Augusta, GA
Mayor’s vote now takes effect in Augusta commission
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – In May, voters decided to to change the charter by voting yes to giving the mayor a vote on the Augusta commission.
Monday is the first day the vote takes effect.
In May’s election, 74% of voters said yes to the referendum question, compared to 26% who said no.
Up until the election, the mayor was only able to vote to break a tie. But frustrated with political maneuvers that avoided a tie and kept him from voting, Mayor Garnett Johnson proposed a change giving him a full vote.
How did we get to this point?
The charter was created when Richmond County and the city of Augusta became one government nearly three decades ago.
Think of it as the game rules for the Augusta government — game rules are very different than any other consolidated government in the state of Georgia.
Politics is like tennis.
It’s your play when the ball is in your court. But Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government rules of the game are like no other in Georgia.
Players can skip a match to delay the game.
In January 2023, Commissioner Bobby Williams chose not to vote.
Voting no would have given an even split, giving the mayor the tie-breaking vote. A yes vote would have approved the contract but since he abstained, he stopped dead in the water.
In 2023, a standstill over naming an ambulance provider last year.
In 2024, there was a standstill over naming a city administrator.
“We went through the process of hiring an administrator through the process that’s in the charter, and we followed it to a T,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.
The charter: A legal playbook of power born from a marriage between city and county 27 years ago.
In a May commission meeting, Commissioner Bobby Williams said: “You had basically five white districts and five Black districts, and to get the sixth vote, someone had to work across the aisle.”
Augusta-Richmond County is one of eight consolidated governments in Georgia — one of the four with a mayor.
The balance of power varies.
The mayors of Athens-Clark and Macon-Bibb have veto powers over the commission.
Mayors of Augusta-Richmond and Columbus-Muscogee have limited power, but Columbus has a county manager responsible for the hiring, firing and management of department heads.
That power falls on our commissioners, meaning each department head answers to ten bosses.
Meaning commissioners only answer to commissioners.
For more than two years, an interim administrator has led the city. For more than two years, an interim director has led Central Services in her absence.
The longer time goes by, the longer the line of dominoes.
In the beginning of May, another resignation — the city attorney.
Four of the city’s top leadership positions are now empty, left to commissioners to fill.
The Carl Vinson Institute of Government presented information to commissioners about changing the role of administrator to county manager in the charter.
A year later, there’s been no movement by commissioners.
Now, there’s a new idea and a new game rule.
“This allows the voters of Richmond County to decide what’s best for their government, not the Commission,” said Mayor Johnson.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan hosted a community conversation in Augusta on Friday.
The event at the HUB for Community Innovation was the final stop of a statewide tour highlighting his fight to bring down housing costs.
Duncan heard from local experts in the housing space and discussed how he says he can expand these efforts and lower costs for families as governor.
Duncan is running as a Democrat, but was a Republican when he served as lieutenant governor.
The former professional baseball player is a fierce opponent of Republican President Donald Trump.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County School Board’s recommendation to close three schools and build a new college and career academy has drawn reaction from across the community.
The board announced its recommendation on Tuesday to close Jenkins White Elementary and transition the T.W. Josey High and Murphy Middle school site into a college and career academy.
Board member Monique Braswell, speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the board, said she opposes the plan despite acknowledging that that schools need to close due to low attendance.
“I will go on to see glory and I will still never accept it. I will never accept the fact that we are displacing children. I will never accept the fact that if T.W. Josey goes away,” Braswell said. “I will take that to the grave with me.”
Braswell said the district needs to examine underlying causes before making changes.
“We need to figure out why the kids are not going to here, there, and there,” she said. “And we need to take the communities and all the alumni along with us on this ride.”
Sheffie Robinson, president of the T.W. Josey High School Alumni Association, said the proposed changes would disrupt an already affected community. According to the presentation, students would be redistributed to Butler, Laney and Richmond Academy.
“So it’s like you disrupt a community that was built around this that has already had significant disruption over the last 30 years,” Robinson said.
Under the recommendation, the Josey-Murphy site would close and construction of the college and career academy would start after this school year. Jenkins White Elementary School would also close.
Barton Chapel would be demolished, with a new building constructed for fall 2028.
Michael Thurman, who has three children in Richmond County Schools, questioned the district’s financial management.
“They really need to do a better job of being stewards of our money when they keep building left and right, school after school after school, and tearing down the others,” Thurman said.
Thurman said the district’s past spending raises concerns about the current plan.
“They definitely need to also take in mind that you’re just really wasting a lot of money building these buildings,” he said.
The district said alumni and community members will have opportunities to voice their opinions before the board votes. Public meetings are planned for January.
Braswell emphasized the importance of community engagement in the process.
“The public has to be more engaged. I don’t care if people push you away. You just have to stay engaged as the public,” she said.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Another section of the Augusta Canal towpath is reopening after being closed since Hurricane Helene.
The storm on Sept. 27, 2024, left the path strewn with debris as broken branches hung precarously overhead.
On Friday, the path will reopen between the raw water pump station and the Interstate 20 bridge.
In preparation, crews have made safety improvements along the previously closed section of the trail.
Visitors are asked to observe all posted signs and stay behind safety barriers.
Embankment repairs have been delayed, but will take place in the future.
Once repair work begins, portions of the towpath will be temporarily closed at various times. Advance notice will be shared with the public before any closures.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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