The DeKalb County Board of Ethics is asking county commissioners to release $97,000 for investigations, legal counsel and administrative support — but not for the integrity officer position proposed by Interim CEO Lee May.
Board of Ethics Chairman John Ernst wrote this week in a letter requesting the money that the board needs funding to handle a heavy caseload of complaints pending against elected commissioners and other county employees. An integrity or ethics officer could potentially be created later.
“We’re going to use that money to help us set up the ethics office and further investigate the claims we have currently,” he said. “I’d rather have the airplane built before we start flying.”
The DeKalb Commission appropriated the money in July to supplement the Board of Ethics’ existing $118,000 annual budget. In an effort to preserve the board’s independence, the Commission voted not to release the funds until the board requested them.
May had proposed a chief integrity officer as someone who could train county employees, field tips about unethical behavior, monitor an ethics hotline and bring concerns to the attention of the Board of Ethics.
Ernst said he supports May’s goals.
“We want to continue our independence and decide for ourselves whether an integrity officer or ethics officer would be part of the solution,” Ernst said.
The DeKalb Commission could vote on releasing the money next month.
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