Fired administrator Eric Greenway breaks silence to defend himself, former colleagues
After seven months of silence following Beaufort County’s firing of their administrator Eric Greenway “for cause”, he appeared on a local podcast to defend and explain some of the circumstance of his final weeks in office.
He was terminated in late July as a result of an ongoing criminal investigation that also included allegations of sexual harassment.
Greenway was the featured guest on Beaufort County’s House of a Cards, a local government-focused podcast run by former county council member Mike Covert. During his 40-minute on-camera interview, Greenway highlighted how the purchase and installation of $800,000 equipment had the required prior approval from the county’s attorney Tom Keaveny, and how his attempt to purchase nearly $36,000 of weighted blankets was also in keeping with the spirit of the procurement regulations.
“The fact that they (approved it) after the fact, just proves to me that it wasn’t a big issue,” he said about the playground equipment. “If it was that big of an issue why didn’t they rip the playground out and send it back to the company?” Greenway then turned his attention to the council saying that members of the county’s elected body pressured him into firing Loper. In particular, Greenway named Vice Chair Larry McElynn.
Is there a double standard?
One persistent theme Greenway returned to throughout the interview was the double standard the county’s leadership has with enforcing rules and regulations that ultimately cost him his job.
“It seems like there’s been a lot of stuff pointed out about what I did wrong and how I didn’t follow proper procedures and things like that. But then, There are other things that are going on in the county as well that don’t follow proper procedures and nothing is being said about that. No one’s been dismissed over that. Those things are being overlooked apparently.”
Greenway cited that there are at least two employees in the county whose spouses own or run companies that provide services to the county. “We’ve got millions and millions of dollars being spent on the business of spouses that hold positions at the county,” Greenway said before clarifying that he doesn’t think that’s wrong to do, but that if he was in violation, they all should be too.
Greenway commented on the county’s latest struggle, the Daufuksie Island Ferry’s new vendor, marking another double standard in his eyes.
“They made a big deal about me hiring ‘non-experienced’ people on the opioid contract,” he began. “That lady I hired and entered into an agreement with was very experienced. They ding me on that and then they go out and hire a ferry operator that doesn’t even have equipment to operate the system. It just makes no sense to me whatsoever.”
Greenway is referring to his hiring of Lisa Lynch, an opioid consultant, to serve in the newly created position of Wellness Director. The hiring and subsequent harassment and retaliation alleged by Lynch, were key in Greenway’s firing.
At one point during the interview, Covert and Greenway discussed an unnamed elected official who, by Covert’s accounts, was misusing county funds. However, Covert did not specify how the funds were being used during the interview.
Discussing the issue, Greenway mentioned a key details which seem to give away the official’s identity. “I think I was recently named in a lawsuit as a result of refusing to grant raises and bonuses,” he said.
This statement indicates that the two were discussing Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls. In May of last year, Walls advocated for additional funding for her department, to provide raises, and subsequently suing the county and Greenway in October.
“I do appreciate Eric Greenway coming on here and answering some of those questions,” Covert said concluding the interview. “I know the man is broken. I know the man is torn. I can see it in his eyes.”
Neither Covert or Greenway returned multiple calls to further clarify anything that was said during the broadcast.
