Taxpayer Time, Campaign Grind: Hogansville Official Cashed In While Running for LaGrange Council

Should taxpayers in one city could be footing the bill for an employee to pursue political power in another? That’s exactly what appears to be happening with Ameia C. Williams, a Hogansville official now campaigning for a LaGrange City Council seat.

Documents obtained through open records requests show Williams has been paid as a full-time, salaried Hogansville employee—earning $2,589.85 every two weeks as Customer Service Manager. From April 2, 2025, through August 17, 2025, she was paid for 80 hours every pay cycle, with no interruptions.

Yet reliable sources confirm Williams was attending LaGrange City Council work sessions in broad daylight—on the clock, while drawing a paycheck from Hogansville taxpayers. She was even livestreaming some of the city work sessions on her campaign Facebook page.

So the question becomes unavoidable:

• Why is a Hogansville employee spending taxpayer-funded hours at another city’s council meetings?
• Why didn’t Williams step aside or take a leave of absence the moment she qualified to run?
• And why is Hogansville allowing this arrangement, when it reeks of a conflict of interest?

The problem is even bigger than just attendance. Hogansville’s 2020 Water Report shows the city purchases its water directly from LaGrange and Coweta County Water Authority. That means Williams—if elected—could hold sway on both sides of the negotiating table.

The double standard is glaring. LaGrange recently terminated a police officer for time sheet discrepancies. Yet Williams appears to have collected thousands in taxpayer dollars while campaigning on another city’s turf, with no consequence.

This is not just sloppy governance. It’s a betrayal of public trust. Hogansville citizens are paying for a full-time employee. Instead, they may have been financing a political campaign in LaGrange.

It’s time for answers. Hogansville’s mayor, city council, and HR department owe taxpayers a clear explanation: why was Ameia Williams allowed to collect a full salary while advancing her own political career in another city—and what are they going to do about it?