Public commenter raises ethics concerns about two council members during Snellville meeting

A Snellville resident used the public-comment period on March 24 to urge the City Council to clarify potential conflicts of interest, saying alleged personal relationships among elected officials can undermine public trust.

Kat Hardrick, who identified herself as a resident and former candidate, said two council members are "allegedly in a romantic relationship" and said the matter intersects with the council’s duty and ethics obligations. "When personal relationships intersect with public duty, it becomes a matter of ethics and accountability," Hardrick said. She urged voters to review council voting records and warned against accepting single votes as political theater in advance of elections.

Hardrick noted that the council renewed the city's ethics resolution at the March 24 meeting, citing "Resolution 2025-05, the certified city ethics" renewal, and said that transparency and consistent application of ethics rules are essential to preserving public trust. She called for leadership that "prioritizes people over politics, integrity over influence, and truth over tactics."

Hardrick also framed the comments in the context of upcoming municipal elections and urged residents to consider running for office if they want different leadership. The council did not respond to the specific allegation during the public-comment period, and the meeting proceeded to other speakers and eventual adjournment.

No formal complaint, investigation or council action on the allegation was recorded in the meeting transcript. The allegation was made during public comment; the transcript does not include any corroborating details or staff responses.