Commission appoints Sheila Wilson to Board of Tax Assessors over objection from commissioner who is litigant

The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta-Chattahoochee County on July 1 appointed Sheila Wilson to Post 2 on the county Board of Tax Assessors for a four-year term beginning July 1, 2025 and expiring July 1, 2029.

Commissioner Gerald Douglas moved to approve Ms. Wilson’s appointment and Commissioner Timothy Biddle seconded; the motion passed with a 3–1 vote. Commissioner Damon Hoyte opposed the appointment and had moved to table consideration, a motion that died for lack of a second.

Chairman Charles Coffey spoke directly about the controversy around the nomination, saying, “Commissioner Hoyte you are suing Ms. Sheila Wilson, therefore you being the plaintiff and suing her, I’d advise again, it is a potential violation of ethics,” and later added on the record that Hoyte is suing Ms. Wilson and two other citizens and the Board of Commissioners. Hoyte told the Commission he opposed moving forward and for the record noted past procedures for presenting applicants after work sessions.

The County Manager and the clerk told commissioners there were additional applicants on file since the work session, including Latrese Brown and Elizabeth DeMunn, but the appointment proceeded with the candidate who had been presented at the work session. A resolution in the meeting materials records the appointment and the statutory authority for the Commission to appoint a three- to five-member Board of Tax Assessors.

Why it matters: The assessor board seat had been vacant for about two years, commissioners said. Appointing a member fills a long-open post that affects property assessments and tax-administration continuity in the county.

What’s next: The resolution states Ms. Wilson’s term runs through July 1, 2029. Commissioners discussed the ethics concern on the record and added related governance topics — including process for board appointments and potential charter or ordinance questions — to future work-session agendas for review by the county attorney.

Sources: July 1, 2025 regular meeting minutes and the posted resolution appointing Sheila Wilson to Post 2, Board of Tax Assessors. The meeting record shows a motion to approve from Commissioner Douglas and a second from Commissioner Biddle; Commissioner Hoyte voted no and Commissioner Jason Frost was absent.