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BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WALB) - The District Attorney of Decatur County confirmed he recently withdrew his petition to validate the proposed primate facility’s revenue bond, effectively sending the bond series back to the city’s drawing board and further delaying the progress of the facility.

DA Joe Mulholland said that issuing bond revenues is a multi-step process in Georgia. He said that when a government entity — like the city of Bainbridge — tries to get a bond, it has to go through the DA’s office. The DA must sign a petition to send back to the government entity for them to answer with how they plan to allocate the funds if they are issued. Then, the court issues the bond if it can be proved that they are necessary for the good of the public.

Mulholland said his decision to withdraw the petition was not political, and that the information provided by the city of Bainbridge following the petition was simply not sufficient to establish public good. He said he was specifically concerned with the proposed fiber optics and telecommunications plan.

“I just didn’t have enough information, and didn’t think that it had provided enough information for the necessary burden of establishing a public good. So I went ahead and dismissed that petition,” Mulholland said.

Mulholland said that he hopes to eventually validate the process through an updated petition and answer, but that he would need more information about how the bond would be a necessary expense of taxpayer dollars for him to feel comfortable moving it forward.

Mulholland added that $2.7 million of the $3.5 million bond was proposed to be spent on the sewer and sanitary piece of the project, which he said he was okay with.

The DA assured that it is not his role to say whether the overall project is good or bad, only to approve or deny bond revenue projects.

“My job is not necessarily to look into the feasibility or whether it’s a good project or a bad project,” Mulholland said. “It’s just that the DAs, historically, have been the gatekeepers for bond revenue projects in the state of Georgia. And that’s certainly what I’m going to do is just do my job and due diligence. And the politics – that’s something for someone else to deal with. I’m just gonna deal with doing my part.”

WALB will continue to provide updates on this project as we learn more.

Previous coverage:

• Georgia Supreme Court denies challenge in monkey facility case, company plans to break ground
• UPDATE: DA files new motion in monkey facility battle, Decatur Co. residents send symbolic message through monkey expo
• Decatur County DA files intent to fight monkey facility in Ga. Supreme Court
• Ga. Court of Appeals rules in favor of Bainbridge monkey facility company
• FULL INTERVIEW: Company over Bainbridge monkey facility vows to build
• Company over Bainbridge monkey facility fights to intervene in legal battle
• Ga. Court of Appeals hears Bainbridge monkey facility arguments
• DA files legal brief concerning Bainbridge monkey facility, residents still fighting back
• Decision on Bainbridge monkey facility left up to courts
• Bainbridge residents file legal complaint against city, county agencies for violating Open Meetings Act
• UPDATE: Bainbridge Decatur Co. Development Authority cited for monkey facility land disturbance
• NEW DETAILS: Decatur Co. commissioners vote to take back support from monkey breeding facility project
• ‘This is an important project’: Bainbridge monkey facility officials address concerns
• Bainbridge monkey facility hits legal snag
• UPDATE: Bainbridge residents and PETA bring concerns about primate facility to city leaders
• New Bainbridge animal husbandry facility expected to bring over 200 jobs

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