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Resident alleges county mismanagement and retaliation; chairman denies wrongdoing
Summary
At the Nov. 12 board meeting, resident Warren Williams accused county officials of mismanagement, targeted enforcement and nepotism; Chairman Charles Coffey denied the allegations and said he filed homestead only for one property. The board later entered an executive session on legal matters.
Warren Williams, a Cusseta-Chattahoochee County resident, told the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 12 that many citizens feel ignored and that a ‘‘dark cloud’’ of mismanagement and retaliation hangs over the county. Williams said citizens face ‘‘retaliation’’ when they request to be put on the agenda and alleged county hires favor friends and family and that a magistrate judge is under investigation.
‘‘It is not about race, color, gender, it is about human decency and respect and integrity,’’ Williams said, urging commissioners to ‘‘do their job that they were elected to do.’’ He said a county tax assessor visited his Highway 137 property after he sought agenda time and that he felt singled out.
Commissioner Damon Hoyte thanked Williams, said the Facebook comment stream should remain visible, and said he would investigate any retaliation claims. Hoyte added that he could not answer every allegation and that Chairman Charles Coffey would need to respond if he wished to.
Chairman Coffey addressed the meeting later in the session, denying claims of tax fraud and multiple homestead filings. Coffey said he had applied for homestead exemption in writing for only one property and that an assessor had noted an error affecting multiple properties. ‘‘There is nothing that this county has that I want or desire; I do this for the citizens and the county,’’ Coffey said, adding that he has no relatives on county payroll.
The board moved into executive session at 10:46 a.m. and reconvened at 11:30 a.m.; commissioners stated the closed session addressed legal matters and that no votes were taken in closed session.
Why it matters: Williams’ comments raise allegations about county staffing and process that commissioners said would be reviewed. The board’s decision to enter a closed session for legal discussion underscores that some claims and pending litigation require attorney consultation outside the public record.
What’s next: The minutes record that a magistrate-court appeal related to a sign dispute involving Commissioner Hoyte is scheduled for Dec. 6 and that the county has filed an answer seeking dismissal; commissioners listed a Dec. 3 public hearing on other items.
