAX
Rick Krob, Bluffton Fire District
Celina Morello, Caroline Atkins, Elizabeth Epstein, Design Review Board
Sara Miller-District 4, Keep Beaufort County Beautiful Board
Hattie Brown-District 1, Library Board
Phil Mansker, Parks and Recreation Board
Adam Saslow and Dee Simpson, Stormwater Management Board
Charles Newton, Planning Commission

Watch the entire meeting here.

County Council Caucus

Matters arising from County Council Caucus Executive Session:

Recommend the County Attorney and outside Counsel to negotiate terms of a settlement with Nova Industrial Properties, LLC for the terms and amounts discussed in Executive Session. The negotiations authorize the Administrator to execute a settlement agreement for the terms and amounts discussed in Executive Session. This passed unanimously.

Watch the entire County Council Caucus here.

County Council Meeting

Proclamations
County Council Vice Chair Tab Tabernik presented a proclamation to Kirsty Fitzgibbons of Hopeful Horizons recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Watch the presentation here.

Council Member David Bartholomew presented a proclamation to Kirsty Fitzgibbons of Hopeful Horizon and Jessica Chapman of CAPA recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Watch the presentation here.

Consent Agenda Highlights:
These items originated from the Public Facilities Committee.

Approval of a contract for APAC Atlantic for Beaufort County Year 9 resurfacing project
Approval of a contract for APAC Atlantic to resurface Haig Point rd in front of the Daufuskie Island Fire Department
Approval of a Task Order with Kimley Horn for design services for a right turn lane on Ladys Island Drive to Ribaut Road
Approval of a contract to Stantec Consulting Services, Inc for Beaufort County 2018 Sales Tax US 21 Design & Engineering Services Projects
Approval of a contract to Davis & Floyd for Beaufort County 2018 Lady's Island Access Road Design & Engineering Services Project
Approval of Contract to Nix Construction for the design services portion of the Design/Build project of the Daufuskie Island Frances Jones Park Community Center

Agenda Items

Ordinances for Second Reading and Public Hearing

An ordinance to amend an ordinance to reallocate funds previously appropriated for Daufuskie Island Ferry embarkation points to Sun City Joint Fire/EMS Station #39.
An ordinance to reallocate funds from the 2025 Series GO Bond for Passive Parks projects. All four projects currently underway will move forward concurrently.
An ordinance adding a new section to Beaufort County Code of Ordinances to prohibit and make unlawful the discharge of firearms in certain unincorporated areas. After discussion, Council voted unanimously against the ordinance as written. Council then voted on the ordinance that includes civil penalties and recommendation to attend a gun education course. Watch the discussion and vote here.

Ordinances for First Reading
These ordinances passed unanimously.
An Ordinance to reallocate remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $739,108.13 towards existing projects as obligated to the Department of Treasury.
An Ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to execute the necessary documents to convey a parcel of real property to Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry for development of workforce/affordable housing and other matters related thereto.
A Resolution of Beaufort County, South Carolina, encouraging the South Carolina General Assembly to adopt a Comprehensive Hate Crime Bill.
An Ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to execute the necessary documents to convey five parcels of real property to the Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust for development of attainable housing in partnership with Beaufort Memorial Hospital and other matters related thereto.
A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to execute the documents necessary and to provide funds to contribute to the procurement by the applicant, the Open Land Trust, for a conservation easement on property located in unincorporated Jasper County known as the Chelsea Tracts.
A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to execute the documents necessary and to provide funds to contribute to the procurement by the applicant, the Open Land Trust, for a conservation easement on property located in unincorporated Beaufort County known as the Victoria Bluff Tracts.
An ordinance adding a new section to Beaufort County Code of Ordinances to prohibit and make unlawful the discharge of firearms in certain unincorporated areas. Council voted unanimously to continue discussing the ordinance and solicit more input from the County Sheriff, Solicitor and other stakeholders. Council voted unanimously to send it back to Community Services and Public Safety Committee for further discussion.
An Ordinance adding a new Section 54-8 to the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances so as to prohibit and make unlawful the discharge of firearms in certain unincorporated areas of the county, to provide the civil penalty pertaining to such violations, and to provide certain exceptions and limitations thereto. Council voted to include penalty recommendations for first offense of 30 days and $500 fine.
An Ordinance to add a new Ordinance Section 54-9 Hate Intimidation Crime establishing the offense of hate intimidation and establishing a penalty for violations in the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances. Council voted to include penalty recommendations for first offense of 30 days and $500 fine. The vote was 8 for, 2 against and 1 abstention.

Resolutions
These resolutions passed unanimously

A Resolution of Beaufort County, South Carolina, encouraging the South Carolina General Assembly to adopt a Comprehensive Hate Crime Bill
A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to execute the documents necessary and to provide funds to contribute to the procurement by the applicant, the Open Land Trust, for a conservation easement on property located in unincorporated Jasper County known as the Chelsea Tracts.

• A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to execute the documents necessary and to provide funds to contribute to the procurement by the applicant, the Open Land Trust, for a conservation easement on property located in unincorporated Beaufort County known as the Victoria Bluff Tracts.

• A Resolution approving the Beaufort County Fleet Services policy - Public Access Vehicle Charging Station.

To watch the full County Council meeting, click here.

Note: this is a selection of items from the Council Committee Meeting Agendas. To watch the meeting in its entirety, download the agenda and packet, view minutes and more, please visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov.

County Administrator's Report

County Administrator Michael Moore recognized several County employees in his report.

Tracy Gautier (and husband Steve)
Beaufort County Code Enforcement

Recognized for 25 years of service

Captain Bobby Tuten
Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management Division

Recognized for 35 years of service

Kevin Peeples (and wife Shelia)
Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services

Senior Crew Chief

Recognized for 35 years of service

Council Vice Chair Tab Tabernik presents a proclamation to Kirsty Fitzgibbons of Hopeful Horizons
recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Council Member David Bartholomew presents a proclamation to Kirsty Fitzgibbons of Hopeful Horizon
and Jessica Chapman of CAPA recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month

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Mr. Moore shared the new County Organizational Chart with Council members. He also announced that the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) will be posted soon. They will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating IT, Mapping and Applications and Records Management.

He also gave a brief update from the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). They continue to meet on regularly and the first community workshop in Bluffton was very well attended. The committee is finalizing the project list, determining the length of tax collection and the amount needed to be collected to fund the chosen projects in the upcoming November referendum.

The next meeting is 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, at Beaufort's Burton Wells Recreation Center, 1 Middleton Recreation Drive (map).

For more information on the projects being discussed, Council-appointed advisory committee members and a meeting schedule, visit Beaufort County Penny.

All County Committee and Council meetings are streamed live and available on demand through