Atlanta City Council approves public trust task force

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ Task Force for the Promotion of Public Trust has been approved by City Council. The task force’s main function is to expand transparency and accountability in government.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ Task Force for the Promotion of Public Trust has been approved by City Council. The task force’s main function is to expand transparency and accountability in government.

The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a resolution recently to create the Task Force for the Promotion of Public Trust which will evaluate the city’s legislative and administrative policies and procedures with regard to ethics, transparency and compliance.

Both Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and members of City Council will choose appointments to the task force, according to a press release.

The task force will be comprised of 12 members as follows:

· Two former prosecutors, preferably federal, one appointed by the Atlanta City Council and one by the Mayor;

· Two recognized professors or members of academia with emphasis in the areas of government or corporate transparency, compliance, or ethics, one appointed by the Atlanta City Council and one appointed by the Mayor;

· Two former local government attorneys with experience in a City or County law department, one appointed by the Atlanta City Council and one by Mayor;

· Two residents of the City of Atlanta, one appointed by the Atlanta City Council and one appointed by the Mayor;

· Two former Judges one appointed by the Atlanta City Council and one appointed by the Mayor; and

· Two members appointed by the Council President from any of the five professional categories listed above.

The task force will holdt its first meeting two weeks after all members have been appointed. It will be tasked with making written recommendations to the Mayor, the Council President, and the Atlanta City Council for meaningful reforms in the areas of ethics, transparency and compliance. The timeline for those recommendations is four months from the first meeting. Once that has been completed, the task force will be dissolved with 30 days.

Information: atlantaga.gov