Gwinnett Daily Post

SNELLVILLE - About the only thing the Evermore Community Improvement District's Board of Directors could agree on at Wednesday's monthly meeting was adjournment.

What was clear, though, is that the battle for control of the board is heating up and the ensuing fight could include a possible recall election involving two of the board's members as early as March.

The bickering between the two factions began at the onset of the board meeting for the quasi-governmental agency, which represents property owners along U.S. Highway 78 who voluntarily tax themselves in order to improve the aesthetics and safety of the district.

Founding members Dwight Harrison and Kenny King requested additional discussion items and wording be added to the agenda and executive minutes. Some of those agenda items included accessibility to the CID's attorney by board members, the vendors used for printing materials - namely Vice Chairman Jimmy Norton's Kipha Communications - and the recall election King, Harrison, Forrest Adair and Emory Morsberger are seeking for members Dean Robinson and Ken Shiver.

Because Morsberger was not yet present at the beginning of the meeting, King's request was denied. He then asked for wording to be added to the minutes that related to the December firing of former economic development manager David Stedman.

With Stedman seated in the front row during discussion of the open economic development position, Harrison questioned whether the board should have input in hiring or if it should be left the CID's Executive Director Brett Harrell.

"I do not think you have that authority," Harrison said to Harrell.

Harrell provided a copy of his employment contract after the two-hour plus session and the wording of it states that he, as the executive director can, "administer and manage the CID programs," and can also "oversee staffing, operations and financial components of the CID."

After chairman Gary Custar read a statement on his concern about the future of the CID and the potential implications of recalling Robinson and Shiver, Harrison chimed in with accusations of conflicts of interest on Norton and Harrell's part regarding the printing operations of the CID and board member's access to the CID attorney.

"When you have restricted access to the attorney you make policy without this board voting on it," Harrison said. "You don't even own property on 78, you don't pay any taxes on 78. You were not voted in by the members.

"You were appointed by the commissioners," he said. "So in essence, right now we're having policy that is made by elected officials and not by the property owners. And that was not the way this (CID) was intended."