Fulton County Schools officials said Thursday district superintendent Robert Avossa was “not intimidated” by a memo from a state legislator urging him to deposit money in African-American owned banks to show his willingness to do business with blacks.
The letter , sent by Rep. Joe Heckstall, D-East Point to school board member Catherine Maddox, was shared with the superintendent this week following a meeting of the Fulton County delegation. At the meeting, according to the letter, Avossa was introduced to lawmakers. He talked about diversity at Fulton Schools and the economic impact the district has in the region.
Heckstall said the letter was meant to urge the district to show its commitment to diversity in its business dealings by making a $250,000 deposit in a black bank. Heckstall did not mention that he owned stock in one of Fulton’s black-owned banks, Capital City.
“I went to Catherine Maddox with the exact intention of encouraging all state, municipal and county organizations and associations to invest some of their money in black banks,” Heckstall said. “We need to encourage people to make sure money is distributed equally.”
Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta, who received a copy of the memo, said it was “unconscionable” and reached out to Avossa in a letter to lend his support. Fulton County Schools has an open bidding process that provides equal opportunities to women and minority vendors to bid on contracts, but there are no set asides.
“If I were handed that letter as a superintendent … I would be frightened,” Martin said. “He didn’t say make sure African-American owned banks are able to bid, he said he wanted them to win.”
School spokeswoman Susan Hale said Avossa and the district would continue following Fulton's contracting rules.
William Perry, executive director of Common Cause Georgia and a member of the Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform, said Heckstall may have a conflict of interest given his bank holdings. . “The definition of a conflict of interest is when a public official acts in a way that would benefit themselves personally, which this situation would apply.”
Hecsktall, said he was pushing for opportunities for minorities, not for personal gain.
"I want them to invest not just in Capital City but other black-owned banks," he said.
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