Resident Shames City Council Into Revealing Secret Votes, But They Don’t Match Up

In a tense exchange during the public comment section of the July 9^th, 2024 City Council meeting, Josh Gibson, who is currently running for Beaufort City Council, chastised the current City Council members. Gibson’s complaint stemmed from the council’s use of a secret ballot in the June 11^th, 2024 City Council meeting. Joining multiple media outlets and other residents, Gibson wanted an explanation why the City Council used a secret vote to nominate two members to the Historic District Review Board (HDRB), and further why the secret ballot was not included in the official meeting minutes. 

Mr. Gibson asserted that the city continues to “tip toe” up to the line of legality and must only look at its legal budget as proof; the city spent $491,983 on court and legal expenses during FY 22-23. (p. 72) The secret ballot, in Gibson’s opinion, was another example of City Council behavior which broke state law. 

Mr. Gibson, armed with information discovered through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, was intent on trying to force each City Council member to reveal how he voted in the secret ballot. Only Councilman Mitch Mitchell’s vote was identifiable through the FOIA request leaving four ballots unidentified.

Mr. Gibson implored the other four City Council members to divulge how they voted and “let go of the secrecy”. He went on to say that council discussions about city board appointments could be and should be held in public instead of in secrecy in executive session. Executive session and behind closed doors is typically how City Council discusses board appointments. Referring to public discussion about candidates, Mr. Gibson went on to say that “the public can handle it” and that the candidates themselves can handle it. The only people that continue to want to keep those discussions secret, according to Gibson, are the City Council members themselves. 

Mr. Gibson’s strongest pressure point was his request that each City Council member reveal who he voted for in the secret ballot. Visibly uncomfortable, Councilman Scallate deflected the question and instead rationalized the “transparency” of the secret ballot process. He also asserted that “everything was in the minutes” yet, when pressed, Councilman Scallate refused to reveal for whom he voted. Councilman Neil Lipsitz urged Mayor Cromer to stop any further discussion on this matter.

Mayor Cromer jumped in saying, “I’ll be glad to tell you, Josh, how I voted after the meeting”. Mr. Gibson asked why Mayor Cromer would not reveal his vote now to which Mayor Cromer responded, “We’re not on trial here”. Gibson also made sure to point out that, in fact, the official city council meeting minutes “left out” any mention of the secret ballot. In a mea culpa and continued deflection, Mayor Cromer took responsibility for suggesting the secret ballot before, finally, divulging for whom he voted.

Councilmen Neil Lipsitz, Mike McFee, and Josh Scallate remained silent with Neil Lipsitz practically yelling at Mr. Gibson that “it’s a closed issue”. In response, Mr. Gibson sarcastically thanked the City Council for their “full disclosure”.

Later in the meeting during their respective City Council member reports, Mike McFee took up the secret ballot issue again and justified how it was used as a “transparent” process and then finished his comment by divulging his vote. Councilman Scallate followed and also divulged his vote, although in a reluctant manner, and then blamed the media for its reporting of the secret incident. Councilman Lipsitz, the last to report, proceeded to immediately divulge his vote.

Based on self-reports, here’s how each City Council member voted in the secret ballot:

Mitch Mitchell: Mike Sutton & Kim Petrella

Phil Cromer: Maxine Lutz & Katherine Pringle

Mike McFee: Mike Sutton & Michelle Prentice

Josh Scallate: Mike Sutton & Kim Petrella

Neil Lipsitz: Mike Sutton & Kim Petrella 

Based on the voting ballots obtained through a FOIA request, however, the self-reported votes do not match up.  According to the FOIA request the vote tallies were:

Mike Sutton – 4

Maxine Lutz – 1

–

Kim Petrella – 3*

Katherine Pringle – 2*

*Corrected 7/20/24