DeKalb’s interim CEO put the county’s purchasing director and suspended CEO Burrell Ellis' former secretary on paid leave Monday based on the sworn testimony in the Ellis case that indicates the two were involved in alleged corruption in county government.
May said he decided that Kelvin Walton and Nina Hall, most recently a manager in the water/sewer department, had become a distraction from the county getting daily work done. Their testimony — first reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last month — also hurt the county’s ability to rebuild public trust, May said.
“It’s slower than some wanted, but I decided we must protect the integrity of the county and of our procurement process.”
In sworn testimony released last month, Walton admitted he lied in his first appearance before a special grand jury investigating allegations of corruption in DeKalb. That jury’s work led to the 14-count political corruption case Ellis faces.
Walton also testified he broke the law when he did not pay a county vendor who removed a tree from his back yard.
In her appearance before the panel, Hall testified that she believed Walton had funneled money from at least two county vendors to her at a time when she served on at least 15 selection committees for county projects. She repeatedly said she could not answer why she believed the cash had come from contractors.
For a full look at May’s decision, and the cost to taxpayers, please visit www.myajc.com.
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