Augusta, GA
Ahead of work session, Augusta Mayor sees opportunities, priorities following billion-dollar budget proposal
AUGUSTA, Ga. –
City leaders plan to meet Thursday for a budget work session following the 1.15 billion-dollar budget proposal they heard last week. FOX54’S Lauren Young spoke with the mayor who says the 5.5% increase to the budget is the opposite of what he asked department heads to model.
We first spoke with Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson several weeks ago about expenditures of the county’s departments and what he expected to be done to address increasing costs. Now, he says this billion-dollar-government—certainly isn’t functioning like one. “I asked my colleagues to consider asking department heads to model a five and a ten percent budget reduction,” said Mayor Johnson.
Local businessman-turned-mayor, Johnson, says he hoped this request would help decision-makers identify inefficiencies and soften the blow of the ever-increasing costs of doing business for the taxpayer. When it came up for action on the floor, the mayor says his colleagues on the commission did not ask departments to take on the request. “They said ‘thanks but no thanks.’ They received it as information. As you know, we’re a mayor/commission form of government where six votes gets anything done,” said Mayor Johnson.
The mayor still without a vote on the commission’s decisions, and thus, without a say, has only the ability to make suggestions.
Still, this businessman believes over a billion dollars for one year of operation of the Richmond County government is.
“It’s still too big for the city of Augusta. Until we deliver on some of the most basic, foundational purposes, we owe it to the taxpayers—fiscal accountability and responsibility—I will always lead an effort to create opportunities to save money for our taxpayers,” said Mayor Johnson.
Just last week, interim city administrator Takiyah Douse told FOX54, “There are some areas where currently our expenses outweigh our revenues.”
Taxpayers in other Georgia municipalities are footing the bill for much less costly local governments. Slightly larger Columbus-Muscogee County spent about a third of Augusta-Richmond County’s budget in 2023. Athens-Clarke County over the last two years, is also a fraction of Augusta’s. Savannah comes in at under half of Augusta’s budgeted expenses.
Augusta-Richmond County, over a year and a half into its search for a city administrator, has this line in the job advertisement, identifying a billion-dollar budget.
“People are fixated on saying Augusta now has a billion-dollar budget. In my opinion, that’s not anything to brag about,” said Mayor Johnson.
For Mayor Garnett Johnson, claiming leadership of a billion-dollar government should not be a point of pride considering the condition of the county.
“I would be one of the first champions here saying, ‘hoorah, hoorah, we have a billion-dollar government. The streets are paved, we have lights that work.’ Right now, we don’t have that in Augusta-Richmond County. We have challenges,” said Mayor Johnson.
Some of those shortcomings the mayor says he sees are in safety, upkeep, and cleanliness of Augusta-Richmond County. He tells me he’s pleased with increases to the sheriff’s budget to promote hiring and retention of deputies, but he says his administration has quite a way to go before he’ll be proud to represent a billion-dollar government.
CRAWFORDVILLE, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One person was airlifted to the hospital on Tuesday after a crash on Interstate 20, according to officials.
According to Wilkes County Emergency Services, the crash happened in Taliaferro County at mile marker 152.
The crash involved one vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was ejected, according to officials.
“Thank you to all the public safety personnel for your help today. We couldn’t have managed this scene without you,” said the Wilkes County Emergency Services on their Facebook page.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta fire crews responded to the 1600 block of Broad Street for a fire on Christmas evening.
The Augusta Fire Department says there were no occupants in the home and no injuries were reported.
Officials with the fire department says power was connected to the home, but they connected Georgia Power to disconnect it.
According to a News 12 crew on scene, at least four fire trucks could be seen, as well as multiple Richmond County Sheriff’s Office cars and EMS.
Early Christmas morning, the Augusta Fire Department posted some fire safety tips:
- Be cautious with battery-operated devices and chargers this holiday.
- Always use the correct charger, avoid overcharging and keep batteries away from flammable items.
- Store batteries in a cool, dry place to prevent overheating or fire risks.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -Just a few months ago, North Augusta’s Greeneway looked nothing like what it does now.
Hurricane Helene did a number on the popular trail, which closed it down for months.
Now the entire thing is back open ahead of schedule and just in time for the holidays.
“I don’t know if we thought it’d be done by Christmas, but it is and I think it’s a great early Christmas present for the citizens of North Augusta and the CSRA,” said Briton Williams, North Augusta mayor.
Williams was expecting the Greeneway to open back up in January, but he says thanks to R&R Tree Service, the job is complete.
“It’s wide open from one end to the next,” said Williams. “I’ve ridden it on the golf cart and it is accessible now for everybody.”
R&R Tree Service has been working on cleaning up the Greeneway since Hurricane Helene hit, which was about three months ago.
Now that it’s all cleaned up, Williams says their next focus is the parks, and they’re hoping to have those done sometime in January.
“We had a lot of damage with our parks, but Creighton Park is a great park, and they’ve cleared that out,” said Williams. “The focus moving forward will be for that company R&R Tree Service to work on the city parks.”
Williams says they own about 25% of the roads inside North Augusta city limits.
“We’re probably at 92% first pass of city-owned roads,” he said.
Williams says there are two separate companies working on the roads and cleaning up the parks because that’s what they can control.
“I think it’s a perfect example,” said Williams. “The Greeneway is telling you when we control something, we can be very efficient.”
And as for what they can’t control, Williams says that a different story.
“Which is unfortunately about 70% of the roads in North Augusta, we just still can’t dictate what to do and we just continue to express, you know, areas of, ‘Hey, this where the focus is.’”
But Williams says having the Greeneway back is like getting back to some form of normalcy.
“Psychologically and physically for citizens, and I can get on that Greeneway because that’s very therapeutic for us, and I think that is the number one thing that is showing we’re getting some normalcy back in our lives.”
Williams says there’s a lot more to be done, but they won’t stop until it’s all complete so he asks that everyone stay patient and positive.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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