Fayetteville City Council May 3 complied with its recently adopted ethics ordinance by establishing a three-person ethics board. Appointees include former Fayetteville Mayor and Councilman Mike Wheat; former coach, teacher and Fayette County School Superintendent Trigg Dalrymple; and founding partner and managing director of Mainstay Capital Markets Consultants, Inc., Mike Newman.

The ordinance required that the ethics board consist of three persons. One board member was to be appointed by the mayor, one by a majority of the city council and the presiding member appointed by the mayor subject to approval by a majority of the city council. Board requirements specify that all members will be residents of the city of Fayetteville and serve a two-year term. Appointees’ terms were staggered to conform with the ordinance. All terms began May 3.

Newman was appointed by Mayor Ken Steele, while Dalrymple was appointed by the city council and Wheat, as presiding member, was appointed by Steele and approved by the council. Newman and Dalrymple will serve through Dec. 31, 2008, with Wheat serving until Dec. 31, 2009.

The appointments by the mayor and council were requirements of the recently adopted ethics ordinance that replaces the city’s former conflict of interest provisions. The Georgia Municipal Association (GMA)-recommended ordinance requires that officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible, that policies and decisions be channeled properly and that public office and employment not be used for personal gain. The ethics ordinance establishes a framework for addressing allegations of ethical violations, investigating those complaints and conducting hearings.

The GMA-recommended ordinance was proposed at the council’s 2006 fall retreat and adopted in February.

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