Last week, Walker County Sole Commissioner Bebe Heiskell announced she will run for re-election as an independent and thereby leaving the Walker County Republican Party. The commissioner stated as one of her reasons for leaving the Republican Party was that the Tea Party had taken over the executive committee of the Walker County Republican Party. I am both a member of the Northwest Georgia Tea Party and the County Committee of the Walker County Republican Party. I speak, however, as a private citizen representing neither group.
The commissioner seems surprised that conservatives and Tea Party members hold a majority of leadership positions in the Walker County Republican Party. She shouldn't. At last year's Walker County Republican Convention, a record number of citizens attended. In my case, I was elected as a precinct chairman with about half the votes that I received coming from Heiskell supporters. Other members of the County Committee had similar experiences. Also, it should be noted that Walker County resides in the 14th Congressional District, one of the most conservative congressional districts in the country. The people elected at last year's convention to serve in the Walker County GOP reflect the beliefs and values of the citizens of Walker County.
In my opinion, Commissioner Heiskell is running as an independent for a couple of reasons. First, there are two local businessmen with solid experience and high levels of integrity running in the Walker County Republican Primary. It would be difficult, if not impossible for the commissioner to finish ahead of both of these gentlemen. Second, there are many things in the commissioner's record which Tea Party members and conservatives have issues with.
The big issue is the runaway spending in Walker County government. First, the commissioner has financially backed Hutcheson Medical Center, which has tentatively been sold in bankruptcy court. It was clear to many residents in 2011 that Hutcheson was in serious financial trouble. Many of the family doctors who previously sent patients to Hutcheson stopped doing so. Even with an infusion of capital from Walker and Catoosa Counties, along with a $20 million loan from Erlanger backed by both counties, the hospital couldn't make it. And now, Commissioner Heiskell is attempting to contest Walker County's part of the loan even while Catoosa County is working with Erlanger to resolve their liability. Due to the Hutcheson situation, the county's bond rating has been lowered to almost junk ratings.
There is also the issue of the purchase of part of Mountain Cove Farms. The county invested millions in remodeling buildings and opened a restaurant, wedding venue, RV park, frisbee golf course and an archery range. All these businesses may be good business ventures but they should be funded with private capital, not county tax dollars. In fact, the county's restaurant, according to published reports, lost $900,000 in one year and is now closed.
There are also the issues of two consent orders issued against the county by the Georgia Department of Revenue for issues with the Walker County tax digest and the Georgia EPD for environmental damage at Rock Creek, where Walker County constructed a bridge which damaged the environment and resulted in a $75,000 fine which has still not been paid.
Probably the biggest reason Commissioner Heiskell left the Walker County GOP is that last fall the County Committee of the Walker County Republican Party voted unanimously to place a straw question on primary ballot on May 24 to ask citizens if the would prefer to have a board of commissioners instead of a sole commissioner form of government. Many of us believe that citizens need more representation in the county to give citizens more input into the government's decisions and provide much needed transparency.
Will Commissioner Heiskell win re-election in November? Only time will tell. My bet is that just as the commissioner abandoned the Walker County Republican Party, citizens will abandon Commissioner Heiskell at the ballot box.
Mike Cameron
Rossville