Tag: DeKalb Ethics Board

DeKalb ethics referendum gets no love at town halls. Want to know why?

DeKalb Ethics Board: Is this construction—or demolition? Update: Turns out the referendum gets some love–from the DeKalb NAACP, which has issued a limited edition statement urging a “yes” vote (posted below, at end of this article). This shouldn’t be surprising, since the local civil rights organization has had an antithetical relationship with the board. Check out chapter President Teresa Hardy’s comments in this AJC article on the Supreme Court ruling against the Board’s appointment process, which ends with this sentence: “The NAACP had initially asked to be one of the outside groups that made appointments to the board.” Interesting. By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman After observing three town halls, I’ve seen no public support for DeKalb’s ethics referendum. Here’s why: It’s a sausage…

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DeKalb ethics referendum: Town hall reveals lack of consensus among legislators

Advance voting is now under way. Check early voting sites and times. By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman On Nov. 5, DeKalb County voters will decide one countywide issue: “Shall the Act be approved which revises the Board of Ethics for DeKalb County?” It’s the exact same question they were asked in November 2015. But it’s not the same issue at all. In 2015, DeKalb County voters decided to police corruption more effectively by setting up an independent Board of Ethics with investigatory powers over DeKalb County government officials. Think of it as voting to buy a shiny new police car. Now, they’re being asked to strip off the tires and siphon the gas from the tank, many people are saying. Legislators divided Many…

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Update: DeKalb town halls in Brookhaven, Decatur are back on

DeKalb legislators at Tucker Town Hall; Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver speaking UPDATE: Rep. Matthew Wilson and Sen. Elena Parent have stepped up to host the town halls on the SB7 and the ethics referendum that had been pulled from the calendar by DeKalb legislative leadership following last week’s Tucker town hall (to see why that happened, read below). They will proceed as scheduled: October 15, 2019, 6:30-8 PM, Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur October 21, 2019, 6:30-8 PM, Brookhaven City Hall, 4362 Peachtree Rd NE, Brookhaven Important clarification. The townhalls dates and locations will remain the same: Oct. 15, 6:30pm, Manuel J. Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. Oct. 21, 6:30–8pm., Brookhaven City Hall, 4362 Peachtree Road NE, Brookhaven. We thank…

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Did Tucker’s horrible town hall cause DeKalb delegation leaders to nix ethics referendum talks?

DeKalb legislators at Tucker Town Hall; Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver speaking By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman I went to Tuesday night’s legislative town hall in Tucker with the intent of covering Senate Bill 7 and the upcoming DeKalb County referendum it calls for. The meeting went poorly. One participant called it “a horror show.” When I started to put this post together, I intended to briefly mention the meeting, noting its horribleness, then move on to write about the referendum. But then I learned that something strange had happened–something inexcusable and outrageous. So … We need to talk about the town hall About 40 DeKalb County residents showed up for the town hall at Tucker Library. Many came expecting a discussion of November’s…

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Did Tucker’s horrible town hall cause DeKalb delegation leaders to nix ethics referendum talks?

DeKalb legislators at Tucker Town Hall; Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver speaking By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman I went to Tuesday night’s legislative town hall in Tucker with the intent of covering Senate Bill 7 and the upcoming DeKalb County referendum it calls for. The meeting went poorly. One participant called it “a horror show.” When I started to put this post together, I intended to briefly mention the meeting, noting its horribleness, then move on to write about the referendum. But then I learned that something strange had happened–something inexcusable and outrageous. So … We need to talk about the town hall About 40 DeKalb County residents showed up for the town hall at Tucker Library. Many came expecting a discussion of November’s…

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