Greenville County Council Approves Secret Settlement Over Open Meetings Violation

The settlement agreement will be kept confidential until a judge approves it, denying the public any input.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:15pm

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A quiet, cinematic painting of an empty government building or council chamber, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of solemnity and secrecy around the public's business.The public's right to transparency is obscured by the shadows of government secrecy.Greenville Today

In a troubling case of government secrecy, the Greenville County Council in South Carolina has approved a secret settlement agreement to resolve a lawsuit over the council's violation of the state's open-meetings law. The details of the settlement, including any financial payout, will be kept confidential until a judge approves the agreement, preventing the public from weighing in on the matter.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing issue of government entities using secrecy and confidentiality clauses to avoid public scrutiny, even when they have clearly violated laws meant to ensure transparency. The public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being used to settle lawsuits against the government.

The details

The lawsuit alleged that the Greenville County Council violated South Carolina's open-meetings law by holding secret discussions and negotiations. Rather than addressing the violation openly, the council opted to approve a secret settlement agreement with the plaintiff. The details of the settlement, including any financial payout, will be kept confidential until a judge approves the agreement, denying the public any opportunity to provide input.

  • The lawsuit was filed against the Greenville County Council.
  • The council recently approved the secret settlement agreement.

The players

Greenville County Council

The governing body of Greenville County, South Carolina, which was sued for violating the state's open-meetings law and has now approved a secret settlement agreement.

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What they’re saying

“There's nothing that prevents city and county councils and school boards and other governing boards from having those discussions with their lawyers in public; state law merely allows them to be secret.”

— The Editorial Staff

“If it were, it would put some serious enforcement provisions in the Freedom of Information Act, rather than leaving its enforcement up to individual citizens who have the money and time to combat governments that don't care how much of our money they spend to avoid letting the public know what they're doing, much less acknowledging that they did anything wrong.”

— The Editorial Staff

What’s next

Once the judge approves the secret settlement agreement, the details will be made public, but it will be too late for the public to provide any input.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing issue of government entities using secrecy and confidentiality clauses to avoid public scrutiny, even when they have clearly violated laws meant to ensure transparency. The public deserves to know how their tax dollars are being used to settle lawsuits against the government, and lawmakers should strengthen enforcement provisions in the Freedom of Information Act to prevent such abuses of power.