Ethics Board to consider case against ex-commissioner

The DeKalb County Board of Ethics will hold a final hearing Thursday on a complaint against former county Commissioner Elaine Boyer.

Boyer has already resigned from office and pleaded guilty to fraud charges related to a scheme in which she funneled more than $93,000 in taxpayer money to herself.

Though she's already out of office, her hearing will give the Board of Ethics an opportunity to set a precedent.

The Board of Ethics has never before used its power to remove an elected official from office. Five out of seven board members would have to agree to sanction Boyer.

The Boyer case is the first before the Board of Ethics that's moving toward resolution.

Complaints are also pending against each of DeKalb's remaining five commissioners.

"It's pretty important," said John Ernst, the board's chairman. "We went from a board that didn't have enough money or members to a board that's hearing cases in a relatively short period of time."

Click here to view the DeKalb Board of Ethics agenda for Nov. 13.