The Sept. 18 landslide vote that defeated the new city of South Fulton is over and done. But a complaint filed by south Fulton resident Andre Walker to the Georgia Ethics Commission calls into question the actions by Fulton County Commission Vice-Chair Bill Edwards relating to the vote. A hearing on the complaint will be held Nov. 29.

Walker filed the ethics complaint Sept. 14, alleging Edwards’ misconduct and improper use of his office regarding the city of South Fulton vote on city-hood. Walker maintains that Edwards “failed to register his campaign committee, using commonly accepted Fulton County logos on literature advocating against the creation of the city of South Fulton, and failing to disclose who paid for anti-city hood information currently being distributed from his office.”

Contacted Nov. 19, Edwards said he was unable to comment on the matter at this time.

Walker said that on numerous occasions he had received correspondence from Commissioner Edwards’ office via a Fulton County provided e-mail address, pertaining to the Sept. 18 referendum. The vote on city-hood failed 85 percent to 15 percent with 23 percent of registered voters going to the polls.

“In each case, Commissioner Edwards has used government funds to advance his position that voters in the affected area(s) of South Fulton should remain unincorporated,” Walker said.

Among the examples cited by Walker were the use of a county email address to send out campaign literature urging the electorate to vote no; using members of the Fulton County Police Department, along with employees of Fulton County government, to pass out "Vote No" literature at several town hall meetings concerning the new City of South Fulton; and having employees of his office contact South Fulton residents requesting their assistance in campaign activities.

The state ethics board hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. at 200 Piedmont Ave, Suite 1416, West Tower in Atlanta.

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