The Sumter County Board of Commissioners met on November 12. Tax Commissioner Leah Watson addressed the Board with a request to waive the fire fees for Friendship Baptist Church.
She told how parishioners at the Church had alerted her that they had not been receiving a fire fee. “They were unaware that they had fire fees.”

She told how a mistake had occurred in billing. “I am asking the board if they would give me permission to write 2016 to ’22 off because the bill was being mailed, but it was being mailed to the wrong Friendship Church.” Smith made a motion to remove the penalties, seconded by Waddell, passing unanimously.

The Board of Commissioners then discussed the approval of the Sumter County Statement of Ethics. Interim County Administrator Douglas Eaves addressed the Board. “Our County Attorney Miss Hooks went to a seminar with other County Attorneys from around the State, last month I think it was, and one of the topics was that the County should have a operating ethics policy.” He told how they modified one from Franklin, Tennessee after it was discovered the County did not have one.

He told how it applies to officers, councils, and anything appointed by the Board of Commissioners. “It requires that any interest be disclosed in [a] manner that is to be voted on by the Board or by the Board of Commissioners.”

Eaves gave further details. “It details the restrictions on the acceptance of gifts. It gives the particular instances that’s allowable. It restricts the use of County information. It restricts the use of County time, facilities to be used strictly for County business.”

He also covered employee’s working multiple jobs. “It details. . . the restrictions on outside employment, if that outside employment impinges upon the ability of the County to achieve its duties.”

He listed three configurations, giving an example. “Option one dealt with having the County Attorney be the Ethics Officer for all matters, for all officers or boards not related to the County Commissioners themselves.”

Eaves stated that if there was a complaint against a Commissioner someone other than the attorney would need to handle it. “We would have to have an outside counsel be appointed to do that investigation.”

He summed up his view of the Ethics Statement. “If your engaged in a business that comes up for the Board, you abstain. That you don’t take your position and influence any of those actions that would impact the County.”

Eaves gave an example of the utility of the Ethics Statement. “I was approached within the past 10 days, for next year, to go to a County, look at a County, that is basically broke.”

He gave the reason the County was broke. “Their chairmen took a contract, and made three contract amendments for a friend of his.” Eaves told how the money was misspent.

While he gave that as a worst-case scenario, he told how an ethics statement would have helped.
County Attorney Hayden Hooks commented. “There would be prosecution in that case, but we all know that that can take years and this gives the Commission more immediate powers.”

Hooks gave the scope of application. “It applies to elected officials and anybody appointed. So it wouldn’t apply to rank and file employees because they’re subject to your personnel policies.”

Commissioner Clay Jones commented on Commissioners holding other Commissioners accountable. “My point, we’ve been there and done that, and we [were] wrong.”

Jones commented further on the ethics statement. “You can put it in there, but I don’t think [it’ll] hold water.”

Commissioner Jessie Smith commented. “I don’t see the need when we have a State Ethics Board.”

Eaves replied; “the State ethics board wouldn’t apply to the County Commissioners. . . I don’t believe.”

Commissioner David Baldwin asked about scope.

Hooks commented. “It’s anybody appointed by the Commissioners or elected officials.”

Jones commented. “Take the elected officials out of it.” He stated they should just do the boards and other positions. The Board tabled the ethics statement.