Tyler Servant: The principles and reasons for my vote on Tuesday

Whether you’re my district constituent or just a fellow Horry County resident, I feel like it is important to share with you everything that affects my decision process on the current situation involving the administrator.

This, like all decisions that I make on council, is governed by my two core principles: fiscal responsibility and transparency.

We will start by looking at this as a fiscal conservative and asking the question what is best for the taxpayers. The first thing that I see is a contractual problem. If the administrator is removed without cause or something other than a fireable offense, we create the possibility for a very expensive and drawn out legal fight and/or the possibility of having to pay out his large contractually agreed to salary. This is the part where I remind everyone that I was the only vote (11 to 1) to oppose this contract in 2015.

The fact is, I do not believe that how he handled the tape or requesting a SLED investigation is just cause for a fireable offense.

In talking to some constituents, I found the best way to explain my opinion is this:

In sports, when there is a questionable call on the field, either team’s coach can challenge the play and ask for a more in-depth analysis to make sure the most correct and informed decision is made. This process ensures fans and teams get the most transparent and accurate ruling.

I think that is exactly what our administrator did. He saw and heard some questionable behavior. Knowing the council, the public and those involved deserved a correct and an informed decision, the administrator essentially threw a challenge flag in the form of giving it to law enforcement for an unbiased analysis. Just like in sports, the council, the public and the taxpayers got the most transparent and accurate ruling.

As an added benefit, a tape that the pubic had a right to hear wasn’t simply erased and hidden away. Everyone watching a football game also deserves the right to see the questionable play again on instant replay to make their own decisions. It’s only fair that taxpayers now have that same right. Our administrator did exactly what he should have and any effort to punish him sets the precedent of discouraging the transparency the taxpayers deserve.

Transparency is my other core principle. The fact that something as significant as the administrator’s contract was brought forward without enough public notice, engagement and awareness was unacceptable. There are proper procedures and timelines; the chairman should have followed them. Also, I’d like to take a moment to talk about this tape. As I said, if the administrator’s actions hadn’t led to it being preserved, the public would not have had access to this window into the “backroom discussions” that could affect the spending of Horry County’s taxpayers and businesses’ money.

Whether or not what was said was legal is a question for law enforcement. Whether it was right or wrong is a question each listener gets to answer for themselves. I, for one, was highly offended by Luke Barefoot’s suggestion that a political person could be paid to influence how council members vote. I know I speak for the majority of council when I say that nothing could be further from the truth.

We vote our conscience, we vote our districts’ conscience, but we never vote for the paid agenda of Donald Smith or anyone else. The people of Horry County deserve an end to “backroom meetings,” “cover-ups” and “punishments” for those who speak up.

I can see that there are legitimate problems that some have with the administrator that are worthy of discussion and action. But, taking action on him as a result of the responsible and transparent way he dealt with this tape sends the wrong message to the taxpayers and those who think the behavior on the tape is acceptable.

— The writer represents District 5 on the Horry County Council.

This story was originally published March 8, 2019 at 9:55 AM.