On Friday (7/13/2012) Rutherford County Property Assessor candidate Rob Mitchell (D) filed a Criminal Summons Warrant against incumbent Bill Boner (R). Mitchell accuses Boner of removing his banner from private property.

According to the Incident Report filed with Murfreesboro Police on July 11th, Mitchell met an officer in front of Premier 6 Cinema in Jackson Heights, where he showed the policeman a banner that he claimed had been removed from the railing and a hole was ripped into it. A value of $200 was placed on the political sign.

In that Murfreesboro Police Incident Report, Mitchell said that he phoned Boner and "Mr. Boner advised that he had my banner taken down." 

The police report indicates that Mitchell found his banner in the alley beside the steps. The July 11th report concludes with: "Mr. Mitchell was advised of the warrants process".

Mitchell told WGNS News that on Friday (7/13/2012), that he met with a judicial commissioner at the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office and filed a Criminal Summons against Boner (Criminal Summons # 324948).   

Bill Boner’s Response Different

On Saturday morning (7/14/2012) WGNS spoke with incumbent Property Assessor Boner, and he said that he removed all temporary signs from Jackson Heights Shopping Center in early June at the direction of the Murfreesboro Codes Department.

Boner noted that out of friendship to the Cook family, he has acted as manager of the shopping center for thirty or forty years.

He said, “On May 30, 2012, City Codes advised that there could only be three temporary signs at any one time on the property, and all others had to be removed.”

Boner noted that two-days were given for the signs to be removed. He said that he went to each tenant and explained the situation. It was decided that each tenant would request certain months to display “temporary signs” at the Northwest Broad Street complex.

Boner has an office at the center, and he told WGNS that he is on the calendar to display his signs during the political campaign.

When asked about Mitchell’s banner, Boner told WGNS News, “I had one of the shopping center employees take it down.” Reportedly, because Mitchell was not a tenant in Jackson Heights and it caused the facility to be in violation of the City Code’s letter that was issued in May.

Boner said, “I’m the first Republican to hold this office, and knew from the beginning there would be trouble. I just didn’t know it would be this much. But no matter who wins, the state won’t let it go back to the way it was.” 

Boner and Mitchell "Live" on WGNS This Coming Friday Morning

With a related story, incumbent Property Assessor Bill Boner (R) and Rob Mitchell (D) have both been invited to be on the WGNS Action Line this coming Friday morning, July 20th from 8:10-9:00AM. This will be on FM 100.5, FM 101.9, AM 1450, and at www.WGNSradio.com.