DeKalb's New Audit Oversight Panel in Turmoil

(Image: Georgia General Assembly)

A newly created panel designed to oversee audit reform in DeKalb County has lost two of its original members over what they see as meddling from elected officials.

Harold Smith Jr., the chairman of the DeKalb Audit Oversight Committee, resigned Wednesday after state Sen. Gloria Butler, D-Stone Mountain, rescinded her appointment of Harmel Codi to the committee.

Butler said she withdrew her support of Codi because she said Codi had an anti-DeKalb agenda. Butler also said she found a more qualified candidate to sit on the committee.

All of this turmoil is coming at the same time that the committee is looking to hire an independent organization to oversee DeKalb’s finances and operations.