Cohutta Town Council meets after police department dissolved by town mayor
WTVC • • nation
Key Points:
- The Cohutta Town Council voted to reinstate the Cohutta Police Department after it was previously dissolved by Mayor Ron Shinnick, citing violations of the town's charter in the mayor's decision.
- An emergency ordinance was passed to prohibit the mayor from disbanding the police department or officers without council approval for the next 30 days, after which the council may revisit the issue.
- Mayor Shinnick left the contentious council meeting abruptly and did not return, leading Vice Mayor Shane Kornberg to take over and table remaining agenda items indefinitely.
- The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office has been handling police calls during the department's dissolution, and the council is now focused on getting officers back on patrol to address residents' concerns for emergency response.
- The council is also considering whether to fire Mayor Shinnick amid ongoing controversy, with legal discussions held in executive session regarding the termination of the police department.
