Cohilas

THOMASVILLE — Because Thomasville City Council members have exceeded their 2018 travel expense budget, an Albany lawyer retained by local concerned residents is calling for council members’ credit cards to be deactivated.

With no budged travel expenses, there is no need for council members to have credit cards, attorney Christopher S. Cohilas wrote in a letter to Kha McDonald, interim city manager, in care of city attorney Tim Sanders.

Cohilas’ letter shows council expenses the lawyer states are “illegal and violative of the City of Thomasville’s own travel policy for calendar year 2018, as well as illegal and improper expenses charged by Mayor (Greg) Hobbs for years 2016 and 2017.”

“Our investigation thus far has identified Mayor Hobbs as the most egregious violator in this regard,” the letter stated. “It further appears that the gross waste and abuse in travel expenses above and beyond Mayor Hobbs’ spending truly began to grow once councilman (David) Hufstetler took office in 2018.”

With the exception of Hobbs, the letter states, past city council members appeared to largely follow what the letter also called the city’s well-reasoned travel policy.

Cohilas, from the law firm Watson Spence, wrote that Hobbs and Hufstetler have spent far in excess of what the city travel policy allows and have submitted the largest amount of reimbursement requests, which have served to deplete the city council travel budget.

Cohilas stated his clients contend each city council member should be required to reimburse the city the following amounts:

• Hobbs, $1,945.96, average of $92.66 spent in excess on 21 transactions

• Hufstetler, $562.33, average of $80.33 spent in excess on seven transactions

• Terry Scott, $543.81, average of $54.38 spent in excess on 10 transactions

• Todd Mobley, $101.69, average of $16.94 spent in excess on six transactions

• Jay Flowers, $37.96 on one transaction

According to Cohilas, the numbers do not represent total spending by council members, but what they spent in excess of potentially allowable amounts under the city travel policy.

“We submit and acknowledge that human error can and may occur with respect to a transaction or two,” the letter stated. “However, repeating average overexpenditures on meals/travel of $54.38-$592.66 per transaction over the course of 38 transactions by Mayor Hobbs, Councilman Hufstetler and Councilman Scott demonstrate reckless disregard of the fiduciary duties owed by these officials.”

The document added that no further travel expenses should occur until the council travel budget has been amended. According to Cohilas’ letter, as of June 29, 2018, the travel budget ($20,000) had already been completely depleted and was in the red by $1,553.75.

“If certain city council members such as Mayor Hobbs and councilman Hufstetler are going to continue to unreasonably spend money on lavish steak dinners, alcohol, $25 dollar breakfasts, in-town dining at local restaurants and Ritz-Carlton room service,” the letter stated, “then they should at least have the intestinal fortitude and transparency to seek to amend the city’s budget and travel policy. This would at least permit the citizens of Thomasville to scrutinize their policy decisions in an open forum.”

Cohilas wrote that throughout the law firm’s correspondence, attorneys have had the sole purpose of demanding transparency in governance and compliance with state laws.

“We will continue to do so until the City of Thomasville is capable of governing in a legal, ethical, and transparent manner. We maintain and reserve all rights under Georgia law to pursue additional remedies,” the letter states.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820