The Southside Economic Development District unanimously voted to ask the State Board of Ethics to investigate a city council action last week that could put a cloud over a planned $31.3 million downtown hotel.
At its monthly meeting Monday night, The SEDD board authorized its president, Tony Little, to ask the ethics board to investigate the legality of a vote by councilman Doug Harvey to approve a $2.5 million guarantee for Rep. Micheal Echols to build a hotel in downtown Monroe.
Harvey’s wife, Jennifer Lord Harvey, is Rep. Echol’s Legislative aide. Since marrying the former Miss Lord in December 2021, Councilman Harvey has participated in three council actions that favored Echols financially, which prompted the ethics concern.
State ethics laws require public officials to recuse themselves if their actions…
