The message to three Martin County Commissioners by frustrated Martin County taxpayer Martha MacDonald was plain.
“Simply put, if you can’t play, honestly and nice, it is time for y’all to pick up your toys and to go home because the street lights have come on and they’re beginning to shine brightly,” MacDonald said.
She directed her thoughts to Commissioners Ronnie Smith, Emily Biggs and Dempsey Bond during last week’s Martin County Commission meeting’s public comment session.
“Another meeting. No commissioner’s expenditures on the agenda. No updated travel. No workshop or conference report. Why the delay? Obviously, this board is fractured when simple citizen requests cannot be honored,” she said. “I would go as far as saying it’s pretty slim.
“Case in point, the hiring of a county manager,” she continued. “By all reports, including the interview reported on in our local paper, there have been several qualified applicants,” MacDonald said. “Eight months, no action by the board, and still no county manager.
She continued explaining her concerns to the board.
“A broken board that can’t be repaired or won’t work together,” MacDonald said. “Still no answers about unexplained raises. Questions of who authorized and where is the documentation echoed not only by the citizens, but also by the auditor during the recent audit report.”
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) began an investigation into the county’s finances in November 2023. Since concluding the investigation and sending the file to Martin County District Attorney Seth Edwards, the county’s auditing firm, Carr, Riggs and Ingram, uncovered approximately $382,000 in unauthorized, undocumented raises, during the audit, according to the firm’s auditor, Madonna Stafford. The report covers the fiscal year 2022-23. This finding fueled citizen frustration.
“Does anyone want to share the truth? Because of this action, a record lack of action by three board members, there are many things that this county does not have. No hospital, no county manager, no working leadership, no new industry, no growth. It was what we live here with no transparency and no answers,” said MacDonald.
Lifelong resident Heber Coltrain believes the hiring of former county manager James Bennett was a conspiracy perpetrated by Smith.
“I believe that what took place was a carefully planned conspiracy,” Coltrain said. “I believe our former chairman, who some citizens are now referring to as the head of the snake, carefully planned this conspiracy and carried out his dirty deed with the help of his two co-conspirators.
“I can’t envision any industry, healthcare provider or anyone else in their right mind wanting to become involved with our county as long as we have conspirators on our boards,” he said. “Therefore, I’m asking you three to resign immediately.
“Resign for our senior citizens who are concerned about their healthcare. Resign for our taxpayers who don’t trust you. Resign for our young people who dream of finding work and continuing their lives here. Resign and let us pick up the pieces and move on in a productive progressive way,” he closed.
While the commissioners paid little mind to Coltrain’s requests, Edwards may be the next target of citizen frustration. According to the SBI, the Martin County investigation files have been tuned over to the DA’s office.
Edwards could not give a timeline on when the matter will be resolved, however, his office claimed the case is still under investigation and continues to work with the SBI.
Questions on whether the $382,000 findings by Riggs, Carr and Ingram have been included in the investigation went unanswered.
The reopening of Martin General Hospital (MGH), while the commission is under investigation is another point of contention and one of the reasons Coltrain and others are raising resignation demands..
“Other Martin County citizens and I are concerned the District Attorney’s failure to act may adversely impact the county’s ability to secure a service provider for a hospital,” said local businessman Paul Roberson. “No provider wants to get into a quagmire in which one or more county commissioners and or past or present employees face potential prosecution.
“Citizens are also questioning why Mr. Edwards is taking so long to determine whether or not to prosecute,” he continued. “One can only hypothesize that if there was no wrongdoing he would have already come out and stated this. We expect Mr. Edwards to stop playing politics and do the job the citizens expect as the county’s lead prosecutor. He is running for Superior Court Judge. A judge must uphold the law and apply it equitably. This is all the citizens want. And I think we deserve justice.”
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