Long County District 3 Commissioner Willie Frank Thompson resigned Thursday, according to a press release issued by Board of Commissioner Secretary Brandi Smiley.
The release said Thompson said he has enjoyed serving the citizens of Long County, but due to health issues he felt it was in his best interest to resign.
“The Board of Commissioners would like to thank Mr. Thompson for his five years of service and we appreciate all of the accomplishments he has achieved for Long County during that time.” Chairman David Richardson said in the statement.
Thompson was arrested Nov. 22 and charged with disorderly conduct and cruelty to animals for allegedly neglecting his horses.
Long County sheriff’s deputies were called to Thompson’s home to assist animal control officers and Georgia Department of Agriculture employee Dianna Sellers, according to an incident report filed by Deputy Aaron Combs.
The report described the horses as extremely underweight and said one had an open wound on its neck.
Thompson reportedly had been warned before that he had to take better care of the horses, and was told he had to surrender the animals. The horses were sent to an equine rescue.
Thompson also reportedly became irate and yelled expletives at the officers, at which time he was arrested and charged with the offenses, according to the report.
The case has not yet gone to court, according to Long County Sheriff Craig Nobles.
Attempts to get additional information were unsuccessful.
Thompson is the second county commissioner to resign in Long County in the last year.
Former District 5 Commissioner Bobby Walker resigned in July.
Walker, who also served as a chairman, said he resigned over disagreements on the commission’s direction under former chairman Mike Riddle.