Sunday, September 8, 2002
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Sunday, September 8, 2002 |
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Judge: no reason to arrest PTC mayor
By JOHN MUNFORD
Citing a lack of evidence, Fayette County Magistrate Joe Tinsley has ruled there is not enough evidence to arrest Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown for theft of city services. Brown was accused by ex-Peachtree City mayor Bob Lenox of having city employees watch his children and keep his personal schedule. The hearing took just over an hour Friday morning. Brown and Lenox shook hands civilly after the hearing was adjourned as Lenox said: "If you won't attack my credibility, I won't attack yours." Brown did not testify during the hearing; he was not required to do so. He was represented by Brenda Joy Bernstein, an attorney from Atlanta. In announcing his ruling, Tinsley said the evidence at the hearing didn't show Brown's conduct had any "willfulness or desire." He added that the city's ethics complaint process would be a better way to resolve the matter. Brown previously cited himself for allowing a city secretary to take his daughter to golf practice while he attended a meeting in Fayetteville. He has also offered to pay the city back for the employee's time, but has not yet done so, according to the testimony of City Manager Jim Basinger. Thursday night, the city council initiated the ethics board process for Brown's self-complaint by selecting a five person panel to take up the issue. Of Lenox's overture to him after the meeting, Brown said, "That's all right. It's a start." Lenox said he agreed with Tinsley that Brown did not intend to violate the law. "I wanted the public to know," Lenox said, saying he was satisfied with the judicial process.
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