Developer accuses county commissioner of leveling veiled threat

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Following a Jan. 19 Forsyth County Commission meeting, developers from The Pacific Group allege that Commissioner Laura Semanson threatened the group.

Commissioners voted 4-1 at the meeting to allow 37 acres of agricultural land for use as an industrial park. In the public comment portion, area residents told commissioners the redevelopment would make their community unsafe if approved.

Semanson cast the sole opposing vote.

Developer Kevin Seifert alleges in an affidavit prepared by Atlanta-based Bloom Parham law firm that Semanson “began yelling and cursing” and threatened the firm during an interaction in the Forsyth County Administration Building after the meeting.

The affidavit alleges Semanson said “good luck doing business in this county” to Seifert, Pacific Group attorney Christopher Light and Evan Fowler, a controller for the firm who signed an affidavit confirming Seifert’s statement.

Seifert further alleges in the affidavit that Semanson expressed frustration

SCREENSHOT/FORSYTH COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

Forsyth County Commissioner Laura Semanson , right foreground, speaks to The Pacific Group representatives Kevin Seifert , Christopher Light and Evan Fowler following a Jan. 19 Board of Commissioners meeting. Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the firm’s proposed 37-acre industrial park development at the meeting. Semanson cast the dissenting vote.

that The Pacific Group submitted an open records request related to her.

In video footage of the incident, Semanson is seen walking toward the exit, then turns back toward the trio. Semanson heads to the exit after a short exchange, but she returns after Seifert steps forward and appears to speak to her.

Semanson said she approached the three as seen in the footage because Seifert had tried to continue the conver - sation as she was leaving.

“At that point, I reminded him that I'm not obligated to meet with developers,” Semanson said. “I'm not obligated to meet with anybody. Honestly, I do meet with citizens. I do meet with attorneys and representatives and developers, but I'm not obligated to jump when you say so.”

Semanson said she did meet with Light, the project’s zoning attorney. She said she received many emails from the public, and she observed the public hearing on the project.

“And the, you know, the open records request that they did was a fishing expedition with the purpose of intimidating private citizens,” Semanson said.

In a letter to Forsyth County Attorney Ken Jarrard, attorney Simon Bloom said the firm does not seek to escalate the issue, but it reserves the right to pursue further action if mistreatment or additional threats occur.

“Our client only asks that [The Pacific Group] be treated like any other business in the county,” Bloom said in the letter.

County Commission Chairman Alfred John said the Board of Commissioners is aware of the incident, but he cannot provide any comment at this time.