Fort Valley City Administrator explains why there is a runoff election

James Woods says he supports Representative Stinson's decision to put any proposals on hold until the audits are completed.

FORT VALLEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Fort Valley City Administrator is backing the city attorney’s claim that a revision to the city’s charger was sent to State Representative Patty Marie Stinson.

As we previously reported, Representative Stinson says she never received the version the city is claiming to have sent.

“That charter was not put up before the legislative body,” City Administrator James Woods said.

Woods says he posted the proposed charter on the website after the city council voted to change election winners from a majority decision to plurality.

Representative Stinson says the proposal should have never been put on the website since it was not approved by the Georgia General Assembly. Woods says he and the council did it in an effort to keep the community informed about the process.

The process of making any revisions was put on hold by Representative Stinson due to the city being delinquent in audits dating back to 2018. Woods says the city has caught up on audits from 2018 and 2019 but still has the 2020 through 2023 ones to complete.

Being delinquent with audits could prevent a city from receiving state grants, put any charters into jeopardy and potentially result in a government not being recognized as legitimate.

Woods says he supports Representative Stinson’s decision to put any proposals on hold until the audits are completed. He also says the proposed charter has been taken down from the website.

Since the city’s former charter is still in effect, elections require winners to receive 50% of the vote plus one.

The runoff election for Fort Valley City Council is set for December 5.