Fairburn Citizens Deserve Better: Ethics Violations and Lack of Transparency
- Samantha Hudson
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Ethics and transparency are supposed to be the foundation of any functioning local government. Unfortunately, recent events in Fairburn have exposed serious breaches of both—leaving me, a concerned citizen and elected official, subjected to unfair treatment and stonewalled by those in power.
On February 18, 2025, I filed an ethics complaint against Councilman Alex Heath. His behavior was rude, intimidating, and cast the city in a negative light. The complaint was filed properly and should have followed the process outlined by city ethics rules. Instead, it was mishandled from the start.
An investigative committee—consisting of the remaining council members James Whitmore, Hattie Portis-Jones, Linda Davis, Ulysses Smallwood, and Mayor Mario Avery—was responsible for reviewing the complaint. During this process, Hattie Portis-Jones made an illegal motion to enter executive session, which was seconded by Linda Davis. This action violated procedure and undermined the transparency that citizens are owed.
Behind closed doors, in this improper executive session, the committee ultimately voted 3–2 not to forward the complaint to the Ethics Board.
This wasn’t just unfair—it was unlawful.
According to Georgia law, minutes from closed sessions must be made available upon request by a council member. Despite multiple requests, the City Clerk, the Mayor, and the City Attorney have refused to provide me, an elected member of City Council, with the closed session minutes. Their refusal is a clear violation of state law and has resulted in a formal misconduct complaint being filed against them.
In addition, the Mayor attempted to force me to return to my former assigned seat near Councilman Alex Heath—despite my clear discomfort and safety concerns. Instead of speaking directly with me, Mayor Mario Avery contacted Councilman Ulysses Smallwood, who respectfully volunteered to support me by offering his seat so I could remain away from Councilman Heath. At no point did the Mayor ask for my input or consent. He deliberately excluded me from the conversation, choosing instead to manage the situation behind my back. This deceitful behavior speaks volumes about how my concerns have been disregarded.
All related complaints, including the original ethics complaint and the formal misconduct complaint, are attached below for full public review.
As the affected Councilmember, I want the people of Fairburn to know: I believe you deserve a government that operates with honesty, transparency, and integrity. You deserve leadership that respects both the law and the people it serves—not one that cuts corners, covers up misconduct, and silences dissent.
I will continue to speak up and demand accountability. The truth matters.
Thank you for your support!
Councilwoman Samantha Hudson-McCalla
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