No date has been set in Waycross Muncipal Court for the ethics case involving District 3 City Commissioner Katrena Felder.
Interim City Attorney Huey Spearman said last week he filed Clayton Nelson v. Katrena Felder with the court Tuesday, February 24. The City Solicitor is Joseph Johnson and Douglas Gibson is Muncipal Court Judge.
The case has yet to be placed on the docket, Johnson said Friday, February 28.
Spearman informed commissioners at their planning and information session Monday, February 17 he and Assistant City Clerk Marquis Nixon were nearly finished compiling the documents from the Citizen Ethics Board hearings and the following decision by the commission affirming the board’s recommendation for prosecution.
Spearman said the binder delivered to the court contained approximately 1,000 pages. Among the pages are 31 exhibits, transcripts and orders, he said.
The commission accepted the board’s recommendation and an addendum from Commissioner Alvin Nelson by a 3-1 vote January 7. Nelson added the request of Waycross Police Chief Tommy Cox notifying the GBI to examine the evidence including all credit card transactions (by Felder) in the last three years to validate and determine if any criminal actions had occurred.
In addition to Nelson, Commissioners Shawn Roberts and Sheinita Bennett voted to accept the recommendation and addition while late Commissioner Diane Hopkins voted against. Felder, by rule, didn’t take part in the vote.
The ethics board, after nearly a dozen meetings and hearings to consider the complaint, voted 3-2 of violations having occurred. It voted December 13 by the same split to recommend the penalty of prosecution to the commission.
Shawn Taylor, chairman of the ethics board, delivered the recommendation to commissioners December 16.
Nelson filed his complaint September 2, 2024. It alleged Felder misused her city-issued credit card and also attended a partisan event, which is prohibited for city commissioners.
The complaint was similar to one filed against Felder by the Rev. Fer-Rell Malone earlier in 2024. Malone later withdrew his action.
Waycross attorney Adam Craft has represented Felder in the ethics board proceedings while Kimberly Copeland of Jesup has been counsel for Nelson.
