Some 145,000 DeKalb County residents will soon regain a voice on the county commission.
A newly signed bill, approved in the final hours of the Legislative session, allows DeKalb to temporarily appoint a commissioner to represent the south DeKalb District 5. The person will serve however long Lee May, the former district commissioner, serves as interim CEO of the county.
“It’s a great win, just to know we’re getting someone in there,” said Gina Mangham, the attorney who first pushed the issue earlier this year. “Now they just need to tell us what the process will be so the community can get involved and give input.”
The technical question of whether May could serve as both a commissioner and interim executive had been a concern for some other commissioners and residents.
But, as first reported in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in February, state and local law did not allow for an interim commissioner.
Senate Bill 367 creates a law that allows the “governing authority” to appoint a temporary replacement in cases where the governor appoints a member of that authority to fill in for a suspended public official.
In July, Gov. Nathan Deal suspended CEO Burrell Ellis after his 14-count indictment on political corruption charges and elevated May.
One bit of confusion, however, seems unique to DeKalb. In every other of Georgia’s 159 counties, the new law gives the county commission the power to make the appointment.
DeKalb, the only one in Georgia with a CEO, will instead have the executive make the appointment, with commission approval, according to a legal opinion from the county attorney.
May said the legislative intent was likely for the commission alone to act, so he plans meetings in the next week with commissioners to jointly develop an application and vetting process.
“I want us on the sage page,” May said. “The most important thing, I think, is we find someone with zoning experience so that the residents in District 5 have a voting member on that important issue.”
May’s absence from the commission has created some delays in zoning request, given the board’s tradition of deferring to the local commissioner on such issues.
Commissioner Stan Watson, whose “super district” includes all of District 5, has been the only member able to advance items from that area. All other residents have at least two commissioners – a local representation and the super district commissioner – for their issues.
Commissioner Larry Johnson, who serves as presiding officer, said he had yet to have a full discussion with other members about their plans.
The new law calls for advertising for applicants for at least two weeks, meaning the board will have time to take the issue up in a committee meeting.
“I want a broader discussions so we can attract quality candidates, but do it quickly,” Johnson said.
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