Charlotte County Board honors three outgoing supervisors and retiring sheriff

The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 11 adopted resolutions honoring three outgoing supervisors and Sheriff Royal S. Freeman, who will retire Dec. 31 after a 35-year law enforcement career.

Chair Gary D. Walker opened the meeting at the Administration Building. The board unanimously approved a resolution honoring Will D. Garnett for his service representing the Bacon/Saxe District and noted his three years as vice chairman and service on the Public Safety and Rescue Squad Oversight committees. The board also adopted a resolution recognizing Garland H. Hamlett Jr. for two decades of service representing the Drakes Branch District, including four years as chairman and experience as the county’s director of emergency services. The third resolution honored M. Anthony Reeves for his service representing the Cullen/Red House District and for his long record of military and volunteer emergency response service.

Delegate Tommy Wright presented a letter of accommodation to Sheriff Royal S. Freeman. The board passed a separate resolution thanking Freeman for his decades of service in the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and noting his rise through the ranks since 1988.

All resolutions were adopted by voice vote during the regular meeting; minutes record each motion as carried with all members present voting Aye. The board’s actions were entered into the official minutes and will be permanently recorded.

The meeting also included routine openings: the county administrator read the Code of Accessibility; an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance preceded agenda and minutes approval.