| Candidates stump at CEO forum
by Andy Phelan
andy@dekalbchamp.com
Touting their résumés and vision for DeKalb, four of the five candidates for CEO took center stage June 26 in Decatur to make their pitch to voters.
Joe Bembry, Burrell Ellis, Ann Kimbrough and Steen “Newslady” Miles discussed cops, courts, the drought, development and accountability. Stan Watson did not attend the forum.
The Champion newspaper, in conjunction with the DeKalb History Center, hosted the event that was moderated by political commentator Bill Crane and drew an audience of about 100.
One topic of the night was debating the merits of Police Chief Terrell Bolton’s “Road Map to Success,” a $100 million plan to double the force, raise their pay and give them new tools to do their job.
Kimbrough, current CEO Vernon Jones’ chief of staff, endorsed the plan, but said it would have to be funded in stages. She scolded her opponent – Commissioner Ellis – for publicly challenging a plan to raise taxes to pay for police raises.
“You don’t fight with the police chief in public, and let the criminals think they’re winning,” she said.
Ellis said he stood by his record on public safety and outlined his own four-point plan to address morale problems and dissatisfaction within the police ranks, which would include an attempt to retain officers by offering them help with a down payment on homes in DeKalb.
Bembry said while public safety is the No. 1 issue, the chief’s Road Map is not the right approach.
“Mr. Bolton is wrong,” said Bembry, a tow truck operator who has run for office more than 15 times. Bembry said he felt the county is off course.
“He wants to put a cop on every corner,” he said. “It takes more than that.”
Miles, former TV journalist and state senator, said while the county must remain tough on crime she would fight the problem in neighborhoods.
“The best way to fight crime is in churches, schools and in the community on the front end,” she said. “I would invest more in human capital. But there are always bad actors, and for them we’ll have a place reserved at 285 Memorial Drive [county jail], and we’ll leave the light on for you.”
On the topic of accountability to taxpayers, the candidates had different views on the more than $22 million that was paid to technology consultants from 2004-07 that circumvented county law.
Promising a “top-to-bottom” audit, Miles said if elected she would clean house. “There will be a forensic audit of personnel and spending,” she said. “We need a special grand jury investigation into the money that was misused.”
Bembry simply said he would not tolerate a system of “kickbacks.” “You won’t have to lose any sleep worrying about whether people are taking your money,” he said.
The only candidate to defend the administration’s circumvention spending – what one commissioner called “a sorry affair” – is Kimbrough. “I welcome a grand jury investigation, but we have received many wonderful audits and investigations,” she said. “All these issues have been resolved. We’ve had two independent audits, and all came to light.”
Ellis said he’s one of the main reasons people even know millions were spent that should have either been bid out or gone to the board for approval.
“I’m the one who pushed for the audits,” said Ellis, who helped create a committee to address county spending. “As CEO, I would arrest county spending and curry no favors. Let’s bring everything to light.”
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