LONG COUNTY, Ga. () — A Long County commissioner is in the spotlight due to a GBI investigation and a series of arrests, coinciding with significant budget reductions in the county.
It’s been months since Long County Commissioner Robert Parker was arrested for alleged theft of government money.
Tuesday, his fellow commissioners brought a motion to petition the governor to suspend him, but for now, it seems their hands are tied.
Parker was arrested in February and has not been to the last several commission meetings according to those present.
During a highly attended meeting, with Parker’s seat once again absent, other commissioners received official word about what’s next for him.
A Representative from the County Attorney’s office indicated that currently, a motion to have the governor oust Parker from his role would not legally impact the situation. The possibility for the governor to take action arises only after an indictment occurs.
In the meantime, voters do have the power to vote out Parker with a recall vote. Many attendees said they’d be interested in a recall vote, especially since he is still being paid for the job of commissioner.
Parker’s potential removal was only one of over 20 items on the agenda. Another item people came out for was the county manager’s most recent financial report.
When asked about recent cuts to county jobs and services, the commissioners who spoke to said the decisions were hard to make but ultimately, because of the dire financial situation, the county has no choice.
