On the agenda: Oconee County Minutes — license plate reader (Aug 26)

MINUTES

OCONEE COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
August 26, 2026
MEMBERS, OCONEE COUNTY COUNCIL

Mr. John Elliott, District I
Mr. Matthew Durham, Chairman, District II
Mr. Don Mize, Vice Chairman, District III
Mr. Thomas James, Chairman Pro Tem, District IV
Mr. Glenn Hart, District V

Oconee County Council met at 2:00 PM in Council Chambers, 415 South Pine Street, Walhalla, SC with all
Council Members, County Administrator Stewart Jones, Deputy Administrator Phil Shirley [absent], County
Attorney Rob Chumley & Jennifer C. Adams, Clerk to Council present.

Press:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, notice of the meeting, date, time, place of meeting
and agenda were posted on the bulletin board at the County Administrative Offices, 415 South Pine Street,
Walhalla, SC, and the County Council website [www.oconeesc.com/council]. In addition, it was made
available [upon request] to the newspapers, radio stations, television stations and concerned citizens.
Members of the press present: Fox Carolina News, Andrea Kelley / The Journal, Dick Mangrum / 101.7
WGOG

Call to Order

Mr. Durham called the meeting to order at 2:01 p.m.

Moment of Silence

Mr. Durham asked for a moment of silence prior to the Invocation.

Invocation

Mr. Chumley gave the Invocation.

Pledge of Allegiance

Mr. David McMahan led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

Attorney’s Comments
None for this meeting.

Council’s meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, Council’s Rules and the Model Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition. This agenda
may not be inclusive of all issues which Council may bring up for discussion at this meeting. Items are listed on Council’s agenda to give public notice of the subjects and issues to be discussed, acted upon, received as
information and/or disposed of during the meeting. Items listed on Council’s agenda may be taken up, tabled, postponed, reconsidered, removed or otherwise disposed of as provided for under Council’s Rules, and Model
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition, if not specified under Council’s rules.

A video recording of this meeting is available at www.oconeesc.com. Meetings have been live-streamed beginning January 17, 2017.
Brought to you by Your Oconee.
Oconee County Council Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting
August 26, 2026

Page 1 of 5

Administrator’s Comments
None for this meeting.

Public Comment Session [Limited to a total of fifty (50) minutes, five (5) minutes per person]

If you are unable to attend in person and you have a comment you would like to be considered by Council, please email or call the
Council Member for your district (https://oconeesc.com/council-home/council-officials), so that they may consider and perhaps
include your comments during Council Member comments, as and if appropriate.

1. Mr. Jim Harangody spoke in opposition to the annexation of property that the Town of West Union
approved at their August 11, 2026 meeting.
2. Mr. Freddie Hurley spoke in opposition to the annexation of property that the Town of West Union
approved at their August 11, 2026 meeting and in opposition to the proposed 400-home development
on the annexed property.
3. Ms. Wanda Murry shared her worries about how the property annexation that the Town of West
Union approved at their August 11, 2026 meeting would affect her and her property in West Union
and expressed her thanks to Council for their deeper look into this matter.

Council Member Comments
Discussion Regarding Action Items
Discussion and possible action regarding the annexation and proposed annexation into the Town of West
Union, South Carolina, of the following parcels: Oconee County Tax Map Numbers 192-00-02-030, 19200-02-049, and 192-00-02-039.
Mr. Durham provided details as to why the Town of West Union annexed a portion of the railroad back in
2024, siting vagrant actions and that the annexation gave the West Union Police Department jurisdiction to
patrol within the annexed property.
Mr. Durham then went on to provide background information related to the recent property annexation that
the Town of West Union approved at their August 11, 2026 meeting, noting he believes this annexation
needs legal scrutiny.
Mr. Elliott agreed with Mr. Durham’s concerns, noting he would like to get the Attorney General’s opinion
on this matter.
Mr. Durham made a motion, seconded by Mr. Hart, approved 5 – 0, to approve the following motions:
1. Authorize and direct the County Attorney to prepare and file a Notice of Intention to Contest the
annexation with the Clerk of the Town of West Union and the Oconee County Clerk of Court
pursuant to Section 5-3-270, no later than September 18, 2026.
2. Direct the County Attorney, with the Chairman co-signing on behalf of Council, to request in writing
that the South Carolina Attorney General issue an expedited opinion on the validity of the annexation
under Sections 5-3-150 and 5-3-305, and to request that the Attorney General consider bringing an
action in quo warranto within the time allowed by Section 5-3-270, with the letter transmitted no
later than Friday, August 28, 2026.
Council’s meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, Council’s Rules and the Model Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition. This agenda
may not be inclusive of all issues which Council may bring up for discussion at this meeting. Items are listed on Council’s agenda to give public notice of the subjects and issues to be discussed, acted upon, received as
information and/or disposed of during the meeting. Items listed on Council’s agenda may be taken up, tabled, postponed, reconsidered, removed or otherwise disposed of as provided for under Council’s Rules, and Model
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition, if not specified under Council’s rules.

A video recording of this meeting is available at www.oconeesc.com. Meetings have been live-streamed beginning January 17, 2017.
Brought to you by Your Oconee.
Oconee County Council Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting
August 26, 2026

Page 2 of 5

3. Direct the Clerk to Council to submit, on behalf of Council, a Freedom of Information Act request to
the Town of West Union for the complete file on the 2024 railroad corridor annexation, including the
petition, ordinance, plat, legal description, minutes, and all correspondence with the railroad; the
complete file on the August 11 annexation and any remaining parcels; and all communications
between town officials or staff and the developer or its agents from January 1, 2023 to the present;
and to send a letter to the Town requesting that it identify the legal basis on which it found the parcel
contiguous.
Discussion and possible action regarding the County’s license plate reader camera contract with Flock
Group, Inc. and related records.
Mr. Durham provided background information regarding Flock camera usage in Oconee County.
Mr. Elliott noted that Council just received a letter from the Sheriff’s office stating that the contract with
Flock, Inc. has been requested to be cancelled.
Mr. James noted that this request has caused him a lot of concern regarding the potential of misuse of the
Flock Camera system.
Sheriff Crenshaw provided Council with the reasoning for his request to cancel the contract with Flock, Inc.,
siting the contract was due to renew in July and he wanted to try to save the tax-payers money and that he
was simply trying to honor Council’s wishes.
Sheriff Crenshaw went on to explain exactly what information from the Flock database that he could and
could not share with Council, siting certain information gathered on open investigations could not be shared.
Mr. James clarified exactly what information Council is requesting to view from the Flock database, noting
Council understands that information related to open investigations could not be shared.
Mr. Durham shared information that he was sent from Greenville County’s camera audit logs that is readily
available to be shared with the public [copy filed in backup] and wanted to know how other counties were
able to share this data and Oconee County was not.
Mr. Jones noted, that during his conversation with other Sheriff’s, he found out that there is a feature within
the Flock database that generates a link that allows public access to their audit logs and informed Council
that the Sheriff’s office has no authority to cancel the contract with Flock, Inc., this action can only be
executed by Oconee County Procurement, who is currently holding the request until all information
requested by Council has been received.
Short discussion followed between Council and Sheriff Crenshaw related to Flock, Inc. audit logs.
Mr. James provided a lengthy statement expressing his concerns with Flock cameras and made the following
motions, seconded by Mr. Hart, to:
1. Direct the County Attorney, on behalf of Oconee County and no later than August 27, 2026, to
deliver to Flock Group, Inc., in the manner required by the notice provisions of the executed
agreement and to Flock's legal department, a written demand that Flock preserve all data associated
Council’s meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, Council’s Rules and the Model Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition. This agenda
may not be inclusive of all issues which Council may bring up for discussion at this meeting. Items are listed on Council’s agenda to give public notice of the subjects and issues to be discussed, acted upon, received as
information and/or disposed of during the meeting. Items listed on Council’s agenda may be taken up, tabled, postponed, reconsidered, removed or otherwise disposed of as provided for under Council’s Rules, and Model
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition, if not specified under Council’s rules.

A video recording of this meeting is available at www.oconeesc.com. Meetings have been live-streamed beginning January 17, 2017.
Brought to you by Your Oconee.
Oconee County Council Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting
August 26, 2026

Page 3 of 5

with the Oconee County account, including the complete Organization Audit and Network Audit
logs, sharing and network configuration history, user and permission records, and hotlist and alert
records, for the life of the account; that no such data be deleted pending export of those records and
resolution of Council's pending records requests and the Sheriff's pending request for an Attorney
General opinion; that Flock state in writing its retention timeline following the August 24, 2026
termination request and whether the account remains active and exportable; and, if the County is the
customer under the executed agreement, asserting the County's ownership of the account data, or, if it
is not, identifying what Flock requires from the customer of record to suspend deletion. A copy of the
letter shall be provided to the Sheriff's Office.
2. Council respectfully requests that the Sheriff export and preserve the records described in item 1 in
full before any termination or non-renewal takes effect, and provide a written response to Council,
through the Clerk to Council, within three business days of receipt of this motion, confirming that the
export has been completed and that no deletion will occur.
3. Direct the Clerk to Council to transmit a certified copy of this motion to the Sheriff and to the
County Attorney upon adjournment.
4. Direct the Clerk to Council to submit, on behalf of Oconee County Council and no later than
August 27, 2026, a request under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Code § 30-410 et seq., to the Oconee County Sheriff's Office for the following records, in each case covering the
period from January 1, 2021 through the date of the response:
(a) the complete Organization Audit and Network Audit logs for the Oconee County Flock
account for the life of the account, in the native electronic export format available from the
Flock platform, with all fields intact, including license plate numbers;
(b) all monthly audit reports or reviews of license plate reader searches conducted by the
Sheriff's Office;
(c) the Sheriff's Office's request to the South Carolina Attorney General for an opinion
concerning Council's audit log request, together with any response; and
(d) invoices, payment records, and records identifying the fund or funding source used to pay
for the Flock account.
5. Direct the Clerk to Council to submit, on behalf of Oconee County Council and no later than
August 27, 2026, requests of the same scope and on the same terms to the City of Seneca, the City of
Walhalla, the City of Westminster, the Town of West Union, and the Town of Salem for records of
any automated license plate reader system maintained by or on behalf of the municipality or its police
department, including Organization Audit and Network Audit logs with all fields intact, agreements
with Flock Group, Inc. or any other license plate reader vendor, monthly audit reports or reviews,
invoices and payment records, and correspondence concerning data sharing with the Oconee County
Sheriff's Office or any other agency, and, where a municipality maintains no such system, to request
written confirmation of that fact.
6. Each request under items 4 and 5 shall request the records in complete and unredacted form. If the
responding body contends that any portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, the request shall
ask that the non-exempt portions be produced as required by S.C. Code § 30-4-40(b), that the specific
Council’s meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, Council’s Rules and the Model Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition. This agenda
may not be inclusive of all issues which Council may bring up for discussion at this meeting. Items are listed on Council’s agenda to give public notice of the subjects and issues to be discussed, acted upon, received as
information and/or disposed of during the meeting. Items listed on Council’s agenda may be taken up, tabled, postponed, reconsidered, removed or otherwise disposed of as provided for under Council’s Rules, and Model
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition, if not specified under Council’s rules.

A video recording of this meeting is available at www.oconeesc.com. Meetings have been live-streamed beginning January 17, 2017.
Brought to you by Your Oconee.
Oconee County Council Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting
August 26, 2026

Page 4 of 5

exemption claimed be identified for each redaction, and that, for each redacted audit log entry, the
responding body state whether the entry is associated with an open case number. Each request shall
request electronic transmission of the records and shall state that it is made without waiver of any
right of the County as a party to any agreement with Flock Group, Inc. The Clerk to Council may
submit each request as two requests of identical scope, one for records less than twenty-four months
old and one for older records, so as to preserve the statutory response times for each. The County
Administrator is authorized to pay reasonable fees under S.C. Code § 30-4-30.
7. Request that the Oconee County Legislative Delegation seek an opinion of the Attorney General
on whether license plate reader search audit records, consisting of the user, agency, date and time,
stated reason, case number, and license plate number of a search, are exempt from disclosure under
S.C. Code § 30-4-40(a)(3), and on whether the South Carolina Public Records Act requires a public
body to preserve such records before terminating a vendor contract under which they are held.
Mr. Durham made a motion, seconded by Mr. Hart, approved 5 – 0, to amend the above motion by stating
that any records produced that are redacted be distinguished by a unique identifier so that the audit log
associated with these cases can be requested at a later date once the investigation or case has been closed.
Main motion, with the amendment above, was approved 5 – 0.

Executive Session

Mr. Mize a motion, seconded by Mr. James, approved 5 – 0, to enter into Executive Session for the following
purposes, as allowed for § 30-4-70(a) of the South Carolina Code of Laws:
1. Receive legal advice relating to a potential claim.
Council entered into Executive Session at 2:46 p.m.
Council returned from Executive Session at 3:02 p.m. on a motion made by Mr. Hart, seconded by Mr.
Elliott, approved 5 – 0.
Mr. Durham stated that no action was needed following executive session.

Adjourn:
Mr. Hart made a motion, approved unanimously, to adjourn at 3:02 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted:
Jennifer C. Adams
Clerk to Council

Council’s meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, Council’s Rules and the Model Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition. This agenda
may not be inclusive of all issues which Council may bring up for discussion at this meeting. Items are listed on Council’s agenda to give public notice of the subjects and issues to be discussed, acted upon, received as
information and/or disposed of during the meeting. Items listed on Council’s agenda may be taken up, tabled, postponed, reconsidered, removed or otherwise disposed of as provided for under Council’s Rules, and Model
Rules of Parliamentary Procedure for South Carolina Counties, latest edition, if not specified under Council’s rules.

A video recording of this meeting is available at www.oconeesc.com. Meetings have been live-streamed beginning January 17, 2017.
Brought to you by Your Oconee.
Oconee County Council Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting
August 26, 2026

Page 5 of 5