Lake Park council votes to remove mayor - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Lake Park council votes to remove mayor

Mayor Keith Sandlin Mayor Keith Sandlin

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August 1, 2003

Lake Park, Ga. - City Council members voted three to one to remove Mayor Keith Sandlin from office, after two hours of testimony from the mayor, police chief, and zoning administrator.

Councilman Russell Lane made the motion. "He's continually violated his oath of office, it's plain and simple," said Lane.

The accusations against Sandlin stem from city water and zoning violations concerning Velma Baxley. She was given a $500 fine and sentenced to six months in jail for having a residential trailer on commercial property.

The council says Sandlin bullied the zoning administrator and police chief for citing Ms. Baxley, and said they should've looked the other way. "He said she was an old lady with one foot in the grave and she wouldn't be around much longer for us to worry with," said Police Chief Burt Rutland. "He also told us not to go on her property again."

But the Mayor says he merely told them they could've handled the situation better. "I reprimanded them, and told them they could've handled it more discreetly," said Sandlin. "The people of Lake Park know I would never bully anyone into anything."

Many Lake Park residents turned out in support of the mayor, and say he's done nothing wrong. One citizen said, "I just wanted to say that he's done a great job running this city, and I would vote for him again."

The mayor will appeal the council's decision to the Lowndes County Superior Court.

posted at 2:30PM by ashley.harper@walb.com