On December 3, 2025, I was searching my email inbox for my correspondence with Amethyst Wesley, and records requests I made to her in November, in preparation for an article I was working on and subsequently published that day.
I discovered a message sent to me on October 30, 2025, that Wesley sent using the Informer contact form. The message read:
“Good evening, My communications firm is currently tasked with the WGA website. I am reaching out to speak with you in reference to the City of Washington Georgia. Your prompt response is both, humbly and greatly appreciated.”
I had never seen this message. I am not sure how it got missed but it did. Just days later I had emailed Wesley requesting records from her to try and get answers to questions that I, and other citizens had about the work she was doing for the city. I wish I had seen that message and responded.
I replied to the message, now more than a month later, with an apology for the delay and told Wesley I welcomed a conversation, if she was willing. I knew Wesley may not be open to a conversation at this point. I had made my skepticism of her and her business known. I had publicly voiced my concern over what I viewed as many red flags. My desire all along had been to have direct communication with her so she had the opportunity to share her experience and any benefit she was bringing to the city.
Wesley did agree to a conversation, which we had on December 3rd. She was willing to answer many of the questions I and others have had. She shared her desire, from the beginning, to help the city of Washington tell a cohesive story of its history and the possibilities the future holds. To help local government be more efficient, citizens to be better informed and for the city to grow in population and economically. She told me the proposal she originally created and that was on her company website, was the scope of work she planned to do. It was much more than a website revamp. She told me the service agreement that was signed, was presented to her by city administrator Will Long and not something her company created. There was to be an exhibit document attached to it, that is referenced, that detailed the work she had proposed but that was not provided by the city administrator.
She also told me she was met with many obstacles in her efforts. This type of project requires a great deal of engagement from the customer, in this case, the city. She said the ethics complaints she filed were filed because she felt she had tried every other way to resolve the issues she was encountering.
She did not tell me she would be filing a lawsuit naming the city, mayor Bruce Bailey, city administrator Will Long, finance director Kathy Bouttry and city council woman Kimberly Johnson, the following day.
Below are answers to the questions I asked Wesley. She said she was limited as to the work she could share, but she did share the city seal that she and her team created as well as the significance and thought that went into the design. The seal can be seen below this article.
Q: When did you first start doing work for the City of Washington?
Amethyst:
My initial contact with Will Long occurred before he officially assumed the role of City Administrator. Our first conversation touched on a variety of topics; upbringing, belief systems, spirituality, career paths, and community development. During that conversation, he mentioned he was being considered for the administrator position.
I clearly communicated that I was in a committed relationship, and from that point forward, I redirected the tone into a strictly professional exchange.
Two to three weeks later, I followed up to ask whether he had secured the position and whether he was still interested in reviewing the research I had completed on the City. During that call, the Mayor phoned him to notify him he had received the necessary votes. I congratulated him, and the conversation briefly became celebratory.
At the start of his employment, he began asking for help with various administrative, communication, and research tasks, drafting and editing emails to Nonprofit organizations, analyzing population data, studying Washington’s public-facing image, reviewing infrastructure gaps and procedural issues, and addressing several organizational shortcomings that predated both of us. From there, the scope expanded into:
- Revising and modernizing the City’s Personnel & Procedures Handbook
- Researching payroll and salary structures, especially within the fire department
- Reviewing, analyzing, and reframing the FY2025 budget into a more people-centered model
Although he valued the recommendations, he was under pressure from certain council members who questioned his role, qualifications, and salary. As a result, he hesitated to implement new approaches and instead relied on a quick cover page.
Professional boundaries were later crossed and became an increasingly strained environment; mentally and spiritually, due to repeated personal boundary crossings on his end, leading to the February 20, 2025, message referenced in my filings, where I explicitly instructed him not to contact in any capacity again.
After that message, I had no contact with him for approximately six months.
During this period, I worked independently on other projects. When I later developed the full rebrand + website modernization proposal, I submitted it publicly and independently (unbeknownst to him) and with the hope that, if approved, he would not be appointed as the point of contact.
This was because I was aware that the City already had personnel who handled the website and designed city materials, and I believed it would be more appropriate and professional for the project to be managed through proper channels, not through him. Unfortunately, she no longer worked for the City.
Despite the complicated history, the early research, communications development, structural improvements, and modernization efforts I contributed are what eventually shaped the foundation for the broader proposal that the City Council accepted.
Q: For those who still don’t know you beyond social media, how long have you been in digital marketing and how did AW Digital Communications come about?
Amethyst:
I’ve been doing digital marketing, branding, and UX/UI design for several years. Before AW
Digital Communications existed formally, I worked independently under my own name as a
consultant. My background is a blend of psychology, marketing, and design, which allows me to
create systems that are not just visually appealing, but built for actual community accessibility
and function.
As demand grew for larger, more structured projects, especially municipal work, I formed AWDC
so that I could operate as a full creative agency rather than a single consultant.
Q: Who makes up your team? A lot of people assumed it was just you.
Amethyst:
I’m the Creative Director and Lead Strategist, but AWDC is not a one-woman show. My team
was of four people:
- A UX/UI designer
- A front-end developer
- A brand identity designer
- A content strategist
All of us have experience working with public-facing organizations or systems that require
clarity, compliance, and strong communication.
Q: Prior to September, was AWDC functioning as an individual consulting practice?
Amethyst:
Yes. Before the City of Washington project, my work functioned as a consulting practice. AWDC
became a formal agency so I could support larger projects like a full city rebrand, website
redevelopment, and multi-department communication systems.
Q: The biggest question the public has is simple: What work did you actually complete for the City?
Amethyst:
Quite a lot. And that’s part of why this situation is so unfortunate. Here’s a breakdown:
Brand & Visual Identity
- The official City logo (primary + secondary versions)
- Color palette
- Typography system
- Initial brand guide structure
Website & Portal Development
- Full sitemap for all City departments
- Wireframes for City Hall, DDA, Mayor and Council, Fire, Parks & Rec, and others
- Homepage design
- UX flow for resident services
- ADA-compliance considerations baked in from the start
- Layouts for the Front Porch community portal
- Structure for the Washington Official blog
- Transparency hub concept and design framework
Digital Support Tools
- Intake forms
- Department templates
- Communication materials
- Backend structure planning for site hosting and routing
However, I faced project barriers.
I requested access, content, credentials, and approvals from the City repeatedly. Much of what
we needed to progress was delayed, withheld, ignored, or contradicted.
There were also personal, professional, and ethical concerns due to inappropriate and
unprofessional conduct, delayed payments, and mishandled documents. These issues made
the work environment unstable and, at times, unsafe.
Because I anticipated this might escalate, I could not provide deliverables to third parties
(including you) while the contract was active. They are still my protected intellectual property
until legal matters are resolved.
Q: Some people still think you may have “scammed” the city or came in inexperienced. What do you say to that?
Amethyst:
I came into this project because of my experience, not despite it.
The work speaks for itself.
The obstacles were not about my skill or my effort. They were about the internal dysfunction the
public is just now beginning to see. Anyone who looks at the deliverables, timeline, internal
delays, and ongoing issues can understand what really happened here.
Q: Without going into anything confidential, why a lawsuit?
Amethyst:
The lawsuit wasn’t my first choice. I tried multiple times to resolve issues privately and
professionally. But the environment became unsafe, documents were mishandled, and my rights
(both as a professional and a person) were and still are being violated. At that point, legal action
was the only option to protect myself, my work, and the truth.
Q: Anything you want the public to understand moving forward?
Amethyst:
My goal is not revenge. It’s accountability.
I want a safe, transparent, functional government for myself and for the people who live here.
The truth will come out through the proper channels, and I am committed to letting that process unfold.
City seal work (see the seal below article)
Q: There have been rumors about a new city seal you designed. Can you explain it and what it represents?
Amethyst:
Yes. As part of the rebrand, I designed an updated City Seal that reflects Washington’s history, identity, and future. Every detail carries intentional symbolism rooted in the city’s story.
For the sake of transparency, I’m sharing it publicly here for the first time so the community can actually see the work that’s been done not just hear opinions about it.
CITY SEAL SYMBOLISM, A MODERN EMBLEM FOR A HISTORIC CITY
It is clear, a great deal of thought and historical research was dedicated in the creation of this seal. It is layered with historical, cultural, civic, and emotional meaning as Amethyst conveys.
Here is a breakdown of the symbolism embedded in the design:
1. The Ten Stars: The First Ten Settlements/Municipalities formed in the newly formed state, Georgia.
The ten stars represent the earliest settlements that formed the foundation of the new nation. Washington, Georgia the 7th settlement is highlighted in gold, symbolizing:
- significance
- leadership
- dignity
- and the city’s historic place in early American development
Gold has long represented value, heritage, and enduring strength the qualities Washington has carried for over two centuries.
- The Blue Half of the Heart, Small Town Roots & The Quiet Night Sky
Blue carries deep symbolic meaning:
- Trust
- Stability
- Peace
- Community resilience
- Government transparency
In the context of Washington, the blue heart does two things:
- Symbolizes small-town identity
Small towns are where you can still see the stars.
The calm, dark blue backdrop is a visual metaphor for the quieter, simpler beauty of small-town life, something Washington prides itself on.
- Represents emotional grounding and civic steadiness
Blue is historically tied to:
- justice
- order
- reliability
It subtly communicates Washington’s desire to return to stability after years of tension and stagnation.
- The Gold Half of the Heart, Renewal, Growth & A Reawakening
The right side of the heart is gold vibrant, bright, and alive.
This side holds the heartbeat line, which symbolizes the city’s revival:
- new development
- new attractions
- new energy
- economic revitalization
- and the spark of a “big city heartbeat” within a small-town community
It's a reminder that Washington’s story is not over it is rising.
- The Seven Stripes Georgia’s Pivotal Historical Moments
The seven stripes represent seven defining historical moments in Georgia’s history that are directly tied to Washington’s identity and role in shaping the state.
These include symbolic references to:
- Georgia’s Colonial founding
- The Revolutionary War period
- The Battle of Kettle Creek
- Washington’s role in early statehood governance
- The shift from colonial rule to American independence
- The evolution of municipal government
- The transformation of Wilkes County as a regional center
The stripes are not random decoration; they are a timeline.
- The Wilkes County Courthouse Authority, Safety & Civic Foundation
The courthouse silhouette stands as the architectural anchor of the seal:
- civic order
- law
- justice
- authority
- community protection
It also symbolizes Washington’s identity as the heart of Wilkes County.
Importantly, it frames Washington not as a city overshadowed by the county but as the city that defines the county.
A nod, but not a dependency.
- The Four Stars; Georgia’s Position Among the Original States
The four stars symbolize Georgia’s placement as one of the earliest states in the newly formed United States.
Their presence connects:
- local identity
- state identity
- national identity
Washington’s story is part of a larger American story.
- The Joined Colors; Healing, Unity & the Ending of Racial Division
The merging of gold and blue is one of the most meaningful elements.
It symbolizes:
- the convergence of two histories
- the healing of racial division
- modern unity across old divides
- shared pride
- shared vision
- shared community identity
The seal is not just a design.
It is a message:
“Washington’s future will not be defined by the fractures of its past.” It is a statement of hope and of choice.
END OF INTERVIEW
Wesley's answers bring some clarity and context to questions and concerns many have had. Of course, she is limited as to what she can fully share now that she has brought a legal case against the city.
I welcome anyone named as defendants in the case to share their statements or offer their own clarification.
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