Shannon Whitfield Already At Work Eliminating Sole Commissioner Post In Walker County; Process To Take 4 Years

  • Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Shannon Whitfield is already at work eliminating the position he won by a landslide in the recent election.

Mr. Whitfield, who takes over at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1 after a 16-year reign by Bebe Heiskell, noted, however, that it is a four-year process.

He said the two House members and local senator are working with him on legislation that must first be approved. That should be taken up in the first quarter of 2017.

He said once that is in place there would need to be a vote by Walker County citizens on a binding referendum. The first that could happen is November 2018.

Then the new executive and legislative posts that are created would need to be filled in the next general election, which would be November 2020, when there is another presidential vote.

The new officeholders would take their seats in January 2021.

Mr. Whitfield said Walker County is one of only eight in the state of Georgia still retaining the sole commission with no legislative body.

On the topic of the county's property at McLemore Cove, he said he plans to issue a request for proposals. He said he wants to see the county retain title to the property, but have an outside firm operate it.

As far as the looming Erlanger Health System debt, he said it will likely not be until he takes office that he will have full access to all the information about it.

Mr. Whitfield said he will be working with a panel of private citizens to go over the county budget. He said the group will be seeking to find ways to operate more efficiently and to reprioritize county spending.

He said he expects to be sworn into office the last week of December at the courthouse in LaFayette.

Mr. Whitfield will be leaving his family's Whitfield Oil firm. He said his father, who is the president and 100 percent owner, will continue to head it up.


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