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by WILL FOLKS
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Last week, the top economic development official in the town of Lexington, South Carolina surprised the Midlands-area community by announcing his resignation on social media.
Jack Stuart, a Lexington native, resigned effective Thursday (April 2, 2026) after a little more than four years on the job.
“Over the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of doing work I genuinely love in the community I grew up in,” Stuart noted. “From business recruitment and brand building to restaurant weeks and ribbon cuttings, every project was personal because this place is personal to me.”
“I’m proud of what we built, the team that showed up every day, and the businesses that chose to call Lexington home,” Stuart added. “That work matters, and it will continue long after my time here.”
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Aside from referencing a new professional opportunity, Stuart did not give a reason for his abrupt resignation. Also, initial reporting from The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier seemed to point to a disjointed response from town officials. Lexington’s mayor, Hazel Livingston, did not comment – nor did the town’s mayor pro tempore, Todd Carnes.
The only response from the city? A one-sentence statement from its public information officer thanking Stuart for his service and wishing him well in his future endeavors…
What’s going on behind closed doors in Lexington?
Sources in town government told us “there’s a much larger story on this.”
“The culture at Town Hall is awful,” one source told us on condition of anonymity, referring to a flood of recent resignations. “(There’s) a lack of leadership and cultural chaos at Town Hall.”
Numerous departures of key town officials over the past two-and-a-half years would seem to attest to that statement – with many of these officials allegedly being forced out of their jobs by the new mayor.
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Over the last two-and-a-half years, the town administrator, assistant administrator, parks director, amphitheater/downtown venue director and city clerk, among others, have all left.
“Stuart is the latest in a long line of talented people unwilling to put up with it any longer,” a former city official told FITSNews.
The economic developer’s position is responsible for developing and implementing “marketing strategies for the recruitment of new business and industry” and for assisting “local, regional, national and international firms considering relocation or facility expansion.”
According to our sources, the aforementioned “cultural chaos” in town government had been weighing heavily on Stuart. The final straw came when city council voted to “shut down” an Ironman Triathlon project he had spent many months attempting to recruit to the region.
Wait… when was that vote?
Citizens are forgiven if they don’t recall it, because the decision was never made on the record. Instead, a “poll” of town leaders was reportedly conducted during a closed-door executive session of Lexington town council last month.
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If true, that would be against the law. S.C. Code of Laws § 30-4-70(b) – the Palmetto State’s ‘Freedom of Information’ statute – expressly forbids public bodies from taking votes or informal polls behind closed doors.
“No action may be taken in executive session except to (a) adjourn or (b) return to public session,” the statute states. “The members of a public body may not commit the public body to a course of action by a polling of members in executive session.”
FITSNews is committed to hearing from all sides in the saga currently enveloping the town of Lexington. As we prepare additional coverage, count on us to reach out to town leaders – and former leaders – in an attempt to get to the truth.
Also, as always, our open microphone is always on – and always open to those wishing to share their views on any issue we cover.
Located approximately twelve miles west of the state capital of Columbia, the town of Lexington is continuing to experience rapid growth. Its population currently stands at approximately 26,200 people – nearly tripling in size over the last quarter century.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
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