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Doraville ethics committee rejects
challenge to mayor, councilwoman
by Jonathan Cribbs
Jonathan@dekalbchamp.com
The city of Doraville’s Ethics Committee rejected several complaints from former city councilman Tom Hart against Mayor Ray Jenkins and councilwoman Maria Alexander on April 30, saying Hart provided no proof to support his claims.
But after attorneys representing Jenkins and Alexander helped shepherd the confused committee through its own ordinances, the meeting ended in a terse argument between committee members and a man supporting Hart.
“This is a farce,” said George Anderson, a frequent political gadfly who runs the Ethics in Government Group in Rome and is assisting Hart with his complaints. “If you can sleep good in your bed, I don’t understand it.”
The committee heard a series of complaints, including the following:
- An allegation that Jenkins took money from developers building Star Towers, a mixed-use development project in Doraville, and favored the firm during the permitting process.
- An allegation that Alexander used public resources and property to promote a failed annexation attempt in 2008 that would have boosted Doraville’s population from about 10,000 to about 17,000. Hart also claimed the city attorney advised her on the promotion free of charge.
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An allegation that Alexander harassed the city’s former building inspector, Chuck Ensminger, forcing him, ultimately, into early retirement.
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At the start of the meeting, however, committee members immediately signaled concern. Hart had not included any support documentation with his complaint.
“I need some evidence to render an opinion,” committee member Sandee Sledd said.
Committee members combed through the claims, shooting each one down. Committee member Patty Barker, however, said she didn’t wasn’t sure Alexander did anything wrong.
“If anything, [Alexander’s] guilty of trying to produce revenue for the city,” she said.
Politicians in Georgia are not permitted to advocate a particular position to voters in advance of a forthcoming vote. They’re only allowed to provide them with factual information. Barker also claimed no matter the circumstances, Ensminger was not forced out of his position.
“Nobody forced him. That was a choice he made,” she said.
The committee first voted to give Hart 10 business days to provide documentation to support his claim. But after Alexander’s attorney, Cecil McLendon Jr., claimed the committee was “allowing a fishing expedition,” the committee reversed its vote and rejected the complaint. McLendon also said by giving Hart 10 more days, the committee was merely encouraging frivolous, undocumented complaints in the future.
“Today was [Hart’s] day in court, and he didn’t meet his burden,” he said.
Committee members chalked up the reversal to inexperience.
“We are volunteers,” committee member Gordon Grant said. “Novices, agree. I am.”
Hart, who during the hearing repeatedly raised a stack of paper he said was the supporting documentation, objected.
“I’m a neophyte at this too, and I didn’t know how this was done,” he said.
The committee told Hart he could resubmit the complaint. Reading from a copy of the city’s ethics ordinances, McLendon later informed the court he may have to wait six months before doing so, frustrating Hart and Anderson, who approached the committee’s dais after the meeting concluded.
“What you wanted to do was to take care of special interests,” Anderson said angrily to the committee.
“Frankly, sir, I am offended by your comment,” Sledd said as Grant tried to diffuse the argument.
The meeting ended minutes later after Barker left the room apparently offended, calling Anderson unprofessional.
“They don’t give me enough money on this committee for you to come up here and insult me,” Barker said.
After the meeting, Hart said he plans to resubmit the complaints, including about 20 more to the committee. He also plans to take several to DeKalb County’s ethics board.
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