DeKalb Ethics

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2017 – CURRENT

2017 – CURRENT

2017-1  Vernon Jones vs Stacey Kalberman

2017-4  Rhea Johnson vs Stacey Kalberman & Dan DeWoskin

2017-5  Amos King vs Stacey Kalberman & 7 Members of the Board of Ethics

2017-12  Rhea Johnson vs Stacey Kalberman & Members of the Board of Ethics

The above complainants 2017-1, 4 and 5 alleged that Ethics Officer, Stacey Kalberman, violated the Ethics Code prohibition on engaging in political activities by lobbying in support of ethics legislation in the 2017 General Assembly.  On June 29, 2017, specially appointed Hearing Officer, Justice Leah Ward Sears, found no probable cause to believe that the Respondents in the above matters violated the Ethics Code by engaging in “political activities” as none of the four complaints identify an ethical prohibition in either state or local which bars the activity in which they contend the Ethics Officer engaged.  Justice Sears also found no probable cause to move forward on 2017-12 which alleged that the Ethics Board committed an ethical violation by falsely appealing a court order striking down the appointment process for certain Board members.

 

2017-2  Rhea Johnson vs Matelski, Puckett and Bowen

Rhea Johnson filed a complaint against John Matelski, Barry Puckett and Brad Bowen alleging a violation of the Ethics Code for their job related functions pertaining to ilegilslate.  ilegislate allows elected officials and staff to electronically review meeting agendas, supporting documents and archived video.  On April 20, 2017, the Board of Ethics voted (4-0) to dismiss the complaint for lack of jurisdiction.

 

2017-3  Rhea Johnson vs Burrell Ellis Jr. — Refile

Rhea Johnson refiled a previously dismissed complaint alleging a violation of 22A.(c)(1) and (2).  The Ethics Board on April 17, 2017 dismissed the complaint a second time based on jurisdictional grounds.

 

2017-6  Calvin Thompson vs Unknown Police Officer 

Calvin Thompson alleged that a police officer harassed a motorist.  On February 15, 2018, the Ethics Board dismissed the complaint for faulure to state a violation under the Ethics Code.

 

2017-7  Rhea Johnson vs Kelly Cato 

Rhea Johnson alleged misappropriation of funds by District 2 when personnel allegedly used District 7 funds to pay for District 2 expenses.  The Ethics Board dismissed the complaint on August 17, 2017, for failure to state an ethics violation.

 

2017-8  Rhea Johnson vs Kathie Gannon 

Rhea Johnson alleged misappropriation of funds by District 2 when personnel allegedly used District 7 funds to pay for District 2 expenses.  The Ethics Board dismissed the complaint on August 17, 2017, for failure to state an ethics violation.

 

2017-9  Bryan Scott Duval vs Officer Parker 

Bryan Scott Duval alleged a failure to investigate a hit and run accident on December 17, 2016.  On February 15, 2018, the Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint due to lack of a stated violation of the Ethics Code.

 

2017-13  Rhea Johnson vs Monica Miles 

Rhea Johnson alleged that Monica Miles failed to post meeting agendas for the Audit Oversight Committee and allowed Commission members to use personal email to conduct county business.  On February 15, 2018, the Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint for lack of jurisdiction.

 

2017-20  Stacey Kalberman vs Terrell Davis

Ethics Officer, Stacey Kalberman, brought a complaint against Terrell Davis, a DeKalb County police officer,

 

2017-21  Viola Davis vs Talisa Clark, Michelle Butler, Cathryn Horner & Christa Malone

Viola Davis alleged that above Respondents repeatedly failed to comply with the Open Records Act by failing to properly respond to various open records requests.  On February 15, 2018, the Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint based on jurisdictional grounds.

 

2017-22  Viola Davis vs Benita Ransom and Janet Essix

Viola Davis alleged that above Respondents repeatedly failed to comply with the Open Records Act by failing to properly respond to various open records requests.  On February 15, 2018, the Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint based on jurisdictional grounds.

 

2017-23  Viola Davis & Joel Edwards vs CEO, BOC, PW, DWM, Finance and Talisa Clark

Viola Davis and Joel Edwards alleged that above Respondents repeatedly failed to comply with the Open Records Act by failing to properly respond to various open records requests.  On February 15, 2018, the Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint based on jurisdictional grounds.

 

2017-24  Robert Buckler vs Rader, Gannon, O.V. Brantley & John Jones

Robert Buckler alleged multiple conflicts of interest and improper conduct by Commissioner Jeff Rader and Kathie Gannon.  Case is Currently pending.

 

2018-1  Stacey Kalberman vs Marcus Kellum

Ethics Officer, Stacey Kalberman, filed a complaint against Marcus Kellum alleging that Mr. Kellum violated 22A (c)(5) of the Ethics Code by rendering professional services to an outside entity during his regular working hours and was, therefore, incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties.  It is also alleged that Mr. Kellum accepted overpayments from the County for business travel by failing to return unexpended travel advances in a timely manner as well as double charging the County for airfare which would be a violation of section 22A (c)(7) of the Ethics Code.

Case Pending

 

2018-2  Loretta Washington vs Michael Thurmond, Scott Towler, Ted Rhinehart and Talisa Clark

Ms. Washington alleged that the Respondents (Michael Thurmond, Scott Towler, Ted Rhinehart and Talisa Clark) have violated 22A(c)(7) of the Ethics Code through the illegal practice of engineering services by permitting contractors to perform engineering work for the County while the contractors did not hold a state granted Certificate of Authority under OCGA Code Section 43-15-23.

Case Pending

 

2018-3  Helen Houston vs Mark Welsh

Ms. Houston alleged that the court appointed guardian ad litem for her sister-in-law committed wrongdoing.

Case dismissed by Ethics Board on 4/19/18 due to lack of jurisdiction (complainant is not a DeKalb resident).

 

2018-4  Kenneth Taylor vs Gregory Adams

Mr. Taylor alleged that Commissioner Gregory Adams violated the Ethics Code by sexually harassing Ashley Wright, a direct report of Commissioner Adams.

Case pending; Ethics Board issued a related Advisory Opinion 2017-3

 

2018-5  Ed Williams vs DeKalb Board of Commissioners (excluding Commissioner Jester)

Mr. Williams alleged that the then current members of the Board of Commissioners violated 22A (c)(7) of the Ethics Code by voting to increase their compensation on January 19, 2018.  Mr. Williams alleges that members of the BOC violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act by not properly placing the item on the meeting agenda and violated O.C.G.A. 36-5-24 which prohibited the BOC from taking action to increase their compensation.

Case Pending

 

2018-6  Rhea Johnson vs Jeff Rader

Mr. Johnson alleged that Commissioner Rader improperly withheld an agenda item from being considered by the full Board of Commissioners.  The agenda item involved the formation of the Scott-Suburban CID.  Mr. Johnson made an unsubstantiated claim that Mr. Rader was acting on conflict of interest by quashing the agenda item due to the fact that Commissioner Rader, as an outside consultant, would occasionally assist in drafting grant requests for the Little Five Points CID.  Mr. Johnson presented no evidence of a current conflict of interest, but presented the case as a potential, future conflict of interest.

Case dismissed by Board of Ethics on 8/9/18 for lack of jurisdiction.

 

2018-7  Tonya Morrison vs Dwayne Brown

Ms. Morrison alleged that Assistant District Attorney, Dwayne Brown, improperly withheld material evidence at a criminal trial involving defendant Michael Jenkins.

Case dismissed by Board of Ethics on 8/9/18 for lack of jurisdiction.

 

2018-8  Rhea Johnson vs Jeff Rader

Mr. Johnson alleged that Commissioner Rader violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act by failing to give the public prior notification of a budget item on which a vote was taken at the January 10, 2018 Board of Commissioners meeting.

Case dismissed by Board of Ethics on 8/9/2018.

 

2018-9  Rhea Johnson vs Steve Bradshaw

Mr. Johnson alleged that Commissioner Bradshaw violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act by failing to give the public prior notification of an item considered at the Board of Commissioners meeting on July 10, 2018.  The item was deferred for action until the July 24, 2018 Board of Commissioners meeting.

Case dismissed by Board of Ethics on 8/9/2018.

 

2018-10  Timothy H. Williams vs Fred Rushing and Courtney Bishop Newman

Mr. Williams alleged a conflict of interest against two private attorneys.  Mr. Williams was informed that the Ethics Board does not have jurisdiction over private attorneys.

Recommendation of dismissal on jurisdictional grounds will be given to the Ethics Board.

 

2018-11  George E. Williams vs DeKalb County Police Dept.

Mr. Williams alleges police misconduct against the DeKalb Police.

 

2018-12  Thomas Hambrick vs Judge Gregory Adams

Mr. Hambrick alleges that Judge Gregory Adams should not have denied a motion for reconsideration.

Recommendation of dismissal on jurisdictional grounds will be given to the Ethics Board.

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