The candidates for chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners are split over a grand jury’s recommendation to reorganize the board they aspire to lead.
Last October the grand jury recommended the commission be revamped after the jury’s 10-month investigation of county land purchases led to the resignations of two commissioners.
Some jurors favored making all commissioners full time, while others wanted an expanded board, but no consensus was reached. Their ambivalence is reflected in the views of the four candidates seeking to replace Chairman Charles Bannister, who resigned to avoid indictment by the grand jury. Some candidates aren’t convinced any change is needed.
“It’s not necessarily the structure [of the commission] that’s the problem,” said one, Charlotte Nash of Dacula. “It’s the behavior of the commissioners that has led to this situation.”
The jury in October found Gwinnett County routinely overpaid for land, even after the real estate market collapsed. It concluded commissioners used some land purchases to reward political allies and punish rivals.
The jury indicted Commissioner Kevin Kenerly for agreeing to accept $1 million for his vote to approve one land purchase. Kenerly has denied wrongdoing but resigned in November.
The jury decided not to indict Bannister for perjury after he offered to resign in October.
Jurors offered a host of recommendations to address problems. Perhaps the most sweeping: a reshuffling of the County Commission.
The five-member Board of Commissioners is composed of a full-time chairman elected countywide and four part-time commissioners elected from districts.
Jurors were split over the best way to remake the commission. A majority favored making all commissioners full time. They felt full-time commissioners could be “better informed and make better decisions.”
But other jurors favored keeping commissioners part time but increasing the number. Smaller districts would reduce commissioners’ workload and provide better representation of each district, they said.
The four candidates seeking to replace Bannister in a March 15 special election differ on the grand jury’s recommendations.
Gerald Duane Kissel of Snellville supports making commissioners full time, with one caveat. He’d like to see commissioners limited to two terms in office.
“The president’s out in two terms, and he runs the nation,” Kissel said.
Will Costa of Lilburn said expanding the board to seven members — one representing a district and another elected at-large — would “allow for more diversity of thought.” But Costa believes the ultimate solution would be to incorporate more of Gwinnett County so commissioners have less power.
“Smaller governments that are closer to the people will be better able to serve their people than one large county government that tries to be all things to everyone,” Costa said.
Nash expressed concern about expanding the commission beyond seven members, a move she said could require a committee system that would become “another layer of bureaucracy.”
Nash also expressed reservations about making commissioners full time. She said part-time commissioners have “real jobs” and experiences outside government that keep them in touch with ordinary citizens.
Larry Gause of Tucker opposes both a full-time commission and expanding the number of commissioners. But he said it’s “up to the residents of Gwinnett to vote on the issue and work with the state Legislature.”
Any change to the commission would require the approval of the state General Assembly.
Last week the Gwinnett delegation in the General Assembly announced it has appointed a committee to study the commission’s makeup and other issues. The committee plans to conduct public hearings in the coming year and make recommendations in time for the 2012 legislative session.
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