Watchdog for Augusta spending ethics approved by charter committee

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.