NEWTON COUNTY – Two items that originally appeared on the Newton County Board of Commissioners’ (BOC) consent agenda were tabled until 2025 at Tuesday’s meeting.

In a move that was supported by three of the commissioners, the BOC decided to table several board appointments as well as a drafted resolution regarding the completion of District 3 projects until the first meeting of 2025.

Both items were initially listed as “9b” and “9m” on the consent agenda, a portion of the agenda that is usually voted on in one clean slate. However, District 1 commissioner and current vice-chair Stan Edwards made the motion to move both items to the regular agenda.

Edwards told The Covington News that the move was made due to feeling the need to have more discussion.

“I motioned to move the items because I felt they needed a separate vote, not just an obligatory consent vote,” Edwards said. “That type action [sic] is nothing new to the board.”

The vote passed 3-2, with District 3 and 4 commissioners Alana Sanders and J.C. Henderson opposing.

When looking at board appointments, the following appointments were listed for board discussion:

• Vice-Chairman - District 2 commissioner Demond Mason
• Viewpoint Health Board -  District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason
• Zoning Board of Appeals: Dr. Nick Hathorn (Chairman’s Appointment), James Chapman (District 1), Darren Wiggins (District 2), Marie Milien (District 3) and James Russell (District 4)
• Planning Commission: Ernie Smith (District 1), Alan Milhouse (District 2), Tiffanie Benton (District 3) and Mary Reed (District 4)

District 5 commissioner Ronnie Cowan made the motion to table these appointments until 2025, citing the need to have incoming commissioner LeAnne Long make the appointments for their district. This was seconded by Edwards.

But while at least two of the commissioners seemed to be on board with this, Sanders was not. In fact, she claimed this was done as a direct result from her appointment choices.

“This is all because of District 3 appointments,” Edwards said. “There is no appointment on here [sic] that says District 5, none whatsoever.”

Sanders claimed that both Milien and Benton – both vocal supporters of hers in past meetings – were contacted in October about their respective appointments and that they would be placed on the agenda. 

The sitting District 3 commissioner claimed that this was “all a plot,” comparing it to last year’s requested appointment of Cynthia Butler to the Newton County Tax Assessors Board, which ultimately failed.

“If commissioner Cowan wants to move that way, then that’s fine,” Sanders said regarding Cowan’s district appointments. “But to put that stipulation on every district because you want to move that way, then that should not happen.”

The motion carried 3-2 in favor of tabling the 2025 appointments, meaning that they are now subject to change under the new board’s discretion.

The board then moved on the proposed District 3 resolution, which was drafted in hopes of completing many District 3 projects that are in the pipeline. Current District commissioner-elect Stephanie Lindsey is set to succeed Sanders after June’s runoff election.

According to Sanders, this was done by the suggestion of chairman Lanier Sims, who did the same when he left office in Dec. 2018 in the District 2 seat. Official county minutes show that the 2018 resolution passed unanimously during Dec. 4, 2018’s BOC meeting.

The District 3 resolution is set to promise the completion of Westside Youth Facility, the Westside Park, shuttle systems for the Westside Youth Facility, the 120-acre nature park and walking and biking trails near Fairview Road.

Sanders made the motion to approve the resolution as written, which was seconded by Henderson. However, Mason – who was on the other side of these discussions five years ago – said that while there were many “valid points,” that the board needed to revisit this resolution in January.

The substitute motion to table this matter to 2025 also passed with a 3-2 vote.

Following the outcome of the vote, some citizens spoke out, including longtime resident Mya Allen.

“The only thing that changed on those appointments were District 3 appointments, as previously stated,” Allen said. “Commissioner Sanders, her resolution, this is nothing new. It may be different projects, but it’s nothing new.”

Planning commission representative Benton also had plenty of words to say about the matter.

“Your actions have unjustly and obtusely affected the taxpayers in District 3, and District 3 only,” Benton said. “...Shame on you. This is far from a OneNewton. What you have done in District 3 is reprehensible.”

Allen also alleged that Edwards, Mason and Cowan conspired to table the item before the meeting, which would not be allowed due to a quorum being present. Edwards addressed Allen’s accusations in an email sent to The News.

“The extent of any conversations I participated in prior to the meeting were of the typical nature and brief,” Edwards said. “There are those who feel that simple disagreements are not  permitted. Those people believe there has to be a victim and a villain in every scenario and when those people do not get what they desire, they play the victim. The last four years have seen that play out time and time again to the point the board was rendered dysfunctional with an added circus type atmosphere at times.”

Both items are set to go before the board again on Jan. 7.