{
  "title": "Oconee spending investigation \u2014 October 30, 2026 source review",
  "article_url": "https://worthfighting.org/local/south-carolina/oconee-county/investigations/government-spending-contracts-procurement.html",
  "original_publication": "2026-10-15",
  "review_date": "2026-10-30",
  "scope": "Targeted review of official listings, two scanned procurement notices, the October 6 packet, the County Attorney budget table and audit control findings. Not a new audit of all 53 minutes or 21 registers. Original 13 contract rows and January\u2013September payment calculations unchanged.",
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "id": "RFP 26-03",
      "source_date": "2026-10-23",
      "vendor": "Maine Drilling and Blasting, Inc.",
      "purpose": "Drilling and blasting for Oconee County Quarry",
      "estimated_value": 900000,
      "approval_status": "Notice says recommended award, pending Council approval November 17, 2026",
      "approval_date": null,
      "contract_term": null,
      "paid_amount": null,
      "source_url": "https://oconeesc.com/documents/procurement/solicitations/awards/rfp-26-03-notice-of-award.pdf",
      "sha256": "322c3c3323aa55bbe4233c8f09c60c1aa9a89b532e51c2c6806845a806459175"
    },
    {
      "id": "ITB 26-02",
      "source_date": "2026-09-21",
      "vendor": "Greenstone Construction, LLC",
      "purpose": "Exit 4 pump station and sewer improvements",
      "corrected_bid": 3066808,
      "original_bid": 3058258,
      "arithmetic_adjustment": 8550,
      "proposed_contingency": 306680.8,
      "proposed_authorization": 3373488.8,
      "approval_status": "Notice says recommended award pending Council approval October 6; reviewed index still lists minutes N/A",
      "approval_date": null,
      "paid_amount": null,
      "source_url": "https://oconeesc.com/documents/procurement/solicitations/awards/itb-26-02-notice-of-award.pdf",
      "sha256": "7ebfc7e1696396a47c6023ba382dfde61691b198e982313c2b9b7517fc7af69b",
      "packet_url": "https://oconeesc.com/documents/council/agendas-and-minutes/2026/backup-material/2026-10-06-amended-backup.pdf#page=89"
    }
  ],
  "unchanged_pending_proposal": {
    "source_date": "2026-10-06",
    "vendor": "The Ironpeddlers, Inc.",
    "amount": 323899.56,
    "approval_status": "Proposal; approval, delivery and payment unverified"
  },
  "listings": [
    {
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/council-home/agendas-and-minutes",
      "finding": "October 6, 2026 minutes listed N/A; no approval inferred."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/finance-home/financial-transparency/check-registers",
      "finding": "2026 links through September; October label has no linked register. Payment window not extended."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/finance-home/financial-transparency/statements-and-reports",
      "finding": "Latest listed ACFR FY2024\u201325; no corrective-action completion inferred."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/procurement-home",
      "finding": "Read both linked notices; headings and Award column do not override conditional wording in the notices."
    }
  ],
  "preserved_evidence": [
    "/documents/oconee/government-spending-contracts-2026-10-15.json",
    "/documents/oconee/government-spending-payments-2026-10-15.json",
    "/documents/oconee/government-spending-sources-2026-10-15.json"
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "No interviews or records requests",
    "No verified execution, purchase orders, payments, delivery or completion for the two notices",
    "No later monthly payment total",
    "No finding of wrongdoing"
  ],
  "rechecked_documents": [
    {
      "name": "oct6-packet",
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/documents/council/agendas-and-minutes/2026/backup-material/2026-10-06-amended-backup.pdf",
      "sha256": "9cede9c9f486c991486f7087172526bc213ad9298131970d8d6624808334f460",
      "matches_original_fingerprint": true,
      "pages": 112
    },
    {
      "name": "budget",
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/documents/finance/budget/2026-2027-oconee-county-budget.pdf",
      "sha256": "23f9e7e82d8ca9ea14f7463d278555ba94f5fd9bf15af74dbbe035b194d8b8a3",
      "matches_original_fingerprint": true,
      "pages": 136
    },
    {
      "name": "audit",
      "url": "https://oconeesc.com/documents/finance/statements-and-reports/2024-2025-comprehensive-annual-financial-report.pdf",
      "sha256": "ba8504ca3532fe7835979c906d8c69b60ff91c53b5111fe0d79abd9149795f43",
      "matches_original_fingerprint": true,
      "pages": 171
    }
  ]
}