County Judge Executive Calls for Resignation of Three Utility Board Members, CAUD Manager

County Judge Executive Larry Russell Bryant dropped in about 15 minutes prior to the Columbia Adair Utilities District meeting Thursday and handed three board members and the manager a letter.

Bryant walked up to a table where board chairman David Jones, board members Terry Partin and Junior Brown, and manager Lenny Stone were sitting and started tossing sealed envelopes to each person at the table.

"I've got something I want to give you before – and I'm out of here. You won't have to listen no more," Bryant said.

Board members joked that the envelope contained a paycheck but they were not surprised to learn the letter was a request for them to resign. Bryant left the boardroom and Stone read the letter a few minutes before the meeting started. Tim Baker, who was just recently appointed to the board by Bryant, came into the boardroom after Bryant left.

Bryant was listed on the agenda to speak, and when the board meeting began and they came to that item on the agenda, Stone went first but he and all three board members said they do not intend to resign.  Board members conferred with the board attorney about writing a letter to formally inform Bryant of their decision.

Also during the meeting, Stone said the auditors have been asked to review audits from the past five years and are scheduled to attend the March meeting. He said there have been reports that the district has lost $5 million in five years and that is not true. The auditors will discuss the finances at the March meeting.

Bryant presenting the letters to the board members is recorded on the Community Voice Facebook page. The full meeting may also be viewed there. Full coverage of the meeting will be available in next week's edition of the Community Voice.

By Sharon Burton

snburton@adairvoice.com

A letter asking three CAUD board members to resign was presented by Judge Executive Larry Russell Bryant.