AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We are looking into questions about reimbursing Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson for his credit card expenses.

The mayor himself brought the subject up to commissioners on Tuesday, asking for more than $40,000 to cover various expenses over the last six months.

The issue that commissioners brought up isn’t whether the mayor is breaking a policy. It’s that one doesn’t exist that covers this particular issue.

The mayor is asking for reimbursements to his personal credit card, and in doing so, he found the city has no policy in place to grant his request.

The mayor’s office does not have a city-issued credit card. Instead, the mayor makes purchases using his personal card.

From January to June of this year, the mayor is asking to be reimbursed more than $40,000.

“We continue to operate in a very conservative manner as it relates to taxpayer dollars. We believe in giving dollars back, we’re committed to that. I pledge that and that’s what we’re going to continue to do,” said Johnson.

These purchases include close to $10,000 spent to bring First Lady Jill Biden to the city and a $2,400 invite to a state dinner at the White House back in May.

These expenses, according to the mayor’s chief of staff, had to be made immediately.

The totals also exceed the city’s spending limit when it comes to city-issued cards.

Augusta’s Finance Director Donna Williams says it’s a $500 limit per transaction or a $5,000 limit per month.

“They were well within our budget. These were dollars that were used to promote and to grow the city of Augusta not only economically, but to have guests to come to our city to help us promote the city of Augusta. So those expenditures were well beyond our budget,” said Johnson.

When asked if it’s a requirement for the mayor to have a city-issued card, Williams says that’s not her decision and that what is currently being requested is not addressed in existing policies.

When asked if he’d be open to a city-issued card, the mayor said, “I’m open to that so long as it has a limit to where we can accomplish the things we need to accomplish. This is not a case where we’re spending dollars and not asking for any accountability. There’s complete accountability to the process. And it’s the same process as I would use if I had a city-owned credit card.”

And just to note here, the mayor is not breaking policy of any kind.

Again, the issue that was brought up is that the finance director says there isn’t a policy that covers this.

This isn’t the first time questions have come up about an Augusta mayor’s credit card use.

Our I-TEAM questioned the previous mayor of Augusta, Hardie Davis, about his charges on a county-issued credit card three years ago.

We exposed thousands of dollars Mayor Hardie Davis racked up at local restaurants and hotels, as well as questionable charges made to non-profits and contractors.

Our investigation uncovered Richmond County did not have a credit card policy in place at the time, which violated state law.

Commissioners adopted the current credit card policy after we brought this to light.

However, the policy they adopted three years ago to become compliant with Georgia law does not address the use of personal credit cards for government business.

And that’s what commission is looking at address now.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One of Augusta’s heroes turned 100 years old on Wednesday.

John Ballard is an Army veteran who served our nation during World War II and the Cold War as a firearms specialist.

He had a huge party at the Georgia War Veterans Home on Wednesday.

Members of the Barrack Temple Oasis in Hephzibah helped throw the party since they are a veteran-based organization. They felt it was important to give back and honor those who sacrificed so much.

His daughter says the event brought her to tears seeing the turnout for her dad.

“This is my heartbeat. I’m hoping he will go another 100 for me,” said Suzette Ferguson.

News 12 wishes Ballard a happy birthday — one of the very best from the year 1924.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr on Wednesday hosted a meeting of his statewide opioid task force at Augusta University.

The goal was to discuss the “war on fentanyl” and what Carr’s staff described as his continued efforts to combat the opioid crisis in Georgia.

Carr was joined by local leaders, law enforcement officials, state agency representatives, and recovery and addiction specialists.

“This is a mental health issue, a public safety issue, and most of all, a human issue,” said Carr. 

Attendees got updates from public, private, and nonprofit partners who are working to address this issue in the region and throughout the state.

Carr says there’s still a lot of ground to cover in the Peach State’s opioid problem. 

“How do we leverage the expertise, the assets and the resources that we have to combat this crisis that’s impacting everybody?” asked Carr. 

Carr says success is already being seen in the CSRA with a 15-pound fentanyl drug bust in Augusta alone last fall.  

Although recent statistics show overdose deaths have fallen in Georgia and across the country, it’s still a problem.

GBI Director Chris Hosey said: “It’s starting to spread throughout the state, just like an epidemic, as it’s been explained, is getting into our rural counties. And it is something that we’ve got to address in every county in the state.” 

The average age for overdose deaths is getting younger. Overdoses are the leading cause of death of people 18 to 45.

Reports show Georgia deaths are down nearly 6% – the first change in an increasing trend since 2011.

Local government leaders are hopeful to combat this with state funding from nearly a billion dollar’s worth of settlements from drug manufacturers and distributors. 

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson said: “We could establish a task force to determine how those dollars can be distributed to the many, many needed organizations throughout our community.” 

It’s an issue the state says is not going away anytime soon, efforts will continue until the end.   

Carr says those state funds are projected to go into the hands of local governments over the span of the next few years.  

Money will be focused on providing resources for treatment and prevention. 

It’s small comfort to families in the CSRA who’ve lost a loved one to an overdose – people like the family of Alex King, who was killed by fentanyl in 2020.

“There’s a lot of grief, there’s a lot of anger because a child should never pass away before their parents. It’s just not nature and it’s not natural,” said King’s stepfather, Bryan Lugo.

Colin Magill was prosecuted for the death, but released from prison early after taking a plea deal for drug possession and distribution charges. His release came less than a month before a new Georgia law strengthened efforts to fight the spread of fentanyl.

The strengthened law holds the drug dealer responsible for the crime with a charge of involuntary manslaughter. It carries a sentence of one to 10 years.

Burke County has charged two local suspects under the new law.

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