Judge ruling allows Camilla city councilmen to remain in seats

CAMILLA, Ga. (WALB) - A Camilla judge has made a ruling that will allow two city councilmen to remain in their seats until the State Supreme Court rules on his order to remove them.

The judge ruled that he didn’t have jurisdiction to enforce his order removing City Councilmen Corey Morgan and Venterra Pollard from office. He has previously ruled Corey Morgan and Venterra Pollard failed to provide documentation proving they’re residents of Camilla.

“I think that the judge, the court got it right today,” Mayor Kelvin Owens said. “And that is that this case right now is at the Georgia Supreme Court. And until that decision is made there, there’s nothing to be done here in Mitchell County. So we are extremely happy.”

“What I’m looking forward to in the next steps is for us to continue on the proper path of the law and let the appropriate entities continue to review. And we look forward to that ruling,” Councilmen Corey Morgan said.

The attorneys who filed the lawsuit against the two councilmen believe justice will eventually be served. The original lawsuit claims that the councilmen don’t live within the city limits.

“This is just delaying the inevitable,” Christopher Cohilas, a partner at Watson Spence, said. “That’s really all that it is. And I’m curious if the trial court was worried about imposing sanctions on them simply because they raised this argument and it’s easier for the trial court to let the Georgia Supreme Court deal with it. They may have been what the trial court’s motivation is, I don’t know the answer to that.”

The two councilmen have both detractors and supporters. Those behind them believe they’re doing a good job for Camilla.

“They’re doing things that have never been done in Camilla,” Supporter Fronnie Jess said. “Helping the elders with their light bills, helping them with groceries, putting parks in for the kids. And it seems like so many have a problem with it- with them helping the community. And they’re trying all they can to get them out their seats.”

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