Alex Wan resigns from ADA board
August 24, 2009 at 5:52 pm by Thomas Wheatley in News
Atlanta City Council District 6 candidate Alex Wan has resigned from the Atlanta Development Authority Board to clear up any perception of a conflict of interest and focus his energy on the crowded race to represent the Midtown, Candler Park and Virginia-Highland neighborhoods.
From a Wan campaign press release:
“Before officially qualifying, I wanted to further demonstrate my absolute commitment to the people of District 6 and ensure there was no perception of a conflict between my ADA service and my City Council campaign,” he says. “It has been a privilege and an honor to serve ADA and the city of Atlanta since my appointment by City Council in 2006, working for the economic improvement of the city of Atlanta. I have learned so much from my fellow Board members and the incredible ADA staff, and I intend to put that experience to work for our great city’s future.”
…
Wan’s decision to resign from the ADA’s board was clarified by legislation passed by City Council on August 17, stating that candidates for citywide office cannot serve on the boards of entities such as ADA.
In July, some district residents voiced concerns that Wan and Liz Coyle, one of his opponents in the Nov. 3 election, served on the ADA and Atlanta Beltline Inc. boards while also running for office. Coyle resigned from her post last week.
Wan faces Bahareh Azizi, Steve Brodie, Tad Christian, Liz Coyle and Miguel Gallegos.
(Courtesy Alex Wan For Atlanta)
August 24th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
They really take us for fools, don’t they, these pol wannabes? You’ve been doing the developers’ bidding on the ADA for some years, but suddenly you resign and that makes you a council candidate who will put residents’ interest first?
Tell us your role in the ADA-Beltline Wayne Mason giveaway of taxpayer money, Alex.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Perception of Conflict of Interest is beginning to rival Perception of Crime around here.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
It is good that Alex Wan has resigned from the ADA Board and that Liz Coyle resigned from the ABI Board. The best would have been for both of them to have resigned the moment they announced they were running for City Council. But better late than never. The potential conflict of interest and for hanky-panky were far too tempting. I hope that both Alex Wan and Liz Coyle have decided not to accept any contributions from real estate developers. To accept these contributions would remain very stinky!
August 25th, 2009 at 8:23 am
“I hope that both Alex Wan and Liz Coyle have decided not to accept any contributions from real estate developers.”
… unlike Steve Brodie, who has already accepted such contributions.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
If any of you Junior Sleuths wanna know where developers stand, spend 15 minutes looking through the Campaign Disclosures from the city of Atlanta. They are online now.
There’s no need to speculate. The info is there.
September 15th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Steve Brodie’s biggest campaign contribution comes from Tivoli and Kim King properties…. Lest we forget how hard he fought for tivoli’s high rises on 13th street by piedmont park (they were ultimately denied after the neighbors opposed them).
Who were the developers— why it was a joint development between Tivoli and Kim King Assoc. They wanted to get a property half a mile from the park rezoned so they could build 400? and twice as dense as allowed.
see here, in case you dont remember:
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshloaf/2007/09/26/piedmont-park-high-rise-take-two/
Funny, right after Brodie lost that case he resigned from the MNA land use committee and NPU rep…
Alex Wan’s biggest donators include Ken Britt, co-chair of the board of the Human Rights Campaignd longtime LGBT activist E.D. Cofrin; Paul Horning, a director of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund; and the Jerusalem House.