MILTON, Ga. — Charlie Roberts, former chair of Milton’s Design Review Board, resigned the post after endorsing a city council candidate from the dais at a July 11 meeting.
“I will bring politics into the room before we adjourn,” Roberts said, “and say that our good friend Doug is running for City Council … It’s been great working with you for a year and a half, so I’m endorsing you.”
Doug Hene, Design Review Board (DRB) member, announced his intent to run for the District 2, Post 2 seat in June.
Roberts looped DRB member Reid Casey into his comments, who affirmed his own endorsement of Hene.
Roberts then invited the public to attend a “party” to “clap, and jump up and down for Doug.”
In a July 12 letter to Roberts, Milton City Manager Steve Krokoff deemed Roberts’ actions “improper” under the Milton Ethics Code and cited Sec. 2-855, “Political recrimination and activity.” The code states “no city official … shall make use of government time or equipment to aid a political candidate…”
“For the Chair of a Milton-appointed board, like the DRB, to publicly endorse a candidate for Council in the course of a meeting carries with it the specter that the Milton government, or at minimum an influential Board in the service of the City of Milton, is formally endorsing a candidate for public office,” Krokoff said.
Krokoff also said he would work with the city attorney on DRB training to “ensure all are familiar with the rules.” Milton City Attorney Ken Jarrard said the instruction would cover limitations on the use of city resources for political purposes.
Jarrard’s office provides some training to city committees over relative subject matter, which may involve some aspect of ethics. But Jarrard said a training session exclusively focused on…
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