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Residents demand ethics ordinance after recordings of threatening remarks by councilmember
Summary
Dozens of residents urged Chattahoochee Hills leaders to adopt an enforceable ethics ordinance after recordings of a councilmember making threatening remarks circulated; speakers described intimidation and called for independent complaint intake and accountability.
Residents filled the public-comment period at the Oct. 7 Chattahoochee Hills City Council meeting to press the council to adopt an enforceable ethics ordinance after audio recordings of a councilmember making threatening statements became public. Multiple speakers said the recordings show a pattern of intimidation and that a nonbinding civility pledge is insufficient.
"Ethics is not optional; it is the price of public trust," said Mitchell L. Wolff during public comment, encapsulating the central demand many speakers voiced. Several speakers named specific incidents and urged the council to adopt an ordinance with independent intake and enforcement rather than a nonbinding pledge. Danean Crawford, president of the Chatt Hill Citizens Alliance, urged the council to use an outside board for intake and investigation.
Mayor Tom Reed addressed the council and the room, apologizing for the harm residents said they had experienced and condemning intimidation efforts. "On behalf of the city, I apologize for the way that this community has been treated," he said, adding that the conduct described is "an assault on community values." Councilmember Rodney Peek said the recordings and the concerns raised by citizens were "completely unacceptable" and supported moving toward a binding ethics framework.
Councilmembers spoke directly about next steps: several said they support drafting an ethics ordinance that provides a mechanism for complaints and redress. Councilmember Scott Lightsey and others said an ordinance would do more to protect citizens and staff than a pledge alone. The council approved a nonbinding Council Pledge earlier in the meeting, but public speakers and several council members said that is not a substitute for an enforceable code with a clear process.
The council did not vote to adopt a specific ethics ordinance on Oct. 7; members said they would continue drafting and soliciting input. Public commenters asked the council to prioritize an independent intake process, clarity on investigatory timelines, and penalties for violations.
