DeKalb government oversight proposal doesn’t pass
An effort to bring accountability to DeKalb County’s government spending stalled again Tuesday amid concerns that the position wasn’t strong enough.
The DeKalb Commission voted to defer approving an internal auditor until next month. The position has been vacant since commissioners initially approved it in 2010.
Calls for renewed action have been mounting since commissioners’ spending on government charge cards has been questioned. In some cases, commissioners bought gift cards, printers, steak dinners and plane flights.
Commissioner Kathie Gannon said she wants to ensure the auditor is independent from elected officials rather than selected by a committee chosen by the county commission.
“When we select and choose ourselves … it still is not arm’s length removed from us who have control of their budget and staff in various different ways,” Gannon said.
But Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton said it was time for action.
“This is imperative that we have this internal auditor for transparency’s sake so we can monitor transparency in all the departments,” Sutton said.
The Georgia General Assembly might take action if the county commission doesn’t. DeKalb’s legislators have said they’re considering proposals for increased oversight.
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.
