The DeKalb County Board of Ethics voted unanimously Thursday to reprimand former Commissioner Elaine Boyer for using her taxpayer-backed charge card for personal gain.
Boyer will agree to the reprimand and admit that she violated ethical rules, said her attorney, Anne Lewis. Boyer didn’t attend the Board of Ethics meeting.
The reprimand was negotiated between Lewis and the Board of Ethics, and it avoided a formal hearing and the potential for harsher penalties. It will become final upon Boyer’s signature.
Boyer acknowledged the violations in a response to the board Wednesday. Boyer also pleaded guilty to charges that she bilked taxpayers out of more than $93,000.
Boyer’s attorney wrote to the board that removal from office wouldn’t be appropriate because she already resigned Aug. 25.
The board has the power to remove, suspend or reprimand county employees who break ethics rules. It has never exercised its power to remove an official from office.
Ethics complaints are still pending against each of DeKalb’s five remaining commissioners.
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