What Commissioner Jones states is inaccurate. Ms Harris has not been found in violation of any code. She seems to not understand that Ms. Harris does not own Edgewater Condos.
Meadows ponders planning appointment, speaks frankly about commission’s decision
By DEBORAH WHEELER
267-4555 | @WaltonSunDeb
dwheeler@waltonsun.com
Posted Dec 19, 2015 at 3:00 PM
Walton County Commissioner Cindy Meadows doesn’t know who she can find to replace Suzanne Harris on the county planning commission.
Meadows said she’s not sure there’s anyone willing to take the abuse Harris did from county administrators and elected officials.
“Who am I gonna want to go through the type of character assassination that they put Suzanne through?” she said. “Who is going to want to serve?”
Commissioners voted 4-1 on Dec. 8 to remove Harris, Meadows’ appointee to the planning board. Meadows cast the vote against removal.
Harris has been critical of county government and had publicly stated plans to run against current Commissioner Bill Imfeld.
The vote to remove a fellow board member’s appointment was unprecedented, Meadows said, and sent the wrong kind of message.
“If we don’t like you or if you complain, we will assassinate your character,” Meadows said. “Keep your mouth shut.”
District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones said she voted to oust Harris for failing to adhere to county codes and ordinances.
“The appointment or reappointment of any individual who has failed to comply or is found in noncompliance of the codes and ordinances they are sworn to represent is paramount,” said Jones.
A pair of planning commissioners had attempted unsuccessfully to remove Harris on Oct. 8 on the grounds she had missed two consecutive meetings without notifying the board chairman.
Rather than removing her at that time, the planning board voted to clarify its notification procedures.
Following the Dec. 8 vote, tension between the county commissioners was high.
Jones called the entire discussion concerning the reappointment “an overheated distraction and diversion from the real challenges we face as a county.”
Imfeld and Commissioner Bill Chapman declined to comment for this story.
Harris said she feels being denied a return to the Planning Commission was retaliation for her announcing plans to seek Imfeld’s seat.
She said she still intends to run for a county commission seat, but hasn’t decided yet in which district she’s going to run.
“I am just trying to decide between Imfeld and Chapman’s seat — unless someone better steps up and wants to run, and then I would support them,” she said.
Harris served on the board for three years. She has lived in South Walton since 2004.
Meadows, along with Imfeld and Chapman, will be up for re-election in 2016.