Ex- DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones is demanding assurance that he is not the target of a criminal investigation before agreeing to appear before a special grand jury probing possible corruption in the water and sewer department.
“Mr. Jones has nothing to hide and wants to be cooperative, but he does not want to be victimized by prosecutorial abuse, ‘word twisting,’ political ridicule or other improper tactics and motives,” Jones’ lawyer, Dwight Thomas, wrote in a letter to DeKalb District Attorney Robert James.
Other top county officials, including current CEO Burrell Ellis, have appeared in recent weeks before the grand jury. James convened it last winter to look into allegations stemming from a disputed tree service contract.
The special grand jury, meeting about once a week, is to deliver a report that James could then take to a regular grand jury for potential indictments.
Only Jones, a former legislator and an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate, has objected to appearing. Thomas said Jones is “not going in to Death Valley for an ambush. It hasn’t got anything to do with folks having anything to hide.”
James’ office declined to comment on the progress of the grand jury.
The DA told Channel 2 Action News in January the panel is "not just looking at people who may have had their hand in the cookie jar," adding it would also look into "how deep and how pervasive an issue or problem may be. There may have been individuals inside Watershed Management, inside the county agencies, that were manipulating the bidding process. Such that when individuals obtained contracts or awards, they (didn't) done so fairly.”"
Chief Operating Officer Richard Stogner, who also served under Jones, said he was called twice about a month ago. Stogner said he was “not supposed to talk too much about it,” but the grand jury asked about processes and the people responsible for certain tasks.
Stogner said the heads of the Departments of Watershed Management, Finance and Procurement also have appeared.
Thomas, however, said Jones' subpoena to appear on July 27 was vague, and that the DA wanted his client to “create documents” that already exist with state and federal agencies and does not comply with state law.
“Nobody will tell me if he’s a target or not a target,” Thomas said, adding he will go to court to block the subpoena unless Jones gets the assurances he seeks.
The grand jury probe relates to a contract with Champion's Tree Service to remove vegetation so stormwater and sewer lines could be mapped for a major overhaul. The contract ran from 2002 to 2008.
Champion's filed a suit in early 2010 claiming it was never paid more than $880,000 for services performed. The county responded that it stopped payment after an audit showed multiple invoices for the same property and bills for larger areas than were designated for the work. The county fired two water department employees.
Champion's attorney, one-time DeKalb DA Bob Wilson, said last winter that the contractor wasn't paid because its owner "wouldn't grease anybody's palm."
The company's owner has testified before the special grand jury, Wilson said Wednesday.
Another Champion attorney, Stephen Quinn, said the grand jury's requests suggest "they [grand jurors] apparently have reason toe believe corruption exists."
Last month, an inspector in the DeKalb Department of Public Works -- which is separate from the water and sewer department -- pleaded guilty in federal court to extorting money from a contractor in an unrelated case.
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