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Marianna seeks missing borough records

By Scott Beveridge for The 2 min read

MARIANNA – Marianna officials are asking a Washington County judge for an order sending the sheriff’s office to the home of the former borough secretary in an effort to locate missing public records.

President Judge Katherine B. Emery also has ordered former tax collector and secretary Erica Pinkney to appear in her court Feb. 27 in connection with the petition.

“There are no records. All of the borough minutes are gone,” said Washington attorney Lane Turturice, Marianna’s solicitor.

The borough fired Pinkney in September after she allegedly refused to participate in an investigation into the missing records.

The borough also sought an order in October from Emery declaring the tax collector position vacant, but Pinkney voluntarily left the office, Turturice said.

The borough, in court records, accused Pinkney of “malfeasance and misfeasance” of borough tax collection and general funds. It also has ordered a forensics audit of her former offices and referred the case to state police “for review and prosecution,” the record states.

Four members of Marianna council tendered their resignations in August, crippling the borough’s ability at the time to conduct business.

Then-Mayor Wes Silva resigned, along with Tristan Pinkney, Julliette Silva and Nick Temas, with some of them indicating they were tired of the way they were being treated in the small town. Tristan Pinkney is the husband of the former secretary.

The borough has yet to appoint a new tax collector and may need to hire a company to perform those duties, Turturice said.

Erica Pinkney declined Friday to comment on the accusations.

The new majority on council – the result of the November election – on Thursday repealed the borough’s zoning ordinance, Turturice confirmed Friday.

“They felt it was much too cumbersome for the citizens and a hinderance to development,” Turturice said.

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