Snellville's proposed ethics ordinance was intended to hold city officials more accountable for their actions.
Instead, the measure has sparked a months-long political tug of war among city leaders.
At issue is a provision of the local law that would establish a citizens review board to hear complaints against City Council members. Some say the 10-member board would make city leaders answer to the people they serve. Others argue that such a panel is ripe for abuse and "political gamesmanship."
Councilwoman Kelly Kautz, champion of the ethics board, has presented various drafts of the ordinance nearly a dozen times at work sessions since April, garnering little support from her council colleagues. She offered the latest version Monday night.
Currently, Snellville has no ethics ordinance, though the city's charter addresses conflicts of interest among elected officials, appointed officers and city employees. However, there is no process for residents to make complaints against city leaders.
"Everywhere you look, from the federal government to school boards, everybody's been enacting ethics policies," Kautz said. "I don't know what they're afraid of."
"I'm afraid of how the ethics ordinance will be used as a hammer," Councilman Tod Warner told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "An ethics board can lead to all sorts of political gamesmanship."
Before last November's election, leaders of this Gwinnett County community agreed on little. They deadlocked, 3-3, on multiple votes. They hurled insults at council meetings. They even ratted each other out to the police.
Two years ago, the city attorney drafted an ethics ordinance that would have set up a review panel. But city leaders set it aside, said Councilwoman Barbara Bender.
The council broached the ordinance again at its retreat in January. This time, the discussion came about as part of an effort to renew Snellville's designation as a "City of Ethics" by the Georgia Municipal Association. The certification, awarded in 2000, reflected the city's pledge to create an environment of honesty, openness and integrity. But in 2009, the municipal association changed the rules, requiring cities to reapply for certification every four years, spokeswoman Amy Henderson said.
As part of the certification, the association mandated that cities create an outside authority to review ethics complaints. However, Henderson noted, cities can use residents, elected officials or like Macon, a municipal court judge to hear complaints.
Bender, now the mayor pro tem, has asked for a redraft of the ordinance, proposing to replace the citizens board with a municipal court judge. The council will take up the matter again Oct. 25.
Larry Finney, a 39-year resident, said an ethics law is important, particularly as allegations of wrongdoing become more common in politics.
"We need to be sure we've got the proper ordinances in place that if this happens, it can be dealt with appropriately," Finney said. "I think we need to just do something."
Snellville is not alone in its quest for ethics changes. Last month, Milton reconstituted its ethics board, replacing city residents with a pool of metro Atlanta attorneys.
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