In the Loop
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Attorney General, Ethics Watchdog Call for Investigation Into Former UGA Administrator
The Georgia Attorney General’s office is calling for an investigation into accusations that a former UGA administrator falsified travel reimbursement forms and used state money to take personal trips, according to WSB-TV.
Underlings reported that former Director of Alumni Relations Deborah Dietzler skipped work regularly and forced her staff to find alumni to meet with her when she wanted to run marathons out of town so she could charge it to UGA, among other financial misdeeds.
An internal investigation in 2013 recommended that her contract not be renewed, but instead she was given another job for six months, until the University of Louisville hired her as associate vice president for alumni relations at a higher salary. She is now on leave as UL investigates the charges.
Senior Assistant Attorney General David McLaughlin told WSB that “this matter warrants further inquiry,” and he is concerned that no one ever reported it to his office. He has asked the University System Board of Regents to investigate.
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Attorney: Ort's Yard Is Finally Clean
William Orten “Ort” Carlton is still waiting to hear whether he’ll have to serve a stint behind bars, but his yard is finally, FINALLY cleaned up, according to his attorney, Bill Overend.
“Athens Habitat For Humanity graciously lent a hand yesterday and today, and Ort’s yard is now surely in compliance,” Overend said. “They have also addressed the sliding glass door issue that was the subject of discussion last Monday when the judge ordered Ort to jail.
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Former UGA Administrator Accused of Fraud
A former University of Georgia fundraiser abused her position to skip work and run marathons at taxpayer expense, according to an investigation by WSB-TV and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Deborah Dietzler was the director of alumni relations for UGA, a job requiring her to travel for alumni events. She often would book flights to and hotels in cities where she wanted to run marathons, then tell assistants to find her people to meet with so she could charge the trips to UGA. She also booked expensive hotels in violation of travel policies so she could earn points.
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Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Nov. 16
Photo Credit: photo by Joshua L. Jones/graphic by Larry Tenner
Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who's hot? Who's not? Find out below.
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ACC Manager Alan Reddish Is Retiring
Forget the mayor. Forget the commission. The guy who really runs Athens is Manager Alan Reddish—and he’s retiring.
Reddish’s last day will be Feb. 6, Athens-Clarke County announced today.
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Downtown Is Getting Another Parking Deck
Nichols Land & Investment Co. has filed plans with Athens-Clarke County to build a parking deck adjacent to The News Building, home of the Athens Banner-Herald.
The 91,830 square-foot, five-story deck will be located at the current site of a loading dock behind the building on Foundry Street and will be accessible from the parking lot on Thomas Street between The News Building and the Classic Center, according to Athens-Clarke County planner Gavin Hassemer. Two stories of the deck will be visible from Thomas Street.
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Ort Doesn't Have to Report to Jail
Photo Credit: Blake Aued/file
Popular local writer, DJ and town character William Orten “Ort” Carlton won’t have to report to jail today as he awaits the result of an appeal his attorney intends to file in a 17-month battle with Athens-Clarke County over his messy yard.
In a move that took both the defense and prosecutors by surprise, on Monday Municipal Court Judge Leslie Spornberger Jones sentenced Ort to spend the rest of his six-month probationary period—five days—in jail, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.
But Ort’s attorney, Bill Overend, told Flagpole that he has filed an intent-to-appeal notice with the Clarke County Superior Court, which will keep Ort out of jail until the appeal is resolved. Overend said he doesn’t know how long that will take.
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Protesters Disrupt Board of Regents Meeting
Photo Credit: Freedom University via Facebook
About 40 protestors disrupted a University System of Georgia Board of Regents meeting in Atlanta today demanding an end to the system’s policy barring undocumented students from attending UGA and other public universities.
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