MACON, Ga. — Macon Water Authority Board Member Desmond Brown went to jail this week. He's being held in contempt of court.
The water authority is investigating him on other matters and considering whether to ask Gov. Brian Kemp to remove him from office. The issues include Brown's business practices and alleged ethics violations.
When Deborah Little's home needed roof repairs in late 2020, her family members say Desmond Brown knocked on the door and offered his services.
"He approached her. She never approached him," said Little's niece, Shieka Fordham. "A neighbor directed him straight to my aunt's house."
Fordham said the main issue was roof repairs and leaking, but after a couple months of working, she says nothing had been done.
"After he received the first $10- or $11,000 from the insurance company, he started to get distant," Fordham said.
She says instead of fixing damage, Brown caused more. So she, her mother, Valerie and her aunt Jeanine, drove to Macon from Atlanta to help Brown clean up the house.
"We had like 10 to 11 bags filled to the top of trash that he destroyed that we had to take out f her house and dump," Fordham said.
The family heard that the Macon Water Authority hired former DA David Cooke to investigate Brown. His first report led to the board censuring Brown this month. They urged Little to reach out to Cooke.
"He received insurance proceeds based on her claim, and according to what she provided, he did not complete the work that he was paid to do," Cooke said.
Now, the board will consider asking Gov. Kemp to remove Brown from office.
Little found another contractor to fix her house. Meanwhile, Water Authority Chair Sam Hart told 13WMAZ he hopes the board will have a decision at its next meeting, Thursday, March 4th.
The contempt case against Brown is not connected to his time on the water authority. He's accused of failing to repay $40,000 plus interest to a business partner. A Bibb County judge also says he's failed to produce financial documents related to the case.