DeKalb Commissioner Proposing Reforms

District 1’s Nancy Jester, who represents portions of Brookhaven and Dunwoody on the DeKalb County Commission, is calling for all of the county’s executives and officials to review their procedures to determine their legality and validity.

Jester’s response comes in the wake of last week’s explosive Bowers/Hyde report, which alleged widespread corruption and abuse of taxpayer dollars throughout DeKalb’s government, and called on interim CEO Lee May to resign.

Jester issued the following statement on Tuesday:

“Whereas, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners has an obligation to establish policies that promote financial stewardship and safeguard taxpayers resources; and,

“Whereas, the Report from Special Investigators Bowers and Hyde demonstrates that internal controls in DeKalb County Government are weak and ineffective at preventing financial, contracting, and human resources fraud and abuse; and,

“Whereas, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners should take immediate and decisive action to direct the Administration, including the office of the CEO, the CFO, the Director of Human Resources, and all Department heads, to adopt robust and meaningful internal controls with redundant checks for all expenditures, contracting, and human resources actions;

“Now, therefore we, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, do herby order the CEO, CFO, the Director of Human Resources, and all Department Heads to immediately implement internal controls that include requirements for the signatures of Department Heads and the CFO attesting to the validity, legality, and appropriateness of every expenditure, contract execution, and hiring action under penalty of termination and fines if found to be illegal, unethical, or without sufficient documentation.”