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Local Carrollton Georgia News

Georgia Ethics Commission Advances Garner Complaint

Mayor Garner amended financial disclosure reports.

by D. Tim Clark

March 11, 2010

Attorneys with the Georgia Ethics Commission confirmed yesterday that a complaint filed against Carrollton Mayor J. Wayne Garner will be presented at the commission's next meeting likely to be held in May. The complaint will be heard at their public meeting unless Garner agrees to a consent order likely to be presented to him about 30 days before the meeting.

According to one Ethics Commission attorney, "The matter is pretty much cut and dry given he has admitted to everything."

Background
During The Information Age's investigation into the City of Carrollton's questionable payments to state representative Tim Bearden last summer, copies of Carrollton Mayor Wayne Garner's Financial Disclosure Statements were requested from the city through the Open Records Request process. The city in turn did not turn over all of the requested documents, and the financial statements that were provided were incomplete.

Elected officials in Georgia are required to periodically report property ownership, business ownership, and income received from governmental entities.

Garner's reports dating from 2003 did not include most of this information.

Complaint Filed
This past December, a complaint was filed with the State of Georgia's Ethics Commission, fully describing the mayor's missing property, business ownership, and income from governmental entities.

Shortly after the complaint was filed, Mayor Garner experienced a terrible tragedy in his family; but in spite of his loss, he promptly responded to the Ethics Commission, providing them with copies of newly amended Financial Disclosure Statement(s).

Updated Information
According to the mayor, the updated information ".. discloses my position with and interest in: (1) the Garner Group, Inc., (2) First Family Funeral Home, Inc., and (3) Southeastern Resource Group, Inc."

"Also, the amended Financial Disclosure Statement discloses payment I received for governmental consulting services from the Haralson County Water Authority."

".. I am also disclosing my position with and interest in Azimuth Consulting, Inc., my fiduciary position with United Community Bank, and my investment interest in Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc."

Garner's explanation
"I failed to include the above in my Financial Disclosure Statement through simple inadvertence, and I trust that the amended Financial Disclosure Statement is a satisfactory response to Mr. Clark's complaint."

The complaint resolution process regarding this matter is now in the hands of the State of Georgia's Ethics Commission which brings it up for consideration by the board at their upcoming public meeting.

This story is published on the following community web sites:

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