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Highlands Today

Commissioner In Dust-up With Sheriff

Stewart Files Police Complaint; Benton Calls Stewart ‘Bully’

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

Highlands County Commissioner Barbara Stewart listens as J. Ross Macbeth, board attorney, speaks during a County Commission meeting on Tuesday in Sebring.

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: September 23, 2008

SEBRING - The sheriff's race got hotter last week when incumbent Susan Benton pulled behind Highlands County Commissioner Barbara Stewart's car and started a heated argument.

The incident between the two women concerned Commissioner Guy Maxcy enough that he tried to break it up.

Stewart went to the Sebring Police Department three days later and filed a complaint. Commander Steve Carr said on Tuesday that the information-only complaint would be released Wednesday. Stewart refused to answer questions about the incident during a break Tuesday at the county commission meeting.

"I don't care to discuss that," Stewart said. "I don't want to say anything that anyone can put a spin on.

"There are too many important issues that the county faces, and I intend to remain focused on those issues" said Stewart, after the commissioners spent two hours Tuesday discussing whether to build a new sheriff's office on George Boulevard.

Both women are serving their first term in office. Benton, D-Sebring, has won the August primary, and faces Republican Ron Griming in November. Stewart, R-Avon Park, is running unopposed for county commission.

On Monday evening, Benton released a letter she wrote Monday to the entire board of county commissioners, complaining that Stewart has been a bully and has been releasing incorrect information.

"I have been accused, in a written law enforcement information-only report, of intimidating Ms. Stewart," the sheriff wrote Monday on Highland's County Sheriff's Office stationary. "There was never any intent to have anything other than a conversation with Ms. Stewart, to educate her on matters that, it clearly appears, she does not understand.

"I apologize that these highly charged political times have cause her to become selective with what she wants to know, and how she differentiates communication v. conflict," Benton wrote. "She has … continually diminished and bullied county and sheriff's office staff when (they) are to appear before the board."

On Tuesday, Benton would not comment on her charge that Stewart is abusing employees.

Maxcy saw no assault or intimidation last week. He wasn't sure if Stewart's car was blocked by Benton's.

"I was right next to Barbara Stewart and I was able get out, so I don't know if she felt like she could have got out or not," Maxcy said. "Once I got it stopped – the argument stopped – I thought it was stopped, I backed out, and they pulled out."

The two women didn't look as if they were going to blows, Maxcy said. "What I saw was both of them engaged. Barbara was in the car, and the sheriff was outside the car."

He was embarrassed that they were arguing so loudly in public, Maxcy said.

"My take is that you have two ladies who have a severe – that have a very good passion for their jobs, one for the sheriff's office, one for the commission, who are engaging in doing the business of the county. I have tremendous respect for both ladies. It just broke my heart to see them having an argument," Maxcy said.

Sheriff's memo to Board of County Commissioners:
http://media.tbo.com/tbo/pdfs/0923budget.pdf

Commissioner Stewart's statement and police report:
http://media.tbo.com/tbo/pdfs/092408sdoc.pdf

Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863 386-5828

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