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Whitehead Resigns As Commission Chairman
June 6, 2008
Mike Whitehead stepped down as chairman of the Escambia County Commission Thursday night before District 5 Commissioner Kevin White had the chance to call for his removal because of his “arrogance”.
White had planned to call for Whitehead’s removal from the commission chair at the end of the meeting. He told NorthEscambia.com that he had only told to relatives about his plan prior to the meeting, but “he must have found out somehow”. He had mentioned at an agenda review meeting earlier in the day that he would have an item at the end of the meeting, but he did not specify what that item was to be.
Whitehead (pictured above) opened Thursday night’s meeting by announcing that he was turning the chairman’s seat over to District 2 Commissioner Gene Valentino, the board’s vice chairman. He spoke briefly, saying that he thought when he accepted the position last year that he might not have the time for the chairman’s duties. He mentioned that he owns three businesses, had grandchildren and is running for re-election.
White was prepared, with a handwritten written statement in his pocket, to ask his fellow commissioners to remove Whitehead as chair. Read White’s complete statement by clicking here.
“It was time for him to go. I was tired of his arrogance,” White told NorthEscambia.com after the meeting.
“He did the right thing and kept me from having to do it,” he added.
After Whitehead’s resignation as commission chair, White left the commission chambers for a short time. “I just had to get out of there for a little while,” he said.
One of White’s biggest contentions with Whitehead has been Whitehead attending a political fund-raiser hosted for him by a contractor that has a lawsuit pending against the county, and his refusal to apologize or concede any wrongdoing in attending that event.
“It’s not that he made a mistake for a mistake can be forgiven. What bothers me is his attitude and arrogance suggesting he made no mistake at all,” White’s letter that he never had the chance to read publicly at the meeting said.”To add insult to injury he arrogantly chastises anyone who thinks he did.”
“I’m tired of being painted with his brush of arrogance, bad behavior and indifference,” White told NorthEscambia.com. “He has no regard for the public scrutiny. It’s time we have trust again in local government.”
Valentino was named the new commission chair because he represents District 2, and Marie Young was named vice-chairman because she represents District 3. The commission chairman position, which is mostly ceremonial with a few administrative powers, rotates in numerical order between the five districts. White, who is also up for re-election this year, represents District 5 which includes the entire North Escambia area.
Republican Whitehead remains the District 1 commissioner. Two people have announced the are running against him for that seat this year. One is Democrat Stephen M. Davidson. The other is Republican Wilson Robertson, a former District 5 commissioner that has since moved to Pensacola.
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