There’s been a fair amount of time since news broke of Don Buie being investigated by the GBI for taking a kickback, and he’s still working. Of course, it’s possible that no one really knows who’s responsible for placing Buie on administrative leave.
Apparently, when Buie was hired, the ADICA Board offered Buie the job, but all paperwork showed City Manager Al Lott as his boss. This may well lead to some confusion as to who actually has the authority to suspend Buie as well as a host of other subjects regarding this instance. Unfortunately for everyone, this places ADICA under a black cloud of doubt among many Albanians as no one is sure who’s controlling the purse strings at the moment.
The evidence doesn’t look good for Buie either, as has already been outlined. No word as of yet about what the GBI is currently looking at and where the investigation currently stands.
Buie remains on the job, at least in some capacity, and still no word from the City on any action being taken to protect the taxpayer’s interest at this time. Of course, that’s hardly unusual these days, but usually there is at least lip service paid to protecting taxpayer interests, but not in this occasion. I ask residents of Albany to keep this in mind come election time. While it may be up to Mr. Lott (does he even know who it’s up to?), he answers to the City Commission…and they answer to us.
Again, I ask that the city suspend Don Buie with pay until the investigation has been completed so as to assure the citizens of Albany that this is being taken seriously.
Yep. Almost sounds as if TPTB took advantage of the long holiday weekend to sweep this under the rug.
Maybe. Luckily, I’m not nearly that forgetful
From what I know about what transpired, Ms. Brown gave an affidavit to Phil Cannon, not the GBI, at her mother’s request. Ms. Brown has since given a writen statement recanting what was in the Affidavit to the GBI. Ms. Brown was informed by Phil Cannon that Mr. Bouie was under investigation for supposedly stealing 200,000 dollars (untrue) and said he was acting as her lawyer. The reason that Mr. Buie is still on his job is that there is absolutely no evidence of any wrong doing on his part. Ms. Brown has totally recanted everything in her affidavit and claimed that it was “presured” out of her by Mr. Cannon. The article in the Albany Journal quoted Ms. Brown’s mother and did not talk with Ms. Brown. I would suggest that the Journal talk with Ms. Brown to find out what happened.
And Jay, I’m afraid I have to ask where you got the $200,000 number from?
As for Ms. Brown’s now recanted affidavit, I’m not buying it. Multiple sources say she had plenty of time to check out what she was signing, and she indeed signed it.
As for your suggestions for the journal, I suggest you contact them, as there is no promise that anyone from the Albany Journal will read this or any other particular thread on this blog.
Oh, we read this blog, alright. This blog a godsend — facilitating meaningful discussion and providing thought-provoking analysis and information about our community’s challenges and opportunities. Thank you for it.
I would love to talk to Don and Nicole. Don won’t answer my calls or e-mails. Do you have Nicole’s number or an e-mail address?
Whether Don stole $1,600 or not as alleged by his girlfriend, Don has done something wrong: He says he had an affair with someone on his payroll. That’s a specific policy violation. You’re not supposed to be able to keep your job when that happens; instead, it seems to be the status quo, as Chief Younger also violated this policy without consequence.
That’s the first I heard about Don being accused of stealing $200,000, by the way.
Kevin Hogencamp, publisher
The Albany Journal
.-= Kevin Hogencamp´s last blog ..Pick up your new Journal this morning! =-.
I’d still like to know if it is true that Buie has been the defendant in several dispossessory actions alleging non-payment of rent. I think character and personal circumstances always matter when someone is given reponsibility for other people’s money.
Who can hold this person accountable? Apparently not the taxpayers who fund ADICA, since the taxpayers cannot be trusted to be told what ADICA plans to do with their money, let alone control what it does with it.
Does ADICA even have an auditor?
Kevin: Thanks for commenting. For all others, while the Albany Journal runs posts from SWGA Politics with the author’s permission, we don’t know what Kevin will read necessarily. Frankly, I hope he reads everything…and everyone else does the for that matter.
Jack: That idea of accountability for Buie is something I hope to look into in depth and get some answers. I can’t just let the idea of secrecy with our tax dollars lie…it just doesn’t sit right with me.
Kevin does raise a good point. There is reason to give Buie the ax right now.
But I still advocate my earlier suggestion as an easier way out and which will kill two birds with one stone.
Simply eliminate Buie’s position.
During the current economic straits, we need to tighten our belts. We don’t need to be figuring out how to spend an additional $6m in borrowed bond revenues on a failed experiment.
While other counties and municipalities are cutting services, jobs and work hours, why are we paying a guy who does not have the confidence of the public to bribe private businesses into locating where they would not otherwise place their business. Let the Chamber of Commerce attract businesses. That is their primary function.
Sorry to be long-winded. In a nutshell: Ditch Buie and his position. Shake his hand. Give him a reasonable severance. Let the criminal investigation run its natural course with no interference from the city. Problem solved.