Since late 2005, state Rep. Tim Bearden, R-Villa Rica, has been paid nearly $100,000 by the city of Carrollton for consulting work, although no contract exists outlining the work he is expected to perform and there are no invoices or any other documentation chronicling the work already completed.

Bearden and city officials say the verbal agreement that’s in place is sound, and that the arrangement has been positive for both parties.

The relationship between Bearden and the city began in the fall of 2005, when he was hired “to facilitate an alliance between our police department and the community,” according to a letter from Carrollton Mayor Wayne Garner. From October of that year to the present, Bearden has received a monthly payment of $2,100 paid out of the city’s budgetary line item marked “general administration, purchased/contract services.”

Through May 7 of this year — the date of the last check cut by the city to Bearden — he had received a total of $92,400.

According to Garner’s letter, addressed as “An Open Letter to the Public,” Bearden has, in exchange for the monthly payments, worked on a host of city projects, including the Police Department’s “Save a Life ... Stop on Red” campaign, the annual Toys for Tots drive and the “Fans for Seniors” program aimed at helping the elderly keep cool during the summer.

There is no written documentation of the work Bearden’s done, Garner notes in the letter, so much as the work product exists “in the minds of our children, our citizens and our community who have been educated or participated in a community policing program.”

Aside from those programs listed in the letter, Garner said Bearden is also involved in sensitive police issues that must remain classified. A former police officer, Bearden has 15 years of experience in law enforcement.

Both Garner and City Manager Casey Coleman said the arrangement with Bearden results in significant cost savings. At an annual salary of about $25,000, Coleman said the city is paying Bearden less than it would have to pay should a full-time police officer do the work. At the same time, Coleman said, the city does not pay Bearden any benefits and as a result saves money both on the front end and in the long run.

Coleman said he is not in the least concerned about the potential liability that exists without a written contract for the reason that the city is under no obligation to maintain Bearden’s employment any longer than is necessary and useful.

“If he stopped doing the work ... under that scenario, or for any other reason, we would tell him we would no longer need his services,” Coleman said.

Garner said that while there may be detractors who believe the agreement represents a conflict of interest, that simply is not the case.

“I think absolutely people look at that and say ‘Oh Lordy, there could be conflicts there.’ If that was the case, then he would have to exempt himself [from voting on whatever piece of legislation presents the conflict] and invoke the conflict of interest,” Garner said.

Bearden addressed this issue in an e-mailed statement.

The statement, in its entirety, reads, “When I was offered the opportunity to work for the city of Carrollton to assist them by consulting on programs that were related to the Police Department, I was very happy to accept the offer so I could continue being very involved in a career that I dedicated over 15 years of service to. I look forward to continuing to do the job that the City of Carrollton has asked me to do, and I will do it proudly. Just to note, the City of Carrollton is not in my legislative district (for it is Rep. Mark Butler’s District - District 18), and my consulting with the city has not interfered or conflicted with legislation that I vote on (or authored) as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives.”

In hindsight, Garner said, the city perhaps should have developed a written agreement with Bearden before he took on the role of consultant, but in the end it was a frugal decision and shows the city’s responsible approach to spending taxpayer dollars.

“Maybe this wasn’t the best way to handle this but this is the best way that we chose to do it,” Garner said. “We’ve found that using people like this saves the city a lot of money.”

City Attorney Chuck Conerly could not be reached for comment.