Pending results of a possible appeal, Marietta Councilman Anthony Coleman was suspended temporarily Friday by a 5-1 vote of the Marietta City Council.
Councilman Philip Goldstein based his dissension on the fact that Coleman was suspended automatically upon his May 12 conviction based upon state law.
“It’s not a permanent vacancy. We’re not past the 30 days,” Goldstein said of Coleman who has until June 12 to appeal his conviction on one of four counts for lying about his friend’s community service.
Assistant City Attorney Daniel White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday the next step is for Gov. Nathan Deal to appoint someone from Ward 5 to fill this vacancy.
However, Deal has “no time limit” as to when he should make this appointment, he said.
The reason for Deal’s involvement is that Marietta does not have a law about filling a council seat during a temporary suspension, he added.
There still are the possibilities that Coleman’s conviction will be overturned and he then could be reinstated to serve on the Council, White said.
After a final conviction is determined, then a special election would need to be called by Council unless that election would occur within six months of next year’s Council election, White explained.
Mayor Steve Tumlin said, “This body is not judging Mr. Coleman in any form. I think Mr. Coleman served this city well for his 14 years. It’s a shame it came to this.”
Coleman, associate minister of Vision for Souls Family Worship Center, served as chairman of the city’s Public Safety Committee, vice-chairman of the Personnel/Insurance Committee and liaison to the Marietta Housing Authority.
In a letter dated Dec. 15, 2013, Coleman said Terry Jones Mays completed 59 hours of community service, a condition of her probation for a DUI and reckless driving conviction.
Officials said Coleman gave the letter to the Probation Department at least five days earlier.
Jurors acquitted Coleman of two other counts of making false statements and one count of racketeering.
Cobb Superior Court Judge Tain Kell Monday sentenced Coleman to serve 500 hours of community service and five years of probation and to pay a $1,000 fine.
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