By Jamie Gardner
At a meeting held on February 27, the Graham City Council voted to remove Mayor Lonnie Crosby from office following information/evidence presented by City Attorney Nathan Deaton. According to the city’s charter the council, mayor or appointed officers can be removed from office for incompetence, misfeasance, malfeasance, conviction of a crime, failure to possess qualifications of office, violating the city’s charter, abandonment of office, or failure for any other cause to perform the duties of office as required by the charter or by state law. Following the vote of removal, it was noted that the mayor has the option to appeal the decision in Appling County Superior Court. On March 1, Crosby filed an appeal with the Appling County Superior Court. No hearing date has been established at this time.
Council votes to remove Mayor Lonnie Crosby
Deaton stated that council members John Fogerty and Jesse Conaway requested that he conduct an investigation on the mayor. The attorney then presented a number of issues he discovered during his investigation.
The first issue Deaton reported regarded the city’s budgeting process. He stated that the last budget, budget hearing or budget submitted to the state was in 2006. He further added that he had contacted former certified public accountants that worked for the city and one of the accountants stated that the last financial report that was presented to the city was in 2006. The accountant also added that in the last report were several areas of concern that needed to be addressed so that the city would be in compliance with state law. The accountant stated he never heard back from the mayor or city following that report.
“So again no budget, no budget hearings and no compliance with state law,” said Deaton.
Deaton also explained that he had talked with USDA representative Ricky Sweat and Sweat reported that he has been in contact with the City of Graham concerning the city’s water system and specifically Graham’s water sinking fund account established to maintain the water system. Deaton stated that Sweat expressed concern that the sinking fund account had been reduced from $24,475.00 to a balance of zero. He added that the funds from the account had been transferred to the general fund account and the police department account. Deaton explained that this was an improper accounting procedure as the sinking fund account is a restricted account and the council never granted permission for the funds to be transferred.
The attorney next reported that he had discovered that family members, related to the mayor, had used city property. He stated that the mayor’s son, Ryan Crosby, was allowed to use the city’s water department truck and the son wrecked the truck. Deaton added that no police report or insurance claim was filed related to the accident. He also noted that on two occasions the city’s police car was taken by the mayor’s son to meet with his parole officer in Brunswick. On one of the trips, it was discovered that Ryan Crosby had been stopped by the Brunswick Police Department and issued a citation for improper use of a police vehicle. Deaton stated that he also learned that the mayor and former police chief told the Brunswick Police that they had given Ryan Crosby permission to drive the vehicle and also stated that the he was an employee of the city. Deaton told council members that he had also discovered that the city’s backhoe was used on private property in Jeff Davis County to assist in the construction of a pool.
Next the attorney reported that qualifying fees/money collected from the most recent election was turned over to the city in an envelope. The envelope contained cash and checks. Deaton reported that the cash was removed from the envelope and was never reported stolen or missing. He also shared that a locked bag in city hall containing petty cash for the city had been cut open and the cash from the bag is missing and has not been reported stolen or missing.
The last issue discussed by Deaton concerned votes taken by the council that was never followed through with by the mayor. He cited that the council, at a prior meeting, had voted to send letters to citizens about past due water accounts. Deaton stated that the letter had been prepared and given to the mayor and has yet to be mailed out to people that are behind on paying for water service.
Following the presentation by Deaton, council member Fogarty made a motion to remove the mayor based on the information presented. Conaway seconded the motion. Fogarty, Conaway and Lee Bass voted in favor of the motion. Susie Meeks abstained citing possible litigation.
“Pending litigation or not, he (the mayor) is removed from office tonight,” said Deaton. “Now it becomes the duty of the mayor pro tem (John Fogarty) to conduct the meeting and act as mayor.”
In other action, the council tabled a decision on hiring a new city clerk until interviews can be conducted with the top two recommendations that were recommended by Deaton at the direction of the council. The mayor filled the position earlier in the year without council approval.
The first issue Deaton reported regarded the city’s budgeting process. He stated that the last budget, budget hearing or budget submitted to the state was in 2006. He further added that he had contacted former certified public accountants that worked for the city and one of the accountants stated that the last financial report that was presented to the city was in 2006. The accountant also added that in the last report were several areas of concern that needed to be addressed so that the city would be in compliance with state law. The accountant stated he never heard back from the mayor or city following that report.
“So again no budget, no budget hearings and no compliance with state law,” said Deaton.
Deaton also explained that he had talked with USDA representative Ricky Sweat and Sweat reported that he has been in contact with the City of Graham concerning the city’s water system and specifically Graham’s water sinking fund account established to maintain the water system. Deaton stated that Sweat expressed concern that the sinking fund account had been reduced from $24,475.00 to a balance of zero. He added that the funds from the account had been transferred to the general fund account and the police department account. Deaton explained that this was an improper accounting procedure as the sinking fund account is a restricted account and the council never granted permission for the funds to be transferred.
The attorney next reported that he had discovered that family members, related to the mayor, had used city property. He stated that the mayor’s son, Ryan Crosby, was allowed to use the city’s water department truck and the son wrecked the truck. Deaton added that no police report or insurance claim was filed related to the accident. He also noted that on two occasions the city’s police car was taken by the mayor’s son to meet with his parole officer in Brunswick. On one of the trips, it was discovered that Ryan Crosby had been stopped by the Brunswick Police Department and issued a citation for improper use of a police vehicle. Deaton stated that he also learned that the mayor and former police chief told the Brunswick Police that they had given Ryan Crosby permission to drive the vehicle and also stated that the he was an employee of the city. Deaton told council members that he had also discovered that the city’s backhoe was used on private property in Jeff Davis County to assist in the construction of a pool.
Next the attorney reported that qualifying fees/money collected from the most recent election was turned over to the city in an envelope. The envelope contained cash and checks. Deaton reported that the cash was removed from the envelope and was never reported stolen or missing. He also shared that a locked bag in city hall containing petty cash for the city had been cut open and the cash from the bag is missing and has not been reported stolen or missing.
The last issue discussed by Deaton concerned votes taken by the council that was never followed through with by the mayor. He cited that the council, at a prior meeting, had voted to send letters to citizens about past due water accounts. Deaton stated that the letter had been prepared and given to the mayor and has yet to be mailed out to people that are behind on paying for water service.
Following the presentation by Deaton, council member Fogarty made a motion to remove the mayor based on the information presented. Conaway seconded the motion. Fogarty, Conaway and Lee Bass voted in favor of the motion. Susie Meeks abstained citing possible litigation.
“Pending litigation or not, he (the mayor) is removed from office tonight,” said Deaton. “Now it becomes the duty of the mayor pro tem (John Fogarty) to conduct the meeting and act as mayor.”
In other action, the council tabled a decision on hiring a new city clerk until interviews can be conducted with the top two recommendations that were recommended by Deaton at the direction of the council. The mayor filled the position earlier in the year without council approval.
Wow. I wish our lawmakers had the gumption to levy these very same charges against the Mr. Obama. He certainly fits that bill on all counts!