COVINGTON, Ga. – Bob Stafford, one of two remaining citizen members of the Newton County Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA) resigned over the weekend leaving the authority with only one citizen member.

Stafford’s resignation marks the fourth time since April that a non-board of commissioners (BOC) member has resigned from the authority. Covington Mayor Ronnie Johnston resigned April 24 and Sharon Sawyer resigned May 4. Wayne Haynie stepped down as chairman June 5.

Last month, the BOC voted to shrink the SWMA from eight to five members with the understanding that it would be reconstituted as a seven-member authority in August.

Citizen member Phil Wise was elected to the non-voting chairman’s position June 15 and Stafford’s resignation currently leaves the SWMA with only three voting members: BOC Chairman Marcello Banes and Commissioners Lanier Sims and Nancy Schulz.

The effective date of his resignation was not indicated in Stafford’s Saturday morning email to District 1 Commissioner Stan Edwards. The next SWMA meeting is scheduled for July 20 at 5:30 p.m.