INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Special investigators have found that DeKalb County’s government “is rotten to the core” (Lithonia: crimes, credit)

[LynnHarris]

Special investigators have found that DeKalb County’s government “is rotten to the core,” with allegations of bribery, widespread abuses of taxpayer money and theft of government property, according to a letter sent by the investigators Wednesday to Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May.

“The misconduct starts at the top and has infected nearly every department we have looked at,” wrote the investigators, former Georgia Attorney General Mike Bowers and Richard Hyde. “Expenses range from the petty to the absurd.”

The investigators wrote in their letter they won’t identify those who may be guilty of crimes or other misconduct until they publish their final report. But they said their findings are “stunning...”

Full Story: Investigators find

[cwkimbro]

Well this is clearly reactionary to being defunded.

It is damning nonetheless.

I do feel for Dekalb officials in one way. It is often hard to do something of this type. They originally asked for and paid for this to make improvements. That comes with a double edge sword, in the short-run your harming your regions own credibility, while acknowledging a problem and taking the first steps of improvement which should be applauded.

He makes a pretty good initial case for obtaining the remaining needed funds, but it isn't lost on me that this is being released publicly for pressure to ask for money. Interesting conundrum.

I suspect this needs to go forward. I would suggest finding a new source for investigating, but enough money had already been spent here and it seems to be a qualified legal source for the investigation.

[residinghere2007]

I believe it.

I worked for many years where I had to interact with various country and city governments and DeKalb is by far the worse that I have had to interact with.

They don't know their own codes and rules and regs for simple things that any low level clerk should know working in a county government organization. They don't pay their contractors or other government agencies for doing work on their behalf in an appropriate manner (there have been situations where I had to wait 8-9 months after closeout to pay a demolition contractor for work they performed for DeKalb county due to them not remitting payment to the organization I worked for to handle the project for them.

I personally think that the state should take over the county and get rid of 80% of the employees. I'm sure there are a few that are good but in my experience they are few. It is a sad situation and this sort of behavior and activities is the reason why so many people think all government employees are this way.

When I had to represent the county on project management jobs in construction I was accused all the time of being "dirty and underhanded" like "everyone who works for DeKalb County." I would inform them that I didn't work for the county. I worked for another organization in the county and luckily people/contractors could tell the difference and preferred to work with our organization over the county since we answered phones, returned email messages, and usually paid on time when we weren't in need of county reimbursement.

[Ant131531]

In other news, water is wet.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Well this is clearly reactionary to being defunded.

It is damning nonetheless.

I do feel for Dekalb officials in one way. It is often hard to do something of this type. They originally asked for and paid for this to make improvements. That comes with a double edge sword, in the short-run your harming your regions own credibility, while acknowledging a problem and taking the first steps of improvement which should be applauded.

He makes a pretty good initial case for obtaining the remaining needed funds, but it isn't lost on me that this is being released publicly for pressure to ask for money. Interesting conundrum.

I suspect this needs to go forward. I would suggest finding a new source for investigating, but enough money had already been spent here and it seems to be a qualified legal source for the investigation.

Bowers has a lot of integrity. I have little doubt two of the no votes for funding are two of the crooks. And then Rep. Johnson's wife got elected from Lithonia and he is tied in with everyone in the DeKalb power structure so they don't want to step on toes, particularly if it happens to be their own.

[Gulch]

Let it burn.

[skbl17]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Let it burn.

You know, under better circumstances, I would probably have typed out some bitter response to that, something like, "How could you? DeKalb is one of the better run counties in the country? They have MARTA! Good schools! A good county government!"

(Oh my god I can't believe I typed all that with a straight face.)

However, in light of this news, AUFC, Watershed Management issues, the bloated and corrupt county school district, the Ellis trial, the arrest of county commissioners, the near-death of DCSD accreditation, and nepotism, I agree with you. What makes me really sad is that many of the voters here are too apathetic to care or are fine with this state of affairs. We got the government and county school board we deserve.

A better question is, what does DeKalb run properly nowadays? The libraries?! Wonder how long before that hits the toilet too.

- skbl17

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by skbl17

You know, under better circumstances, I would probably have typed out some bitter response to that, something like, "How could you? DeKalb is one of the better run counties in the country? They have MARTA! Good schools! A good county government!"

(Oh my god I can't believe I typed all that with a straight face.)

However, in light of this news, AUFC, Watershed Management issues, the bloated and corrupt county school district, the Ellis trial, the arrest of county commissioners, the near-death of DCSD accreditation, and nepotism, I agree with you. What makes me really sad is that many of the voters here are too apathetic to care or are fine with this state of affairs. We got the government and county school board we deserve.

A better question is, what does DeKalb run properly nowadays? The libraries?! Wonder how long before that hits the toilet too.

- skbl17

Believe me, it hurt to type that.

Honestly, at this point the county should fully incorporate and the remaining DeKalb government wiped out and reconfigured.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

In other news, water is wet.

Not a problem in Dekalb.

[ATLTJL]

Shocking.