Hawkeye Citizens' Transparency Project

10/16/2025

🎧 NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

We recorded this on July 16 and we’re releasing it today because the Courtney Soler story just made it urgent.

Former Hanahan procurement officer Kitty Farias walks through how purchasing is supposed to work and where she says it didn’t: alleged bid splitting, decentralized purchasing, contracts without attorney review, and a culture that pushed out good staff. We also discuss ongoing lawsuits, closed-door contract approvals, and potential conflicts of interest around land deals.

This isn’t inside baseball! It’s your tax dollars, basic services, and public trust. Watch, share, and bring your questions to the next council meeting.

🎥 Watch: https://youtu.be/e6lY3M6dSDg
🗓 Recorded July 16
🎙 Hawkeye Citizens Transparency Project

(Audio note: We had an equipment failure around 45 minutes in, so you'll hear a slight shift in audio quality.

Programming note: This conversation with Kitty Farias (former procurement officer for Hanahan, SC) was recorded on July 16, 2025, about three months ago. The...

10/03/2025

🎙️ New Episode Drop: Hawkeye Returns!

We're back after a brief break with a powerful new conversation.

In this episode, we sit down with Nigel Drayton, owner of Nigel’s Good Food and Nola's Creole and Soul, to talk about more than just cuisine. Nigel opens up about the serious challenges small business owners face when local government changes direction after approvals are already in place.

How does a city's sudden reversal on previously approved development plans affect entrepreneurs who took them at their word? Nigel breaks down how his decision to invest in the Bowen project has been turned upside down by the City of Hanahan’s recent actions.

This isn’t just a story about one restaurant... it’s about trust, stability, and what happens when city leadership moves the goalposts after the game has started.

🔗 Listen now on YouTube (Spotify coming soon!)

We're back after a brief break with a powerful new conversation.In this episode, we sit down with Nigel Drayton, owner of Nigel’s Good Food and Nola's Creole...

03/12/2025

🚨 Two resignations in one week? A public meeting blocked? Pressure behind the scenes?

What’s happening with Hanahan’s volunteer leaders? Why are these key officials stepping down? Is there an internal force behind these resignations or is it just coincidence?

In Episode 2: Resignation Rampage, we're going straight to the sources to find out what happened inside City Hall.

Something is not adding up...

🎙 Episode drops soon. Stay tuned!

03/11/2025

🚨EPISODE 1 IS LIVE!!

💰 Hundreds of thousands in legal fees?
🚪 Decisions made in closed meetings?
📄 Ordinances rewritten to justify past actions?

In our first episode, “Ordinance and Disorder”, we break down what really happened at the February 11th City Council meeting.

Was the fate of a major ordinance change predetermined before the public had a chance to weigh in? Why is so much of the city’s money is going toward lawyers instead of public services?

🎙 What’s inside:

🔹 Why did Hanahan change its city attorney ordinance?
🔹 Why are your tax dollars funding so many legal fees?
🔹 What is the impact of a closed executive session on transparency?

📌 WATCH NOW: https://youtu.be/UOM7OQX_iyk

💬 Drop a comment below: What do you think is really going on behind the scenes in this meeting?

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💰 Hundreds of thousands in legal fees?🚪 Decisions made in closed meetings?📄 Ordinances rewritten to justify past actions?In our first episode, “Ordinance ...

03/11/2025

💰 Hey Berkeley County: Where’s your tax money going?! 💰

When you hit that pot hole or see underfunded basic services... that's LOCAL government.

Folks at the city and county level make decisions every day that affect your wallet, but do you really know how those decisions are made? They don’t make it easy to find out!

That’s why we’re launching the Hawkeye Citizens' Transparency Project (HCTP) podcast this week.

We will:

✅ Get info that’s hidden from the public to show where your money is really going.
✅ Connect budget decisions to closed-door deals to highlight the bigger picture.
✅ Take this fight for transparency to city halls across the Lowcountry, starting right here in Hanahan, SC.

🎙 Episode 1 of our podcast, "Ordinance and Disorder", drops tomorrow. If you pay taxes in Hanahan or Berkeley County, you should be paying attention.

🔔 Follow this page for updates.
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