Marietta City Council President Susan Vessels said issues with Commissioner Eddie Place’s character need to be looked into.

Vessels made the statement during the public discussion portion of Thursday’s regular Washington County Commission meeting.

Vessels said Place had been president of the Little Hocking Water Association when the utility was involved in litigation with DuPont over the presence of C8 in the water supply. During that time, he wrote a letter to the board and employees, prompting multiple employees to resign.

Vessels did not elaborate on the contents of the letter.

Place, who was appointed to a vacant commission seat in January, said there was no such letter and he performed his job appropriately during his tenure.

“This was all nonsense made up by her,” Place said.

Vessels said Place told her recently he had shown the newly appointed under-secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy around the county recently.

“Apparently the under secretary of energy from the United States of America is interested in Washington County right now,” she said.

Commissioner Charlie Schillling said Place actually met with the chief of staff for the under secretary and he was a friend of Place.

“I think it’s obvious to me that you’re here to offer a pointed attack to Commissioner Place and we’re here to conduct public business of the county,” Schilling said. “As far as this meeting goes, we’re talking about county business.”

Vessels said she was concerned about injection wells in the area and the risk they pose to the city. Injection wells store brine water used in oil and gas drilling operations underground. Some area residents are concerned that material could infiltrate drinking water sources.

Commissioner James Booth said he met with staff of the Ohio Environmental Protection Association on Wednesday and officials should make decisions based on facts and evidence.

Schilling then read a personal statement announcing his full support of Place.

“Commissioner Place has been a pleasure to work with over the last eight months and has been a great partner in this office. As far as I’m concerned, what’s been discussed here today is nothing more than dirty politics,” he said.

However, Booth took exception.

“I really don’t appreciate that statement,” he said.

Booth said Schilling and Place have been making all the decisions for the county without informing him for months. He said they were making trips to Washington, D.C., and he was finding out information at the same time as the public.

Booth said, for example, a consulting organization the county engaged after a 2-1 vote in June declined to give him requested itineraries and other information but communicate with the other commissioners.

Booth said it doesn’t matter if they like him or not, “it’s the board of commissioners.”

The meeting adjourned on a motion by Schilling, seconded by Place, before either addressed Booth’s remarks.

Earlier in the meeting, the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority was identified as a lead entity for the county for the state Demolition and Site Revitalization Grant Application.

“I think the work you guys have done have been fantastic,” said Schilling.

Port Authority CEO Jesse Roush said this is the next step in the program and they’ll be waiting for the next round of funding over the course of a few weeks.

“People are very eager so to leverage this program we’re happy to keep doing it if that’s what the commissioners would desire,” said Roush.