Councilmember Joy Kimbrough
A recent complaint filed against District 1 Metro Councilmember Joy Kimbrough will be heard at an an Oct. 24 hearing before the Metro Board of Ethical Conduct.
The board voted on Thursday to move forward with a complaint alleging Kimbrough demanded $500,000 in community benefits be paid in exchange for her support of a rezoning request.
The original ethics complaint was filed last month by Ryan Moses, CEO of Nashville liquor distributor Best Brands. The complaint claims the councilmember requested that Moses pay $500,000 in community benefits upfront and that Kimbrough would control where the funds would be allocated — all so she would support a rezoning ordinance that would have allowed Best Brands to build a warehouse along Ashland City Highway in District 1.
Moses also alleged that Kimbrough manipulated the processes of community and private meetings through moving the order of agenda items, unnecessarily prolonging meetings and asking Moses and others to show their phones to prove they were not recording conversations. The board voted to dismiss this portion of the complaint following Metro Legal’s recommendation that it is “outside the purview” of the board.
Best Brands CEO alleges councilmember misused office for personal benefit
Metro Legal recommended the board move forward with the hearing for the community benefits section of the complaint, noting that — if the allegations against Kimbrough are proven — they could qualify as a violation of Metro’s standards of conduct.
Metro code states that employees or elected officials “shall not accept or solicit, for personal financial gain, any benefit that might reasonably tend to influence them to act improperly in the discharge of their official duties.” The code also says officials cannot use their positions to “secure unwarranted privileges or exemptions for themselves, relatives or others.”
The hearing will be held on Oct. 24 before the Board of Ethical Conduct, where each party can submit evidence and call witnesses. Board member Chris Sabis has recused himself from the discussion and vote because Best Brands is a supplier for a liquor store he owns.
If the board decides Kimbrough’s alleged actions were a violation of ethical conduct, it has the power to issue a written warning, recommend or issue a public censure of Kimbrough, recommend that she resign or refer the matter to the district attorney or Metro legal director.
Kimbrough has previously denied the allegations and called Moses a liar.
"The rules have prohibited me from being able to defend myself against the lies spewed by Ryan Moses," Kimbrough says in an email to Scene sister publication the Nashville Post.
"My hands have been tied behind my back. Per the rules, Metro Legal and the Ethics Committee have only focused on the allegations filed by Moses. There is no provision in the rules that allow me to respond unless there is a hearing. So far, I’ve just had to take it. October 24th I’ll finally have my turn."
Moses did not respond to a request for comment.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
