Verified wrong

A local news source has reported that Warner Robins Councilman Charlie Bibb was not in violation of the city charter according to former city attorney Jim Elliott and Robert Lane, the Deputy Executive Secretary for the Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. Warner Robins City Attorney Fred Graham believes that Bibb is in violation of the city charter.

During the January 6, 2020 meeting of Warner Robins Council, an item was adopted to the regular agenda to approve sewer availability for Mick Driggers property, and since then, concerns have risen as to whether Councilman Charlie Bibb violated the Warner Robins City Charter Chapter 6 Regulation of Conduct.

The motion was to approve sewer services for Tract 11A containing 2.05 acres, east of Old Perry Road and west of Highway 247 on the north side of Highway 96 in Bonaire, owned by Driggers Properties, LLC, as shown on a plat of survey recorded in Plat Book 75, page 163 in the Houston County Superior Court. Councilman Kevin Lashley made the motion for approval and Bibb seconded the motion. Councilmen Daron Lee, Larry Curtis, Clifford Holmes, Lashley and Bibb then approved it unanimously.

According to Bibb’s campaign contribution disclosure reports Driggers Team LLC made a contribution on August 22, 2019 for $500, and on October 15, 2019 for $1,000, which totaled a contribution amount of $1,500. The maximum monetary contribution a candidate can receive is $2,500.

“I believe Mr. Lane was only quoting state law regarding the violation,” Graham said. “According to the Warner Robins City Charter, Mr. Bibb is in violation.”

Interim City Clerk Kim Demoonie said that prior to the January 6, 2020 meeting no council members had filled out a disclosure of interest form. According to the City Charter Chapter 6 Regulation of Conduct, Sec. 4-603 – Disclosure of interest: “Any elected or appointed officer or employee who possesses or who acquires any financial interests as might reasonably tend to create a conflict with the public interest shall make full disclosure in writing to the mayor and council at the time a conflict becomes apparent. The disclosure statements shall be made a matter of public record and be filed with the city clerk. The disclosure shall be made a matter of public record prior to the taking of any vote on the proposal.”

Demoonie also said that usually if there is a conflict of interest, the council members abstain from voting, but no members did so during the motion of sewer availability for Mick Driggers Property on January 6, 2020.

Elliott told the local news source, “When someone discloses that they’ve received campaign contributions, that’s deemed to be some sort of disclosure to the world that money was received, so I think just accepting money and then voting on a matter that involves the contributor in and of itself probably doesn’t rise to the level of a conflict of interest.”

The Houston Home Journal reached out to Lane for comment, but could not be reached.

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