Newton County Scuba Shop Owner Under Investigation for Questionable Dealings with Fire Department
COVINGTON, Ga. – A scuba shop owner in Covington, Georgia, is currently under investigation for alleged questionable dealings with the Newton County Fire Department, sparking an ethics investigation. An exclusive investigation conducted by the FOX 5 I-Team has revealed that the scuba shop, Into the Blue Scuba, owned by a firefighter who is also a member of the dive team, has been supplying specialized equipment and training to the Newton County Fire Services for years.
The relationship between the scuba shop and the fire department appears to violate the county’s Code of Ethics, and it is unclear why no action was taken to address the potential conflict of interest. The county has now halted all payments to Into the Blue Scuba pending the outcome of the investigation.
Upon discovering the potential conflict, County Manager Harold Cooper stated, We are looking into the case in relation to our policies and the law and will take appropriate actions if necessary. The situation has raised concerns among local government watchdog group Common Cause Georgia, who argue that the arrangement violates the principles of conflict of interest and could potentially involve misuse of funds.
Records obtained by the FOX 5 I-Team reveal that the fire department has spent over $140,000 at Into the Blue Scuba, with significant sales occurring after the store’s owner, Glenn Mikos, began working for the department in 2019. Mikos currently serves as a fire inspector, dive team member, and scuba instructor for the dive team. The purchases made by the fire department include various equipment such as sonar devices, inflatable boats, wetsuits, dry suits, BCD jackets, regulators, masks, boots, knives, ropes, and even an inflatable rescue boat. Training expenses for dive team members also accounted for a substantial portion of the expenditure.
What makes the situation more concerning is that the store’s role as the dive team supplier was never put out for bid by the county, raising questions about the transparency and fairness of the procurement process. Newton County’s Purchasing Policy requires a minimum of three competitive quotes for any purchase exceeding $5,000 and prohibits breaking up orders into smaller amounts to avoid the requirement. Despite this, the FOX 5 I-Team discovered 14 charges that were just a few hundred dollars below the threshold, with invoices deliberately submitted to skirt the policy.
The Newton County Code of Ethics explicitly prohibits officials or employees from maintaining an interest in any business that engages in the sale of property, goods, or services to the county unless specific conditions, such as a competitive bid process, are met. The investigation has raised concerns over how the arrangement with Into the Blue Scuba developed and why it was not addressed by county leaders earlier.
When approached for comment, several county employees declined to address the issue, referring questions to the county spokesman. The Fire Chief, Mike Conner, did not respond to phone calls and refused to meet reporters when they visited fire headquarters. Glenn Mikos, the scuba shop owner in question, declined an interview request and left the premises in his fire department truck, summoning the police when reporters attempted to speak with him.
Marcello Banes, the Newton County commission chairman, acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and assured that the county is thoroughly investigating the situation to determine the facts. Commissioner Alana Sanders has requested access to payment records to review the payments made to Into the Blue Scuba.
As the investigation unfolds, concerns about adherence to county policies, transparency, and ethical conduct within the Newton County Fire Department are being raised by concerned citizens and watchdog groups. The outcome of the inquiry will shed light on whether any wrongdoing has occurred and what measures need to be taken to address the potential conflict of interest. It is vital for local governments to ensure accountability and integrity in their procurement processes to maintain the public’s trust and confidence.
