[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6594584,"mediaKeyId","3220616-318b29a0559655d151908a6b55cb7708","parentId",3220616,"title","DeKalb commissioners direct county attorney to clarify recusal, abstention procedures after confusion","audioSeconds",686,"startMs",558000,"endMs",1244000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3220616-318b29a0559655d151908a6b55cb7708&start=558&end=1244","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3220616-318b29a0559655d151908a6b55cb7708/thumbnail_558000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6594584/DeKalb-County/Georgia/DeKalb-commissioners-direct-county-attorney-to-clarify-recusal-abstention-procedures-after-confusion","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6594584-50d282d5cd512bc59eeb476f02080086/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005906&Signature=FQBoNl2jH0oHk89nxJJHZ~bqiO6CKEonDieHs2pZlqb6cOJyCljzgpgwKkl6npe6D9GhrYXOwLiEpiITfQRH7F7ryrFDK~2aMFoqseyzLzYUV8TtB0LV8H70F3Fp-ZMnlTzLufaY71-epxt5-em4oSvuWAwT6t~OX1Xowbl4~oDe5fwHXcHF3NI45-5IQQ5yQhhbnmxTDUjZUDqTEVCa3--W7IIidAJfWfQJlhF-1XHrH7DBKoqvhq2EH5d9ED9f7w9xhNBDaOtEm-fD07u2m1TsdPK1tMY~ZtyMlGW1mwVgSeYOQSOm8Sed8434hIEEl9PuuSkQHFr1ZjAE2mxxcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","DeKalb County","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","DeKalb County commissioners on April 1 reviewed the procedures for recusal and abstention after a presiding commissioner left the dais during discussion of an ethics item, prompting confusion about how that action should be recorded in minutes and on the county's voting system.

The presiding officer, Michelle Long Spears, told the Committee of the Whole she had been advised by the county attorney and the ethics officer to remove herself from the discussion, saying, \"the county attorney advised me to recuse myself from conversation, from all conversation related to that item.\" She told colleagues the county's meeting software currently prevents a member from logging a recusal until after a motion, second and discussion are under way.

The interim county attorney, Matthew Welch, told commissioners the legal and procedural guidance is inconsistent and that his office will issue written advice and propose changes to the county's procedural manual, the Blue Book. \"We have always seen a difference in abstention and recusal. Abstaining is simply not voting on a matter. Recusal is removing yourself from the discussion entirely,\" Welch said. He also acknowledged clerks and technology limitations and apologized for incomplete instruction during the earlier meeting.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the lack of clear, consistent instructions and the way the county's voting software (Granicus) records participation created a risk that a legally required recusal could be mischaracterized in minutes as an absence or an abstention. That raises potential legal and ethical issues for commissioners and can cause public confusion about how the board handled conflicts of interest.

What the board directed and what staff said they will do

- County attorney's office will prepare a written opinion clarifying the difference between abstention and recusal and provide step-by-step guidance for commissioners and clerks. Welch said his office is \"working on an opinion that gives kind of basic outlines of abstention versus recusal so that you will all have the same advice from us.\" This was described as a near-term deliverable.

- The county will propose edits to the Blue Book (the standing procedural rules) to formalize the process and remove ambiguity about how recusals and abstentions are handled on the record.

- The chief information officer and clerks will assess the county's current Granicus setup to ensure the system supports recording recusals at the moment a member wants to register them; commissioners were told Granicus is being updated and that current technology \"does not allow you to do that.\" The presiding officer said the CIO indicated Granicus will be updated.

Discussion highlights and concerns

- Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson and others said they prefer that a commissioner who is disqualified remain in the meeting but register a recusal rather than being labeled \"absent\" from the official record. Davis Johnson said she typically registers recusal on pension matters and prefers to be recorded as excused from the vote rather than absent.

- Commissioners and counsel agreed the matter involves three parts: the legal standard (when recusal is required), the ethical standard (whether a member should remove themself from discussion), and the technical/clerical standard (how the clerk records the choice).

- Commissioners asked that the county clerk be part of the solution so that the clerks can record the member's intent accurately in minutes even where the voting software only allows selection later in the process.

What was not decided

No formal policy change was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners instead directed staff's offices (county attorney, CIO, clerks) to produce written guidance, propose Blue Book amendments and return with a coordinated solution.

Ending

The county attorney told commissioners the office will provide a memo and proposed Blue Book revisions and that the clerks and technology teams will be consulted to ensure minutes and vote records reflect commissioners' stated intentions.

Speakers quoted in this article are included in the speakers list below.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","DeKalb County - Board of Commissioners - Committee of the Whole - Apr 01, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","DeKalb County commissioners on April 1 reviewed the procedures for recusal and abstention after a presiding commissioner left the dais during an ethics item, saying the county attorney and ethics officer had advised removal and that the county's voting software makes it difficult to record recusals.","taxTitle","DeKalb County, Georgia","taxId",3571,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6594577,"DeKalb officials report SPLOST 1 receipts, outline SPLOST 2 priorities and oversight changes",1047,3585000,4632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3220616-318b29a0559655d151908a6b55cb7708&start=3585&end=4632","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3220616-318b29a0559655d151908a6b55cb7708/thumbnail_3585000.jpg","/articles/6594577/DeKalb-County/Georgia/DeKalb-officials-report-SPLOST-1-receipts-outline-SPLOST-2-priorities-and-oversight-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6594577-f2204971100e8b755a8fd9d5259ead5a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005906&Signature=RoUAXVIZyib7S1V65JWCESydHJFYkm-aqtXbsuqdMALN1zarXaWbhRErFGZ-TLKlTitKP7sp~GIiNQcaRVL0mjQQOa42W2YMejtNIqlFVooXvChFg7c0m5oFzNOEF3C6~MOHzufTwPfk5ACjU3cBgLV-o7i0SF7SkTz0mlv-NkA9ZhgwOXU9CALMdZ1~FxdnmvkfP13wGGGrVbVxBNqeYl512F2RFM7YY0dnAGB--6tpbDEW-kHOkrpNXp89QUVz6zP9TLiFr0ShoQ2MNJ3uklt4BhkahHtRaqlaRmPpEaVr3fI6ktogwxZJXTethCzrQ7YjIXsaysrdxoXQfyVZmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DeKalb County officials on April 1 told the Committee of the Whole that final SPLOST 1 receipts exceeded earlier projections, that SPLOST 2 includes new spending categories, and that the county will revise the SPLOST resident oversight group and provide regular public reporting.

Zach Kingsbury, presenting on behalf of the SPLOST team, said final SPLOST 1 collections reached $418,000,000 and that interest on those funds totaled about $32,000,000, bringing the current SPLOST 1 balance to about $450,000,000. \"All total in the bank, $450,000,000 is the current number for SPLOST 1,\" Kingsbury said.

Kingsbury said SPLOST 1 accomplished many upgrades countywide, including resurfacing contracts (the program's goal is about 300 miles of resurfacing), park improvements such as fields and restrooms, and capital work at libraries and other facilities. He said the county achieved roughly 30.5% participation by local small business enterprises (LSBEs) on SPLOST contracts.

SPLOST 2 features the same six-year, pay-as-you-go structure and largely similar category priorities, Kingsbury and COO Williams said. New elements in SPLOST 2 include an intergenerational facility line (parks and recreation) and five \"special capital\" categories that can fund water and sewer, physical and mental health facilities, renewable energy projects and other infrastructure. Kingsbury said the board has approved initial allocations totaling roughly $47 million for several projects, and that detailed reports and maps will be available to commissioners and the public through the SPLOST team's Teams portal and the county's SPLOST website.

On the mental-health item: Kingsbury said SPLOST 2 includes a $15,000,000 line in the \"physical and mental health facilities\" category that the board intends for a crisis center. He said none of that $15 million has yet been allocated to a specific project and that the county is seeking state and other funding to complete the project. \"The money is there. We have not identified anything else for those funds,\" he said.

Oversight committee and reporting: Commissioners debated whether SPLOST 2 oversight and updates should be handled in the county Operations committee or in the Committee of the Whole. The board directed the administration to return to the Committee of the Whole with an amended resolution creating a SPLOST resident oversight advisory committee; COO Williams said he will present the amendment at the next meeting and that the board will receive SPLOST updates on a quarterly basis.

Questions from commissioners and staff follow-up

- Commissioner Robert Patrick and others asked about project timetables; Kingsbury and COO Williams said a public-facing map and a Teams portal will show project phases and allow residents to search by address.

- Commissioners raised concerns over pavement milling and granite curb elevations that have caused localized stormwater flow changes on some resurfaced streets. Kingsbury said curb resetting is sometimes cost-prohibitive (\"The cost to reset the granite curbs can be anywhere from $20 to $30 a foot\") and that stormwater funds or special project budgets can be used when reconstruction is necessary.

- Commissioner Nicole Messia (referred to in the meeting as \"Commissioner Messiah\") and others asked that the SPLOST team include commissioners or the oversight group in user testing of the updated public website. The administration agreed to provide logins and a Teams training session for commissioners and staff.

Why it matters: SPLOST funds are a major local revenue source for capital projects. How the county prioritizes and reports on those funds affects transportation, parks, public safety, and other county services.

Next steps: COO Williams and the SPLOST team will present the proposed amendment to the resident oversight advisory committee and provide quarterly public reports and a commissioner training session on accessing the SPLOST Teams portal; the administration will continue to seek state or other partners for additional funding for a crisis center.

Speakers quoted in this article are listed in the speaker roster below.","County officials told the April 1 Committee of the Whole that SPLOST 1 collections exceeded initial projections, that SPLOST 2's budget includes new categories and a $15 million allocation for a mental-health facility, and that the board will revise the resident oversight committee and report SPLOST updates quarterly.","actionData","errors"]

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DeKalb commissioners direct county attorney to clarify recusal, abstention procedures after confusion

DeKalb officials report SPLOST 1 receipts, outline SPLOST 2 priorities and oversight changes