Wednesday, January 8, 2003

The Peachtree City Ethics Committee has been holding meetings to make significant changes to the ethics ordinances in Peachtree City. These meetings seem to be fallout from last year's ethics complaints against Mayor Steve Brown and Councilman Steve Rapson. It was after Rapson's compliant that the "need" for updating the ordinances was "discovered."

Since moving here in 1990 I can only remember two instances of ethics charges being brought, both being those mentioned above. In all the allegations brought by Steve Brown over the years against the previous administration, he never once filed any ethics charges! Now, the one person who complained loudest against the previous administration (Steve Brown) is the one who seems incapable of living up to the ethics ordinances. So, instead of living up to the letter of the law, he would rather change the law to something HE feels HE can live up to! Doesn't sound very "ethical" to me.

And who is rewriting these ethics ordinances? Appointees of the current mayor and City Council! The problem is some of these people tend to lead one to believe that they are biased in favor of the current City Council. Two of the current Ethics Committee members wrote strong letters to the editor of this newspaper in favor of Mayor Brown immediately prior to Mayor Brown's ethics hearing. Obviously it was unreasonable to expect them to render an unbiased opinion when they had both expressed a strong written opinion in support of Brown.

When I pointed this out to the City Council, one member stated that they were only "expressing their first amendment rights of free speech." I agree, but who would ever allow a jury member to sit in judgment when he has expressed strong public support for the accused? It would seem only "ethical" to me that if someone agrees to sit on an ethics committee, they should remain (at least publicly) neutral towards the accused.

In addition, another member of the Ethics Committee voted to exonerate Steve Rapson during his ethics hearing simply because both Mayor Brown and Councilman Tennant testified that neither of them felt he had violated the rules. She stated that since we had elected Brown and Tennant, they "must be right," and he couldn't have violated the ethics ordinances! I happen to personally know this individual. She has an incredibly strong hatred for former President Clinton. However using her logic, "since we elected them," then I guess she must feel that Clinton didn't lie! And these are some of the individuals rewriting our ethics ordinances!

The real problem lies with the entire process. For example, Steve Rapson expressed in the press and told me personally, that he still doesn't believe he violated the ethics ordinances. Even though a committee appointed by him and Brown's "team" found him in violation. Even though he spent $27,000 of our hard-earned tax dollars having a high-priced lawyer spend close to four hours defending a 15-minute presentation by former Mayor Bob Lenox, and still being found in violation by a committee he and his "buddies" appointed!

And now, since they couldn't publicly not find Rapson guilty, these same appointed individuals decide that they will close the process, fine individuals who bring complaints that they don't like, etc. Essentially a bunch of partisan individuals, appointed by a mayor and City Council that can't obey the laws, will rewrite the laws to ensure that their "buddies" will no longer be in violation! Sounds like "ethics" to me!

Here is my question. If the Ethics Committee, appointed by a City Council who seems to have serious ethics violations filed against them, will decide to fine and charge legal fees to citizens who file violations, will a mayor or City Councilman found guilty be liable for those same legal fees? Hmmm, let's ask Steve Rapson. No, I guess councilmen live under rules separate from the simple citizen. Rules to the tune of $27,000!

My suggestion is simple. I suggest that Brown and the "team" simply live up to the current ethics ordinances and represent the people like they were elected to represent. If they are unable to do so, simply step down and let us elect honest and ethical individuals to run the city. Oh, I also think Steve Rapson should reimburse the taxpayers for his ridiculously expensive defense for his ethics violation, a defense that was an abysmal failure. At the very least he should admit the violation he was found guilty of and act like a man, instead of rewriting the rules.

Jim Stinson

Peachtree City