DeKalb CEO Lee May Leaving Office

DECATUR, GA -- Lee May will not seek re-election this fall as CEO of DeKalb County.

May made the announcement on Friday, reports the AJC. Qualfiying for the May 24 election begins next month.

May has served as interim DeKalb CEO for more than two years, taking over when incumbent Burrell Ellis was indicted on numerous corruption and bribery charges. Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him in July 2013.

May commissioned an ethics reports that was headed by former Attorney General Mike Bowers and Richard Hyde. The investigation cited widespread corruption and improper spending from many elected and appointed county officials, including local commissioners Kathie Gannon and Jeff Rader, and accused May specifically of hindering the report.

After the report’s release, May faced intense criticism and numerous calls for his resignation, including some from within his own party such as state Sen. Emanuel Jones. Deal himself has said he supports the idea to eliminate the CEO position from DeKalb County government.

State Rep. Scott Holcomb, whose District 81 represents portions of Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville and unincorporated DeKalb, wants to eliminate the CEO position and perhaps replace with it with a professional county manager.

Holcomb said he plans to file a proposal in 2016 to change DeKalb’s form of government from its current CEO model. Several local GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Fran Millar of Dunwoody, have been advocating that change for some time.

District 1 Commissioner Nancy Jester -- who represents portions of Dunwoody and Brookhaven on the county commission -- also has called on May to resign.

In October, May told a Lithonia town hall meeting that he takes responsibility for the county’s recent governmental, political and financial troubles, and that he is considering resigning.