Viola Davis
Moratorium on Purchase Cards (P-Cards) in DeKalb County
MORATORIUM ON P-CARDS UNTIL AUDIT AND INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE COMPLETED
Time for a moratorium on purchase cards (p-cards) usage in DeKalb County. DeKalb County must implement a moratorium on purchase cards to regain public trust and proper oversight of the program.
The recent exposé on Commissioner Elaine Boyer and Commissioner Sharon Barnes-Sutton has created a cloud of distrust, waste, abuse and corruption (borderline alleged illegal activity) involving the use of p-cards for personal use such as paying for speeding tickets to financing a ski resort trip. The common factor each commissioner recites involves their lack of knowledge of policy, procedures, keeping proper records, etc.
A moratorium on purchase cards involves the following:
1. Moratorium on further independent usage of the purchase cards until the audit is complete. We must improve management oversight and internal control of the purchase card program.
2. Cardholders must submit supporting documentation to the program for review and override within 24-72 hours. Documentation must include all purchases made with p-cards with verification that such purchases were for county purposes.
3. Blockage of high risk transactions and categories must be part of the program to deliver red flags to administrators responsible for oversight.
4. Develop training sessions on p-card policy and procedures for purchase cardholders and approving officials to address the non-compliance issues.
5. Depending on the severity of the violations, cardholders and approving officials in violation of agency policy and/or procedures may have their authority revoked, suspended, and/or possibly be subject to termination and/or civil/criminal prosecution.
Once a pattern of abuse is verified through the audit, the individuals in willful and flagrant violation of the purchase card policy and procedure must be held accountable with civil and criminal charges to the fullest extent of the law.
Pothole Harry Samler: We Need Your Help To Repair Potholes at Hambrick and Rockbridge Road
Pothole Harry Samler: We Need Your Help to Repair Potholes at Hambrick and Rockbridge Road
WE NEED POTHOLE HARRY’S HELP
I, Ruby Bozeman Davis, called the DeKalb County Roads and Drainage department over three times to repair two major potholes at the Hambrick Road and Rockbridge Intersection.
The staff member who worked in the Roads and Drainage department claimed there were no records of my complaint listed in the computer system. As a taxpayer and voter who spends millions on computer systems for DeKalb County, I found this very troubling.
I proceeded to tell the staff member the location of the potholes. When she asked for more detail on the potholes, I said that DeKalb County would not miss the “potholes” because I marked the hole with our “Unhappy Taxpayer and Voter” sign.
Pothole Harry, we need your help! I am attaching the pictures we have of the potholes that need repair below:
1. Pothole on Hambrick Road at the intersection of Hambrick and Rockbridge. The sign marks the spot.
2. Pothole on Hambrick Road and sign marks the spot. Can Pothole Harry help us motivate CEO Lee May to repair these potholes?
3. Pothole on Hambrick Road is deep.
4. Pothole on Hambrick Road is wide.
5. I am an unhappy taxpayer and voter that needs these potholes repaired. We need your help Pothole Harry!
6. Pothole #2 on Hambrick Road that needs to be repaired. We need your help Pothole Harry.
7. Pothole #2 on Hambrick Road close up.
Once again Pothole Harry, we need your help!
Sincerely,
Ruby Bozeman Davis
UPDATE:
Dear Harry,
I want to let you know that the potholes were filled today.
I was there to meet you at 11am. I learned that the potholes were already repaired. Amazing!!!!!
Within 24 hours of communicating with you, the potholes were filled/repaired.
Thanks again,
Ruby Bozeman Davis
Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter/Community Missionary
Before asking Pothole Harry for help:
After asking Pothole Harry for help:
Thank you Pothole Harry Samler, CEO Lee May, and the DeKalb County Roads and Drainage Department.
Sincerely,
Ruby Bozeman Davis
Community Missionary
DeKalb Board of Ethics: Is There Outside Manipulation and a Sabotage Action Plan?
Interim CEO Lee May
Comments: DeKalb Board of Ethics: Is There Outside Manipulation and a Sabotage Action Plan?
We received a letter from the Board of Ethics lawyer suggesting I, Viola Davis, not attend the May 8, 2014 meeting. When we asked other complainants if they received the letter, we found that we were the only one to receive a letter to not attend.
We have no choice but to ask if there is an action plan to manipulate and sabotage the Board of Ethics to prevent the general public from holding elected officials and employees of government agencies accountable.
John Ernst, Acting Chairman, asked that we forward the letter to the board because he was not familiar with the letter suggesting I not attend the board meeting.
To ensure transparency, ethics, and accountability, we have decided to place a majority of our documents online for the general public to review. We strive to make this process fair and balanced for the general public by removing the political manipulation and sabotage to include:
1. CEO Lee May replacement of Chairman Isaac Blythers when he needed to be reappointed to ensure stability and continuity of the Board of Ethics.
2. CEO Lee May replaced Blythers with Terrance Thornton without first vetting the replacement for such a critical position. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution stated that Thornton’s financial history includes a foreclosure and not paying his taxes on time.
3. Viola Davis was sent a letter suggesting she not attend the meeting on May 8, 2014.
We request the process be more transparent, fair and balanced. We demand the political manipulation cease immediately. We need an Ethics Board that reassures the public it will lay a foundation of integrity, fairness, and overall respect for the process. We must restore public trust at all cost.
Sincerely,
Viola Davis
Watchdog Group Leaders Call for Ralston’s Resignation
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday April 29, 2014 Contact: Garland Favorito
(404) 664-4044
Watchdog Group Leaders Call for Ralston’s Resignation
ATLANTA, GA –A dozen leaders of various organizations plus many other concerned citizens gathered at the Capitol today and made a personal call for House Speaker, David Ralston, to resign his seat. A complaint with evidence of three separate ethics related concerns was delivered to Governor Nathan Deal.
The leaders contended that the Speaker’s House procedures are dictatorial and subvert the principles of a representative democracy. They asserted that all decisions as to what bills are heard and which bills can be voted to move to the floor are made in secrecy and not by votes from their elected representatives. They further lamented that bills can be gutted, supplemented, modified or limited for debate without a floor vote or permission from the authors.
Secondly, the leaders contended that the Speaker and some Representatives flood certain House races with money to elect candidates who will accept the established dictatorship. Records of a 2012 primary show the Speaker’s $5000 and $27,000 from legislators, helped create a 5:1 spending advantage for a candidate who raised 93% of his funds from legislators, corporations and PACs. His challenger, a minister, raised 96% of his money from individuals. The leaders cited such funding as conflicts of interest that undermine the will of the people in the districts.
Finally, the leaders insisted that the Speaker and some Representatives conducted a politically motivated, false attack on a bill introduced by Rep. Sam Moore with intent to destroy his reelection chances. Records proved that the Speaker and some of the same Representatives are funding Moore’s previous primary opponent, who is running for that seat again. Legislators contributed over $17,000 of the $30,000 total for his opponent, who raised only about $800 from in district individuals. Moore has refused to take cash from corporations, PACs, lobbyists or legislators.
To disprove the Speaker’s claim that one of Moore’s previous bills to remove loitering laws would have jeopardized children, three separate child protection statutes and current loitering laws were explained. The leaders contend the Speaker had to know that the legal premise of his claim was false since he was a criminal defense attorney who represented several child molesters in high profile cases.
Georgia ranks as America’s most politically corrupt state. Its ethics commission was recently found liable for a $700,000 judgment in the first of several wrongful termination suits by employees who were involved in investigating Gov. Deal.
Press Conference 4 29 14 from Wonderland on Vimeo.
David Ralston complaint delivered to Governor Deal
________________________________________
April 29, 2014
Dear Governor Deal,
We are writing to personally request your immediate attention to several matters that we believe have compromised the rights of Georgians. First, for the last five years the Georgia House of Representatives has not operated on principles of a representative democracy as Georgians would expect. As you know, the officials who we elect have no voice in determining what bills are heard in their committees and little power to select any Rules committee bill to be moved to the floor for voting. Furthermore, bills can be gutted, supplemented, modified or restructured to limit debate without a floor vote or permission from the author. Bill decisions are now made in secrecy under control of one person, House Speaker David Ralston. These House procedures are not representative of a democratic republic but more closely resemble characteristics of a dictatorship that is contrary to the interests of the people of Georgia.
Secondly, the Speaker of the House and some of its members have compromised Georgia elections by flooding selected House races with out of district money for their chosen candidates. This is a conflict of interest that subverts the will of the people in those districts. These chosen candidates outspend their opponents by astronomical margins to win their races. They are then beholden to the leadership when they join the House, thus further expanding this dictatorial empire. For example, in 2012 Speaker Ralston and certain House members contributed more than $27,000 in out of district donations to prevent a minister from being elected to the Georgia House. Their candidate raised 93% of his total funds from legislators, corporations and PACs including an early $5,000 from Speaker Ralston. This allowed him to outspend by a 5:1 margin, the minister who raised 96% of his funds from individuals.
Third, the election manipulation tactics reached a new low on February 21, with a public attack on a Rep. Sam Moore and a bill he introduced. It included advance notice of an event to the media, pre-arranged ridicule by the leadership in the morning session and a subsequent media tirade where Speaker Ralston and a few others attempted to destroy the reelection chances of the Representative. The Representative had previously defeated a candidate that the Speaker and other House members had flooded with over $17,000 of out of district money. Their candidate raised only a few hundred dollars from in district individuals out of $30,000 in total funds. Rep. Moore has refused to take cash donations from corporations, PACs, lobbyists or legislators and accepts them only from individual voters.
The politically motivated attempt to ruin a sitting House member could be unprecedented in Georgia House history and was obviously orchestrated with the approval of the speaker. While we may not agree with all of the content of the bill in question, the attack was based on a provably false, legal premise. As a former criminal defense attorney, the Speaker had to know that the claim he and some others made to the media about that bill was false. That demonstrates a serious lack of ethics.
In conclusion, the conditions and tactics we have outlined above are unacceptable. The Center for Public Integrity has already ranked Georgia as the most politically corrupt state in the country. Our state received grades of “F” in Legislative Accountability, Political Financing and Ethics Enforcement Agencies, which scored a “0”. We have no recourse with the Ethics Commission given that its ethics were recently found lacking after a $700,000 judgment in the first of several wrongful termination lawsuits filed by former key employees. As Chief Executive Officer of the state and head of the majority party that controls the legislature, you have the top position of authority and power to protect Georgians from further corruption. Therefore, we personally call upon you to:
1. Demand that the Speaker of the House resign his seat as a result of the ethics lapses cited above
2. Establish procedures to ensure that all legislators can vote to determine the bills that will be heard in their committees
3. Establish procedures to ensure that all legislators in Rules Committees can vote to select any bill in the Committee to be moved to the floor
4. Require recorded votes for all bills and amendments in committees and on the floor
5. Ensure that a bill cannot be modified while it is in a Rules committee
6. Ensure that a bill can only be limited for floor debate by the author or a floor vote
7. Allow legislators 24 hours to review any legislation prior to voting on that legislation
8. Stop the practice of pressuring key legislators to make donations to other campaigns
9. Evaluate further legal or procedural changes to avoid conflict of interest funding situations that compromise elections and the voice of the people such as those described above
We thank you for your consideration and await your efforts to restore the integrity of our Georgia state government.
Sincerely,
• Chris Owen, President, Eagle Forum
• Jack Staver, Chairman, N.W. GA. 912 Project
• Margaret Williamson, founder, Gilmer County Tea Party
• Angela Bean, Republican State Committee Member
• Field Searcy, Director, Repeal Regionalism
• Julia & Karl Heidbrink, co-leaders, Middle Georgia Tea Party
• Garland Favorito, Founder, VoterGA
• Sue Stanton, Conservative Leadership Coalition
• Barbara Hartman, President, Chattahoochee Republican Women
• Conrad Quagliaroli, Chairman, Cherokee County Tea Party
• Dr. Bill Hudson, co-founder, Transportation Leadership Coalition
• John Fortuin, co-founder, Defenders of Democracy
CONCERNED CITIZENS
Governor Deal Signed SB367 – Time To Pick District 5 Commissioner
GOVERNOR DEAL SIGNED SB367 ON APRIL 10, 2014. DID YOU KNOW?
Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter recently learned that Governor Nathan Deal signed the bill that would allow the replacement of District 5 Commissioner on April 10, 2014.
We are presently trying to verify the next step in picking the 5th District Commissioner. What is the process and when will the process begin.
DeKalb 5th Commission District has been without full representation since July 16, 2013, when Commissioner Lee May was appointed interim CEO by Govern Deal due to CEO Burrell Ellis indictment on corruption and racketeering charges.
As stated in Crossroads Newspaper, Senator Fran Millar said the nomination process would be advertised for two weeks in the county’s legal organ before the BOC could vote.
http://crossroadsnews.com/news/2014/mar/28/bill-allows-temporary-commissioner-district-5-seat/
Representative Mike Jacobs’ website state:
SB 367 contains a provision that was added as a House floor amendment to permit the remaining six members of the DeKalb County Commission to appoint a temporary commissioner to replace Lee May until he is no longer the Interim CEO or his current term on the county commission concludes, whichever is sooner.
http://repjacobs.com/2014/04/22/local-issues-in-the-legislature/
We must remember that the replacement of the 5th District Commissioner came with a heavy cost that once again neutered voting power and local control in DeKalb County.
This was a local bill that was made a general bill during the General Assembly, which gave elected officials from North Georgia and South Georgia the power to pick the 5th District Commissioner of DeKalb County. The elected officials in North Georgia and South Georgia were given the privilege of choosing the 5th District Commissioner by making SB367 a general bill; yet, the voters in the 5th Commission District were not allowed to vote. Where’s the local control?
The general public of DeKalb County is being kept in the dark on this issue. Why?
If Governor Deal signed the bill on April 10th, why the secrecy and lack of information?
What should you do? Every voter needs to contact the Board of Commissioners (BOC) and demand more information before the appointment of the 5th District Commissioner. Every voter should demand the BOC make every effort to pick a person the voters in the 5th Commission District wants as a representative. Back door politics must be avoided.
View SB367:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/220927230/Governor-Nathan-Deal-Signed-SB-367-Time-To-Pick-District-5-Commissioner
Local Group Joins Forces With Defense League To Oppose Biomass Incineration
CITIZENS FOR A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
www.chase– dekalb.webs.org P.O. Box 384, Lithonia, GA 30058
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2014
Contacts:
Renee Cail, 617-320-3910
Min. Stevie Banks 770-865-3660
Sandra Honore 770-559-9669
Rev. Charles Utley 706-772-5558
Darren Harper 917-204-4427
Local Group Joins Forces with Defense League to Oppose Biomass Incineration
Lithonia– Today, Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment (CHASE) announced they have joined the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL), a regional environmental justice non-profit organization. The link with the multi-state organization will give CHASE greater capacity to defend the residents of Dekalb County from toxic air pollution.
Renee Cail, CHASE President, said, “We will continue to fight for environmental justice to stop energy corporations from bringing industrial projects to our communities that threaten the public health of people in Lithonia.” CHASE was founded by local residents opposed to a biomass power plant.
CHASE member Sandra Honore said, “We will increase our community power by holding community educational meetings, rallies and protests to prevent the Public Service Commission from granting a license to Green Energy Partners. That’s why CHASE is joining with Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.”
Rev. Charles Utley, EJ Campaign Director for Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, said, “CHASE has done well, focusing its efforts on preventing the development of a biomass gasification burning electric plant located on Rogers Lake Road in Lithonia. The plant has not been built, and it’s not too late. We must remain steadfast in our goal.” Min. Stevie Banks, Vice President, agreed and said, “Several local churches and health organizations, members of the legal community and other grassroots organizations oppose development of the plant.”
Dr. Darren Harper, a medical doctor and member of CHASE, spoke about the negative health impacts of biomass incinerators. He said, “We are concerned about the residents of Lithonia who are suffering with respiratory illnesses, fighting stenches from the landfills and facing toxic emissions from trucking and gravel companies.” According to a study by BREDL, the nitrogen oxide emissions from Green Energy Partner’s proposed biomass gasification plant would be like adding 16,491 cars on the roads in South Dekalb County. Harper continued, “We do not need another smokestack in Dekalb County.”
The CHASE group was formed by long time civil rights activists and Lithonia residents in July 2010 when they were notified about the proposed plant. The group’s first meetings were hosted by member Johnny Dougherty, now deceased. BREDL has provided the group with technical assistance throughout their campaign, and in 2014 CHASE became an official chapter of the organization.
BREDL has helped organize chapters in diverse communities across Georgia since 2002, and continues working across the state to protect water, air and environmental quality. In Lowndes County in 2011, a company seeking to build a biomass incinerator similar to the proposed plant in Lithonia, backed out of its plans after months of protesting by BREDL’s chapter in Valdosta, the Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy. The group also secured a “no biomass clause” for any future lease or sale agreements of the land, a strategy that activists in Lithonia can learn from.
On March 15, 2014 BREDL celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. The League has won successful environmental justice campaigns in six states and has incorporated more than one hundred chapters across the region, including preventing and shutting down nuclear waste sites, hazardous waste dump facilities, and asphalt and other polluting industrial plants in rural and low-income areas and communities of color across the Southeast.
Ethics Complaint Filed Against CEO Burrell Ellis
Rhea Johnson, a DeKalb County resident, filed an ethics complaint against CEO Burrell Ellis late on Tuesday.
As the Complainant, Johnson filed the ethics complaint to have CEO Burrell Ellis removed from office because the indictment and grand jury report documentation justify Ellis permanent removal from office. Johnson said, “He violated the Code of Ethics”.
While the criminal indictment set a standard for conviction of a crime at “beyond a reasonable doubt”, the Code of Ethics conviction requires the standard of proof governed by the “preponderance of the evidence”.
Read the rest of the story at the following link:
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/ethics-complaint-filed-against-ellis/nfgKr/
Question: Should DeKalb County taxpayers and voters continue to finance the salary and full benefits of the following:
a. Two CEOs to include CEO Lee May and CEO Burrell Ellis ($153,000)?
b. Two Purchasing and Contracting Directors to include Kelvin Walton and Scott Callan ($153,000 each)?
c. CEO Burrell Ellis’ secretary, Nina Hall ($75,000)?
View the Ethics Complaint below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/220030978/Ethics-Complaint-Filed-Against-CEO-Burrell-Ellis
DeKalb Residents: Fire Purchasing Director
By April Hunt (4/22/2014)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Several residents and business owners gave DeKalb County Commissioners an earful Tuesday morning for interim CEO Lee May’s decision to suspend but not fire the county purchasing director.
Purchasing Director Kelvin Walton and Nina Hall, the former secretary of suspended CEO Burrell Ellis, will still earn salaries during their suspensions that began Monday. May said he removed them because of allegations they were part of the contract corruption that Ellis was indicted for last year.
Read the rest of the story at the following link:
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/dekalb-residents-fire-purchasing-director/nffcN/
Or view the video:
Ten Year Audit of DeKalb Commissioners’ P-Cards
Surprise. Surprise. Surprise.
Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton surprised the public as well as her fellow commissioners with a gift…A ten year audit of the DeKalb Commissioners’ P-Cards.
Commissioner Jeff Rader and Commissioner Kathie Gannon introduced a resolution during the Board of Commissioners meeting, directing the executive assistant to obtain the services of a certified internal auditor or a certified government audit professional to analyze the expenditures of each member of the Board of Commissioners and their staff.
The audit will include the following:
• Audit to review the expenditures for the past ten years by each BOC, his/her respective staff and office, and the central office of the BOC;
• Audit shall review expenditures and decide whether the expenses were for county business;
• The auditor shall begin auditing commission district 6 first, per Commissioner Barnes Sutton’s substitution.
• The final and complete audit shall be distributed promptly to each member of the BOC, the CEO, and the Board of Ethics, and shall be made available to the public.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution article, “DeKalb Official Spent County Funds On Herself” by Johnny Edwards (3/22/2014), reported alleged misuse of the her purchase card (P-Card).
http://legalpronews.findlaw.com/article/22082f625614e6f3810cfff376dbde72#.U0rRSiiKV6U
The resolution attempts to restore public trust through the use of transparency, and begin to restore public confidence.
Update: Email statement from Commissioner Kathie Gannon
Independent Audit for all Commissioners
Yesterday the Board of Commissioners took the first step forward into sunshine and transparency. Commissioner Rader and I introduced the attached resolution calling for an independent audit of all spending for the past 5 years by each County Commissioner starting with District 1. The audits will include Purchase Cards, all other expenditures and all commission staff. The resolution directs the County to hire a Certified Internal Auditor or a Certified Government Audit Professional using funds previously budgeted for an internal auditor. The resolution was modified by Commissioner Barnes-Sutton to start with District 6 (my District) and to go back 10 years and then begin with District 1. This substitute motion passed without a dissenting vote. Commissioner Barnes-Sutton later attempted to call for a reconsideration of her substitute motion, however that failed. Please see the attached resolution that calls for an audit of all County Commission expenditures.
Kathie Gannon
Super District 6 Commissioner
http://www.scribd.com/doc/220196905/Ten-Year-Independent-Audit-of-All-DeKalb-Commissioners-P-Cards
Walton And Hall Suspended
WALTON AND HALL SUSPENDED
DeKalb’s Interim CEO, Lee May, placed the county’s purchasing director and CEO Burrell Ellis’ former secretary on paid leave Monday, April 21, 2014.
Kelvin Walton and Nina Hall were involved in alleged corruption in county government procurement processes. May said that he decided to suspend Walton and Hall to rebuild public trust.
Read the rest of the story at this link:
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local/two-tied-to-corruption-in-dekalb-suspended/nffHN/
Two Tied To Corruption In DeKalb Suspended
or view the video at:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/2-dekalb-officials-accused-accepting-bribes-placed/nffGg/
2 DeKalb Officials Accused Of Accepting Bribes Placed On Administrative Leave (4/21/14)