In a special called meeting last Thursday, the Fairburn City Council voted to turn over to the city’s police department the investigation responsibilities of an alleged misuse by a sitting council member of her city charge card, known as the P Card.

The matter involves Councilwoman Elizabeth Hurst’s questionable use of the credit card while traveling to Philadelphia last May to attend the funeral of a family member, according to Fairburn Mayor Betty Hannah.

The motion, made by Ms. Hannah, had the support of council members Doug Crawford, Marian Johnson, Scott Vaughan and Ron Alderman while Councilman Mario Avery, who is running against Ms. Hannah for the mayor’s post on the Nov. 3 ballot, cast the lone dissenting vote.

In making her motion, Ms. Hannah referred to the ongoing investigation into the allegations against Ms. Hurst, which had recently been brought to light by a local television station.

“There appears to be issues that still need to be resolved with respect to supporting paperwork and statements made by Ms. Hurst in that meeting,” Ms. Hannah said of the first special called meeting on the matter Oct. 8.

“I am suggesting, as a result of the issues involved, we turn this matter over to the police department and ask they seek the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation,” she added.

Ms. Hurst said in the Oct. 6 meeting called by the mayor, she issued a sworn statement to the council certifying that her credit card was “unknowingly used” by a relative in the course of travel to Philadelphia to attend a relative’s funeral.

“The charge was reversed after being notified by the city finance director and no city funds were ever used to pay this charge,” Ms. Hurst said.

Avery said he could not support the motion because the normal procedure is when a party goes to the GBI, “it has been proven that willful intent to misuse has been established and that has not been proven here and there is no evidence of that in this case,” he said. In addition, with the Fairburn city attorney not in attendance at the special called meeting, Avery said he was unable to ask him if the council had indeed followed the correct procedure in seeking assistance from the GBI.

Vaughan said he supported the motion because it would help ensure there is an unbiased investigation of the alleged violations.

“I hope the investigation clears Ms. Hurst’s name,” he said.

“However, I approved of the mayor’s motion because it will help bring an unbiased party into the investigation.”

In her statement, Ms. Hannah said none of the council members wanted the investigation to become a political issue.

“I am sure you will agree it is in the best interest of Miss Hurst, us and the citizens of the city of Fairburn to seek an open, honest, unbiased and transparent examination of this issue by a neutral third party, the GBI,” she said.