Ethics Charge Latest Ruckus In Milton

Board members are at odds over political donation

By DOUG NURSE / The Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Published on: 07/16/07

Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder in the city of Milton comes this: A city ethics board member on Friday filed an ethics complaint against another city ethics board member.

John McMillan, an ethics board member appointed by City Councilman Neal O'Brien, filed a complaint late Friday alleging that fellow ethics board member Carol Lane violated the city code of ethics when she inaccurately filled out a comment card at a July 12 council meeting that attested she had not contributed more than $250 to any candidate's campaign in the past two years.

McMillan attached a copy of a campaign contribution report from council member Julie Zahner Bailey that showed Lane had given $500 to Zahner Bailey.

"From a simple review of these documents, it appears to be clear that they directly contradict each other," McMillan wrote. "... Mrs. Lane should be held to the highest standards of behavior and should not be allowed to make such a false statement, whether intentionally or otherwise," McMillan wrote.

"It was a mistake," Lane said Saturday. "I will rectify it Monday if I can. I would call it a clerical error." She declined to speculate why McMillan filed the complaint. McMillan could not be reached for comment.

It is unclear whether the complaint means Lane will be unable to participate in a meeting today of the Ethics Commission in which the seven-member panel will consider a complaint against O'Brien and council member Bill Lusk.

The complaint against O'Brien and Lusk, brought by a contributor to Zahner Bailey, alleges that the councilmen violated the city code of ethics when they asked the city clerk to let the media know they were having a fund-raiser. The complaint alleges they improperly used city resources for personal gain. Lusk and O'Brien said they did it because a quorum might be present.

The council often splits 4-3 with Zahner Bailey, Mayor Joe Lockwood and Tina D'Aversa on one side, and O'Brien, Lusk, Karen Thurman and Rick Mohrig on the other. Relationships have deteriorated with members needling each other and trading accusations of deceit and manipulation.