South Fulton mayor defends controversial spending during ‘Mayor Mondays' event
Some City of South Fulton residents got to hear from Mayor Kobi himself on Monday as he defended himself against allegations that he misused taxpayer money.
'There are all of these allegations that these were personal trips,' the mayor told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln.
Residents participated in what the mayor is calling Mayor Mondays. There residents were given a tour and participated in a conversation.
'I think the mayor gets some unjust criticism,' resident Mike Johnson said.
Residents were shown a $20,000 media studio, a multi-recreational table, that converts from a working table to a pool table, that's worth more than $1,000 and other renovations the mayor made to his office.
'There's not a purchase that we've made that I didn't talk with the city manager about,' the mayor said.
The mayor told Lincoln all of the international trips he went on were business-related and were a part of his economic development and world tour.
In an excerpt the mayor wrote on his website kobicares.com, he said:
'Mayor Kobi has a vision for economic development in South Fulton, Georgia beyond warehouses and data centers. By circulating our dollars not just locally, but throughout the African Diaspora, we can build an independent, international financial network. With a median household income of $82,000, one of America's highest homeownership rates, and a population that is 92 percent African American, South Fulton — the Blackest City in the United States — is perfectly positioned to be a global hub of Black commerce.'
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The mayor detailed all of his spending on his website.
In July he was invited to Paris for a conference by a politician to speak at the 'When World's Collide' conference.
In September he was invited to Kenya by the Pan African Council. And in January the Ghana Tourism Authority invited the mayor to speak.
Kobi told Lincoln, that every international trip he went on, was for economic development purposes for the City of South Fulton.
South Fulton Mayor Kahlid Kamau, now known as Mayor Kobi, is currently under investigation for purchase card and purchasing order expenses dating back to 2022.
Lincoln reviewed multiple city policies and ordinances. A January audit trail shows a $19,000 purchase order for an unapproved media lab.
City ordinance states any purchase over $2,500 must be approved by the city manager.
A city official told Lincoln they are looking into why some purchases were not approved by either the current interim purchase manager or the city manager.
Documents also show multiple airline purchases where the mayor bought unapproved flights for himself and employees. Banks statements show a plane ticket was purchased for employees to Paris, Toronto, and South America.
'You have a travel policy, you have a (purchasing) card policy, you have to get authorized to travel before you make that P-card purchase, he wasn't authorized to travel, he made the P-card purchase because he has the card and was allowed to swipe it,' former City of South Fulton purchasing manager Malcolm Whichard said.
City ordinance indicates only the city clerk has the authority to approve employees to go on trips.
Several transactions also showed multiple flight upgrades. The city's P-card policy only allowed for economy flights to be purchased and doesn't allow upgrades.
On Tuesday, the city council filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Kobi. Once the investigation is presented to the ethics board, it will decide to recommend resignation, repayment, or other sanctions.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the City Manager's office for a comment regarding authorizing P-card purchases, but so far has not heard back.
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