Blue Ridge residents will find out if City officials and a certain City department are involved in illegal activities while working on the city’s behalf.  Jarrard & Davis will release their investigation findings at the Blue Ridge City Council meeting this evening. The Jarrard & Davis investigation has covered more than the current City Council members and Mayor.  (read Jarrard & Davis Phase I Findings from Feb. 2016)

In February, Jarrard & Davis released the inquiry findings.  This report was recommendations about what the legal firm should investigate during the next stage, which will come to a conclusion with the release of the report tonight.  While the first findings stated that there were “regrettable levels of unbecoming behavior by certain City’s elected officials” that “significantly disrupted the City’s ability to provide quality municipal services to the citizens of the City of Blue Ridge”, most of the problems were attributed to personality conflicts and unclear chain-of-command.  Also, Jarrard & Davis found sufficient impropriety in zoning decisions to reprimand the City Council and Mayor for a shortage of transparency and knowledge of conflict-of-interest rules in making zoning decisions.

Jarrard & Davis did firmly state three items were worth further investigation:  the legality of Mayor Whitener’s residency at the time she ran for office; suspicious financial actions by an unnamed City department; and, city officials’ use of City resources for personal gain and betterment of friends and family.  In spring, Jarrard & Davis said that they had substantial documentation that proves Mayor Whitener had legal residency in Blue Ridge at the time she ran for office.  So, Mayor Whitener is no longer under investigation.

The ongoing criminal investigation into City officials and government by the Fraud Division of the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Georgia will not be covered in Jarrard & Davis’ presentation as this is an active investigation by the state.

To date, the cost of Jarrard & Davis’ investigation is $25,635.32.  The firm will give the city another invoice tonight.

Jarrard & Davis’ involvement began in December 2015 when Council Member Arp contacted the firm about investigating the legality of Mayor Whitener’s residency at the time of her election.  Mayor Whitener agreed to the investigation and recommended to open the scope of the investigation to all Council Members and city government departments.

Coincidentally, city officials’ use of City resources for personal gain and betterment of friends and family was also in the news this week.  Ada Street LLC is taking Council Member Angie Arp to court for her opposition vote in Ada Street LLC’s request to change zoning for its property from residential to commercial.  Ada Street LLC contends Ms. Arp was disqualified from voting in the Ada Street rezoning request due to state rules surrounding unethical voting in zoning decisions.  Claims against the City of Blue Ridge, Mayor Whitener and Council Members Rodney Kendall and Bruce Pack were dismissed.

Also, coincidentally, the City Council will hear an appeal to the zoning ordinance variance request for Sycamore Crossing, which is owned by Dr. and Ms. Whaley of Fannin County.  Sycamore Crossing is the newly-built, L shaped retail space which is next to Fightingtown Tavern on East Main Street.  At question is a 5’5” extension on the back side of Sycamore Crossing which extends into a required 15’ setback from the property line.  This comes after Blue Ridge’s Zoning Appeals Board denied the Whaley’s request at their May 3^rd meeting.  Michael Eaton is the Chairman of the Zoning Appeals Board.  His mother owns the property adjacent to Sycamore Crossing.  The Eaton property also appears in Jarrard & Davis’ Feb. 2^nd inquiry and is a subject in the findings Jarrard & Davis will release tonight.  The question surrounding the property is if city officials used their office to provide gravel or other improvements to the Eaton property.

Alongside the investigation and zoning hearing, there are other City Council meeting topics that affect the daily life of Blue Ridge residents.

The City Council is expected to release dates for East Main Street improvements.  While the street is under construction, certain parts of it will be blocked to traffic.  Pedestrians will be able to use the street during all phases of construction.

Also, the City Council will release its final design for the downtown City Park.  Everyone will find out the final resting place for the Good Samaritans’ grill.  And, Blue Ridge children will be much closer to getting their playground back.

FetchYourNews will be broadcasting the City Council meeting starting at 6 pm.  Click here to link with FYN TV.