DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Two interim commissioners have been appointed in Douglas County by Gov. Brian Kemp, following the suspensions in April of two members of the Board of Commissioners for their indictment in an alleged bid-rigging scheme.
By executive order Thursday, Gov. Kemp appointed former Douglas County Sheriff Phil D. Miller as the temporary commission chairperson, replacing Dr. Romona Jackson Jones. He appointed Ricky Dobbs, who made his name as a college football quarterback at the U.S. Naval Academy, to temporarily replace Henry Mitchell III.
"We welcome Sheriff Miller and Mr. Dobbs to the Douglas County Commission. We have been preparing orientation materials and will be ready to assist and support both of our interim commissioners, as well as have their offices at the Douglas County Courthouse ready to go," said David Corbin, acting County Administrator.
Miller had nearly half a century in law enforcement experience when he retired as sheriff after four terms in 2016. Dobbs completed a Naval tour of duty and returned to Douglas County with political aspirations, a release said.
Under Georgia law, the suspensions of Jackson Jones and Mitchell III remain in place either until the case is resolved or their elected terms in office expire.
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Jackson Jones and Mitchell were indicted by a grand jury in an alleged conspiracy to rig a janitorial contract in 2018.
That year, Douglas County commissioners took bids to clean the auto tag office building used by Douglas County Tax Commissioner Greg Baker. The county awarded the bid to a janitorial service called S&A Express.
The grand jury said there’s evidence the contract was awarded after the two commissioners and Baker - who was also indicted - rigged the bidding process.
The indictment of Mitchell, Jackson Jones and Baker alleges “the accused, after reviewing the bids, caused S&A Express’ bid to be exactly the same as the lowest bid” submitted by other contractors. The indictment also accuses chairman Jones of lying to investigators when asked about when she signed the janitorial contract.
Jackson Jones' attorney previously released a statement saying the chairman "vehemently denies the allegations in the indictment and strongly proclaims her innocence." The lawyer added that Jones looks forward to challenging the allegations in court.
Corbin has also said in a previous statement that "it is important to remember that an indictment is just an allegation, and that those indicted are entitled to a presumption of innocence."
"These allegations should not distract from the outstanding accomplishments that we have had in moving this county forward," Corbin said.
A bid rigging conviction could result in up to five years in prison.