AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Coastal Waste and Recycling has been collecting the city’s trash for nine months, and commissioners say service is picking up.

“I’ve been pleased with Coastal. Every time I’ve had a problem, my constituents had a problem, they’re contracted, they’re right there. I think any time you change over totally to a whole city, you’re going to have some hiccups,” said Commissioner Tina Slendak.

But when starting last year, mistakes were made and under the contact, that costs the company money, for things like missed pickups and delays delivering carts

Coastal racked up $144,000 in fines the first three months.

But on the recommendation of the city engineer, commissioners voted to waive all but $70,000 of the fines.

“Work with them and do what we can we should compromise with them I mean for me I used to have a lot of problems and a lot of calls but I’m not getting them,” said Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice.

The vote was 6-5 for the waiver and some commissioners saying it was a bad call because Coastal should not be missing stops

“That’s the due diligence that you do when you bid for a contact and one of those is find out what it all entails and when you’re talking about picking up waste, you need to make sure you know where it’s all at,” said Commissioner Lonnie Wimberly.

Commissioner Jordan Johnson raised an ethics question, since Coastal made a $2,000 dollar campaign contributions to the mayor and other commission candidates.

“I didn’t get any money from them. I mean, they gave to several people, not just people who are currently up there,” said Commissioner Slendak.

As commissioners give $70,000 worth of grace to Coastal’s early mistakes.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – More than half of voters in Richmond County approved another one-cent sales tax. SPLOST 9 will fund $375 million worth of capital projects over the next five years.

The largest portions of funding went to public safety, infrastructure and quality of life projects.

River residents await dock repairs

Jo Nash has lived on a houseboat at the marina on the Savannah River for four years.

“I love being out here on this water. It’s so relaxing. It’s so chilled. I mean, it makes me settle down and breathe, you know?” Nash said.

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Nash said the marina needs maintenance, including the dock she walks up and down every day.

Commissioners approved $2.8 million for a new boat dock at the marina in January as part of the SPLOST 9 project list.

“I would think that’s a great idea. I mean, I just hope it really happens,” Nash said.

Nash said she has been told projects would be completed before, but has not seen results.

“Just do what you say you’re gonna do,” Nash said.

Olive Road drainage concerns

Jerry Cooper is skeptical about the SPLOST 9 project list.

“And the water, when it’s raining, when it fills up, there’s no way to go,” Cooper said about drainage issues on Olive Road.

Commissioners approved $3.5 million to fix the drainage problem on Olive Road under SPLOST 9 engineering projects.

“I don’t believe a real fix is going to take place anytime soon because of a number of reasons,” Cooper said.

While SPLOST 9 will cover the cost of the projects, it does not cover the cost of the people needed to maintain the projects day to day. The city remains under a hiring freeze.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – This business owner is taking care of business, after winning a seat on the Augusta commission.  

“So thankful and grateful to the voters and supporters of District 6, they trusted me and believed in me and given this opportunity to serve the community,” said Commissioner-Elect Tamika Bean

Tamika Bean, the former assistant to Mayor Garnett Johnson, surprised many by her upset victory over incumbent commissioner Tony Lewis getting nearly 60 percent of the vote.

“I was totally humbled and surprised by it,” said Bean.

Bean, the newcomer, joins a commission full of familiar faces, as incumbents Stacey Pulliam, Lonnie Wimberly, and Wayne Guilfoyle all won re-election.

And despite organized opposition to axe the tax, Guilfoyle was happy to see approval of the SPLOST and especially the new FLOST, the half-cent sales tax for property tax relief.

“It directly impacts every property owner in Augusta, it benefits us. The government doesn’t receive any thing out of it,” said Guilfoyle.

Following the election, some want to see more out of the city’s registered voters, where turnout was less than 30 percent.

Gayla Keesee of the league of Women Voters says those registered need to understand the importance getting out with the run-offs coming in June.

Whose mayor or who’s District 8 Commissioner and those are final elections those are the ones the league is trying to get Richmond County voters to understand. 

Voters decide elections, something commissioner-elect Tamika Bean totally understands.