Eaton-Welsh: Ethics Code Reform Needed

One member of the said the city's ethics code needs to be reformed.

Cris Eaton-Welsh told the council at Monday night's regular meeting that in light of a recent ethics complaint filed against Mayor Mark  Mathews, the ethics code needs to be revamped, including clarifying goals and defining expectations.

"No one knew there was a problem until there was an issue," Eaton-Welsh said.

Last month, Kennesaw resident David Ermutlu  alleging that the mayor uses city equipment for other business and that he has been facilitating meetings between his employer, MetroAtlanta Ambulance, and the city manager. He also last month.

But, at a called meeting on July 24, , saying that the allegations didn't violate the city's ethics code because it doesn't apply to elected officials. Following that meeting, , saying she was "blindsided" at the meeting.

Eaton-Welsh said she reviewed the ethics codes of 40 cities while on vacation.

"They're very specific," she said.

The city of Cartersville's code was one that stuck out to her because it addresses, among other things, gifts to council members and recusals.

"They lay everything out," she said. "There are no questions. Therey's no gray area."

Eaton-Welsh said she'd like to see not only the ethics board work with legal counsel to work on the city's code but also inovle members of various city committees so that more of the public is included.

"Our actions need to be absolutely above reproach," she said.

The council also held a public hearing regarding the sale and refilling of growlers which, if approved, would allow draft beer to be sold in sealed containers in package outlets. City Manager Steve Kennedy said that the beer would not be able to be consumed on the store's premises, just like other forms of alcohol, and that there is a specific process used to seal the container.

"They can't just use any container," he said.

Only one council member spoke on the issue.

"This is one step away from the family values we've established in this city," Councilman Tim Killingsworth said.

In other business, the council:

• Voted to amend the city's alcohol ordinance to allow the city manager or his designee to extend an alcohol licensee's time period to begin selling alcohol if construction on the store is delayed;
• Voted to enter into an agreement with the Georgia Electronic Accident Reporting System;
• And swore in Lukas Fiechtl and Jonathan Jenkins, the newest members of the Kennesaw Youth Council.