Oxford Eagle: Gilbert Deal

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Oxford Eagle, Tuesday, November 19
Developer Claims Sheriff Lamar Cut Deal for Votes
Chase McFadden STAFF WRITER
Developer Bob Gilbert has revealed to police that the late Sheriff Charles Lamar promised to help Gilbert with a building project in exchange for votes.
According to an anonymous source at the sheriff's department, Gilbert, a prominent businessman and member of the board of directors of the Oxford Chamber of Commerce, told authorities that Lamar had offered to help speed the Environmental Impact Report process for the Dickerson Farm project in exchange for Gilbert's influential support during the election.
"It's the kind of bartering that goes on all the time in elections across the country," Gilbert said when contacted by this reporter. "There's nothing illegal about it."
While county records show Gilbert donated just $75 in cash to the Lamar campaign, local businessmen attest that Gilbert expressed his support in less tangible ways.
"He was at my door morning, noon, and night," said Sal Lyons, owner of the Plaza Barber Shop. "He wouldn't give up until I had agreed to support the sheriff. I had no problem with that, Chuck was a fine man, but it was a pretty heavy approach."
The chamber of commerce, in addition to the local chapter of the Rotary Club and Lions International, all supported Lamar in his race against challenger Harold Mazza, largely due to Gilbert's influence, club officials say.
But Gilbert claims his campaigning didn't make much of a difference in the race, which Lamar won by a slim margin of just over 200 votes.
"These organizations were not about to buck tradition and vote for the outsider," Gilbert said. "What I did was just help them along."
In exchange for that help, Gilbert acknowledged that Lamar promised to look into the numerous delays that have plagued Gilbert's Dickerson Farm project.
In March, real estate tycoon Reed Chambeau announced that he had purchased the old Dickerson Farm, naming Gilbert as lead developer and managing director for building a new business park there. The Yoknapatawpha County Board of Supervisors in April required that an Environmental Impact Report be prepared on the property, after hearing concerns from Oxford Green about possible disruption of wildlife habitats should the project move forward.
Since then, the consultant Gilbert first hired to conduct the EIR has quit, and a replacement has yet to be found, despite numerous solicitations to the county for help in locating another developer.
"I'm used to projects being caught up in red tape, but this was pretty frustrating," Gilbert said. "I thought Chuck might get to the bottom of it."
Revelation of the exchange between Lamar and Gilbert has Mazza calling for a special election.
"These have been difficult times, I know, but frankly we've got to see justice is done," Mazza said.
Lamar died in an auto accident Nov. 8, an apparent suicide. Deputy Taylor Sheldon was appointed sheriff Nov. 14, promising to serve until an election can be held in 1998.
Gilbert was questioned after Mazza told deputies Gilbert had been involved in foul play in the election, sources say.
Sheriff's department public relations officer Elizabeth Jones declined to comment.