The City of Demorest is in the process of drafting documentation to become a certified City of Ethics by the Georgia Municipal Association.
At their Tuesday work session, the council further discussed taking steps to receive the Georgia Municipal Associations City of Ethics certification, something Councilman John Hendrix has headed.
The certification requires that the city adopt a resolution and ordinance that requires the city to hold itself to a higher ethical standard by adopting terms to define ethical standards and create an ethics board to field complaints.
According to the GMA, there are more than 200 cities in Georgia credited Cities of Ethics, including the Habersham municipalities of the City of Cornelia and the Town of Mt. Airy.
Hendrix says that Demorest becoming a City of Ethics will increase integrity and transparency, and Mayor Jerry Harkness says it will hold the city to a higher standard.
Hendrix says citizens would be able to approach the city’s ethics to discuss complaints, and the board can determine what issues need to be addressed. There would also be an attorney involved with the board that could help the board and council determine legal and ethical issues.
“That will give the citizens a format, if they’re comfortable, and a voice, so that we can go forward,” Hendrix told Now Habersham. “It’s a process that involves many people, and it gives them another opportunity for transparency and public integrity.”
The board would hold elected and appointed officials accountable if they determine there is a violation of the city’s ethics, which are, as the GMA details: using resources with efficiency and economy, treating all people fairly, using the power of their position for the well-being of citizens, and creating an environment of honesty, openness and integrity. Should the board of ethics find a complaint to be a legitimate ethical issue, they will bring their recommended action forward to the council for a vote.
The city has discussed creating a hybrid ethics board consisting of citizens, a mayor-appointed board member, a council-appointed board member and a mayor-and-council-appointed member. Hendrix and City Attorney Thomas Mitchell are currently working in tandem to discuss the details of the ethics board and draft the resolution and ordinance that will go before the council at their next meeting.
