In January 22, 2020, the City of Watkinsville Financial Position Report showed four banks holding General Fund accounts: Oconee State Bank $4,704,000, of which $1,430,000 were SPLOST (violating Georgia law); Synovus $353,000; BankSouth $150,000; and BB&T $208,000. Of the total funds an unequal amount of 87% was kept in City Council Pro Tem/Oconee State Bank Board member Brodrick’s Bank. Why was there such an unequal division of General Fund accounts among Watkinsville local banks?
Four months later, on May 2020, all the General Fund accounts $4,878,000 had been transferred to one bank, the Oconee State Bank, where Council Pro Tem Brodrick was still on the board. This still included SPLOST Funds of $1,045,000. Why was it necessary to no longer support local banks such as Synovus at Butlers Crossing, and BankSouth at Ray’s Corner? I can understand the BB&T as it is an Athens Bank.
In November 2018, Council Pro Tem Brodrick and the Council pushed and passed a City Administrator position under then Mayor Shearon. A City Administrator was not authorized in the City Charter. The council then voted to hire Sharyn Dickerson as Administrator.
In November 20, 2019 the Council created a new position of City Manager. "CITY MANAGER AMENDMENT IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR (out going Mayor Shearon) AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATKINSVILLE, GEORGIA AS FOLLOWS: WHEREAS, per 3.12: “The Council may appoint a City Manager. The duties and authority of the City Manager shall be established by ordinance and in so doing, the Council may specifically delegate to the City Manager any of the administrative or budgetary duties of the Mayor”
In December 2019 the City Council literally mismanaged a hurried transfer of the unauthorized City Administrator position to City Manager. If the City Manager was a new appointed position, did the hiring of the City Manager go through the proper procedures for a new hiring position? Why one month later did the City Council strip the Mayor's administrative and budgetary duties of the newly elected mayor?
When Dickerson became City Manager in December 2019, she was given authority to transferred City funds. After moving all accounts into the Oconee State Bank, she decided to create a committee of four non-Watkinsville residents which included herself, to determine which bank would receive 100% of the City's accounts. Dickerson then submitted her finding to the City Council for their approval.
Why were non-Watkinsville residents making a determination of what to do with Watkinsville residents revenue funds? Why Dickerson move the money ,and then create a committee to move all funds into one bank, then submit her findings to the City Council?
Six months after a Dickerson being handed the City Manager's position, by May 2020, all revenue accounts were in the Oconee State Bank. The main question here is was Dickerson's criteria move the funds to Oconee State Bank in the first place? Why and how did the committee decide on the Oconee State Bank when the funds were already moved to one bank? What was the logical reason for the hurried movement of all accounts into one bank?
The City Manager has too much unfetter discretion in handling Watkinsville funds. The elected Mayor's checks and balances had been dismantled by the City Council by stripping him of all his power, and those checks and balances placed in an unelected City Manager Dickerson's hands that was hired by the City Council in the first place. Like I always say, follow the money.
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