Covening Tuesday for only the second-known time in the city’s 91-year history, Avondale Estates’ Ethics Board dismissed an ethics complaint filed against the Board of Mayor and Commissioners by Joseph Mandarino. Filed March 4, the complaint asked for, among others, voiding of last December’s annexation of Stratford Green because the board was down one person and that BOMC, he contended, shouldn’t conduct any business until a vacancy’s filled. He also asked for the resignation of all city officials.
Mandarino did not attend the hearing.
The three-person board rendered a unanimous judgement.
“We can’t find any evidence of unethical behavior,” Chair Andrew Cohen told an audience of 30. “We don’t believe this ever should’ve come before this committee — it should’ve gone before that [state’s] Superior Court.”
Before giving its decision the board heard from commissioners Lindsay Forlines, Randy Beebe and John Quinn, each of whom expressed outrage.
“I got a lot of hate mail over [favoring] annexation,” Beebe said. “That’s okay. But this ethics complaint, that’s personal.”
City manager Clai Brown said the complaint has cost Avondale to date nearly $10,000 in staff and attorney fees.
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