Matthew Durham-Oconee County Council District 2

08/31/2026

This is exactly why County Council is asking to see the audit logs.

Asking to see the audits is not an accusation of wrongdoing. It is oversight.

When government uses technology this powerful, the public has every right to know how it is being used, who is accessing it, and to verify that the safeguards intended to protect the public are working as designed.

The second reading of the Protection From Mass Surveillance Ordinance is Tuesday night at 6 PM. Come tell Council what you think.

08/30/2026

Second reading of our ban on mass surveillance ordinance is Tuesday night. Come join us at 6 PM at the Oconee County Administrative Offices on S. Pine Street in Walhalla.

08/27/2026

An update on the Flock audit logs, why County Council took up the issue during Wednesday’s special meeting, and where things stand today.

08/26/2026

County Council met in special session this afternoon at 2pm, and we took three unanimous votes regarding the West Union annexation.

First, we directed the County Attorney to file a Notice of Intention to Contest the annexation with the Town of West Union and the Oconee County Clerk of Court. State law puts a clock on this, and we are not going to let that clock run out while these questions remain unanswered.

We also directed the County Attorney to notify the Town of West Union to cease and desist from issuing any permits for the annexed property in question.

Second, we directed the County Attorney to request an expedited opinion from the South Carolina Attorney General on whether this annexation complies with state law. We are also asking the Attorney General to consider whether the State should take action.

Third, we directed the Clerk to Council to file a FOIA request with the Town of West Union for the complete records involving the 2024 railroad annexation, the August 11 annexation, and communications between town officials and the developer going back to January 2023.

Here’s why.

Fewer than 400 people live in West Union. The town just annexed 268 acres for a development of roughly 400 homes.

The only thing connecting that property back to West Union is a railroad corridor roughly three miles long that the town annexed in 2024.

South Carolina law specifically says a railroad track does not make two properties contiguous.

I’m not declaring the annexation illegal, and I’m not accusing anyone of wrongdoing. I’m saying there are serious questions about how this was done, and today County Council unanimously agreed to start seeking answers.

Council also took up the Flock camera contracts, but that deserves a post of its own.

Second reading of our ordinance banning mass surveillance in Oconee County is September 1. Third and final reading, along with the public hearing, will be September 15.

08/25/2026

Fewer than 400 people live in West Union. The town just voted to annex 268 acres for 400 homes.

The only thing connecting that property to the town is three miles of railroad the town annexed in 2024.

State law says a railroad track doesn’t make two properties contiguous.

I’m not saying this is illegal. I’m saying it deserves legal scrutiny, and I intend to get it.

Special meeting of County Council, tomorrow, August 26, at 2 p.m.

08/23/2026

A new $35 million healthcare facility is coming to Oconee County.

ClearSky Health is investing $35 million to build a new 36-bed medical rehabilitation hospital in Seneca, bringing roughly 100 new healthcare jobs to Oconee County.

Thank you to Jamie Gilbert and the Oconee Economic Alliance for the work that brought this investment here.

I’m excited about this because it matters beyond the jobs. It creates access right here at home for families who need rehabilitation care after a stroke, serious injury, or other major medical event, keeping them close to the people who love them.

08/20/2026

Tuesday morning I spent some time at the Oconee County Emergency Operations Center during our nuclear emergency preparedness drill.

It was impressive to see just how many moving parts come together. Oconee County was working alongside neighboring counties, state agencies, law enforcement, fire, EMS, Duke Energy and others, all responding to the same simulated emergency in real time.

We’re required to regularly practice and prepare because of Oconee Nuclear Station, but that preparation pays dividends well beyond the plant. The same coordination and relationships have served our community during real emergencies, including Hurricane Helene and the Seneca tornado.

A lot of work happens behind the scenes that most people never see. I’m thankful for the men and women who train for the worst while preparing for the best.

08/19/2026

First in the state, but we should not be the last.

Every county in South Carolina has the same authority we are using. We don’t have to wait on Columbia or Washington to protect the constitutional rights of our citizens.

A rural Upstate County is taking steps to crack down on Flock cameras amid a national outcry over the technology. (Full story below.)

08/18/2026

We aren’t afraid to lead. First reading tonight.

Proposed ordinance would cut off county funding and property access for mass-surveillance systems as Oconee County sheriff acknowledges prior misuse…

08/17/2026

Proud to stand with Ralph Norman. South Carolina is ready for conservative leadership in the United States Senate.