Albany commission votes to seek county approval to add two elected officials to Land Bank board amid conflict-of-interest concerns

The Albany City Commission voted on Jan. 26 to ask the county to amend the intergovernmental agreement governing the Southwest Georgia Land Bank to increase the board from seven to nine members, adding one elected official appointed from the city and one from the county.

City staff framed the item as a preliminary step: "This is just a request to add 2 members," a city staff presenter said, explaining that, if the city approves the concept, staff would return with language for how the appointments would be made once the county acts.

The debate centered on whether adding elected officials to the land bank would create actual or apparent conflicts when the land bank receives or spends city housing funds. City staff cautioned that "it could at very least look like a conflict," citing examples where a commissioner might advocate for projects in a ward that could receive land bank funds. Commissioners pressed the limits of the existing IGA and whether the county would accept the change.

Commissioner Chris Gaines moved to approve asking the county to alter the IGA; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Chris Brown and the commission voted to proceed. Staff said the item will be forwarded to county officials for approval and, if the county concurs, the commission will return with specific appointment language and any necessary clarifying language about conflicts and appointment procedures.

Next steps: City staff will present draft IGA language and options for appointment processes if the county approves the change. The commission’s action does not itself appoint any elected officials to the land bank; it only seeks the county’s agreement to modify the IGA.