The Brookhaven City Council held a special called meeting Dec. 23 to discuss rescinding its vote to support the purchase of the Skyland building by the Brookhaven Development Authority. Earlier this month, the council approved the purchase, meant as part of the economic development plan of the city.
The reason given for the re-vote being a possible conflict of interest in the purchase, existing in the fact that one of the council members, Joe Gebbia, was also a member of the Brookhaven Innovative Academy board, which brought the purchase deal to the city.
Gebbia, in an effort to remove the conflict, submitted his resignation to the BIA board.
Before the vote, there was one public comment by Catherine Bernard, a resident who said she appreciated the council voting on this issue again, but she didn’t think Gebbia’s resignation was enough to remove the conflict, because much of the purchase deal’s business took place while Gebbia was on the BIA board and a Brookhaven council member.
Another councilmember, John Park, said that while he supported the purchase initially, he changed his mind and would not support the purchase after all. After discussion, the council voted not to support the purchase.
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