CARLTON FLETCHER: Commissioners’ stand could be costly

Oh the games people play now, every night and every day now, never meaning what they say now, and never saying what they mean.

— Joe South

If nothing else, you have to admit that the four Dougherty County commissioners who voted to deny “most qualified candidate” Mike McCoy the permanent county administrator position Monday are steadfast in sticking to their guns.

The question, though, is to what end?

John Hayes’ obviously well-intentioned but puzzling “concerns of insanity in doing the same things, same approaches, and expecting a different outcome” treatise notwithstanding, you have to wonder if Hayes, Gloria Gaines, Anthony Jones and Clinton Johnson have really thought this thing through. Listening to people whose position or assumed power you might admire or be beholden to is one thing, but when the proverbial stuff hits the fan, it should be noted that the asses of these people telling you what to do are not on the line.

And these four commissioners have put not only their own, but taxpayers’ posteriors squarely in the line of fire. I don’t claim to know attorney Maurice King well enough to speak either for or against his courtroom prowess, but I know his reputation well enough to say that he is dogged in defense of his clients’ interests. And what King noted in the ante litem (intent to sue) notice he sent to Dougherty officials on McCoy’s behalf should have more than just the four commissioners’ attention.

To wit:

— Dougherty taxpayers: Mostly because of the devastating storms that tore through the county in January of 2017 but also because of increasing state mandates and other factors, the county government is operating this fiscal year at a $3 million deficit. What that means is, at the end of the year when all the bills come due, the county is going to need to take $3 million out of its reserves to pay for everything. That may seem like a lot — and it is — but the initial projected deficit was $6 million.

You throw the potential $3 million — a number mentioned by King in his ante litem notice — loss in a lawsuit, plus attorney costs, and it’s easy to see the kind of rabbit hole the county is heading toward. One person who is very close to the situation told me a few weeks back: “There’s no way the county will be able to function without a millage rate increase next year.” Imagine, as a taxpayer, what that increase will be if McCoy is successful in his lawsuit.

— Dwindling confidence: Dougherty Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas called Monday’s vote “embarrassing,” but it runs deeper than that. While others with agendas that have nothing to do with what’s best for the taxpayers of Dougherty County are whispering into the four commissioners’ ears things like “Way to go, stick it to them …” them being some perceived enemies whose primary sin appears to be skin color, families and businesses considering a move to Albany and Dougherty County are no doubt much more inclined to take second and third looks. Others who live here who’ve grown tired of the pettiness of the board — pettiness, it should be noted, that’s costing them money — are looking for an escape route.

— Dirty laundry: One of the last things certain individuals who were involved in the Hayes vs. McCoy nastiness in Savannah, during which McCoy said the commissioner verbally and physically assaulted him, want is for Maurice King to question them under oath. Witnesses to the events that led to the altercation — and some of them were high school kids at the time — have said behind the scenes that certain school system and county officials were involved in business that had nothing to do with government or education. You think King’s going to give these people a pass when it comes time to start digging into the details of this affair?

— Breaking the law: Many in the community have criticized McCoy for threatening a lawsuit with the seemingly justifiable, “If I don’t get my way I’ll sue you” complaint. As taxpayers who have already paid $50,000 to settle one potential suit in this matter and who would end up paying for whatever amount McCoy might win if the threatened suit goes to court, they have every right to be frustrated. But King made accusations in his ante litem notice that indicate a much more serious problem.

First, King told The Albany Herald he has witnesses who will testify that members of the commission boldly proclaimed that they would never allow McCoy to serve as administrator. (Those of you who follow the Trump Follies on a regular basis will recognize the word “collusion.”) Secondly, King said that the four commissioners who voted against McCoy met in private to discuss their strategy, which, if true, means the four have broken the law and would be subject to sanctions.

Hayes, Gaines, Jones and Johnson have clearly drawn a line in the sand. They and the people who are, let’s say, “advising” them may very well be celebrating today. But the big enchilada of a question that’s hanging in the air is how much will their actions cost? And while the four are basically good people who may have been led into this no-win position, the potential heat that’s going to come down on them is minimal when compared to the financial heat that they could be dumping on the people they were elected to represent.

Contact Carlton Fletcher at [email protected] or follow on Twitter @ABH_Fletcher.