Concerns Regarding Recent SC Commission Actions Addressed

Agenda items and scheduling issues associated with recent Stephens County Commission meetings have drawn attention and comments of concern from citizens, and WNEG spoke earlier this week with Stephens County Administrator Christian Hamilton to get clarification on the issues, and to recap county actions at the latest meeting, held January 27.

One issue of concern was the location of the February 27 Stephens County Board of Commissioners meeting. Following the meeting, a citizen who had spoken in objection to a land use request under consideration at the meeting contacted WNEG News to express concerns about the fact that the Feb. 27 meeting was not held at the Historic Courthouse, where the commission normally meets, and inquiring if WNEG News had been told, or requested, to not livestream the meeting.

WNEG News routinely provides a livestream of Stephens County Board of Commissioners meetings through equipment we have installed at the Historic Courthouse specifically for the purpose of those livestreams. Due to the fact that the Feb. 27 Stephens County Board of Commissioners meeting was held at the Stephens County Government Building, where WNEG does not have livestreaming cameras and audio recording equipment set up, WNEG did not provide livestreaming of the Feb. 27 meeting. 

Regarding the meeting being held at the Government Building, as opposed to being held at the Historic Courthouse, which is the normal venue for regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meetings, Hamilton explained that the Historic Courthouse is currently being used as the sole polling location for voting in the Presidential Preference Primary Advance voting, and as such, was not available to host the Board of Commissioners Meeting. He noted that the change of location had been announced and posted as required, and added that the administration had recorded the meeting, and the recording was available to the public if requested. 

 

Christian added that the next meeting of the Board of Commissioners, scheduled for March 12, will also be held at the Government Building, due to the fact that March 12 is Election Day for the Presidential Preference primary, and thus not available to be used as a meeting site. 

 

One agenda item of note was the approval of a new cell tower in Stephens County on Rock Creek Road near the intersection with Whispering Pines Road. 

WNEG News will continue our coverage of commission actions taken during the Feb. 27 meeting during tomorrow’s news broadcasts.