Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procurement Audit And Ethics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
South Fulton council orders forensic audit of mayor p‑card transactions, hires outside counsel for ethics review
Summary
After an executive session, the South Fulton City Council voted unanimously to order a forensic audit of the mayor’s purchasing‑card and PO audit trail covering October 2023 through Jan. 28, 2025, and to retain outside counsel to prepare an ethics complaint; council also adopted interim steps to tighten procurement controls.
The City Council of South Fulton voted unanimously on Jan. 28 to order a forensic audit of the mayor’s purchasing‑card (P‑card) transactions and purchase‑order audit trail from October 2023 through Jan. 28, 2025, and to retain outside counsel to pursue an ethics complaint related to charter and ordinance violations.
The audit, approved after the meeting’s executive session, directs a third party to examine P‑card transactions and associated PO documentation for the specified period. Council members also voted to engage outside counsel — identified in the motion as Josh Belafonte’s firm — to represent the council in preparing an ethics filing with the city ethics board.
Council members said the actions respond to public concern about procurement and travel spending. Councilmember Helen Z. Willis explained the focus on the October 2023 start date: “We’re picking this time period because this is the time period that we have adopted, our new policies,” referring to procurement policy changes adopted in fall 2023. The motion to order the audit passed unanimously. The later motion to secure outside counsel was also approved unanimously.
Why this matters: The audit and counsel engagement are formal, public steps that move potential procurement and charter questions into investigative and legal channels. City staff and outside consultants will review transactions, and the council said it will receive reports intended to increase transparency and permit follow‑up action if wrongdoing is found.
Details, next steps and safeguards: City staff said the city will run simultaneous compliance measures while the audit proceeds. City Manager Sharon D. Subadan said the administration has begun strengthening internal controls and will require stricter reconciliation of P‑card activity; as she put it, “we trusted and we did not verify.” The manager said the city has contracted a compliance firm to audit recent transactions and will suspend or revoke P‑cards for holders who fail to meet reconciliation deadlines. The council also instructed staff to make audit reports available to the mayor and council.
Councilmembers emphasized due process and a defined scope. The audit’s stated scope in the motion is P‑card transactions and the PO audit trail for Oct. 2023–Jan. 28, 2025. Willis and other members said that time window aligns with the city’s updated procurement policy and therefore is the appropriate period to inspect for policy compliance.
What the motions say (formal actions): The council ordered a forensic audit covering P‑card and PO activity from October 2023 through Jan. 28, 2025 (approved unanimously). The council also authorized outside counsel to represent the council in preparing an ethics complaint related to alleged charter and ordinance violations (approved unanimously).
Context and constraints: The council’s moves are administrative and investigatory; they do not themselves find wrongdoing. Any further action — criminal referral, civil claims, or administrative discipline — will depend on the audit’s findings and counsel’s review. Council members said the city is also working to make procurement and travel records easier to find online once the city’s financial system migration is complete.
Taper: City staff said they expect a sequence of contractor kickoffs and initial audit reporting within weeks; council members asked that the public be informed as formal milestones are reached.
