By Bob Henderson
Staff Writer
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The air was full of bombast and acrimony at the Green Cove Springs City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Oct. 21. When it was over, not much had changed.
Councilmember John Buchanan says he still meets council residency requirements, but others challenged him on it.
City Manager Don Bowles says he acted properly in constructing a walkway and bathroom in Spring Park and refurbishing the Hogans Gym at Augusta Savage Center; his detractors insist he did not and continue to call for an investigation.
The discussion ranged over two items of the 35-item agenda and consumed a lion’s share of the five-hour meeting.
Referring to a memo he had written to City Attorney Jim Arnold last week, Councilmember Bob Page said, "There have been persistent rumors in the community over the past few months regarding the qualification of a councilmember to continue to serve on the Council." He said that citizens had been sending him packets of official documents for the past three or four weeks showing that the councilmember in question had purchased property outside the city limits.
Arnold read the qualifications from the City Charter but said, "You will have to look at all the facts; there is also the matter of content." He said there are many definitions of residence one of which is that "it’s the place you leave from and the place to which you intend to return."
A couple of audience members asked to speak.
Pam Lewis told the Council, "He does not live on Magnolia; I walk by there every single morning. John should be subject to the Charter just like everyone else."
Scott Bentley, speaking directly to Buchanan, said, "I voted for you; I think you’ve done a good job, but you should be subject to the Charter."
Vice-mayor Felecia Hampshire did not address the question directly but said, "I don’t get where we’re going here; it seems we’re at each other."
"We are responsible to the people who elected us," Councilmember Debbie Ricks said. She said they expected councilmembers to abide by the Charter. "We are trying to go by the Charter in everything else," she said.
Buchanan, acknowledging that he is the subject of the question, said, "This is a personal issue between my wife and me." He reminded members that he owns many pieces of property around town as does his wife. He agreed that his name is on the mortgage on the Ivy Lane property, but not on the deed.
Buchanan said that he often stays at buildings he is remodeling but that they are not his residence. He said the property is for sale. "Page campaigned against me," Buchanan said. "You guys didn’t want me in office and you’re looking for any little thing. You want to get back in power."
As the Council prepared to move on, Page reminded them that a second part of his request was that each member reaffirm that he or she is eligible to remain on the Council.
Each did, and that was that.
Several items later, the Council discussed funding of a special investigator to look into Bowles’ activities. The City Manager was back on the hot seat.
Previously, Finance Director Sue Heath had sent councilmembers a memo suggesting several sources of potential funding.
Mayor Mike Kelter took issue with her suggestions. "I cannot agree with penalizing veterans or kids," he said.
Later Kelter said, "My dream is, if we come out of this sordid affair, we will be able to build a budget and live with it."
Speaking as a citizen, Marilyn Haddock told the council, "I question if this is even legal right now." She pointed out that the subject of an investigation had never appeared on any agenda but had grown out of another discussion. She said that, according to the Charter, if it were to be approved at all, it should be as an emergency item or appear on a subsequent agenda.
Arnold agreed. "We have been lulled asleep and expanded our agendas. Items that are not on the agenda are there." He said he would be more alert in the future to avoid that.
Responding to a comment from Haddock regarding, "John’s hatred for Don," Buchanan said, "People don’t see the emails that are not answered, the phone calls that aren’t returned."
Ricks said there should be no investigation but that Bowles should provide a full accounting of his activities. "We need a healing," she said.
"In my opinion, a cleansing is necessary," Kelter said.
Bowles had sat silently long enough.
"You’re just harassing me so I’ll quit," he said. Earlier, he had labeled the whole matter a witch hunt. "I’ve run this city honorably for 10 years. The city is in the best financial shape it has ever been. If you want to play by new rules, tell me what they are."
Bowles noted that if it came to court action, he could defend himself, and he had done so before.
Buchanan retorted, "During the election, you knocked on doors telling people not to vote for me. "
Bowles responded, "You came to my office and told me to fire (Code Enforcement Officer) Sam Weaver and got mad when I didn’t. That’s interference with administration."
Seeking to end the discussion, Arnold told the council that, in view of the evening’s discussion he would recommend that they either approve an investigation as an emergency measure or schedule it for another meeting.
Since funding of a special investigation was on the agenda, the council approved that. They then placed approval of the investigation itself on a special meeting agenda already scheduled for Nov. 6.
bhenderson@jcpgroup.com
October 22nd 2008 - 5:16PM