BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
LAKE BUTLER— At a public hearing, which was the last of three meetings in a row on Sept. 25, citizens once again approached the Union County Board of Commissioners with questions and accusations about County Coordinator Jimmy Williams and numerous infractions he has allegedly committed while working for the county.
Williams hires lawyer
Williams sought council after the public comment portion of the board’s regular meeting the previous week. He has retained the services of Joseph M. Williams and Paul M. Hawkes, the latter of which was present at the Sept. 25 meeting to speak for the county coordinator as comments were made by the public, and the board discussed the situation.
Hawkes told the board that there was animosity and a breakdown of trust between Williams and a constitutional officer.
He told the board that Williams loved Union County, but there has been much said that needed to be addressed. He outlined for the board how he and Williams would like to approach the issues – making a list of all the allegations and letting them be addressed and asking the board to allow a reasonable amount of time for this to be compiled.
Commissioner Channing Dobbs commented that he didn’t know if any decision could be made at that time.
County Attorney Russ Wade responded that everything done “now” was in the sunshine, referring to Florida’s Sunshine Laws to ensure transparency in government.
Dobbs asked if that would include email chains, and Wade answered that he had seen one, originally from Lindsey Reddish, and wants it entered into the record.
Reddish sent the email to Commissioner Mac Johns on Sept. 20, and Johns forwarded it to Wade, asking how to deal with it. Wade sent the email to the other board members, Clerk of Court and Comptroller Kellie Rhoades, and Property Appraiser Bruce Dukes, along with his comments.
In Wade’s comments, he asked commissioners not to respond further to the email chain as it was not a properly noticed public forum. To Johns, Wade recommended that he “disclose the email chain and enter it into the public record at the board’s next meeting for sunshine law purposes.”
Johns made the statement (that he also made available in the form of a packet to the citizens at the meeting) that “This is very concerning, as are several other issues about “our” Coordinator that have been brought to light recently. And since these emails are public records, let me reiterate my stance on this matter. We have a major problem in our county, and it all surrounds one person, a person that works directly for all of us. I’m all for scheduling an emergency meeting to further address these issues, and perhaps even a suspension of Mr. Williams, with pay, until we can further investigate all complaints against him.”
Allegations on home construction
Reddish’s email states that “out of compassion,” the matter she will discuss was not brought up at the last meeting. She alleges a problem concerning a home built by Williams’s construction company, BRP Properties LLC. She contended that no notice of commencement was filed with the Clerk of Court, as required by Florida Statute, and that no building permit was issued for the project. She alleges that the permit on display at the construction site is for another project Williams built in 2020 on another parcel of land. She attached what she referred to as supporting documents to the email –a copy of a 2023 Florida LLC annual report listing Williams as manager and an authorized person, a picture of the alleged incorrect building permit, and a picture of the home being constructed.
‘We’re not trying to litigate’
Hawkes responded that the issues needed to be addressed and sunshine compliance needed to be maintained. He said he needed to formulate a response with Williams. Commissioner Jimmy Tallman agreed.
Wade said that Hawkes was organizing a defense but was unaware of any prosecution at this time. He agreed that everything needed to be brought into the sunshine and asked if the board wanted to investigate.
Hawkes responded that he would be happy to see everything in the public record and wanted to address all of the public’s concerns.
“We are not trying to litigate, just address the concerns,” Hawkes said.
Perez asked Wade the best way to proceed. Wade responded, “Be cautious about making any accusations. Matters can be addressed, and questions asked. You can decide whether or not to just discharge the employee rather than discuss the matter.”
‘It is best for Mr. Williams to move on’
Perez made a statement about his views on the matter.
“I have considered all we have heard prayerfully as that is how I am about decisions I make,” Perez said. “I am embarrassed that we have gotten to this point. In my opinion, I feel like Mr. Williams has served us, coming into a sort of Wild West where we did not codify the position fully. He likes to get things done quickly, which may have hurt relations with others. He has shown us a lot of things about this position we didn’t know. At the end of the day, it will always be this way; the animosity will continue, so I think it is best for Mr. Williams to move on. I am not accusing him of anything malicious, and this is not reactionary; it is just how I feel. I propose a motion (as chair of the board Perez cannot make motions) to terminate Mr. Williams, paid through October, and keep the scheduled Oct. 3 meeting to discuss our position.”
Johns said he believes the divide is there and is irreparable and long-standing. He said people are being forced to choose sides, and it must stop.
“For the benefit of the county, I make that motion,” Johns said. “We are going down a road that is not good.”
The motion died for lack of a second.
‘Give the man due process’
Jason Davidson, a county resident, urged the board to “Never let anyone challenge your integrity” and urged the board to continue to follow protocols.
“If there is one weakness in the county, it is the following of procedures and protocols – they are the same for all,” Davidson said.
Former County Commissioner Lacey Cannon spoke to the board and said he disagreed with Davidson.
“This all started because two best friends got in a disagreement – I grew up with both of them,” Cannon said. “Look at all the facts and not believe hearsay from the public. Make an educated decision based on facts. Jimmy Williams has done a lot for the county – give the man due process.”
Perez repeated that his feelings were not influenced by any accusations.
Speaking as a county citizen and not as a department head, Road Department Supervisor Shelton “Junior” Arnold said he felt the same way as Cannon. He asked the public to calm down and let due process take place. “Jimmy has done a lot of good for the county,” Arnold said.
Reddish asked the commissioners if they had any questions for her, and Williams spoke up, asking her who took the pictures and video. She said she would send it to the whole county.
Patricia Harris, a county employee at the EMS Office, asked the board if giving Williams time to mount a defense was fair, given the treatment of then-EMS Director Wayne Clemmons when problems arose in his management of the department.
“You do one thing for one person and something else for another,” she said. “It should be the same for all.”
Perez responded that all the board must do is hear the questions.
Johns asked what the county was doing with the complaints, and Dobbs suggested going to the State Commission of Ethics for assistance.
Inspector General assistance
Commissioner Jimmy Tallman told the board that he had spoken with Union County Sheriff Brad Whitehead about calling the State Inspector General and asking that the situation be examined and investigated. “The investigator will address the commission about any findings and tell us if our actions are wrong.”
He made a motion for the board to approve his making the call and beginning the process, and the motion passed 4-0 (with Commissioner Willie Croft absent from the meeting). Perez suggested canceling the Oct. 3 special meeting, and the board agreed.
County resident Courtney Douglas complained about the cancelation of the meeting, the purpose of which was to go over policies and procedures.
She said: “We need a clear understanding of county policies and procedures and find ways to evaluate and develop them.”
Perez said that would be difficult during an investigation and that waiting would be best. Dobbs added that, when the matter was addressed, he would like to look at county-owned properties and their uses in the county.
Williams spoke up on policies and procedures, saying that he had been working on structuring them for a long time, and he thanked Douglas for her comment.
