By PSA Newsroom Staff
Williamsburg County – resident Cheryl Lane, is taking the county to court, accusing the county of violating South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The lawsuit, filed in the South Carolina Court of Common Pleas, says the county failed to turn over public records, blocked people from speaking at meetings, and didn’t properly share meeting materials or minutes.
The Freedom of Information Act or Sunshine Law in SC upholds the right of every citizen to know what their government is up to, especially when it comes to industrial recruitment and permits. Since the county is a public body, it’s supposed to follow state laws that require open records and meetings.
The timeline background for this FOIA request started on January 5, 2024.The plaintiff asked for records about IRI Forest Investments, certain parcels of land in Greeleyville, and any solar or other companies interested in leasing that land. The county’s outside lawyers handed over some documents, but the plaintiff’s case states that plenty was missing.
The plaintiff asked for help tracking down missing emails, texts, or other files. In August 2024, the county said it had already provided everything. The lawsuit says that just wasn’t true—some records were still being withheld, which breaks the law.
This wasn’t the only time the county failed to completely respond. On September 23, 2024, the resident filed another FOIA request, this time about the Williamsburg County Planning Commission—things like agendas, minutes, and membership lists.
The complaint also describes problems with public meetings. On April 1, 2024, the county put a public comment period on its agenda but refused to let the resident speak, shutting her out of the discussion.
Then, on September 20, 2024, the county held a public hearing about amending a Multi-County Industrial Park (MCIP) agreement with Florence County. Public notices promised that documents would be available for review, but the plaintiff says the county only shared limited materials—basically just a PowerPoint—and told her nothing else was available.
The lawsuit goes further, accusing the county of failing to post agendas and approved minutes on time, holding meetings without a quorum, and entering into executive session without proper language. According to the complaint, the county hasn’t posted a single set of approved County
Council meeting minutes online in the past year.
Lack of transparency can leave people in the dark about how the county approves industrial projects. The case points out that FOIA law is meant to guarantee transparency, and state courts say the law should be interpreted with that goal in mind.
The plaintiff is asking the court to rule that Williamsburg County broke FOIA law and order the county to turn over all the records, as is the norm in all FOIA.
All of these proceedings are available for public view in the Third Circuit Court of Common Pleas for Williamsburg County.
Updates will be made to this unfolding story on this case and the Sunshine Law at work for the common good of the people of SC
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