T he Coffee County Commission voted down for now a second time a motion to address an ongoing investigation into ouster proceedings against a sitting county commissioner.

During the March 10 meeting Commissioner Tim Brown made a motion to add to the agenda a discussion of the ouster investigation against Commissioner Joe Mike Hodge. That motion failed 4-11 with one abstain and two commissioners absent.

“This investigation has gone on for an unreasonable amount of time and we need to put it to an end tonight. We either need to oust him tonight or dismiss it,” Brown said.

County Mayor Dennis Hunt noted that the County Attorney Mark Williams was not present, and opined that the matter should be discussed during a closed executive session.

Following an executive session during the May 13, 2025 County Commission meeting, the legislative body voted during the open part of the meeting to task the county attorney to begin the investigative process for the ouster of Hodge.

“Without him here to have an executive session to address this with the body privately it would probably be inappropriate to vote on this tonight,” Hunt said.

Commissioner Missy DeFord asked if a closed session could be held with the county attorney during the next commission meeting “There’s an election coming up May 5,” Hunt responded, “I think that will be the appropriate outcome of the issue at hand.”

During the May 5 primary, Hodge and Brown will seek nomination for District 4 for the general election, facing challenger Mark Brothers for two party nominations, and then face the sole Democrat candidate for the district Marlene Genesco and two Independents Sam Myers and Dan Johnson in the general election.

Hunt will face challenger Cheryl Swan on May 5 for the Republican nomination and then face Democrat nominee Khamai Rozier and Independent Mark Messick in the general election.

Hunt called the executive session last May. Later, allegations immerged that Hodge and Hunt’s Administrative Assistant had planned to remove a box of documents left over from the late mayor’s administration.

Details from the executive session have not been publicly disclosed.