After hearing from concerned citizens and county employees, incoming Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield said he discovered late Wednesday evening that Commissioner Bebe Heiskell had made an improper transfer of ownership of a 2012 Ford Explorer.
He said it was transferred at below market value from Walker County government to the Walker County Water & Sewer Authority.
He said Commissioner Heiskell has driven the 2012 Ford Explorer for personal as well as county business use continuously since the vehicle was purchased new.
Commissioner Whitfield said sources told him that Commissioner Heiskell "wanted to take the county vehicle with her for a newly created six figure income public relations job at the Walker County Water & Sewer Authority that she would be starting next week."
He said Ms. Heiskell "denied having reached a firm arrangement for her employment at the Water Authority, but failed to provide any alternate explanation for the improper transfer of the county vehicle."
Commissioner Whitfield, having access to the master inventory of all county vehicles, said he visited the Walker County Tax Commissioner's office in Rock Spring to verify that the transfer had been made.
He said, "I was very shocked when I was told by the Tax Commissioner’s office that the vehicle was now registered to the Walker County Water & Sewer Authority. It was just unbelievable that Bebe would pull such a stunt. I was very disappointed in her actions to take advantage of the citizens of Walker County in her last few days in office. I knew that I needed to take action to try and stop Bebe's last minute plans."
Commissioner Whitfield said he was successful in getting an emergency hearing yesterday morning in front of Superior Court Judge Ralph Van Pelt, Jr., to hear the case of the allegedly improper vehicle transfer.
He said, "There was county employee testimony in court that Commissioner Heiskell told county employees that she would be employed in a newly created job at the Walker County Water & Sewer Authority and had transferred ownership of her county vehicle to the authority just yesterday, so she would have the vehicle to drive in her new job next week. When attorney Skip Patty questioned Commissioner Heiskell under oath as to whether she was planning on being employed next week at the Water Authority, the commissioner admitted that she had discussed working at the Water Authority, but stated that the arrangements for her employment had not been finalized."
Commissioner Whitfield said his efforts "were successful in getting the court to stop the improper transfer of title of the Ford Explorer."
Commissioner Whitfield also asked the court for an injunction to stop Commissioner Heiskell from appointing three new board members to the Walker County Water & Sewer Authority. His efforts were unsuccessful in stopping herl from making the appointments on her next to the last day in office. Outgoing Commissioner Heiskell moved forward with her 3 p.m. commissioner meeting in LaFayette and appointed longtime supporters Bill Cooke, Michael Haney and Annette North to the Water Authority Board.
Commissioner Whitfield said, "It is anticipated this will give Commissioner Heiskell the needed votes to create the scheme for a pathway to be employed at the Water Authority in the newly created public relations position. These board appointments block incoming Commissioner me from having the opportunity of serving on the Water Authority Board until the next term expires, in this case being John Culpepper on May 31, 2017. It is at this time Mr. Whitfield would become the board chairman per the Enabling Act by the Georgia General Assembly in 1977 that created the Walker County Water & Sewer Authority.
Shannon Whitfield will officially take office as Sole Commissioner of Walker County, Georgia, on Sunday at 12"01 a.m.