AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – It’s the charter committee’s answer to the government’s P.R. problem.

“People say all the time we have to restore public trust. I argue that we haven’t ever had it. This is kind of the way we work towards that where we can trust our officials,” said Sheffie Robinson, of the Charter Review Committee.

To get that trust, the committee approved new ethics rules and the creation of a citizens panel to investigate ethics complaints of the government.

“Any time there are complaints and there are issues you want to make sure they are dealing on the highest ethical grounds that they can,” said Clint Bryant of the Charter Review Committee.

With issues swirling around city spending, the committee approved putting a financial watchdog in the charter, creating an independent auditor position to follow the taxpayer’s money.

“I think the internal auditor will not necessarily find fraud, but can increase productivity,” said Lee Powell, Charter Review Committee member.

“An attempt to get back to transparency and accountability. You won’t support a tax increase when you think that money is going to be frittered away,” said Charter Committee Chair Marcie Wilhelmi.

But an internal auditor would be a new mandated position, costing the taxpayers.

“The money they will save this government will much more than pay for their department,” said Powell.

The committee is making its move and if state lawmakers and voters agree, these steps to improve ethics and watch over tax dollars will be written into the new city charter.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The United Way of Augusta distributed toys to more than 1,700 children Thursday during its annual Empty Stocking Fund event at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta.

Cars lined the parking lot and Chafee Avenue as families waited to receive toy bags for their children.

The United Way purchased hundreds of toys for both boys and girls ahead of the distribution.

Parents were able to sign up in advance to receive bags for their children.

United Way President and CEO Brittany Barnette said the organization has more buying power to purchase toys for pennies on the dollar, similar to Golden Harvest Food Bank when buying food.

Families who participated in the toy distribution also received information about applying for SNAP benefits and details about Golden Harvest Food Bank services.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – A proposal to build a new roundabout at the intersection of McDowell Street and Monte Sano Avenue is drawing concerns from neighbors who live and worship nearby. 

The project would sit between St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church and Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church.

On Wednesday evening, a packed meeting room heard updates from city officials and consultants as residents voiced their worries about how the project could affect the neighborhood. Many said pedestrian safety is their top concern.

John Scherer, who is a chairman at St. Mary on the Hill, said the intersection is heavily used by families, church members, and surrounding businesses.

“The biggest concern we have is pedestrian safety. There are so many people who traverse this intersection every day, not just us, but businesses here. It’s a neighborhood,” said Scherer.

Augusta’s District 3 Commissioner Catherine Smith-Rice says she has seen few accidents at the intersection and does not believe changes are needed.

“I want to see us going back to GDOT, the Georgia Department of Transportation and nixing this one, if the project takes a year longer,” she said.

“You just heard the residents tonight, they’re fine with that. They don’t want the roundabout and they don’t want it. I don’t want it.” 

Steve Cassell of Infrastructure Systems Management is working with the City of Augusta to explore a single-lane roundabout design for the intersection.

Director of Engineering Dr. Hameed Malik said construction could begin after the Masters Tournament in 2027 if the project moves forward.

“So right now we are planning to use all the money we have. Any money left will go back to the state. The money cannot be allocated to any other project,” Malik said.

The roundabout is expected to cost between $7 million and $7.5 million.