SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — South Fulton city councilmembers voted late Tuesday to strip Mayor Khalid Kamau, now known as Mayor Kobi, of most of his privileges.
For weeks, Channel 2 investigator reporter Ashli Lincoln has been looking into allegations that the mayor misused taxpayer money on international trips and lavish office furniture.
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The mayor previously told Lincoln that his trips were business-related and were a part of his economic development and world tour.
During Tuesday night’s council meeting, the council held a public vote to approve stripping the mayor of his oversight privileges and to remove his budget with the exception of his salary and benefits.
He must return his city-issued vehicle, a more than $1,000 recreational pool table from his office and equipment from his $20,000 media studio. The mayor must also return a $1,300 drone he purchased. He has until the end of the day Wednesday to return the equipment.
Here’s the other actions the council is taking.
- The City Manager is directed to draft a memorandum to all employees effective immediately to cease and desist all interaction with the mayor. Any employee who violates this directive will be subject to immediate disciplinary action by the City Manager
- The film studio equipment shall be returned to the vendor as an unauthorized purchase. If this is not possible, the equipment will be distributed to the public affairs department for use
- The three Mac devices procured for the mayoral suite shall be redistributed to the IT Department
- The film and media manager shall be reclassified to a special projects manager and report to the City Clerk
- The General Services Director shall secure the mayoral suite by changing the locks
- The mayor’s access to all city buildings and facilities is revoked
- The electric vehicle given for use by the mayor shall be revoked and the travel allowance shall be reinstated until such time as a policy is put in place concerning the mayoral vehicle.
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