AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Until you’ve gotten been overseas not too long ago, that we’re in the course of a really busy election season, and NewsChannel 6 and “The Means Report” are throughout it. We had fun protecting all of the races for you on main election evening. Wayne Guilfoyle and John Clarke are each working for Fee District 10, a seat that John Clarke hopes to maintain, a seat that Wayne Guilfoyle hopes to get. John Clarke’s been the incumbent for the higher a part of time period primary. Wayne Guilfoyle served two phrases in District 8. He completed in 2018. We hope the knowledge you acquire from this episodes provides you the data you want if you forged your vote in only a few weeks.

Brad Means: Wayne Guilfoyle, let me begin with you, if I could, and ask you why you are attempting to get again on the fee. You had been there for 2 phrases. Do you miss it, or do you suppose Mr Clark’s doing a nasty job, or each?

Wayne Guilfoyle: Effectively, Brad, thanks for that query. What I’m taking a look at once I was on the fee, we completed quite a bit, the place you had the me municipal constructing transformed, you had the outdated AT&T on fifth Road really bought. And we put within the engineering division and utilities division. We’d redone the library. So on the subject of doing issues, in addition to the sheriff’s workplace, however on the subject of jobs, it’s an enormous challenge to me as a result of once I was on the ground, we really had Unisys, we had Starbucks. We really supported the, and had the, Cyber Command. With the Cyber Command, we reassured that Fort Gordon wouldn’t be going wherever. On the subject of saving taxes, we really checked out stopping the caddy tax for downtown, which saved hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to the taxpayers. We really lowered the fireplace insurance coverage on the market within the rural space, which I represented.

Brad Means: All proper, so let me ask you this.

Wayne Guilfoyle: Sure, sir.

Brad Means: Let me ask John Clarke this. Mr. Guilfoyle has listed an array of achievements, companies which have been dropped at city, new growth. How do you suppose issues have gone throughout your first time period on the subject of conserving Augusta’s enterprise neighborhood thriving?

John Clarke: Effectively, my time period has been a time period of COVID. So that you’re not likely conscious of all the things that’s gone on. However in my time period, we’ve had a whole lot of growth going. We’ve had companies, I believe 80 one thing new companies, within the downtown core to come back in with personal cash that’s across the $60 million mark. We’ve obtained two factories being constructed out in Company Park. We’ve obtained new buses coming in. You already know, anyone can construct one thing, anyone can vote to tear one thing down, however I’m the folks’s commissioner that additionally picks up a phone when it rings, listens to the folks, really exit to their properties, and get issues completed. So it’s not all the time about sitting on that dias, nevertheless it’s about if you’re not on that dias, what you’re doing for the folks, in addition to the enterprise leaders. So we are able to dangle trophies on the wall, say what we’ve completed, however on the finish of the day, it’s what you’ve completed for the folks of Augusta, the residents of Augusta, the taxpayers of Augusta.

Brad Means: Now, pay attention, let me speak to each of you. And John Clarke, I’ll begin with you concerning the consequence of that main election. John Clarke, you had been this near not having to be sitting on that desk proper now being interviewed by me. 49% of the vote, 32% to your opponent. What are you doing in another way, if something, to get your 49% again on the market and choose up yet another?

John Clarke: Effectively, I’m not gonna give away my recreation plan to everyone, particularly with my opponent sitting proper subsequent door. However what? I’d have been reelected if it hadn’t have been for the regulation that it’s a must to have 50.01% of the vote. It’s a state regulation. It occurs. We’ve obtained three runoffs. That’s gonna price the town of Augusta a complete lot of cash. And it’s what it’s. So we’ll proceed on, and we’ll be reelected.

Brad Means: What about you, Wayne? 32%. You’ll want to select up about 20 extra or so to win this. Are you able to get folks on the market in the course of trip season and perhaps people who find themselves sick of politics at this level?

Wayne Guilfoyle: Effectively, Brad, what we’re doing, I’ve nothing to cover. We are literally specializing in doing the reach-out by means of the media. We’re gonna proceed on the radio. We’re doing the billboards. We’re gonna do push playing cards, mailers, in addition to the Fb, immediately at Fb, the place you possibly can centralize sure areas. Now we have nothing to cover. Truly, we’ve got a whole lot of, I’ve a whole lot of accolades to present. And on the subject of saving the taxpayers {dollars}, I’m joyful to speak about that.

Brad Means: John Clarke, you most likely would’ve received if Wayne Guilfoyle wasn’t working. Did you ever go as much as him simply commissioner to commissioner at any level and say, “Hey, man, please don’t run”?

John Clarke: No, I by no means did do this as a result of it’s open. It’s an open election. It’s an open seat. Anyone can run for an workplace. And so no, I by no means requested him to not run. I’d by no means ask anyone to not run. It’s a free nation. Thank God. And he selected to run, and that’s the best way it’s.

Brad Means: What about you, Wayne? Have been folks whispering in your ear, “Hey, we’d like some change”? I do know you talked about your record of accomplishments if you had been on the fee, however did you and your folks watch what was occurring, not solely with Mr. Clarke, however with the entire physique, and so they simply mentioned, “Wayne, you’ve gotta return up there”?

Wayne Guilfoyle: Effectively, Brad, once I was watching your entire time, really, I had spoke with Commissioner Clarke a few 12 months and a half in the past about his accomplishments. He got here to my workplace, and I used to be attempting to determine what his accomplishments was, which was the transit and the airport, which they’ve their, per se, the airport has their very own boards. And once I see coverage damaged the place we give the administrator, the legal professional that we simply let go a 12 months’s wage, we broke our personal coverage. After which the third time we did it for the fireplace chief, which is the max you possibly can give is six months per coverage. And now it’s setting a priority to the place it’s not favorable for the taxpayers sooner or later. We even have my opponents really attempting to, he tried to extend the expenditure of journey funds, in addition to the fuel card. I by no means did use the fuel card. I returned it within the two envelopes that it got here in. After which my opponent was speaking about he ended up taking away the fuel card, him and Ben Hasan, to the place he was utilizing the least gasoline of all commissioners, which I respect that. However he additionally began a automobile allowance, so his gasoline went from $140 a month to $500 a month. And I don’t suppose that’s searching for the taxpayers.

Brad Means: What do it’s a must to say about that, John Clarke? And what do it’s a must to say about perhaps your forensic audit that will present all of us how y’all are spending all of our cash?

John Clarke: Effectively, primary, I congratulate Mr. Guilfoyle for by no means utilizing his fuel card. Like I’ve acknowledged earlier than, I’m retired. I don’t personal a enterprise. I can’t write issues off of my earnings taxes. I recollect it was a 10-to-nothing vote to extend the auto allowance to, as a result of we had been having commissions that had been spending a thousand, $2,000. That was out of the best way. So by us going to a month-to-month stipend for using our vehicle, the maintenance of our vehicle and the gasoline, and keep in mind that we pay earnings taxes on that stipend, so it’s not the total quantity that we’re given. So we’ll put that to relaxation. Speaking about journey allowance, there once more it was a fee’s vote. It’s like I had a pitchfork and a torch main the cost. That wasn’t true. It was, in reality, I voted towards one thing that the opposite commissioners voted for. Now, so far as a forensic audit, I exploit the phrase “forensic” as a result of that will get consideration that goes into deep element. My opponent says that we do a funds yearly, and it reveals the place the cash goes, the way it’s being spent. Effectively, my drawback is I would like an in-depth audit in order that we’ll understand how the cash is being spent, in addition to the place it’s being spent as a result of each time we go to do one thing, the massive reply we get is we’ve gotta discover the cash, we’ve gotta discover the cash. So let’s discover the cash. Now, it’s additionally introduced up, and I’ve been criticized, that I wouldn’t-

Brad Means: Let me do that. Let me do that. John, end your level. I would like you to complete your level, however we’re gonna take a break after you end your level. So attempt to maintain it tight. Go forward.

John Clarke: Okay. I’ve been criticized as a result of I voted towards a forensic audit for the mayor. Effectively, the remainder of the story is that was a substitute movement. I made a movement to do the audit on the federal government to incorporate the mayor’s workplace. So me voting towards the mayor’s forensic audit shouldn’t be an correct assertion. So recover from that.

Brad Means: Effectively, we respect your clarification, Mr. Clarke, and y’all’s solutions throughout our first phase. We’re grateful for these. Once we come again, our dialog continues with Wayne Guilfoyle and John Clarke attempting to get your vote for the District 10 fee seat in Augusta. on “The Means Report.”

Half 2

Brad Means: And we welcome you again to “The Means Report,” everyone. John Clarke and Wayne Guilfoyle are our particular visitors as we speak. They’re working for the Augusta District 10 Fee seat, a seat that John Clarke at the moment occupies. And he’d wish to maintain it for a second time period. Wayne Guilfoyle attempting to return to the fee after taking 4 years off, a former two-termer out of District 8. John Clarke, let me begin this subsequent phase with you. And the subject for each of y’all is gonna be Regency Mall. The headline a couple of days in the past was {that a} revitalization undertaking is coming to Regency Mall. A fairly grand and elaborate undertaking. John, do you suppose that is gonna occur?

John Clarke: Effectively, I’ll stay cautiously optimistic, seeing that this was the primary that many people had ever heard of this, together with folks which can be in positions that ought to have identified about it.

Brad Means: Did the Financial Growth Authority learn about it?

John Clarke: They didn’t learn about it. That’s unusual that they wouldn’t learn about it, however no, they didn’t learn about it. So with them not understanding about it, why would most of us not learn about it? However it’s unusual on the variety of people who, and who did learn about it. And so we’ll let it go at that, and we’ll see what transpires, however I’ll stay cautiously optimistic about any growth that we are able to get at that parcel of land as a result of it’s been a blight on this metropolis for years and years and years. They’re not paying their justifiable share of the taxes. They’re informed to maintain them paying the storm water price. So it’s time to do one thing with it.

Brad Means: All proper. Wayne, similar query to you. Mr. Clarke is true. That’s been an eyesore, Regency Mall, for years. Do you suppose that is the undertaking that’s gonna flip issues round?

Wayne Guilfoyle: Effectively, Brad, it’s type of prefer it introduced again recollections when the Civic Middle was attempting to be put there. We had a rendition of an image of what it’s gonna seem like as the brand new Civic Middle. And it was near passing. It was really 5/4/1 vote once I was on the ground. However all the things’s the satan’s within the particulars. There’s no substance I see a render in. And I’m hoping that there’s some substance to it. However when it was the Civic Middle on the Regency mall, to maintain it from passing, I ended up reaching out to a whole lot of my contractors’ pals and discovering out, placing a quantity to it, which was over a half a billion {dollars}. And fortuitously, the colleagues on the time entrusted a person that undertaking failed from having the Civic Middle there.

Brad Means: Effectively, I respect y’all’s solutions. And I’ll inform the viewers this was an initiative or an announcement that was spearheaded by mayoral candidate Steve Kendrick. Steve’s gonna be on the present subsequent week, alongside together with his opponent, Garnett Johnson. So we’ll type of dig into the Regency Mall challenge extra deeply with them. Please be sure to watch, and we’ll discover out what Mr. Kendrick’s and Mr. Johnson’s hopes are for that piece of land on the market. Let’s speak concerning the area, John Clarke. Mr. Guilfoyle talked about the James Brown Enviornment. What do you see occurring down there? Voters final time mentioned we don’t wanna have a bond referendum and pay for it. What’s the way forward for the James Brown Enviornment?

John Clarke: Effectively, we do want a brand new facility down there as a result of the one which we’ve got has outlived its goal.

Brad Means: Yeah.

John Clarke: We’re on the lookout for methods to pay for it. We’re speaking about bond points the place you’ve been rearranging about some facilities inside it. So it’s a piece in course of, however what I want to see occur is the potential of let’s let the guests to the town pay the largest portion of that invoice to construct the brand new area. I want to see, like they do in different cities, have a tax hooked up to the motel rooms, say, $2 an evening extra on the motel room tax, and have that cash particularly devoted to the monies concerned with the James Brown Enviornment. I believe that will most likely give a aid to the residents of Augusta and the tax payers and let any individual else that’s coming in utilizing all of our services and infrastructure pay for it.

Brad Means: Yeah, what about you, Mr. Guilfoyle? What are your hopes for the world? I do know occasions are tight. Taxpayers might not be keen to shell out further for it proper now.

Wayne Guilfoyle: Effectively, really, this query was introduced up through the chamber convention dialog. You already know, the best way I have a look at it, I do know that Cedric, Brad, in addition to the remainder of the board has been looking for avenues, and so they employed an organization to assist them work out the funding of it. If we have a look at it, SPLOST {dollars}, which is the one-cent gross sales tax of the folks in Augusta, most likely pays about 44 cents on each greenback. So it’s not an influence immediately on every citizen. So if we enhance the SPLOST by one cent, go from eight to 9 cent, in 4 years, you’ll come up with the money for to cowl the world, which is 235, $240 million.

Brad Means: All proper, let me transfer. That’s some huge cash. Quarter billion {dollars}. However I hear what you’re saying about an additional penny on the tax. However that’d take us to 9%. We’ll see. Let me speak concerning the ambulance service in Augusta. Wayne Guilfoyle, if you had been a commissioner, you needed to cope with this. John Clarke, I’ll allow you to reply first. Renewing the contract with Gold Cross, why does that appear to take so lengthy and be such an enormous deal? From my perspective, only a man who watches the ambulances drive up and down the road, they appear like they’re doing a superb job. Is there one thing that we’re lacking?

John Clarke: Effectively, what we’re doing proper now within the metropolis of Augusta is we’re working with a MOU, a memorandum of understanding. What we’re attempting to do, and I’m chairman of the Public Security Committee, and what we’re attempting to do is we’re attempting to get, as an alternative of getting so many workshops going over the identical issues time and again and over, we’re attempting to maneuver this ahead to direct our administrator and our attorneys to satisfy with Gold Cross and their attorneys, take the memorandum of understanding, and type a contract so the folks and the residents of Augusta Georgia will know precisely what number of ambulances we’ve got on responsibility each day devoted to emergency calls to the residents. And it looks like we’re getting pushback, pushback, pushback for that. And I don’t ever communicate for another person. You’ll must ask them what’s of their thoughts as to why they’re pushing again on it.

Brad Means: Was it a headache for you, Wayne Guilfoyle, or had been occasions simpler with Gold Cross if you had been a commissioner?

Wayne Guilfoyle: No, I really had fought for Gold Cross as a result of I knew the influence that it might placed on our residents with, we’ve got poverty, in addition to mounted earnings, that the charges would go up. and Gold Cross did warn us, if the subsidies was reduce, that it might be elevated. So a standard ambulance experience went from $800 to $1,800. And with the aged folks with no household, pals round, in the event that they fell, it was once a free service from Gold Cross earlier than the subsidy was reduce. Now it’s a $400 cost. Effectively, people who’s in poverty, on mounted earnings, can’t afford that. They’re both gonna surrender medicine or meals. So I used to be an enormous proponent of conserving the subsidy for Gold Cross, despite the fact that Augusta-Richmond County wished to enter the ambulance enterprise. However since that second, we had two of our residents die by the hands of our person who was answerable for ambulance service on the time. I believe what we have to do, I do know that John was the chairman over the general public security, however Alvin Mason had put it on the agenda two weeks in the past to place the subsidy in. It ought to have been the chairman’s accountability, not one of many different commissioners if we was actually critical about trying on the security of the residents.

Brad Means: Let me ask you each a pair extra questions. Let’s begin with making Augusta a greater, cleaner, more healthy place to reside. I’m speaking about extra bicycle paths, extra inexperienced area, simply making Augusta extra nice. It’s an amazing city. All of us find it irresistible. however what will be completed to enhance it? John Clarke, will begin with you.

John Clarke: I believe what will be completed to enhance it’s clear it up.

Brad Means: Yeah.

John Clarke: Maintain the grass reduce. Maintain the sidewalks clear. Let’s restore Riverwalk. Simply do routine upkeep, and it’ll begin coming round. You already know, we’ve got water fountains downtown which can be stunning, however they don’t function.

Brad Means: What’s the issue? Why don’t y’all ship a crew on the market to repair ’em?

John Clarke: Effectively, I assume we’ve gotta discover the cash to do it first.

Brad Means: Hey, you’ve obtained $11 million in leftover pandemic aid cash. Can you utilize that severely, or is that earmarked for different issues?

John Clarke: You already know, they-

Brad Means: They obtained a whole lot of strings on that cash, the federal government does.

John Clarke: They’ve already obtained it earmarked for different issues. I imply, my Lord, we had an administrator that, on document, I voted no to not rent this man, and everyone else voted to rent him. Effectively, he obtained us in issues, and it was allowed to occur. So we each agreed that, in a few years, we’re gonna begin having to search for methods to chop issues, discover cash, actual, massive time cash, to cowl the debt that we’ve been put in, so.

Brad Means: Wayne Guilfoyle, let me offer you an opportunity to speak about methods to make Augusta higher and happier and make us find it irresistible much more.

Wayne Guilfoyle: Effectively, Brad, what we have to do is absolutely clear up our metropolis. We had provisions in place earlier than I left workplace so far as the Riverwatch. We had a upkeep program that will handle the problems as they was offered. When you have a look at the boathouse, it’s not usable. They need to shut down the park. And I’d query why as a result of the final time I used to be on the fee, the fee controls the cash. Yearly, we had been offered with a funds, and we all know the place each greenback is spent. There’s some frugal cash in there that might be utilized. Now, with this federal aid cash, I’d make it precedence to get what we’ve got tousled mounted. We obtained a landfill that’s sucking the town dry. And earlier than too lengthy, it’s gonna be closed down if the EPA continues to seek out issues with that. It’s a headless division. It’s was once a cash maker. We have to get our home again so as, Brad.

Brad Means: John-

Wayne Guilfoyle: And it’s not being completed.

Brad Means: John Clarke, he says you’re not conserving your own home so as, you and your folks on the fee. 30 seconds to answer that.

John Clarke: Effectively, we do must maintain our home so as, however if you’ve obtained a fee that each one it takes is six votes to get something they need to be completed completed, and a whole lot of occasions you’re the lone vote, you and perhaps two different folks which can be going, “Wait, again up. Cease, cease. We don’t want to do that.” effectively, you discuss having relationships amongst one another. We do have relationships. We do discuss issues. He talked about Alvin Mason put a one thing on the agenda that I ought to have placed on. Possibly Mr. Guilfoyle didn’t cease to suppose that perhaps that was already talked about beforehand that we had been going to do it that method. So issues do must be again so as, however we’d like folks that may stand as much as do it. And I’m standing up and I’m preventing for the residents of Augusta. It’s a tough combat, however that’s what it’s.

Brad Means: Effectively, pay attention, our time flew by. We might simply do one other half-hour with you all. And I simply am so grateful to you for taking the time and for working for public workplace to serve our metropolis. John Clarke, Wayne Guilfoyle, better of luck on this runoff, and thank y’all for coming as we speak.

Wayne Guilfoyle: Thanks, Brad.

John Clarke: Thanks for having us. Thanks.