Former House Candidate, Mayor Gets 5 Years Probation

Douglasville's former mayor Mickey Thompson was sentenced Monday morning in Judge David T. Emerson's courtroom. According to Andrew Agan, director of Community Relations for the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, he received the following sentence:

• 5 years probation for Counts 1 through 5;
• Remaining counts 12 months each concurrent;
• Restitution $28,483 (paid in court);
• $3,000 fine;
• First Offender Treatment;
• Truthful Testimony;
• Cooperation in ongoing investigation;
• Waive claim of statute of limitations;
• Never seek or hold public office.

Thompson was indicted Sept. 24 on 91 counts of theft.

In question are meetings that were held via teleconference and by electronic means because the ordinance states that the elected official must attend in person.

A Sentinel Newspaper article points out that, "Douglasville is all alone in using a per-meetings system to calculate compensation."

The newspaper reported that "a survey conducted by the Douglas County Sentinel, using open record requests, showed that cities of comparable population in the extended metro area all pay elected officials a salary, with checks being issued monthly."

Currently the mayor gets paid $313 per meeting and each city council member gets paid $125 each, according to City Clerk Joyce Stone. The mayor is also allowed $400 a month for expenses and each city council member and the city attorney are allowed $150 a month.

Was this an appropriate sentence? Tell us in the comments.

Earlier this year, Thompson was a candidate in the House District 66 Republican primary. He placed third in the July 31 election to Michael “Mike” Miller and top vote-getter Bob Snelling, who would go on to top Miller in a runoff. Snelling was edged out by Democrat Kimberly Alexander in the Nov. 6 general election.

Related Douglasville Patch articles:

• Former Mayor Mickey Thompson Among 78 Indicted by Grand Jury Today
• Should Mayor and City Council Members Get Paid Per Meeting?
• Mickey Takes Last Lap as Mayor