Atlanta council adopts first reading of charter changes for inspector general and ethics office after debate over subpoenas and surveillance

The Atlanta City Council on Feb. 3 voted to adopt, on first reading, a package of charter changes intended to clarify the powers and oversight of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Ethics Office.

The move came after public testimony and council debate about recent OIG subpoenas for financial records and whether the office has been using covert methods. The council approved the amended charter language by a recorded vote of 14-0 and then referred the measure back to the Committee on Council for the second adoption the charter process requires.

The change restores several oversight details removed in earlier drafts: the OIG governing board will be structured as a seven-member panel that includes appointments tied to the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board and the Fulton County League of Women Voters; language making clear that the OIG and Ethics Office should…