Gilmer County had 2,145 citizens vote in last week’s runoff election for Post One Commissioner between Dallas Miller and Leon Watkins. Miller received 1331 votes over Watkins 814 votes. (62% – 38%). 9% of the 14,000 plus registered voters sent a clear message to the Commissioner’s office that “business as usual” would no longer be accepted.This may become known as the “golf course election” after Marc Reece defaulted on his lease of the Whitepath Golf Course. This past summer the county had to take over the day to day management of the golf course. Chairman Sanford wants the county to continue running the course while Post 2 Commissioner, Danny Hall wants to put the course out for bid. Watkins seemed to support Sanford’s position of letting the county run the course while Miller wants to put the course out for bid.

Why did Watkins lose? He is from Gilmer County. Most everybody knows “Leon”. It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like Watkins or say anything bad about him. According to the amount of print, internet, and signs; Watkins outspent his opponent by a sizable amount. Monday and Tuesday Watkins stood out in the rain at the corner of Hwy 5 and 282 waving his sign at passers by. Watkins could not have worked any harder and that is what he told FYN Tuesday night after learning he had lost the election,

“I could not have worked any harder. I don’t know what else I could have done. I don’t know what happened.”

So why did Watkins lose to Dallas “Who” Miller?

When Dallas Miller announced his candidacy for Post 1 people were saying “Dallas Who?” So how did a newcomer to the county with little name recognition win? First Miller went and spoke to any group that would invite him. If it was two or ten people, in someone’s living room or at a business, day or night Miller went and introduced himself. Second the Gilmer County Tea Party played a part, however the Tea Party did not officially endorse Miller. When the Tea Party hosted a Post 1 candidate debate it had an impartial moderator and did not ask questions themselves. Although they did not endorse him, its core membership worked countless hours emailing, setting up meet and greets, going door to door, phone calls, and putting out signs. A real grass roots campaign.

One could understand the hard work paying off for the Miller campaign if the other candidates were as equally unknown or not qualified. Watkins was neither so what happened? The possible answer could be Commission Chair J.C. Sanford. It has been said in several circles that Watkins was “Sanford’s candidate”. If true, perhaps this election was a vote against Sanford. Sanford’s first three years have been very tumultuous. Sanford served four years as a post commissioner before being elected as Chairman. Although Sanford was not in office when the county incurred the majority of its debt he was in office when the fire stations were being built and the Civic Center was getting a 1.3 million dollar face lift along with the diversion of funds from the Clear Creek ball fields to build a new club house at the golf course. In December of 2010 Sanford was made aware by the County Chief Financial officer that then Chairman Mark Chastain took $900,000 from the SPLOST account to pay off the TAN note. That is against the law. Sanford’s first official meeting in January of 2011 he announced that the County’s budget was 1.5 million dollars in the red. Did he not know this one month earlier when Chastain handed him the gavel and announced he was proud that he was leaving the county in the black? It’s hard to imagine Sanford did not know this.

The financial condition of the county in 2011 left Sanford very few choices. Faced with declining property values and sales tax dollars, Sanford had to find ways to create revenue. He cut the county operating budget, increased property tax by 1 mil to meet bond payments and imposed a $1 per bag fee to dispose of household trash.

Citizens were not happy with the increases in fees and taxes but did not totally hold Sanford responsible. They knew he had to make revenue decisions. They quickly lost their understanding after learning how Sanford was running the county. He missed an opportunity to refinance the County’s debt that would have saved 1.5 million dollars. The county’s two largest assets, the airport and the golf course, are now back in the County’s control after both tenants defaulted on their lease. The county purchased the Tenant’s assets and released them from the liability of paying any past due rent or the balance of their lease. Both tenants left owing the citizens of Gilmer county thousands of dollars. This left many questioning the need for the position of Golf Course and Airport Liaison. This position is currently held by Jim Smith. The list of questionable decisions goes on and on in this administration.

Sanford is famous for holding three to four hour workshops and special called meetings. He has called as many as five or six special called meetings in one month. He seems to have difficulty making decisions and when citizens ask about his indecisive behavior or how he arrives at his decisions he usually responds with

“it’s complicated.”

Some have described him as stubborn. When Sanford seems to have his mind made up on something no amount of advice from citizens or an opposing position from a Post Commissioner can change his mind. Sanford repeatedly created frustration for Commissioner Will Beattie and Randy Bell. Bell commented several times that Sanford acted like a sole commissioner and if he wanted his way he would just wait you out, wear you down to the point to where you just gave up. Hall continues to experience the same frustrations. Sanford appears to make it extremely difficult for post commissioners to get issues on the meeting agenda. He may place the subject on the discussion list of the workshop but Post Commissioner’s issues never seem to make it to the agenda for a vote.

I could give several more examples such as the Clear Creek Ball Fields, Blackberry Mountain river access, and the Cherry Log Fire station not to mention we still have not received last year’s County audit. Sanford has not listened to the voice of the voters. Maybe he should have listened to the voters who put Bell in office. Bell promised voters that he would work to do something about the golf course, airport, finish the Clear Creek ball fields and end the position of a Golf Course and Airport Liaison. In light of the recent election of Miller, it would seem if Sanford wishes to seek a second term he will need to start listening to the voters ASAP. Unhappy with Gilmer’s enormous debt and the lack of a plan for economic development, citizens are showing they will not accept the status quo any longer.

Charlie Paris is the only one who has officially announced his candidacy for Chair Commissioner. Sanford has not announced if he will run for reelection. Sources tell FYN that post commissioner Danny Hall and Mark Simmons are considering a run for the office. Another name that surfaces is Jack Smith, who after supporting Sanford in an effort to use the Airport as a Drone testing facility caused a split in the Gilmer Tea Party.

If Sanford decides to run he is still well liked and considered honest and hard worker but then again so is Leon Watkins and he lost. Gilmer County election season will start back up January 2014. Here we go again.