Lee May to resign from DeKalb commission seat

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that Lee May will announce Friday that he is resigning his commission seat which has been vacant since Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him interim CEO nearly two years ago.

May will serve as interim CEO as long as Burrell Ellis is suspended while awaiting trial on corruption charges.  The information comes to Channel 2's Richard Belcher from a well-placed source familiar with May’s intentions.

The vacancy in May’s District 5 seat on the DeKalb County Commission has made it difficult for the remaining six members to pass numerous pieces of legislation.

The impasse has also stymied efforts for the commission to appoint a temporary replacement for May in District 5.

There will have to be a special election to fill May’s seat on the commission

May’s resignation from his commission seat means he cannot return to the commission if Burrell Ellis is acquitted at his retrial, which is set to begin in early June.

If Ellis is acquitted and resumes his job as CEO, May will be out of office.

If Ellis is convicted and removed from office, there will be a special election to select a permanent replacement to serve the remainder of Ellis’s term, which runs through the end of 2016.

WSBTV