JONESBORO — In its Tuesday, Nov. 7 meeting, the Clayton County Board of Commissioners appointed DeMont Davis as vice chair — a move former vice chair Felicia Franklin deemed as unlawful.
The County Commission removed Franklin as vice chair at its Oct. 23 meeting and also voted to suspend two sections of the Board’s rules related to Franklin’s board appointments and zoning recommendations.
For the next 12 months, beginning Oct. 23, board appointments from District 3 will be on an at-large basis and motions in zoning requests for District 3 will be initiated by the presiding officer.
“It’s a sad day because we are not abiding by our own rules,” she said after the vote to appoint Davis as vice chair. Franklin cast the lone dissenting vote against Davis.
Near the beginning of the Nov. 7 meeting, Franklin made comments about the Davis’ appointment and about a Development Authority appointment that is from her district but is now at-large.
“It’s very concerning to me considering the fact that unfortunately I heard that because of a traumatic and unfortunate incident I experienced was embarrassing to the Board,” she said. “What’s most embarrassing to me is that everybody on this Board has the opportunity to go to the ACCG (Association County Commissioners of Georgia) and understand our roles and responsibilities and it’s my concern that because this is going to cost the Board because the citizens of this county have a voice.”
She said the Board has a right to voice its displeasure “but they do not have the right to take away the vote of the people and so these items are definitely of great concern.”
The County Commission sanctioned Franklin in October after a Sept. 29 incident where Franklin said she was drugged at a sports bar in Morrow.
According to reports, a police officer found Franklin lying on a bench and…
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