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Resident urges commissioner to resign amid questions about court filings; commissioner declines to answer
Summary
At the Aug. 6 Cusseta–Chattahoochee County commission meeting, resident Steve Wagner publicly questioned Commissioner Damon Hoyte about multiple court filings and urged his resignation; Hoyte declined to answer during public comment and later said he considered resigning but chose not to.
Steve Wagner, a resident who said he has more than 35 years' background in law enforcement, used the Aug. 6 public‑comment period to press Commissioner Damon Hoyte about court activity and an EEOC matter, alleging several filings and urging Hoyte to step down.
"Beginning with on Dec. 8, 2022, did you not plead guilty to a county ordinance within the magistrate court?" Wagner asked during the meeting, and later urged the board to force a resignation if Hoyte did not tender one in writing within 14 days.
Hoyte declined to answer many of Wagner’s questions during the public‑comment period; County Attorney Bin Minter reminded the audience that county commissioners are not required to answer questions during open comment. After the board returned from executive session, Hoyte said he had briefly considered resigning after recent election results but decided not to: "I was going to resign ... but then I thought you know the people of Chattahoochee County want to go in this direction ... I am not going to resign," he said.
Resident Josh Abercrombie also addressed the board during open forum, raising infrastructure concerns about washouts and an exposed water line on Patterson Road. Abercrombie said county public‑works crews completed repairs the day before the meeting but criticized the response time. County Manager Thomas Weaver told the board staff had visited Patterson Road multiple times and completed temporary repairs until equipment and manpower could accomplish a permanent fix.
The commission did not take any formal action during the public‑comment period on either the allegations about Commissioner Hoyte or the road repairs. Chairman Charles Coffey closed the public‑comment segment after questions and comments were completed.
