One hearing was held March 21, and Hughes did not attend, Green said. A second hearing has held March 22, he said. Hughes attended that meeting, and the council voted 5-0 to remove him, with Councilman Charles West leaving before the vote was taken, Green said. The Telegraph requested minutes from the March 5 and March 22 meetings through the Georgia Open Records Act in an April 6 fax to City Hall. That request has not been filled, and Taylor said Wednesday she never received it, though she confirmed receipt of a separate Telegraph request faxed April 10.
State law allows three business days for open records requests to be filled.
Taylor is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on allegations of time card fraud. GBI agent Kay Fulford said Wednesday the bureau hopes to wrap up its investigation soon and that no charges have been filed. Hughes has said he thinks the GBI's investigation and the council's vote to remove him are related, but Lester said last week they are not. Unadilla's charter also states that an appeal of a removal vote can be filed in Dooly County Superior Court. In the weeks since the vote, city officials have talked about Hughes' appeal as if it was ongoing, but no appeal had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Deputy Clerk Patsy Bridges.