Almost two years ago, when Gov. Nathan Deal appointed me as the Interim CEO for DeKalb County, I made a vow to return the government to the people; bring about more transparency, ethics and integrity; and restore the confidence and faith of the public and those who we were elected to represent.
That goal has not yet been fully achieved. Major challenges remain. But we are on the right path and making progress every day.
Recent times have been tough for the people of DeKalb County. Cynicism and mistrust have permeated the air. It has appeared that our local government is awash in corruption. Although the vast majority of elected officials and government employees do their jobs with competence and honor, there have been some whose behavior is inexcusable, egregious and poisonous.
But know this: I am determined to rebuild the public’s trust. I am determined to root out corruption and malfeasance wherever it lies. And I am determined to make the people of DeKalb County proud of their government like they were not too long ago.
That is why last year I signed an Executive Order to reform our ethics. My order mandated that:
- All gifts and meals will have standardized limits;
- All employees under the CEO must go through new ethics training;
- All employee travel must be directly related to government;
- and all honoraria is strictly prohibited.
In addition, I have proposed an office and funding for an independent auditor and an ethics officer — positions with real authority. I am still waiting and expecting the Board of Commissioners to approve and move forward on these two important initiatives.
However, that was not enough. More leadership and bold action was required. Therefore, through Executive Order in March, I appointed former Attorney General Mike Bowers and Special Investigator Richard Hyde to investigate the affairs, records, and expenditures of employees and departments under the authority of the CEO.
Bowers and Hyde have total independence and unfettered access to conduct their investigations. They will expose any corruption or malfeasance immediately. Upon completion, their report will be made public. Based upon the content of that report, we will initiate further reforms to bring more openness and transparency.
During this painful process, there have been some who want to give up on the county and form new cities or move jurisdictions. However, let me urge caution. Given all of the problems we have and the reforms that are underway, DeKalb County is still a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Whether it is our low tax rate, our county services, or our parks and recreation, we are on the move. And we are seeing the results. We are creating more and better jobs every day. Our local economy is improving and opportunities are expanding. The crime rate is dropping. Our neighborhoods are safer. And we’re living within our means and making government more efficient.
So, people of DeKalb, don’t give up! Let’s join hands and work as one.
My vision for the people of DeKalb County is to lead a government that makes everyone proud; and to be the kind of leader who, once again, helps make DeKalb County one of the best places to live in America.
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