Lawsuit Alleges Sunshine Law Violations in Central

A lawsuit filed Friday in Pickens County Common Pleas Court by Columbia attorney Wesley Peel on behalf of resident Jack Queener alleges multiple violations of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act by the town of Central, naming the mayor, administrator, and one council member as defendants. The suit claims unlawful acts from both 2024 and 2025, including Central Mayor Andrew Beckner’s alleged failure to adequately state reasons for entering executive sessions on June 10, 2024, and an alleged improper executive session on February 10, 2025, to discuss a Tax Increment Financing Program framework, a subject which is not exempt from open meeting laws.