Gilmer County Citizen Greg Altman says he intends to write a letter to Probate Judge Anita Mullins, asking her to give a county charter oath to Board of Commissioner Chairman JC Sanford and Post 2 Commissioner Danny Hall. Post 1 Commissioner Randy Bell has already taken the county charter oath.Made during last month’s board of commissioner’s meeting, Altman’s comment refers to an October 2011 Gilmer County Grand Jury decision. In October 2011, a grand jury was unable to indict Former Commission Chairman Mark Chastain for allegedly making a false statement and a profit from a public works project following evidence showing that Chastain had not taken the proper county oath of office to uphold the county charter.

After all evidence was made public in 2012, a grand jury then decided to provide recommendations to the Board of Commissioners based on its civil investigation. As such, a grand jury report recommended the county charter oath be administered to each remaining member of the Board of Commissioners, however, the commissioners chose not to take the oath.

In his request in December, Altman said the reason he is asking Sanford and Hall to take the oath is because incoming Post 1 Commissioner Randy Bell took both the state and county charter oath when he was sworn in on December 18th. Bell, who was elected this past July, took both the state and county oath upon County Attorney David Clark’s recommendation. Bell was the first commissioner to take the oath in the 19 years Judge Mullins has been administering it.

Although Clark himself said he found the county oath redundant, he recommended Bell take the oath because of the Chastain Case.

“I don’t think the swearing of an additional oath at this point in time is necessary. You’re going backwards. As future chairman and commissioners are sworn in, we will do that as an abundance of caution,”

Clark explained during the December meeting.

When FYN ‘s Brian Pritchard asked if Sanford and Hall will now consider taking the county charter oath since Bell had taken it, Chairman Sanford and Commissioner Hall said they would not take the oath unless the situation came up when reelected.

“I would have to be made to do it,”

Hall said in the meeting.

Regardless, Altman says he will now write a letter to Judge Mullins asking her to administer the oath to the two commissioners.

To see the Board of Commissioners full response, please view the video below.

2013 Jan Gilmer Gov BOC – Citizen and FYN Ask Commissions If They Will Take Oath from Fetch on Vimeo.