Cliff Lancey withdrew his name from the list of board members for the newly approved Downtown Development Authority (DDA) this weekThe move comes on the heels of the addition of his name to the list of board members slated to serve on the new organization. Previously, of the twenty or so applicants, a subcommittee narrowed the list down to seven: Al Fuller, Larry Robinson, Melinda Hadden, Patricia Kyle, Kent Sanford, Jim Stover, and Jeff Riblet. This was the expected list to be approved earlier this week.

Although the Ellijay City Council approved the DDA at its February 27th meeting, it also approved a slightly different list of board members than expected. According to the motion, all members of the original list were retained, with one exception, Patricia Kyle. Kyle’s name was replaced by Ellijay Attorney Clifford Lancey during an executive session by the council at the beginning of the meeting. Mr. Lancey is also the husband of City Council Member Katie Lancey. Mrs. Lancey was not present at Monday night’s council meeting when the new list was approved.

In a conversation with FYN this week, Mr. Lancey said he was as surprised as anybody to hear he had been selected to replace Kyle, adding that the decision was never discussed with him prior to council approving the change. He also feels the addition of his name to the list was politically motivated, based on his marriage to a current council member. Lancey said, though, he did not know whether this was true or not. Although he wishes the city success and is willing to serve his community, he feels the inclusion of his name on the list was not done well.

Mayor Pro Tem David Westmoreland told FYN that Mr. Lancey was selected based on his qualifications. At least one attorney is recommended to serve on the DDA, Westmoreland said. However, he explained Lancey also met other qualifications, such as his Ellijay residence and his business ownership in the city. When asked if Mr. Lancey serving on the DDA while his wife was on city council was considered a conflict of interest, Westmoreland said, according to the qualifications, it is not considered a conflict of interest. Westermoreland also clairified that the recommendation was not discussed with Lancey because none of the other recommendations were discussed with the people on the list and that Lancey was one of the original applicants who expressed a desire to serve on the DDA

During Monday night’s meeting, the city council also reappointed members to the Historic Preservation Commission, which included Brian Linkous, Chris Campbell, Dwayne Fowleer, Jim Stover, and Ann Wilfer. The council approved all names on the list with the exception of Jim Stover. Stover’s name was tabled so the council could discuss whether his simultaneous roles on the DDA and Historic Preservation Commission would cause a conflict of interest.

Mr. Lancey sent an email to Better Home Town Director Mona Lowe this week requesting his name be removed from the list of DDA board members. The list, however, is expected to be signed by the state attorney soon, moving the DDA forward as planned.

FYN will follow this story as more details become available.