DeKalb County referendum: Reign in CEO powers
Friday, October 17th, 2008It’s ironic that a ballot question to limit the authority of the county CEO is being posed to voters just as the power-hungry Vernon Jones prepares to leave office. Still, it’s a sensible measure that can help prevent future friction between the county’s board of commissioners and its chief executive.
For the past five years, incoming CEO Burrell Ellis had been the commission’s presiding officer, but that was largely an empty title because Jones has presided at board meetings. The referendum would correct this backwards situation by authorizing the commission to, in essence, run its own meetings. Likewise, the measure would allow the commission to draw up its own meeting agenda, taking that power away from the CEO. (more…)
