---
date: 2026-02-18
title: Ethics Committee Agenda Packet
source: 2026-02/2026-02-18_Ethics Committee_Agenda Packet.pdf
pages: 1
---

STOCKBRIDGE ETHICS COMMITTEE
ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
Alicia Barney-Duck – Chair 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. Call to Order
1. Invocation Followed by Pledge
2. Roll Call
3. Approve Agenda
4. Approve June 11 2025 Meeting Minutes
II. 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
