Water Damage Restoration in Stone Mountain, GA

This story has been updated.

Stone Mountain, GA — The Stone Mountain City Council, at its Nov. 6 meeting, approved the creation of a new human resources position in the city administration after arguing with the city manager about the need for more staff.

The original proposed resolution also called for an archivist position, which failed with a tie-breaking “no” vote from Mayor Beverly Jones. This role was removed from the resolution, which then passed 4-2 with the amendment.

City hall has been inconsistently staffed since the previous assistant city clerk left in fall 2023. Then, with former city manager Darnetta Tyus’ resignation in August, Shawntez Edmondson has served as city clerk and city manager.

On Wednesday evening, Edmondson addressed the council, saying the city clerk has too many responsibilities. This was met with skepticism from several members of the council, most notably Jones and Councilmember Shawnette Bryant, who asked what roles the city clerk had to fulfill, responding to Edmonson’s claim that the Stone Mountain city clerk had nine titles.

“What exactly are these nine titles? I thought it was only three,” Jones said.

Edmondson listed six: City clerk, pensions secretary, elections superintendent, cemetery sexton, risk manager and human resources director. He said it’s not uncommon for him to spend hours in the cemetery helping families find plots when there are other things he needs to do. Some months, the city is inundated with requests for records, and in addition to that, he has to handle human resources problems.

“It’s a lot,” he said.

The crux of the disagreement was that Edmondson was coming to the council to create the positions before going into the budget to see how the city would pay for them. Edmondson indicated this would prompt another presentation to the council about where the money comes from. At that point, the council would have another opportunity to approve or reject the positions before filling them.

Jones was adamant about seeing where the money came from before approving a new position.

But there was disagreement about the need for more staff, not just from Bryant and Jones but from Councilmembers Gil Freeman and Teresa Crowe. They accused city staff of not fulfilling their normal responsibilities, not regularly being in office, and generally not accomplishing anything.

Jones said, if “the city clerk stayed within the boundaries of his or her job, then we wouldn’t need [new positions]. They all Downtown Decatur.”

This statement confused meeting attendees, prompting the mayor to say, “You know what I mean. If they stayed here and did the job and did what they needed to do…basically, I would like to get more clarity on the budget.”

Jones has been under scrutiny since Decaturish published stories about the Georgia Department of Labor’s recent inquiry into an unemployment claim involving Jones and recent allegations the assistant city clerk made about her conduct at city hall. The council did not directly address those stories during the Nov. 6 meeting.

Jones’ critical tone toward staff permeated much of the meeting, breaking from the recent pattern of friendly conversations between city staff and city council.

There was also a contentious conversation about another issue: renovating park bathrooms to make them compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Jones criticized the renovations.

“It seems like all they did was make the doorways wider,” she said.

There was disagreement about whether the city had wasted Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax [SPLOST] money on this project. The council couldn’t agree on what had actually occurred, so it resolved to visit the bathrooms and examine the scope of work to understand what had or had not been done.

This discussion was made more tense by the lack of clarity on the role of the parks and recreation committee. In December of last year, the city attorney found no mention of a parks and recreation committee in the city’s charter, despite it being one of the three supposedly official committees in the city—along with the downtown development authority, planning and zoning, and the historic preservation commission.

This prompted the city attorney to recommend abolishing and recreating this committee by executive order, which was done. However, since then, the exact purview and authority of the parks and recreation committee have been unclear.

A special called meeting for Nov. 15 was proposed to discuss the restrooms.

In other news:

— City Planner Richard Edwards presented updates on the proposed ordinance more strictly defining what constitutes a “blighted property.”

— The city council heard a presentation from a potential firm that would conduct a forensic audit. In the presentation, the firm said, “We aren’t clear what needs to be done” and repeatedly said the first step would be clarifying what it is they were being contracted to look for since a forensic audit is not like a routine audit. A forensic audit is an investigation seeking evidence of specific financial misconduct.

— The city council passed the small cities intergovernmental agreement with DeKalb County, which entitles them to $2 million in SPLOST II funds. This agreement is between four small cities and DeKalb County to distribute more funds since the cities by population would receive less than 1% of the total pot. Other cities participating are Avondale Estates, Lithonia, and Pine Lake.

— During the meeting, the city attorney and Edmonson announced that all city council credit cards had been returned and destroyed. The city attorney verified that all purchases made with them were above board. They were returned because no language in the code gives anyone but the mayor the ability to have a credit card.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated who recommended abolishing and recreating a committee by executive order. This story has been updated with the correct information.

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Stone Mountain, GA — The assistant city clerk of Stone Mountain sent a memo to the city manager last week making several allegations that Mayor Beverly Jones acted in ways that “raise significant legal and ethical concerns.”

The allegations include Jones asking Assistant City Clerk Danny Mai for help preparing her resume and offering him compensation for consulting services. The memo accuses the mayor of making unauthorized purchases for city events, says she has not signed several ordinances approved in 2023 and has tried to direct city staff, which violates the city’s charter.

“These actions may constitute violations of the City Code of Ordinances and the governing charter, potentially impacting the city’s governance,” Mai wrote.

Jones declined to comment. Mai also declined to comment, and city administration has declined to comment as well.

To read Mai’s memo, click here.

Councilmembers were reserved in their comments about the allegations.

“I will say that any sort of concerns involving staff need to be addressed immediately, so it’s a high priority for me to make sure they are in a safe and comfortable environment,” Councilmember Mark Marianos said.

Councilmember Teresa Crowe said the memo is a “personnel matter” and should be resolved between Mai and City Manager Shawn Edmonson.

Councilmember Ryan Smith asked, “Why hasn’t the mayor responded to these allegations?”

Councilmember Gil Freeman, Jones’ ally on the council, has not responded to messages seeking comment but has instead posted cryptic memes about media ethics on the Nextdoor social networking site.

One meme features a picture of lions and says, “If we act like prey, they’ll act like predators.”

“At some point, you have to start holding people with questionable integrity accountable,” Freeman wrote. “You can’t keep taking the high ground.”

The city provided the memo Mai sent to Edmonson in response to a records request. The day Mai wrote the memo, Oct. 23, is the same day Decaturish published a story about the Georgia Department of Labor’s recent inquiry into an unemployment claim involving Jones.

According to an email Edmondson sent to the council on Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Georgia Department of Labor is conducting an “employer wage audit inquiry” about the claim, and the city must respond to confirm the accuracy of the information submitted to the department. If the information is inaccurate, the city has to “report a fraudulent transaction” by Oct. 31.

Edmonson said Jones told him she did not identify the city as her employer when she applied for unemployment benefits. However, the labor department provided the city of Stone Mountain with information that appears to show the mayor did list the city as her employer.

Jones denied she did this, and Edmonson has alluded to the possibility that someone else filed the claim without her knowledge. He’s seeking additional information from the labor department.

Edmonson said the city has not officially told the labor department that the claim is fraudulent. The labor department said it can’t comment on specific unemployment claims, citing state and federal confidentiality laws.

Mai’s Oct. 23 memo said he has “experienced multiple requests from Mayor Jones that raise ethical and legal questions.”

Those requests include:

— Asking Mai for advice about her resume

— Asking Mai for consultation services, either as a favor or for compensation

— Asking Mai to prepare her resume

— Attempting to engage Mai in contract work “related to her obligations with her current or former employer.”

He says these requests began in January of this year, the same month he began working for the city, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The mayor’s current employment situation is unclear. In her 2024 ethics disclosure, she did not list any sources of income or employment. However, the Department of Corrections previously employed her, and she disclosed that income in 2022. The Georgia Department of Corrections confirmed Jones worked full-time as a counselor there between February 2018 and November 2021, when she resigned. She then took a job as a part-time teacher with the Department of Corrections in November 2021 and resigned in October 2023.

Jones previously said leaving the 2024 ethics form blank was an “oversight” but was vague about her current employment situation.

In August 2023, she cast a tie-breaking vote to increase the mayor’s salary from $1,000 to $2,000 monthly.

Mai wrote that Jones’s alleged requests might violate a section of the city code that requires communication between the mayor and city employees to go through the city manager.

That code section is titled “Council’s Interference with Administration.” It says, “the city council or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the city manager solely through the city manager, and neither the city council nor its members shall give orders to any such officer or employee, either publicly or privately.”

The memo accuses Jones of trying to direct other employees at city hall.

“Despite my reminders regarding the city charter’s stipulations, Mayor Jones has instructed staff members, including myself, in a manner that appears to contradict established governance structures,” Mai wrote. “I have also observed the Mayor exercising her influence over other employees who may not fully understand the charter, potentially leading to similar actions. This behavior may undermine the integrity of our operations.”

The memo says Jones may have violated section 2-153 of the charter, “which prohibits members of the governing authority from creating the impression that they can be improperly influenced in their official duties.”

“By soliciting assistance from city employees, Mayor Jones raises concerns about maintaining ethical governance,” Mai wrote.

The memo says Jones has not signed several city ordinances. Among the unsigned ordinances are updates to the city’s zoning code, updates to the city’s building regulations, updates to sentences imposed by the municipal court, and updates to the city’s motor vehicle regulations.

Mai’s memo said Jones not signing them “could hinder legislative progress.”

Mai elaborated on his concerns about unsigned ordinances in an Oct. 24 email to the city attorney.

“It has now been over a year since these ordinances were passed, and they remain unsigned and uncodified, particularly given that Municode has not been updated since 2022,” he wrote. “To ensure clarity and maintain a comprehensive paper trail, I believe it is important to summarize the events of the day I inquired about these ordinances, including any discussions or decisions made regarding their review and codification.”

He wrote that “there have been consistent delays” in Jones signing contracts approved by the council. Not signing them “may disrupt operational efficiency and project timelines.”

“Such inaction raises questions about her commitment to fulfilling her responsibilities as outlined in Section 2.34 of the City Code,” the memo says.

That code section discusses the mayor’s signing and veto powers. It notes that if the mayor does not take any action on an ordinance, “it shall become law on the fifteenth day after its adoption.”

It’s unclear why these ordinances have not been entered into the city’s code, given the charter’s language about what happens if she does not take action.

Mai’s memo says Jones’ actions have negatively affected the work environment at city hall.

“There has been a noticeable shift in employee morale, with some staff members, including the former City Manager, having resigned, citing challenges in working under her leadership,” Mai wrote. “The current work environment has become more challenging, as employees may feel uncertain about the boundaries of acceptable conduct. This atmosphere may hinder collaboration and productivity, affecting overall operations.”

Mai’s email contradicts former city manager Darnetta Tyus’ stated reason for resigning.

In June, the Stone Mountain City Council approved an investigation into Jones’ city-issued credit card spending. Former City Manager Darnetta Tyus contacted all the city council members and said she would suspend the mayor’s card until proper purchase documentation was received. Soon after that issue became public, Jones and her allies on the council refused to speak directly with Tyus in council meetings and said they would only talk with other staff members. Tyus resigned shortly thereafter, citing “health issues.”

Mai’s memo concludes with a request that the city manager initiate a formal investigation into Jones’ conduct. Specifically, he asked the city manager to:

— Review the mayor’s conduct regarding city ordinances

— Ask the city attorney to assess the implications of Jones’ alleged actions and

— Establish a protocol “for employees to report unethical or illegal behavior without fear of retaliation.”

“It is important to ensure accountability and uphold the integrity of our governance structures,” Mai wrote.

It’s unclear when or if the city council will discuss the memo’s allegations. The council initially planned to meet on Oct. 25 to discuss the Department of Labor’s inquiry but postponed it, so city officials could gather more information. The next city council meeting is a joint session with the Downtown Development Authority on Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Stone Mountain City Hall, located at 875 Main Street.

Jaedon Mason contributed reporting to this story.

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Stone Mountain, GA — The 52nd annual Stone Mountain Hamfest, celebrating all things amateur radio, will be held Nov. 2 and Nov. 3.

The event announcement describes Hamfest as “part flea market, part educational seminars, part vendor displays and sales” with a focus on fellowship.

“Amateur radio operators and those interested in electronics and computers will gather to see and talk about ham radio equipment old and new and discuss the world-wide hobby,” the event announcement says.

The Alford Memorial Radio Club (AMRC) organizes the event in conjunction with the Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society (GARS).

AMRC President Steve Garrison said there are more licensed amateur operators than ever in the United States. He said hamfest allows people interested in the hobby to gather and share information about the hobby.

“This is the only two-day hamfest in Georgia, so we attract more exhibitors and more attendees than any other,” he said, according to a press release. “That makes for a more rewarding and complete experience for all.”

Features of this year’s Hamfest include:

— About 20 seminars discussing topics like assisting in emergencies, integrating ham radios with computers and digital communication over ham radios

— Testing and licensing opportunities for ham radio enthusiasts

— A special “Student Shack” where children can learn about the hobby

The event is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 3 at the Gwinnett County Fairground, located at 2045 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Lawrencville, GA 30045. Tickets cost $8 and are good for both days. They can be bought in advance at www.stonemountainhamfest.com

Tickets cost $10 at the door for both days, and $5 at the door for Sunday only.

“One raffle chance for radio equipment is included with each admission ticket and additional chances may be purchased onsite,” the event announcement says. “For interested hams who may need directions or information, the ‘talk-in’ will be on frequency 147.075+ PL tone 82.5.”

The press release says the Alford Memorial Radio Club was established in 1972 and meets monthly, operating four repeaters for the use of area operators. The club’s website is www.totr-radio.org

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