Century Council Member And Businessman Accuse Each Other Of Being Crooked, Corrupt

June 3, 2008

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Century businessman Georges Van Nevel and council member Henry Hawkins got into a verbal argument Monday night, calling each other “crooked” and “corrupt”.

At the council meeting two weeks ago, Hawkins reported that Van Nevel had listed his building in the Century Industrial Park for sale, and that “he’s trying to sell the property out from under our noses”. He also said that Van Nevel was still behind on his payments to Century.

“I want to hear a retraction on that,” Van Nevel said Monday night as he claimed he held a “clear title” on the building.

“I don’t know if you do or not,” Hawkins said, “but you are behind on your payments.”

Van Nevel said he had actually been trying to sell the building since 2003, not just a few months. A Pensacola MLS real estate listing for the building was placed by the real estate agent on February 5. He said he intends to sell the building, pay off his mortgage with the town and build another building for his Helicopter Technologies on one of four other lots he owns in the industrial park.

‘What I have done since 2003 is work to bring people to Century,” he said. “It’s been advertised for months.”

“It was news to the council,” Hawkins said. “How are we going to get first option (to buy the building) when we don’t know it’s all over the internet?”

“It sounds crooked to me,” Hawkins added.

“You are trying to damage my business,” Van Nevel said to Hawkins. “You are trying to boot me out of town.” Van Nevel accused Hawkins of going to the fire department in an attempt to get the fire marshal to fine or close the business. Hawkins denied the allegation.

“The thing that was most damaging was…when you said the asking price was too high,” Van Nevel said of a Hawkins interview with a television station.

“I think you are adding to what I said,” Hawkins said. “Do you want me to get the tape?”

“I said it looked crooked, and it is crooked,” Hawkins said, escalating the argument between the two men.

“You are corrupt. I will prove it. You have an ulterior motive to boot me,” Van Nevel said. “There will be an investigation.”

“Bring it on,” Hawkins said.

Speakers addressing the Century Council are allowed three minutes. The council voted after Van Nevel’s first three minutes to allow him three additional minutes. His time ran out after the argument with Hawkins, and he we was not allowed to continue.

“He doesn’t have a deal until somebody offers to buy it (the building),” Mayor Freddie McCall said. At that point, the mayor said the town would have the first option to purchase the building.

Later in the council meeting, after Van Nevel had left the building, the council discussed his claim about a “clear title” on the building.

“I think I have a very clear understanding on that,” Council President Ann Brooks said. She said he may hold a deed to the property, but he does not hold a “clear title” because he has not paid off his mortgage to the town.

In fact, he had fallen behind on the mortgage payments. A new agreement was made between Helicopter Technologies and the Town of Century. Under that agreement, Van Nevel was to make double payments in order to bring the mortgage current.

“He was making the two payments, but then the FAA came in, broke out his windows and took all of his paperwork,” McCall said of a federal raid on Helicopter Technologies in early January. “He could not make the double payments then, but we have a new agreement.” Van Nevel, according to Town Clerk Dorothy Sims, is current on his payments to the town under that new agreement.

Pictured above: Georges Van Nevel addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News