The drama surrounding the Scioto County Economic Development Director Robert Horton continues. Now a public hearing will determine if he’ll lose his job as head of the Southern Ohio Port Authority.
FIRED ON THE SPOT!
The Scioto County Commissioners voted in a Special Session on Tuesday to terminate Robert Horton immediately in light of the slew of corruption indictments against him. But they aren’t stopping there—the Board also scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, February 27, at 10:00 AM (right after the normal County Commissioners meeting) to remove Horton from the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) board. The hearing is required by the Ohio Revised Code when dealing with a port authority.
Giving Horton the boot seems like a done deal, but that might not be the end of it. As more information comes forward, we will respond accordingly,” Commissioner Scottie Powell stated, adding that he is committed to evaluating the county’s economic development structure to ensure it follows best practices to generate investment and job creation.
BACKROOM MOVES & SECRET OFFICES
While Horton’s alleged corruption has taken center stage, let’s not forget the bizarre game of hide-and-seek the county played with SOPA’s mysterious office move last October.
During a discussion about roof repairs at a county-owned building at 5th and Court, Commissioner Bryan Davis revealed that SOPA had moved out—but couldn’t provide an address for their new location!
Wait… what?!
Veteran reporter Bill Shope of WNXT pressed for details, only to be told SOPA had gone somewhere in the county, but the Commissioners weren’t sure where. Davis admitted that while the county funds SOPA salaries, they don’t actually control the agency, per the Ohio Revised Code.
Shope said he’d heard whispers that SOPA had set up shop on private property in Minford, but Davis insisted he had no official address.
A bewildered Shope asked, “They don’t have to report to you about moving an office?”
Davis’s answer? A nonchalant “SOPA business.”
SCDN located the nondescript property and did a live stream showing no signage for potential investors coming to the county.
WHAT’S NEXT?
With Horton officially canned, a public hearing looming, and more questions than answers about SOPA’s secretive moves, Scioto County residents are left wondering—just how deep does this rabbit hole go and who’s next on the indictment list.
Stay tuned as this corruption circus continues to unravel!
