LAUREL HILL — City Councilman Johnny James — and nearly two dozen other Laurel Hill residents — actually live outside city limits, according to a review by Okaloosa County Property Appraiser Pete Smith.
The news that they are actually county voters may surprise many of the 23 affected residents, but the revelation could cost James his council seat.
Mayor Robby Adams said the matter has been turned over to city attorney Dan Campbell, who is reviewing Laurel Hill’s boundaries with the city’s engineer.
Campbell said he is not ready to render an opinion on the legality of James remaining on the council and the validity of any of his votes since the mid-December notification.
“I cannot give my opinion as to that question until I have had the opportunity to review the facts and consult with the city engineer,” Campbell said. “If there are issues relating to the facts or law, the question may have to be answered in court.”
‘AN INTERESTING SITUATION’
“All votes (James) made prior to it coming to his attention that he lived outside the limits would be valid,” Supervisor of Elections candidate and absentee coordinator Ray Bolden said. “Now that it has come to his attention, it is kind of a sticky wicket for him.”
City Council Chairman Larry Hendren said he discussed the matter with Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux, and said Lux never encountered a similar circumstance.
“I’m letting the attorney tell us what to do next,” Hendren said. “That’s what you do. You pay him for legal advice. It is an interesting situation. I don’t know where we’re going to go.”
James lives on a Robbins Road parcel that was believed to have been annexed to the city with several other Robbins family properties in the 1960s, Adams said. However, the county Future Land Use map shows the parcel is zoned county rural residential.
James did not immediately return a call from the News Bulletin concerning the matter.
POSSIBLE ANNEXATION
An easy solution would be for James to request his property be annexed into the city limits, as neighboring, contiguous properties are already within Laurel Hill, Adams said.
“Paul (Lux) said it’s just a matter of annexing it in and letting him keep his seat,” Adams said.
But until the matter is settled, whether in court or in council, James will retain his council seat, Adams said.
“Dan (Campbell) said he can stay in his position until the determination is made,” he said. “He (James) was elected by a majority of the citizens.”
However, Bolden said until the matter is resolved, the city and James should be cautious, as any votes he cast since being notified of his county residency could be challenged.
“He should do the right thing,” Bolden said. “Because he is aware that he is not living in the city limits, he should not be voting up there on city issues.”
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill councilman lives outside city limits, appraiser says