Athens-Clarke County Commissioners convene an afternoon session, meeting virtually to interview candidates to fill vacancies on various Athens-Clarke County boards and authorities: today’s interview meetings begin at 3 o’clock.
There is controversy over the Police Oversight Board and its recent appointments, with text messages between Commissioners Mariah Parker and Tim Denson that appear to show an organized effort to keep candidates considered conservatives off the newly formed board.
*Clarification: the names listed below are those chosen to outline policies for the Board, not the Board members themselves as was stated in an earlier version of this story. I apologize for the error.
MEMBERS:
- Mokah-Jasmine Johnson, Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (Co-Chair)
- Shane Sims, People Living in Recovery (Co-Chair)
- Stephanie Flores, Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition
- Tykerius (“TK”) Monford, Cedar Shoals High School Senior, Youth Commission Member
- Joan Prittie, Project Safe Director
- Mykeisha Ross, Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement
- Dr. Sarah Shannon, University of Georgia Department of Sociology
- Phil Smith, Concord Coalition Director
- Nikema Stovall, Athens Land Trust
Following is an exchange of texts between Denson and Parker. Warning: explicit language…
Tim Denson: Y’all should jump on that spreadsheet for D Vr and put in your recommendations. (Commissioner) Ovita (Thornton) put in some weird shit and otherwise it’s just me and (Mayor) Kelly (Girtz).
Mariah Parker: what did OT do???
Denson: ovita placed a bunch of tens for random people, and then she voted for some people MMS who she wasn’t even in the interview for
Denson: 1 do feel confident that we are going to end up with a good Board. Try to make your math work so the “conservative” people MMS don’t make it.
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