DeKalb Commission remains 2 representatives down
The shorthanded DeKalb County Commission, which has lost two representatives because of criminal charges, delayed a vote Tuesday to select a temporary replacement commissioner.
The board’s inaction left it with five of seven seats filled for a county with a population exceeding 700,000 people.
The Commission had been scheduled to vote on the appointment of George Turner, an involved member of the southeast DeKalb community, to fill the seat previously held by Interim CEO Lee May, representing about 140,000 residents. But Commissioner Stan Watson made a motion to defer the vote for two weeks, and it passed unanimously without debate.
The other vacant seat belonged to former Commissioner Elaine Boyer, who resigned Monday and admitted guilt to federal fraud charges Tuesday. Her north DeKalb seat will be filled in a special election.
May said he remains confident the Commission will approve Turner, whom May nominated for the job from a list of 20 candidates.
“[Turner] is an admirable man, he’s an honest guy, he’s an overall good guy. He’s a person this board of commission needs,” May said.
Turner serves as president of the District 5 Community Council and as a board member of the Arabia National Heritage Area. He previously worked as a legislative aide in the Georgia State Senate and is the president of the Hunter’s Run II Homeowner’s Association.
The southeast DeKalb district seat hasn't been filled for more than a year since May became the county's chief executive when Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him to replace suspended CEO Burrell Ellis, who is scheduled to go on trial next month.
Ellis faces charges that he pressured and threatened county contractors for campaign contributions.
Turner would serve at least until the end of Ellis’ trial.
If Ellis is found not guilty, Ellis would resume his job as CEO and May would retake his seat on the commission. If Ellis is found guilty, Turner would continue to represent the area until Ellis’ appeals are exhausted or the next election occurs.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
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