Daniel Surprised to Be Replaced on Water & Sewer Board

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

At the Jan. 5 meeting of the Dade County Commission, the new District 2 appointee to the Water & Sewer Authority Board was announced. Tim Fowler will be taking Travis Daniel’s place as Daniel’s four-year term is over.

The news came as a surprise to Daniel who first heard that he had been replaced in the Sentinel’s article about the county meeting. Daniel posted on Facebook about the situation, reprinted here with permission.

“Well, I just learned through reading the Dade County Sentinel that I have been replaced in my position as District 2 board member for the Dade County Water and Sewer Authority. This comes as an absolute surprise to me. Those of you who are unaware, board members are appointed by the commissioners of each district. The term for a board member is four years. At the end of that term, they can continue to serve if they are willing, and the commissioner allows them too.

“Did our District 2 commissioner reach out to me about serving another term? No. Did our District 2 commissioner reach out to me to discuss his decision to replace me? No. Did he inform our current president of the board? No. Did he have to discuss this with me? No, but it would have been the decent thing to do. I’m just going to leave it at that.

“I have full confidence in my appointed replacement. Tim Fowler is a lifelong citizen of the county and the Davis community. He will do an excellent job in representing District 2. Let’s all give him the same support in which you have given me the last four years. 

“I have learned so much and gained a whole new respect for what goes on behind the scenes to provide us with the water we all take for granted. It has been a pleasure working with the board and everyone at Dade County Water & Sewer Authority – Trenton, GA. You guys have a great team and do not get the recognition you deserve. I have learned so much and gained a whole new respect for what goes on behind the scenes to provide us with the water we all take for granted.”

Carey Anderson, public information officer for the county, confirmed that when a board member’s term is up, the commissioner for that respective district chooses a replacement. The appointees must be residents of the respective district.

She said, “The commissioners can talk to the sitting representative and decide to leave them on or replace them. They can choose to discuss it with them or not. It is at their discretion who serves. If the board member wants to reach out to their commissioner when coming to the end of their term, they can let them know if they would like to keep serving or not.”

Daniel told the Sentinel that he had not reached out to Phillip Hartline (District 2 commissioner) because he did not realize that his term was nearing completion.

He further added, “We also need to look at the major improvements and projects that have taken place with our water authority during the past three to four years, from an operational standpoint and financially.”

Hartline confirmed that he did not reach out to Daniel when his term was drawing to an end. He said, “I was going to go back and thank him for his time serving on the board during the county meeting, but I forgot with other things that came up.”

Hartline said, “I’m not looking to the past; I’m just looking to the future.”