The Dunwoody City Council and mayor have dropped previously filed ethics complaints related to the alleged Project Renaissance leak.

The Dunwoody Board of Ethics met early last week for ethics hearings involving Mayor Mike Davis and councilwoman Adrian Bonser. By the end of the week, the mayor and councilmembers each signed a document voluntarily withdrawing and dismissing all ethics complaints.

Davis had filed an ethics complaint in May against Bonser in regards to leaking confidential information related to the Project Renaissance redevelopment initiative, which was discussed during executive session in February. Bonser filed a complaint against Davis in June in regards to harassment and seeking her resignation from city council.

When the board of ethics met Nov. 26 for the hearings, the board originally rescheduled them for Dec. 12 after discovering proper notice of the meeting was not given to both parties.

Bonser’s lawyer Matt Reeves arrived at the meeting more than 20 minutes after it began claiming neither Bonser nor her legal team had received notice of the hearing.

“We found out about [the meeting for the hearings] on the city’s website,” Reeves said. “The meeting time was not published. We called in this morning and found out that this proceeding was being held.”

The board waited more than 10 minutes after 9 a.m. for Bonser or her representative to appear before starting the meeting.

“I thought everybody was notified,” said attorney Dennis Still, the hearing officer hired for the Board of Ethics hearings.

Reeves said it was under his impression the parties were still working on resolving the matter in mediation. When the board asked Davis if it were likely he and Bonser would reach an amicable conclusion with mediation, the mayor responded: “zero chance.”

Reeves said he believed it was prejudicial for Davis to begin delivering his case without Bonser’s representatives there to object.

“I believe that calls into question the proceedings,” he added.

The board terminated the ethics hearings last week and rescheduled them for Dec. 12 and 13. On Monday, the city clerk gave notice that the hearing had been cancelled. The councilmembers and mayor had signed the dismissal document on Thursday and Friday.

What's next?:
As of Friday, Bonser, Davis and city councilmembers have withdrawn and dismissed all ethics complaints. A full story will be in the Dec. 12 edition of the Dunwoody Neighbor.