DeKalb Commissioner Reprimanded for Ethics Violations

The DeKalb County Board of Ethics has found a commissioner guilty of ethical lapses but did not suspend him from office for voting to award county contracts to a company that he was employed by.

Stan Watson voted to award APD Solutions a $1 million contract for rehabbing foreclosed homes in 2012, then voted to increase the contract amount by $500,000 nine months later, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says. At the time, Watson was being paid by APD to consult for them and had not disclosed his relationship to the company at the time of either vote.

Ethics board chair John Ernst told the AJC that he wanted to suspend Watson, but he was outweighed by a 4-2 margin by his fellow board members. Watson was given a reprimand.