Johns Creek City Council Responds to Mayor's Statements

Editor's note: The City Council has issued the following public statement regarding the ongoing investigation of Mayor Mike Bodker.

In response to recent public statements by Mike Bodker, the Johns Creek City Council sincerely asks the Johns Creek community to understand the following regarding Bodker’s investigation:

·     The investigation is the inevitable result of repeated allegations against Bodker’s misconduct and unethical behavior, allegedly occurring as late as 2013 and as early as 2006. There is NO other reason.

·   The Sept. 18 Special Called Meeting was necessary because the next regularly scheduled Council meeting (Sept. 23) had already been allocated to zoning cases.  There would not have been enough time to discuss the investigation without putting undue limits on the work of both the public and Council.

·     The investigating attorney’s request for Bodker’s personal cell phones are because he has used his personal cell phone for city business for the last 7 years, despite having a city cell phone at taxpayers’ expense. 

·     Bodker is accused of using his position to get reduced rent on apartments he rented for personal use. Therefore, how is it possible to investigate the charge without asking for his personal banking information?  

·      Bodker says he has the banking information, but refuses to turn it over to the investigator, even if it would clear up this particular allegation.  Whatever the reason for this misguided decision, the costs associated with the subpoena should be laid directly at his feet.

·        By “cross pollinating” his public and personal life to the extent he has, he has created the very situation he now characterizes as an invasion of his privacy.

·     Bodker has cleverly misled the media and this community, while delaying and/or refusing cooperation with the investigation. Unfortunately, by dragging it out as much as possible, he has caused the cost to go up as he continues to stonewall each day as we get closer to the election.

“We had two choices: to sweep these allegations under the rug; or to have each allegation independently investigated in order to find the truth,” said City Council Member Randall Johnson. “We did not take the step of hiring an independent legal investigator lightly. We are taxpayers, too.”

Council member Karen Richardson added. “We earnestly ask our community to carefully discern what they’re hearing from Bodker, and continue to be patient. As soon as Bodker starts truly cooperating, the attorney can issue his report, and we can once again provide the honest representation our community deserves.”

This statement was submitted to media outlets on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013.