Bonser Denies She Leaked Information Days After Ethics Charges Against Her Were Settled

It looked like the city’s leaders had put their battle over ethics charges behind them with the announcement of a settlement earlier this week.

Apparently, that’s not the case.

Councilwoman Adrian Bonser posted a lengthy message to constituents on her Facebook page where she denies leaking private information.

The message seems to contradict an apology that she wrote days earlier as part of the settlement agreement that ended the ethics charges against her and closed out a counter complaint she made against Mayor Mike Davis.

“I never admitted to leaking information; I only admitted to writing an e-mail in response to some questions two constituents had regarding several news articles,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “I merely gave my opinion. I did not answer specific questions, nor provide them with information they didn’t already have.”

The earlier apology letter from Bonser says “I did not think I was doing anything improper in my role as a member of the Dunwoody City Council. I now understand that some of the information included in my e-mail should not have been included.”

The ethics charges centered around whether or not Bonser talked outside of executive session about Project Rennaissance, an expansive redevelopment project underway on the city’s eastern gateway.

Bonser was named in a city investigation that cost $50,000 to look into two separate leaks. Bonser allegedly told a constituent who then told local politico and blogger Bob Lundsten who published information about the planned project. The investigation also concluded that she divulged information through the e-mail.

The e-mail was included in the city’s release of the settlement agreement.

In that original e-mail, Bonser questions why any of the discussions had been held out of view from the public in city executive sessions.

“There is nothing going on with the sale or trading of this land that could not be discussed in public. After all it is the citizens of Dunwoody who own this property, not the council.”

Bonser, in her Facebook post, also took issue with the fact that Davis issued a statement when the settlement agreement was announced. Davis, in his formal statement, said that the leaks had stopped since the city investigation and that Bonser had shown contrition.

“After nine months of public discussions, discovery and expoloration, I am happy to say the matter has been concluded. I am grateful to announce the city and its residents have a full admission, a staement of contrition and apology on this matter,” Davis said when the settlement was announced.

Bonser said the statement was a “(dissemination) of false information” in her post, and a possible new ethics violation.

“The mayor, once again, used public resources to disseminate false information. He used the city’s website to send an e-mail blast that was merely his opinion. Our ethics code prohibits the use of public resources for personal purposes.”

She ended it by saying that her apology was asked for and given as part fo the agreement.

“Here's the simple fact: the Council asked for an apology and, I gave them one. I did not admit to leaking information,” she wrote.

Bonser could not be reached to comment for this story.