AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A one-time bonus for airport employees was brought up at commission Tuesday, but no decision was made.

Leaders moved to discuss the bonus at the next committee meeting on April 14.

The bonus would give airport employees up to $500 for the extra work they put in during Masters week.

Pickleball court options range from $7,500 to $540,000

Leaders also want to hear from the community about what it wants for permanent pickleball courts at Warren Road Gym.

They discussed the costs of converting the indoor gym’s tennis courts into pickleball courts or building outdoor courts.

If leaders choose the indoor option, that could cost about $7,500 for work and any repairs.

For outdoor courts, that could range from about $140,000 to about $540,000. That depends on whether the outdoor courts will be demolished and redone or just repaired.

No word on when community meetings will be held.

Augusta approves $95,000 for unbudgeted special election costs

Augusta city leaders approved nearly $95,000 in unplanned expenses to cover a special election and a runoff that were not built into this year’s budget.

The city is already working through tight finances and is now forced to dip into reserve funds as voters head to the polls.

The Board of Elections is already working with less. The office, like all city departments, faces a 5% cut this year. That means cutting back on mailers and services to stay within budget.

Commissioners approved about $95,000 to pay for the March special election and the April 7 runoff. More than $30,000 went to poll workers, with additional costs for early voting, equipment testing, security and day-of operations.

Because the election was not budgeted, that money comes from the county’s contingency fund.

“So basically what we were doing today is I mostly have been spending part of my budget to cover the special election and in anticipation of the runoff. So I needed to go back and get funds to put back into the primary account. So now we’ll continue on to pay the bills for the special election,” said Travis Doss, Richmond County Board of Elections executive director.

The funding helps the board reset after covering those unplanned costs as they quickly shift focus to what’s next. Doss said absentee ballots for the May election are already going out, with early preparations underway for the May 19 primary.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Broadway Baptist Church hosted a debate Monday featuring the three candidates seeking to become Augusta’s next mayor.

Candidates Lori Myles, Steven Kendrick and Eric Gaines shared their goals and visions for the city as they campaigned for voters’ support ahead of the upcoming election.

“We need to focus on what the community needs. We’ve got to start being practical in Augusta-Richmond County,” Gaines said.

“I want to create better relationships with both our state and federal officials, so that our city can learn how to bring some of the dollars we need home. I hope I was able to provide enough information for people to choose me as the person to lead the city,” Kendrick said.

“I want them to go out and touch the masses and show that there is a new paradigm shift coming to Augusta. All of us are invested,” Dr. Myles said.

The primary election is scheduled for May 19. In addition to the mayoral race, voters will also decide several other contests, including five Augusta Commission seats.

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