Weeks after DeKalb County shot down most of a request for enough cash to more than quadruple the budget of its beleaguered ethics board, a slow movement is taking shape to boost the body next year.
But the slow going on strengthening the board with more cash — in the midst of a political corruption scandal that left the elected CEO indicted and questions swirling about other county staffers — has already angered and frustrated county residents eager to lift that cloud of suspicion.
Some are willing to see whether interim CEO Lee May’s proposed 2014 budget, which he unveils next month, includes a promised bump in funding. Others are ready to force, or take, action.
“The ethics board is the only thing, internally, the county can do to challenge our perception of corruption,” said George Chidi, a business consultant from Pine Lake. “If they won’t fully fund it, we will, even if it takes a bake sale to drive home how tone deaf it is to stall this.”
A special grand jury report released in August highlighted just how weak DeKalb’s ethics board is when compared with the allegations of self-dealing and cronyism that point to a culture of corruption.
The seven-member board should be a signature watchdog. Rare for such bodies, its role is enshrined in DeKalb’s county charter.
On paper, it has the power to hire staff, investigate complaints and, if conflicts or behavior are egregious enough, fire nearly every county employee and remove office county commissioners and even the CEO.
On the ground, though, the board has struggled for years to attract volunteers and maintain a quorum.
That ineffectiveness left the board AWOL in the questionable practices detailed in the scathing grand jury report. It was similarly absent in the allegations of conspiracy, bribery and attempted extortion that form the 15-count indictment against suspended CEO Burrell Ellis.
Acting board Chairman Isaac Blythers said he hoped that attention would help his yearlong push to get the board both additional nominees and more money.
Its budget this year is $16,500. The bulk of that funding, $12,000, is set aside for a part-time attorney that the county hires.
A proposal that spent months before the County Commission would have awarded an additional $57,750 for the ethics board this year. Most of the new cash, $35,000, would have paid for investigators to help review complaints as needed.
The commission balked at that request. The main concerns: complaints over lack of detail on the need for funding and worry that investigators would embolden complaints driven by political vendettas.
Late last month, the commission agreed to give the ethics board $15,000 more, all of it to be used on additional training.
“I know it’s a feel-good department right now, but they need a game plan,” Commissioner Elaine Boyer said, adding that would-be complaints could always be directed to the county District Attorney’s Office if the ethics board was not an option.
J. D. Clockadale, a consultant from Brookhaven, said he understood the need for caution when spending tax dollars.
At the same time, he expects leaders to take seriously the ethics board’s request for a $119,000 budget next year. Generally, that would allow for $48,000 for an attorney to work additional hours and an additional 60,000 for staff expenses, including investigators.
May, who by law must unveil his recommended budget by Dec. 15, would not comment on whether he will propose the full amount. He has instead promised a “significant” increase for the board.
“The onus is on the county to partner up with the ethics board and outline, clearly, what they’re going to do for the betterment of the citizens,” Clockadale said. “The whole county is in obvious need of greater oversight, so we want to see them take this seriously.”
Already, statewide officials and organizations have signaled their commitment as well. State Rep. Mike Jacobs, who represents north DeKalb, has pledged to introduce specific language to state law that would help get the ethics board more funding if the commission doesn’t act before the Legislature convenes in January.
Common Cause, the ethics advocacy group, has also gotten involved. So far, it has just sent out alerts, encouraging residents to keep the pressure on the county to act.
President William Perry said the group will continue to monitor the issue, though, even though it’s rare for the statewide organization to jump in on local issues.
“We heard from too many people in DeKalb, asking for help on this, for us to ignore it,” Perry said. “It’s good to see so many people getting involved, so we are trying to be cautiously optimistic that this is going to happen.”
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