Statement regarding the Appointment of Mike Bodker to the Development Authority of Fulton County
Fulton County Commission Meeting July 14, 2021
The appointment of Mike Bodker, current Johns Creek Mayor, to the Development Authority of Fulton would be a mistake. At a time when the Development Authority of Fulton is under strict scrutiny over per diem payments and members being too cozy with developers, the Commission needs to look very closely at each new member appointed to this board.
A quick google search of Mike Bodker unveils many ethics accusations related to developers. In 2013, the accusations caused 5 members of the Johns Creek City Council to commission an ethics investigation. Among the accusations in the 28 page investigative report are that Bodker voted to approve a zoning change for a project on Bell Rd, even though the developer was a friend who had previously allowed him to use his vacation home in Florida for free.
I also can’t imagine what development experience Mike Bodker even brings to the authority. He has been Mayor of Johns Creek for 14 years, and yet Johns Creek is an example of the opposite of economic development. Have you been to Johns Creek’s town center? Oh right, it doesn’t exist.
Yet our neighbors in Alpharetta, Milton, Duluth, Peachtree Corners, Suwanee, even south Forsyth county have excelled in the area of economic development. In 14 years and a few failed attempts, such as in 2015 with the intention to develop a town center named “The District”, the buck stops with the Mayor and his ability or lack thereof to build coalitions and work with city council to bring economic development to fruition.
The only thing I can see Mike Bodker bringing to the Development Authority of Fulton is his apparent friendships with developers. And that is EXACTLY what we do not want of our board members at this time.
Of all the people who could have been chosen for this appointment, you couldn’t find one person without a history of ethics accusations and with some semblance of economic development success?