DeKalb County ethics board clears commissioner to serve on Calumwall Fine Arts Center board with disclosure and recusal

The DeKalb County Board of Ethics on July 17 advised that Commissioner Michelle Long Spears may continue serving on the Calumwall Fine Arts Center board of directors provided she discloses the relationship and abstains from votes on matters involving Calumwall before both the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners and the Calumwall board.

General Counsel Hakeem Hilliard presented the advisory opinion, telling the board the question mirrors a prior request from a previous commissioner, Jeff Raider. Hilliard said the board’s review found ethical implications but concluded the same remedy applies: disclosure to the relevant board and recusal from votes where Calumwall is involved. “This is consistent with the opinion that was rendered for Jeff Raider,” Hilliard said, and he noted Commissioner Spears had already been disclosing her interest and recusing herself in relevant matters.

The opinion requires reciprocal disclosure: Hilliard said if a matter concerning DeKalb County comes before the Calumwall board, Commissioner Spears would need to disclose the conflict there and abstain from the vote as well. Board members had no questions after Hilliard presented the recommendation, and a motion to approve the opinion passed unanimously.

The advisory guidance does not change any existing statutory standard; it is an ethics-board determination about conflicts of interest and voting recusal. The board’s action was procedural: Hilliard circulated the written opinion in advance, asked for input, and the board moved and voted to adopt the recommendation.

No further conditions or enforcement actions were recorded in the meeting minutes. The board chair indicated he would finalize the written document and distribute it to members.