The revised regulations would

have more specifically defined standards of ethical conduct, expanded

the number of officials and employees who must provide financial disclosures,

and expanded the scope of the ethics code to include county board appointees.

A key provision would have

more clearly defined gifts and favors and would have more directly restricted

County staff from influencing the contracting process. Solicitation of

gifts or favors from vendors or potential vendors would have been specifically

prohibited. The code would also have prohibited officers and employees

from engaging in nepotism in County employment.

The new code would have also

empowered a Board of Ethics to fine and sanction those who violate the

law.

"Today's inaction simply

puts us back with the current code," said Commissioner Darnell. "While

the changes I had proposed would have looked out for the interest of the

taxpayer more, much of the code would have remained the same."

"However, I believe this

legislation was needed to better establish guidelines for ethical conduct

and to tell the public we will not use our offices for personal gain."

"We cannot benefit form public officedirectly or indirectly. We should

buy our own lunches, we should pay for our own trips.

This is the current law, it

is unchanged," said Darnell.

To review the current ethics

code, and the Darnell-proposed code, log onto www.myfultoncountyga.us,

the official Web site of Fulton County.