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Elbert County commissioners elect Byron Daniels chair amid objections about short notice
Summary
The Elbert County Board of County Commissioners elected Byron Daniels chair at its Jan. 22 meeting. Commissioner Robin McDaniel said she learned of the planned change only minutes before the meeting and called for a roll-call vote; one commissioner abstained.
Byron Daniels was elected chair of the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners at the board's Jan. 22 organizational meeting after a motion and roll-call vote.
The appointment matters because the chair sets meeting agendas and presides over hearings; the choice also exposed tensions among the three commissioners about communication and internal process.
During nominations, one commissioner said she learned of the plan “10 minutes before the meeting” and said the late notice “seriously dampens” trust among board members. That commissioner, identified in the meeting as Commissioner Robin McDaniel, asked for a roll-call vote. The roll call recorded Commissioner McDaniel voting “aye,” Commissioner Dallas Schroeder registering an “abstain,” and Commissioner Mike Buck voting “aye,” producing a majority in favor.
Commissioner Schroeder later described the decision as the product of last-minute discussions and said the move was made with concern about “litigation that’s pending in the county.” He apologized to colleagues for any offense and said the choice was reached after late-night discussions.
The board also selected Mike Buck as vice chair by voice vote. Commissioners approved an organizational resolution listing regular meeting dates (second and fourth Wednesdays), office hours (Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., except holidays), and designated the county’s online board information page as a place for posting notices in accordance with state law.
The chair selection, the organizational resolution and the vice-chair nomination were all acted on during the same organizational portion of the meeting; commissioners moved immediately from those items into routine business.
Votes at a glance - Chair: Motion to appoint Byron Daniels — roll-call vote: McDaniel Aye; Schroeder Abstain; Buck Aye. Outcome: approved. - Vice chair: Motion to nominate Mike Buck — voice vote. Outcome: approved. - Organizational resolution (regular meeting schedule, hours, posting places) — voice vote. Outcome: approved.
Ending: Commissioners then proceeded to consent items and departmental reports, and recessed the meeting for land-use hearings scheduled later in the day.
