Ethics complaint filed against Nicholson councilman

Seagraves alleges that during her time in office, 2006-2009, the mayor and council received travel expenses for taking their personal vehicles to the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Convention in Savannah.

Seagraves said council member Lamar Watkins signed that he was driving and he took travel expenses even though he actually rode with council member Howard Wilbanks to the convention.

“Watkins did not operate his own vehicle, but he took monies from the Nicholson City Budget Funds,” Seagraves said. “Mr. Watkins has been asked repeatedly to reimburse the city for the funds he illegally received, but he has yet to do so.”

Seagraves stated in the letter, “Taking money for something that you didn’t do is wrong on any level, especially if you are a publicly elected official taking money from the people who elected you.”

“An ethics ordinance is something that the city can be proud of and is the closest thing, I believe, that you can get to the Ten Commandments,” Seagraves said.

Seagraves lists the amount of money that she believes Watkins owes the city as $210.

Correction

The print edition of The Commerce News contained an error in a subhead on Page 1, wrongly naming the councilman in question as Howard Wilbanks. We apologize for the mistake.