The unmistakable threat in Thursday's PNJ editorial that if George Touart didn't resign county commissioners might be the next to go apparently worked. Local Pensacola channel 3, WEAR-TV, is reporting Thursday evening that county administrator George Touart "announced tonight he is retiring."At once, it seems. Like, tomorrow.
"Touart says he'd like to take leave immediately," the TV report says, "and receive a severance package."
Wouldn't everyone? Not this way.
Notes the channel 3 web site --
Touart was under intense pressure over his personal business relationships. Some of the people he did business with, did business with the county.Before breaking into wild applause, let's take a moment and stroll down memory lane. George Touart was a last-minute ringer thrown into the final round of new administrator candidates by (now) former county commissioner Tom Banjanin. Rumors Tuart had been forced out of a prior administrator's job elsewhere in the South were pooh-poo'd. Banjanin himself admitted he'd rather hire a good ol' boy with deep Pensacola roots than some highly qualified, well educated, honest administrator with a proven track record.
Well, he got what he wanted. Take a note, commissioners: maybe that wasn't such a good idea, after all.
