2026-02-18 · Boards & Commissions · Agenda Packet · Ethics Committee · Agenda Packet

STOCKBRIDGE ETHICS COMMITTEE Alicia Barney-Duck – Chair ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA February 18, 2026 6:30 PM Angela Jenkins – Vice-Chair Mary Scott – Secretary Karen Charmaine – Member Johnnie Jenkins – Member MEETING LOCATION: COUNCIL CHAMBER 2ND FLOOR 6:30 P.M. STOCKBRIDGE CITY HALL 4640 NORTH HENRY BLVD. STOCKBRIDGE, GA 30281 Website: www.stockbridgega.org Phone: 770-389-7900 Fax: 770-389-7912 AGENDA ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF STOCKBRIDGE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2026 6:30 PM I. II. Call to Order 1. Invocation Followed by Pledge 2. Roll Call 3. Approve Agenda 4. Approve June 11 2025 Meeting Minutes New Business 5. Election of Board Chair 6. Election of Board Vice-Chair 7. Election of Board Secretary Discussion Execution Session (if needed) Adjourn ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES June 11, 2025, 7:00 P.M. COMMITTEE MEMBERS Alicia Barney-Duck - Present Karen Charmaine - Present Angela Jenkins - Present Mary Scott - Present Vacant The meeting was called to order by Chair Barney-Duck at 7:12 p.m. Roll call by Chair Barney-Duck with Committee members Barney-Duck, Charmaine, Jenkins, and Scott present; a quorum was present. The motion to approve the Agenda was made by Committee Member Scott seconded by Committee Member Jenkins. The motion passed unanimously 4-0. The motion to approve the May 28, 2025, Meeting Minutes was made by Committee Member Charmaine; seconded by Committee Member Jenkins. The motion passed unanimously 4-0. New Business ➢ Ethics Complaint 05022025-01 Filed by Phedra Thomas against Councilman Elton Alexander ➢ Ethics Complaint 05092025-01 Filed by Michele Battle against Councilmember Yolanda Barber ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-01 Filed by Councilmember Barber against City Attorney Quinton Washington ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-02 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Mayor Anthony S. Ford 1|Page ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-03 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember LaKeisha Gantt ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-04 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Kyle Berry Sr. ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-05 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Elton Alexander ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-01 Filed by Councilmember Barber against City Attorney Quinton Washington ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-02 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Mayor Anthony S. Ford ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-03 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember LaKeisha Gantt ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-04 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Elton Alexander ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-05 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Kyle Berry Sr. ➢ Ethics Complaint 05212025-01 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Mayor Anthony S. Ford Discussion Chair Barney-Duck noted that there were several ethics complaints in the month of May and asked for those that were parties to the complaints to identify themselves. She also noted that we reviewed all supplemental documentation that was provided to us, and we do have some questions on some things, not all complaints, asking Ms. Battle and Councilwoman Barber to come forward to speak to the complaint labeled 05092025-01. Michele Battle asserted that it was inappropriate for Councilwoman Barber to attend a meeting and speak in opposition to a motion in front of the recommending committee. Councilwoman Barber, when asked why she attended the meeting, asked the board about the schedule for public hearings with the Ethics Board. Chair Barney-Duck informed her that we were under no obligation to hold hearings. Councilwoman Barber expressed concern regarding the closed session in the Board of Ethics meeting on May 28, 2025, saying that closed sessions were only 2|Page for certain matters and that the only personnel under our purview would be the Ethics Board members and there was a need for consistency for the Board of Ethics and that she expected there would be a public hearing here. Committee member Charmaine said she would like to clarify that when we went into executive session last time, we had only received these and that she had many questions and another member had many questions and that she could see that you were speaking for your constituents. Councilwoman Barber said the reason she attended the community informational meeting that the city hosted, and also the planning commission meeting hosted by the planning commission, was because the residents had not been given proper and adequate notice. Committee member Charmaine said that she would expect any city council member to get up and go and stand up for their represented district and wanted to go back and speak regarding consistency and actual rules and how we proceed and what we're supposed to be doing. It is her understanding that when we receive complaints, we cannot discuss the complaints in our review of these complaints in the public meeting. This is for a closed session, especially when we have not seen these complaints prior to coming to a meeting. The Chair, Barney-Duck said we need to recommend our procedure and rules to the city council and there's nothing that the ethics board is discussing in closed session that you won't see come out in a recommendation. Committee member Scott noted that we are doing research and networking with other ethics boards because we want to be confident in what we are doing. Committee member Charmaine pointed out that the code of ethics is 13 pages and vague. Committee member Jenkins noted that if the complaint doesn't fall within the 13 pages that was given to us by the City Council, we can't rule on it and that City Council needs to give us more to work with. The rules come from City Council. Not us. So, if you want us to do more? Give us more to work with. 3|Page Mr. Willie Carter questioned the limitations of the ethics code and asked about when the code was last updated. Committee member Charmaine referenced the Ethics Code provided to each member and referenced the last update as 2013. Mr. Carter asked when the code will be updated. Chair Barney-Duck explained the Code of Ethics, the procedure followed, and the procedure for getting the code updated by the City Attorney and City Council, but could not give a date or timeline when an update might happen, however, recommendations could be submitted from the committee. Committee member Jenkins added that some of this is her responsibility for pulling information about how other boards operate and that from at least 20 different ethics board committees in and out of Georgia all 20 of them are different. Many of them have not updated their code since some of them are newly established. Chair Barney-Duck said that right now someone should give us an example of what they would like to see happen that we could adopt that and recommend that to city council but that we can only recommend that they issue a public reprimand or censure, or they can request resignation. Ms. Battle asked at what point the complainant gets an opportunity to see the information that was provided by the opposition and Chair clarified that Ms. Battle didn't receive any corresponding or supplemental information that might have been provided by Ms. Barber regarding the complaint. Ms. Battle said that if Councilwoman Barber has an issue with staff with how the public hearing notices that went out the appropriate time for that would have been at the city council meeting not at the planning commission meeting. The chair pointed out that Ms. Barber was not the only one who spoke out in opposition, and we would have to speculate that she influenced the planning 4|Page commission board, and that Councilwoman Barber can be present at the meeting. Ms. Battle stated that council members should not voice an opinion at that time and when asked if she had more information to submit, she did not. Councilwoman Barber stated that there would be no need for her to speak to the recommending committee had staff and the developer met the requirements of notifying all the homeowners who live within 500 feet. She said she did receive the letter that battle law sent requesting that she recuse herself from voting on this matter, and her response was she would not and her vote, whether in opposition or approval, has had no impact on the outcome of any development proposal that has come before the city council. The Chair clarified that Ms. Battle did know that constituents did not get appropriate notice before the meeting. Closed Session - § 50-14-3 Motion to convene the Closed Session under Code § 50-14-3 made by Committee Member Jenkins; seconded by Committee Member Charmaine. The motion passed unanimously 4-0. The following complaints were discussed: ➢ Ethics Complaint 05022025-01 Filed by Phedra Thomas against Councilman Elton Alexander ➢ Ethics Complaint 05092025-01-01 Filed by Michele Battle against Councilmember Yolanda Barber ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-01 Filed by Councilmember Barber against City Attorney Quinton Washington ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-02 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Mayor Anthony S. Ford ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-03 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember LaKeisha Gantt ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-04 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Kyle Berry Sr. ➢ Ethics Complaint 05162025-05 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Elton Alexander 5|Page ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-01 Filed by Councilmember Barber against City Attorney Quinton Washington ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-02 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Mayor Anthony S. Ford ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-03 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember LaKeisha Gantt ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-04 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Elton Alexander ➢ Ethics Complaint 05202025-05 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Councilmember Kyle Berry Sr. ➢ Ethics Complaint 05212025-01 Filed by Councilmember Barber against Mayor Anthony S. Ford Motion to adjourn the closed Session, sign an Affidavit, and reconvene the meeting with no action from the Closed Session was made by Committee Member Charmaine at 9:14 p.m. and seconded by Committee Member Jenkins. The motion passed unanimously 4-0. The Committee set the next meeting date for July 23, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. The move to adjourn the meeting at 9:19 p.m. was made by Committee Member Scott; seconded by Committee Member Charmaine. The motion passed unanimously 4-0. Meeting Minutes prepared by: Mary Scott, Ethics Board Secretary 6|Page