FOREST PARK, Ga.,None — The Forest Park City Council voted on Monday night to begin the procedures needed to remove a council member from office after an ethics hearing official found her guilty of using city funds for personal reasons.
Forest Park Mayor Corine Deyton refused to talk to Channel 2's Richard Elliot after the brief meeting, but the city did issue a release detailing the reasons why council members will seek the removal of Ward 2 council member Karen Brandee-Williams.
"The Hearing Officer sustained 15 charges against ... Williams for various violations of the city's Code of Ethics," the release stated. "Council member Williams was found guilty of violating the Code of Ethics by purchasing personal property with public funds for her personal and/or political use."
The release went on to detail allegations that Williams improperly used city funds to buy T-shirts the officer believed she wanted to use in her political campaign. It also stated that Williams acted in "a rude and disrespectful manner" to many city employees and department managers.
"From the beginning, this is just bogus," Williams told Elliot.
She believes much of this stems from the fact she asked the city to purchase an expensive chair for her to sit in at council meetings. Williams is disabled and needs a motorized wheelchair to get around much of the time. She felt she was entitled to the chair under the Americans with Disabilities Act and said it was necessary for her to endure sitting for long periods of time during council meetings.
Williams also believes the ethics complaints were retalation against her speaking out against the status quo.
"I do plan on fighting this all the way if I have to," said Williams after the council meeting.
Roy Lunsford filed the original ethics complaint. He stressed that he did not file the complaint for political reasons.
"I really am not happy about this whole situation," Lunsford told Elliot. "The whole thing is terrible that it had to come to this.