Commissioners vote to overhaul Fulton County ethics process, replace board with hearing-officer model

The Fulton County Board voted on Oct. 7 to direct the county attorney to prepare an ordinance that would abolish the volunteer Board of Ethics and replace it with a process involving screening officers and paid independent hearing officers. The proposed framework would centralize initial screening, allow confidential preliminary review in some cases, and create administrative sanctions for violations. Commissioner Bob Ellis, joint sponsor of the plan, said the approach would create a clearer adjudicatory path and allow for implementation planning.