Former county administrator George Touart and several of the Escambia County Commissioners tried to cast the press as the villain in the Touart melodrama. The press reported the facts about Touart’s business dealings.
If the county commissioners believed that the county administrator did no wrong, then why did they vote down the Bauer Road land purchase? Why even consider suspending him? Why accept his retirement?
Was it Touart’s actions that created the mistrust? Or the press reporting them?
The reality is the public and the county commissioners (if they will ever admit it) have a different expectation of their county administrator.
George Touart isn’t an evil person and does have several accomplishments to which he can lay claim, but his private dealings did cast doubts over the integrity of county government. Those doubts were there before the PNJ reports were published.
Few county governments would tolerate such private business dealings and partnerships with developers, planning board members, commissioners and county contractors. It is unfortunate that Touart’s public careers ends this way, but his “lapses of judgment” are the cause.
I agree with Comm. Robinson that we need to quit vilifying those who disagree with us – but let’s not also shoot the messenger.
