Twiggs County Chairman Fined for Contempt of Court, Misuse of County Resources

A Twiggs County judge has ruled that Chairman Ray Bennett be held in contempt of court for ordering work to be done at the Old Marion Baptist Church using county equipment and county employees.

Walter Ashby, a Twiggs County resident, brought the matter before the court back in September, in which he accused all five chairpersons of violating a 1983 Court Order that says work on private property consitutes a misuse of funds.

Ashby dismissed all of the defendants at the preliminary hearing except Bennett, who he said knew he was in violation of the 1983 Court Order.

Bennett said he did not think Old Marion Baptist was considered “private property” as stated in the 1983 order.

The Court says there was enough evidence of good intentions on Bennett’s part to help out a local church, but say he should have checked before starting the work with county employees and equipment.

Bennett was ordered to pay $50 to the treasury of Twiggs County to free himself of contempt of the 1983 Court order.