Resident presses Commissioner Hoyte on court filings and county costs at commission meeting

At the Aug. 6 regular meeting of the Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County, resident Steve Wagner used the open‑forum period to raise questions about Commissioner Damon Hoyte’s legal matters and the potential fiscal impact on the county.

Wagner asked whether Hoyte had pleaded guilty in magistrate court on Dec. 8, 2022 and whether subsequent filings had occurred, and he said he had been unable to find a one‑million‑dollar lawsuit Wagner had heard about. Wagner said, “I voted for Mr. Hoyte,” and told the commission the litigation was “costing the county a significant amount of money” and could affect county employees’ pay increases. Wagner said he planned to continue investigating documents and said he was preparing a complaint to the Georgia Ethics Commission.

Commissioner Hoyte declined to answer several questions during the forum, telling Wagner there were matters he could not discuss at that time. The county attorney reminded the audience that commissioners are not required to answer questions during public comment. Afterward, Hoyte told the commission he had at one point prepared a resignation letter but chose not to submit it and would remain on the commission.

The meeting minutes show no formal action by the commission on the matters Wagner raised; the attorney advised that some items may require legal review before the commission acts. Wagner’s statements and Hoyte’s responses were recorded in the meeting minutes and audio livestream.