As a stipend scandal centered on the Development Authority of Fulton County unfolds, one commissioner wants to set a daily pay that would mean more money for most of the county’s volunteer board members, including those on the controversial development agency.
Fulton commissioners appoint members and oversee dozens of boards, from the Animal Welfare Hearing Board to the Commission on Elder Affairs, with an array of compensation rules. Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. wants to see each paid the same daily rate of $250.
The proposal comes as another commissioner, Lee Morris, has pitched a $105 daily cap on the pay of the embattled DAFC board.
This difference of philosophies will be on display at the Fulton County Commission meeting Wednesday.
Weeks of reporting from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has uncovered a culture of loose financial oversight at DAFC under previous leadership. Board members received $200 per diems that elected county commissioners now believe may not have been legal. There has been talk of paying the money back, but it’s unclear if that’s possible.
DAFC members have argued they are being “crucified” for what happened before a new chief took over.
Morris proposed a cap of $105, which would match the rate for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia — a board with the far greater responsibility for oversight of 26 colleges and universities.
DAFC is the only development authority that pays its members a stipend — despite state law allowing the practice in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.
Morris, a Republican who represents Buckhead and Sandy Springs, said last time the commissioners met that the public has “completely lost trust and confidence in DAFC.” He proposed the cap and annual financial disclosures but tabled the items because he had to leave early for a family commitment.
Morris told the AJC on Tuesday that, in order to get the four votes needed to pass his measure, he plans to remove the stipulation that a per diem can only be earned by attending a full board meeting, so members could get a per diem for a site visit or committee meeting.
But, unlike before when some members collected the stipend for each agenda item voted upon, members will only collect one per day.
“I do think it’s important that we resolve it and have the reformed board proceed with its business without this uncertainty hanging over them,” said Morris, adding that he’s not sure how much support Arrington’s proposal will receive.
Arrington, a Democrat who represents part of southern Fulton, was not immediately available for comment Tuesday. His resolution sets a standard $250 per diem for all of the county’s board and authorities.
A standard amount should exist “in order to defray some of the costs that may otherwise prevent them from serving due to budget constraints or other obstacles,” according to the resolution.
The proposal says the county’s Finance department will create a funding line for the per diems but doesn’t specify a source for the money.
The Fulton County Commission meets at 10 a.m. inside Assembly Hall at 141 Pryor St. in downtown Atlanta.
Staff writer J. Scott Trubey contributed to this report.
Credit: WSBTV Videos
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