About 70 people showed up at Thursday evening’s meeting of the Clay County Board of Commissioners, many of them for a topic that wasn’t even on the agenda — the fire tax.
Instead, a sales-tax increase was the issue commissioners discussed. They agreed unanimously to start the process of putting an increase on the November ballot so voters can decide.
Then there was a matter of approval of minutes from a special meeting the commissioners called last month. Commissioner Robert Penland and, from the audience, county GOP chairman Tommy Davis questioned the accuracy of minutes posted on the county Web site.
However, Commissioner Robert Peck said the board has had 17 regular meetings and questions have never been raised about the minutes. He said he found the timing of raising them now “somewhat suspect.”
“Chairman Nichols is going to ask for a motion to approve the minutes. I’m prepared to make that motion. My fellow board members won’t second it. I think that’s sad,” Peck said. “We need to work together. We’ve got real problems in this county. I think this is a sad reflection of where we are on this board.”
“I am the person who requested twice that every statement should be in the minutes,” Penland said. “Due to the possibility that legal litigation could occur with the health department building I think we have a moral obligation to the people in the community and the subcontractors to make sure all the information is included.”
Peck’s prediction is precisely what happened. He made a motion to approve the minutes, the other commissioners sat mute and the minutes went unapproved.