County Commissioner Tim Boyd on Wednesday issued "a very humble apology" to Jennifer and Trey Stanley, saying he had obtained bad information from newspaper archives.
Commissioner Boyd at the Feb. 4 meeting said a ruling by the state attorney general's office showed that the commission should have done as he recommended - hold up on reappointing Ms. Stanley to the Erlanger Board.
Commissioner Boyd said he had been checking newspaper archives and found that in 2011 there were "quite a bit of lawsuits" between Mr. Stanley, River City Company and the Chattanooga Housing Authority over a failed $16 million condo complex in the 700 block of Market Street.
He said, "There was over $2 million of funds controlled by Mr. Stanley and - a good portion of the funds - were never accounted for." Commissioner Boyd said he did not know what knowledge Ms. Stanley had of the condo project.
Ms. Stanley afterward issued a statement hitting Commissioner Boyd for "so recklessly attacking me and my family."
On Wednesday, Commissioner Boyd said he had been "relying on quotations and certain information I had obtained from the News Free Press and the Chattanoogan."
He said, "What I obtained from my research, I have since been informed, was based on information that was either inaccurate, incomplete or misleading."
The commissioner, in remarks that he read, said his prior statements "were in error and should not have been made."
He said he "should not have shared this information, which was in error."
He said he apologized "for any perceived personal attacks."
John Wilson, publisher of Chattanoogan, said, "Through our attorney, we will demand strict proof from Commissioner Boyd of any 'inaccurate, incomplete or misleading' information in the few articles we have published about developer Stanley."