STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. — Stone Mountain Mayor Beverly Jones is suing the city to clear her name and retain her position after being accused of misusing her power in connection to the city’s bank accounts.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes was live outside Stone Mountain City Hall for Channel 2 Action News at 6:00.
Jones isn’t accused of stealing any money. Instead, the mayor is accused of taking other city officials names off the city bank account. She claims the bank instructed her to make these changes due to a cybersecurity risk.
The mayor has now filed a civil suit to essentially let the voters decide.
“In some ways, the city of Stone Mountain has been operating like a mom and pop,” said attorney Mark Anthony Scott, who is now representing Jones in the fight to keep her job.
Last month, the council voted to remove her from office because they say she took at least two council members names off the city’s account without permission.
Jones said the bank called her to remove names of former employees from the city’s account. She said it was never her intention to remove current council members.
“It wasn’t explained to the mayor, and I don’t think the bank had any nefarious intent. There were a series of events that led the bank to contact her and say to her the signature cards aren’t up to date,” Scott said.
Fernandes reached out to all council members Friday but didn’t hear back from any.
Here’s what Councilmember Gil Freeman said at a prior meeting: “For years and decades these rules have been in place, and now there’s a problem because of the current mayor. That’s problematic to me.”
A city spokesperson said they don’t have anything add at the moment.
Jones and her attorney filed this civil suit to stop a hearing next month that could remove the mayor from office.
“Something is wrong in Stone Mountain, but it’s not because of Mayor Jones. It’s because she had the courage and wherewithal to make the inquiry, and now she’s paying the price for being a person of integrity,” Scott said.
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