Financial problems plague school board member
- 1/26/11
- Categorized in: DeKalb News, Education, Politics
While the DeKalb County Board of Education wrestles with school closings and a billion-dollar budget, one board member has been having difficulty taking care of his own business.
According to court records, board member Jesse “Jay” Cunningham has at least 15 open court cases against him—most of which involve payroll garnishments to pay creditors. Of the cases, four were filed between 2002 and 2007, five in 2008, one in 2009 and five last year. In addition, there are seven cases involving Cunningham that are listed as “closed.”
The garnishments in the open cases exceed $173,000. Records show that his board member check has been garnished by Ford Motor Credit in seven of the open cases. As a board member, Cunningham is paid $23,400 annually.
Other organizations bringing garnishments against Cunningham last year include Delek US Holdings and Mapco Express. Delek is the parent company of Mapco Express, a convenience store. Money from these checks has gone to pay garnishments by Georgia Receivables, a collection agency attempting to settle a debt from Nice Cars Inc.
In March 2008, Stonecrest Promenade Shopping Center in Lithonia went to state court to ask Cunningham’s business at the time, Zo’s Pizza, to leave. Records show that Zo’s Pizza vacated the property in April 2008.
Zo’s Pizza operated at 3608 Panola Road in Lithonia but now is closed. The business license for Zo’s Pizza has been inactive since May 2010, according to county tax records.
In addition to the garnishment problems, county tax commissioner records from 2008-10 show that Cunningham owes approximately $3,400 in property taxes on his 2,900-square-foot home in Lithonia.
Cunningham would not comment on any of the cases saying that he would only discuss school business.
“I’m an elected official and I’m going to take care of the children,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham, 51, has been on the Board of Education representing District 5 since Jan. 2007. Last year, he won a re-election bid after garnering 64 percent of the vote.
Cunningham’s attorney, Dwight Lowell Thomas, said he was not aware of any garnishments against his client or any financial problems. Thomas added that he would not be surprised if there are lawsuits against Cunningham because of the litigious nature of the business world.
Assuming he has had financial problems in the past, there is no difference between Cunningham and Gov. Nathan Deal, who has had his own fiscal challenges, Thomas said.
“Jay Cunningham has grown from all the adversity of his life,” Thomas said.
“Maybe it ends up being a blessing to help others,” Thomas said of Cunningham’s possible financial problems. “Whatever happened, happened. We are looking forward.”
About a week before the election, it was reported that Cunningham was convicted in 1982 of stealing $12,500 in bank deposits from a Decatur McDonald’s restaurant where he was a store manager. Under Georgia’s First Offender Act, Cunningham was not legally required to divulge his criminal history because he had successfully completed the terms of the sentence for the felony.
Dan Magee, president of the Laurel Ridge Civic Association, said most adults have financial problems at some point in their lives, but school board members must be held to a higher standard.
“We ought to ask whether this board member is capable of operating such a large budget,” Magee said. “Board members have to be financially savvy.”
http://www.accessnorthgeorgia.com/detail.php?n=150517
"Parole board member on trial for sexual harassment"
State parole board member Gene Walker is on trial for allegedly sexually harassing an assistant then having her transferred because he didn't like her physique.
A similar lawsuit against Walker when he was a state senator was settled out of court. This lawsuit, which seeks at least $1 million, will be decided by a Fulton County jury.
http://www.accessnorthgeorgia.com/detail.php?n=165732
"State paid $190,000 to settle earlier sex harassment suit"
The sexual harassment lawsuit pending against state parole board member Gene Walker isn't the first time he's been named in such a case. The Associated Press has learned that the state quietly paid $190,000 a dozen years ago to settle the first lawsuit in which Walker was accused of sexually harassing a secretary.
The payment has never been identified as such in a state budget or audit, but following inquiries by The AP, the Legislative Fiscal Office and the state auditor confirmed the money was paid through a budget category labeled "other operating funds" of the state Senate in 1993.
The earlier lawsuit was filed when Walker was a powerful state senator. The state paid to settle allegations that he and two legislative colleagues sexually harassed a secretary in the state Senate.
An even bigger payout potentially is at stake in the current lawsuit against Walker, which was filed by a former parole board secretary. Plaintiff's lawyers have told the state's risk managers they believe their claim is worth $1 million to $3 million in damages.
Walker, who helps decide when murderers, sex offenders, and other felons are released from prison, declined a request for an interview. He referred questions through a parole board spokeswoman to his state-paid attorney, Bruce Edenfield.
Second: In my humble opinion ?
1. Nathan Deal should be barred from serving in Government. What all did he do to have to resign ?
2. Richard Stogner should be barred from serving in Government.
3. Gov. Sonny Perdue should be investigated for his Highway and Land Deals ! Federal Investigation !
4. Abolish Office of CEO in DeKalb !
5. Abolish the office of Director of Public Safety ! Crime continues to flourish in South DeKalb !
6. Abolish the Office of DeKalb Fire Marshall ! Only County in Georgia to have a Fire Marshall and Fire Chief ?
7. Recall The DeKalb BOC ! 5 out of 7 for sure ?
8. Ans yes ! Jesse Cunningham should be no where near Government of any sort !
and on and on and on in Dekalb County . . . . .
Who is the owner of the the owner of Champion News Paper” the sell out Glenn’s” o r” Klu Klux Klan”?
"Lastly, the Champion Newspaper lacks credibility south of the DeKalb County Mason-Dixie line."
Is that a comment hinting at a racial divide, Attorney Thomas? Very mature, right out of the Vernon Jones handbook.
Really......A true jerk !!
Dwight, Dwight, Dwight. Your years of having to defend the county's most infamous slimeball, Vernon Jones, has taught you well.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-school-officials-record-690212.html
In that case, Cunningham pleaded guilty in 1982 under Georgia’s first offender program to stealing $12,500 in bank deposits from a Decatur McDonald’s where he was store manager. He was sentenced to six years probation. He declined to answer questions last week about the case and referred a reporter to his attorney, Dwight Thomas.
“He pleaded guilty to theft by taking under the First Offender Act,” Thomas said. “State law says when you are under the First Offender Act, you can say ‘no, I’m not a convicted felon’ on job applications and other records.”
1) Jay pleaded guilty.
2) Only because he was a first offender, he doesn't have to list that he is a convicted felon.
3) He wasn't "convicted" because he pleaded guilty.
Dwight, Dwight, Dwight
Best of luck to you as you try to ave Eddie Long's butt out of his mess. Bless your heart.
Lastly, the Champion Newspaper lacks credibility south of the DeKalb County Mason-Dixie line.
Mr. Cunningham is a public official in a position to influence the use of public funds. In the past his pizza company has contracted with semi-public school booster groups and his brother's car dealership has reportedly sold cars to DCSS. He is also allegedly in default on property taxes, which by definition is a public issue, and has been sued in open court, which is a matter of public record (and his public position and the number of times he has been sued are what make it newsworthy).
That said, I'd love to see what--public--skeletons the rest of them have in their closets. I believe one of our county commissioners has a record of kiting checks, for example.
This should be a simple ethics case: If a Board member owes back taxes to any jurisdiction -- Federal, Georgia, Lithonia, etc -- then than member is suspended and replaced until the tax situation is resolved.