HARDIN - Michael Hilton, seen as the potential savior of Hardin just two weeks ago, is quickly running out of supporters in the struggling town of 3,500.
Hilton is the Serbian-born Californian who has been representing American Police Force as a company interested in leasing Hardin's empty jail and investing millions in a prison and military training operation.
On Monday, when Two Rivers Authority, the city's economic development arm that built the jail, met to discuss possible changes in its proposed contract with APF, board president Gary Arneson said APF needs to replace Hilton as a representative to Hardin.
"I agree," said Mayor Ron Adams, standing in the audience. "He has no credibility in this community at all."
For a while Monday, it looked as though there would be no mention of the controversy churning around Hilton, who was identified last week as an ex-convict with multiple aliases and a long criminal history. He returned to California last week.
After a short discussion of the contract, the board was about to move on to another subject when board member Robert Crane asked to speak.
