VALLEY GRANDE — A letter of complaint filed by the State of Alabama Ethics Commission against Valley Grande councilwoman Donna Downs inquiring about a monetary donation to Dallas County High School has been found to have no merit.

During a Valley Grande City Council meeting earlier this month, Downs, who is also employed as a bookkeeper for the high school, presented the letter to the council stating the commission was to perform a preliminary inquiry concerning a $5,000 donation the council approved to give. The commission said the act was a violation.

Valley Grande Mayor Tom Lee said Downs informed him of the letter of complaint in December. Lee believes Downs, was wrongfully accused.

“She evidently was singled out, I’m not sure why, for an ethics violation that actually applies to at least one other member of the council and possibly another,” Lee said.

The commission responded to Downs in a letter dated Dec. 28, 2011, informing her that based on the information she provided, it was closing the file in the matter.

The commission, Lee said, did not go into an investigation of the matter.

“It was interesting to see the results come back,” Lee said during the meeting. “Donna works at a school where we voted through a budget in a lump sum to make a donation … we waited until now to find out the results. They have determined that this is not a violation, that … Donna (wasn’t) eligible for any sort of financial benefit … through any action she made on the council.”

In her letter addressed to Hugh R. Evans III, general counsel of the State of Alabama-Ethics Commission, Downs said the city budget includes appropriations in the form of donations to each public school for which residents of Valley Grande are lawfully zoned.