New legislation introduced before the City of Atlanta’s Finance/Executive Committee is advancing efforts to better define the roles and responsibilities of the Ethics Office and the Office of the Inspector General while clarifying the rights of more than 9,000 city employees. Guided by the work of a special task force established by Atlanta City Council in 2024, the legislation marks Mayor Dickens’ and Atlanta City Councils’ ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability in City Hall.

“I stand with our Office of the Inspector General and Ethics Office in our shared vision for City Hall being void of any waste, fraud and abuse,” said Mayor Dickens. “Good, ethical and transparent government has been a guiding pillar of this administration, and today’s legislation marks another step in the City moving forward with clarity and confidence in defining how government should work respectively, the rights afforded to our employees and the critical need for defined protocols should the need arise for internal reviews.”

Prompted by a series of ongoing concerns expressed publicly by union representatives, City employees, members of City Council and the Dickens Administration, the special task force was assembled to review both the Ethics Office and Office of the Inspector General to examine processes and procedures, identify best practices in governance and recommend changes to the Charter to clarify roles, responsibilities and rights.

Chaired by former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, the special task force included City Council members Howard Shook and Marci Collier Overstreet, former Executive Counsel for the Governor’s Office David Dove, Georgia State Representative and attorney Tanya Miller, former US Attorney of the Northen District of Georgia Richard Deane and General Counsel for UPS Norman Brothers.

Key recommendations from the task force that are supported by the Administration include:

Board and Governance Enhancements

• ●The OIG and Ethics Office will now report to separate governing boards, as requested by the city’s Ethics Officer, aligning with best practices from other municipalities. 

• ●Board membership will be recommended with final appointments made by the Mayor, following a typical appointment process.  

• ●Chairs of the OIG and Ethics Boards must now have a minimum of five years of investigative experience and hold a law degree, ensuring experienced leadership.  

Strengthened Employee Rights

• Employees under investigation will receive prior notification of their status as a subject of the investigation.  

• Individuals will have the right to legal or union representation during interviews.  

• For those requesting legal representation, the City Attorney may select and appoint external counsel.  

Data, Governance and Subpoenas

• Open Records requests will follow the City of Atlanta’s standard processes, ensuring clarity and timeliness.

• The OIG will be authorized to issue subpoenas for third-party financial, medical, or telecommunications records, contingent upon prior approval from a Municipal Court of Atlanta judge.  

• Subjects of investigations will receive simultaneous notification when third-party subpoenas are issued.  

Defined Roles and Responsibilities

• The Ethics Office will have sole jurisdiction over allegations related to the City Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.  

• The OIG’s Compliance Division will focus on investigating abuse of authority, substantial misconduct, gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, and violations that undermine independence or integrity.  

“Accountability does not rest on the shoulders of one official or one office,” said City of Atlanta Chief of Staff Odie Donald. “Our collaborative effort in bringing a higher level of clarity and governance to these two offices while working to better articulate the constitutional rights of our employees never compromises our common goal in promoting ethical and transparent government. Our city, its residents, and our employees deserve for us to get this right, and I remain abundantly optimistic that we can bring clarity through this legislative process.”

The legislation now moves forward following the FEC committee review. City Council now has the responsibility to weigh the task force’s proposal, legislation and the community input all parties have gathered in public forums.