Commissioner asked to resign from board

A local resident and business person has called for the resignation of a member of the Union County Board of Commissioners.

The matter surfaced during a time for public comments during last week’s regular meeting of the county board.

The meeting, attended by about 20 people, was held Friday morning, July 13, at the Union County Courthouse.

Business person Josh Ditto addressed concerns that he has related to recent action by the commissioners to approve a proposal to provide information technology, IT, services to the county. 

The commissioners accepted a bid from an out-of-the-county business to provide the service. Ditto had submitted a bid to the county to provide the service.

Ditto is the founder of Tech Guy Consulting in Anna and serves as the firm’s business IT solutions specialist.

Ditto previously had voiced concerns to the board regarding what he said were disparaging remarks made about him by one of the commissioners.

Those concerns, directed at Union County Commissioner Dale Foster, again were addressed at last Friday morning’s meeting.

Ditto stated in prepared remarks which were presented at the meeting that he had “some questions and concerns that need to be addressed in a public forum.”

Ditto stated that Foster previously had called him “an idiot in front of everyone.”

Foster said that he had no comment in response to what Ditto had said.

He then addressed Foster directly: “Why are you still here?” Ditto stated that he lacked “professionalism and the expertise to perform your job duties.”

“I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of the taxpayers of Union County to formally ask that you resign your position immediately and save the county further embarrassment.”

Ditto also addressed concerns he had about various social media postings, messages and other comments he said had been made by other members of the county board.

He particularly addressed actions that he said involved commissioners Max Miller and David Gould.

He focused on a tax lien issue which was said to have been cited by the two commissioners as “the reason my company was eliminated from the bidding process.”

“If my lien was truly the issue, why did you not bother to call or contact me to find out the status of the situation? Had you taken the time, you would have found that it was paid in full and all of my filings were up to date. Do you have a valid reason for not contacting me?”

He also questioned whether or not the commissioners had read the proposal he submitted for the bidding process. County board chairman Bobby Toler Jr. emphasized that he had read the proposal.

“The fact is, eliminating my business from the bidding process was never about my lien,” Ditto declared. He said the issue was “simply a convenient excuse for you all to cover your deceit, your inappropriate comments and your unfair bidding practices.”

He also charged that “some of you are willing to go to great efforts to destroy my personal and business reputation in order to save your own political campaigns.” 

Gould and Miller initially did not comment about Ditto’s statements. 

Miller did say at one point that the tax lien was the issue which was considered in the process. Gould denied making negative comments about Ditto.

Three persons who attended the meeting voiced their support for Ditto and raised concerns about the board’s action.

One of those who addressed the board said she has done business with Ditto and praised his work, while also voicing disappointment about money being sent outside of the county for the IT service.