A Hall County commissioner tried unsuccessfully Thursday to seek a separate vote on the reappointment of Hall County Administrator Jim Shuler.

Commissioner Bobby Banks was alone in voting against a list of items which included reappointment of Shuler, the county attorney, commission clerk and other county officials who are routinely approved at the first commission meeting each year.

Prior to the vote, Banks offered a motion to vote separately on Shuler’s reappointment. The motion died for lack of a second.

When the commission opted to vote on the entire package of 22 consent agenda items, the other four commissioners cast their hands skyward in favor, while a clearly agitated Banks rose his hand and said, "I’m voting against it."

Banks, who sits beside Shuler at the meetings, gave no explanation for his action, but sat stoically for the remainder of the meeting, which lasted less than an hour.

Banks hastily exited afterward and had no comment about what transpired during the meeting.

However, The Times has learned that, in addition to Banks, at least one other commissioner is disturbed about the terms of Shuler’s employment contract. The agreement allows him to work for the county, while drawing retirement pay for his years of county employment prior to the time the payments began.

Reached at home, Shuler was clearly taken aback by Banks’ action.

"He (Banks) didn’t say anything to me," Shuler said. "If he had, I would have met with him."