Ivey Citizens Call Mayor, Council ‘Corrupt’

IVEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Residents in a one town in Wilkinson County claim the mayor is corrupt and question the city’s policies and procedures.

From mishandling of funds to holding “private” meetings, the citizens of Ivey put it all on the table at Monday night’s council meeting; many of the small town residents raising some large legal and ethical concerns.

“Basically our city council has been breaking the law for the past five months and there’s a lot of other things that you look at, what else are they breaking the law about,” said Kevin Sturgeon, an Ivey resident.

Monday’s meeting was the city’s first formal council meeting since January. Mayor Ann Evans told the citizens, the city hasn’t met because of construction outside of city hall.  At least two council members admitted to discussing city business with Mayor Ann Evans outside of the meeting, a violation of Georgia’s Sunshine Laws.

41NBC’s Jasmine Williams asked the entire council, mayor and the city attorney for further comment after the meeting about the alleged violations, all of them declined comment.

But residents’ aren’t keeping quiet.

“My biggest concern is things just not being transparent,” Sturgeon said, “and it just seems like the city council and the mayor really is just real secretive about everything”

“I think its corruption,” said Brenda Broach,” to the point that she would talk to a city council member.”

The town of a little more than a thousand people is behind on bills, facing a budget deficit and is in the midst of a GBI investigation after a former employee was charged with stealing city money, according to the meeting.

Some citizens allege, the mayor and council played a part in the misuse of the funds.

“The money that was spent on the Visa card, it was told to us that the mayor was aware of all of this,” Broach said, “and I think it’s time for her to step down,”

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