Gift card controversy sparks audit and ethics questions ahead of primary
State of play: Councilman Joe Jones' office helped hand out $50,000 worth of grocery store gift cards to low-income residents, even though a nonprofit was supposed to handle distribution.
Internal emails obtained by cleveland.com revealed that a council staff member warned this could pose ethical or legal risks, especially with Jones up for reelection this fall.
The latest: The Ohio state auditor initially said no wrongdoing occurred, but reversed course during cleveland.com's reporting and now says the issue is "under further review."
The big picture: Council members control hundreds of thousands of dollars from casino tax revenue every year and fiercely defend their allocations.
The money is often used for neighborhood infrastructure, economic development, public art, youth programming and food aid.
Friction point: Bibb's office, which requested the state audit, called the gift card program "problematic" and susceptible to abuse.
The other side: "At the end of the day, we followed everything that we were told to do," Jones told cleveland.com.
Council President Blaine Griffin said there are no explicit rules regarding distribution of aid, but acknowledged the need for more formal guidelines.
What he's saying: In a Facebook post, Griffin shared the article and lashed out at critics, arguing that people only get mad when the government creates programs to help poor people.
"I'm all about accountability," he wrote. "But I don't hear a whisper when developers and pet projects line up to get millions of dollars."
Between the lines: Commenters pointed out there has been widespread opposition to developer handouts.
Some replied that the current controversy is not about helping poor people, but about the potential for corruption: a councilperson doling out gift cards as an implied exchange for votes or loyalty.
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Please provide a short biography Dollar: I have lived in Guntersville my entire life, except while away at the University of Alabama, where I earned an accounting degree. I am a CPA and have an accounting office, Dollar & Watson LLC in Guntersville. I have three boys: John Clay (wife Tori), Cade and Cale. I have two grandsons, John Wilson and George, and a granddaughter Alli. My parents are George Barnett and the late Dianne Barnett. McLaughlin: Born in Decatur, grew up in Guntersville, raised in Guntersville, graduated high school in Guntersville and after college and teaching in Birmingham, then law school, I came back to Guntersville to raise my family and build a law practice. I have been the managing partner of McLaughlin & Edmondson, LLC for thirty years. 2. What led you to run for Mayor? Dollar: I have always wanted to run for Mayor since I was in high school. My father was mayor when I was born, but was city attorney my growing-up years, so I was always around local politics. In 2012, I ran for my first election and now in 2025, I'm running for my 4th term. I'm seeking office to continue the significant strides we've made over the past 13 years, but there is still more to be done. I am excited to keep working with the outstanding team at the City to build on the progress we've already made and continue to move our community forward. McLaughlin: Over the years, and especially the last year or so, a number of folks in town have asked me to run. I believe in public service, so I decided to throw my hat into the ring this summer. 3. What will be your top priority if you are elected? Dollar: If elected, I will keep working with the outstanding team at the City to build on the progress we've already made and continue to move our community forward. There are several larger projects that I want to work towards if elected, which includes the continued renovations to the remaining recreation facilities, the addition of Fire Station #3 north of the river, and safety improvements at key intersections. Large projects take a significant amount of time and effort and a proven ability to work in a positive way with your council to make them happen. McLaughlin: My top priority would be doing whatever can be done by the City to improve our school system. Guntersville City Schools used to be in the top 10 or at least the top 25 systems in Alabama. Through working with the school board, I want to see Guntersville return to that higher level. Our children need it and deserve it, and the school system is probably the No. 1 driver of economic development in a town like Guntersville. Companies looking to locate here want to know Guntersville has a top-flight school system. 4. What are the main challenges currently facing the city? How do you plan to address those issues? Dollar: Overall, I feel Guntersville is in great shape, but you can always be better. I work every day to make this City better than it was yesterday. One of the issues we have to work on is managing the growth of our City. Guntersville is no longer a hidden gem, and it takes smart planning to maintain the quality of life of residents as we enjoy the benefits of increased tourism and other job-creating business development. Maintaining that focus will be a top priority during if I am re-elected. One specific issue is the ongoing issue of stormwater draining due to older infrastructure that has been in place for a very long time. The City requires new developments to have proper drainage (which sometimes has to be tweaked if not functioning properly). Stormwater infrastructure is very expensive and the City is slowly working on troublesome areas. 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News 19 will be posting more candidate Q&As for mayoral races across the Tennessee Valley in the coming days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
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