Sunday, August 13, 2023–6:45 p.m.
-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com.
A filing in Floyd County Superior Court states that the City of Rome and Commissioner Mark Cochran have agreed to mediation to resolve issues surrounding an ethics investigation.
“The parties have engaged in settlement discussions, which to date have not led to a resolution of this matter,” a consent order filed Thursday in Superior Court stated.
The same order, signed by attorneys representing both parties, states that they’ve agreed to move forward with the mediation process and another settlement attempt to avoid attorney’s fees associated with further hearings and court filings.
The cost, to date, of filed attorneys fees stemming from the complaint has totaled above $48,000. That’s not counting fees for work already done that have not yet been submitted. That expense is expected to easily crest $60,000.
Rome recently brought on a new law firm to take over its part into the investigation regarding complaints filed against Cochran.
Mayor Sundai Stevenson approved the terms of an engagement letter from Avery S. Jackson from Carrollton law firm Tisinger Vance, P.C. on Aug. 4.
This comes after the city’s former attorney in the matter, Chris Balch, sought to be removed from the case and penned a blistering letter to city commissioners.
That letter, obtained by the Rome News-Tribune through an Open Records Act request, criticized commissioners after heated arguments during discussions on July 10 and May 22.
Problems have plagued the Cochran investigation process since the beginning. Infighting among city commissioners, an early violation of the Open Meetings Act and other issues have marred Rome’s first attempt at using its current ethics ordinance.
The initial complaint filed by Rome Human Resources Director Kristy Shepard stems from a Jan. 23 meeting. In essence, the complaint states that Cochran created a hostile environment for city workers and overstepped his authority as a city commissioner. It also alludes to other issues where the commissioner may have had a financial interest in a project, but it does not state what that project is.
No evidence up to this point has been presented in an open hearing to back up the financial interest claim.
Prior to a hearing where evidence would be presented against him, Cochran filed an appeal in Superior Court citing the significant issues in the process that had the potential of damaging his reputation. The judge agreed to temporarily stop the process until those concerns could be heard in Superior Court.
That court hearing, until recently scheduled for Aug. 21, was pushed back this week until Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. in Chief Judge John “Jack” Niedrach’s courtroom.
