Augusta, GA

‘We’re trying to improve’: Augusta government provides update on audit

Published

2 weeks ago

February 4, 2026

‘We’re trying to improve’: Augusta government provides update on audit

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta Commission members got an update Tuesday on the audit of the Parks and Recreation Department.

They didn’t get the full audit report, but it was an executive summary that’s still in draft mode. Still, that tells us a lot about the audit, including that there were no criminal findings.

Housing and Community Development Audit

Augusta officials say a preliminary response related to an audit of the Housing and Community Development Department was received from Cherry Bekaert.

After initial review, the city has requested additional information to “ensure clarity and accuracy before the process moves forward.”

“The Augusta government remains committed to transparency and will provide further updates once the requested information is received and the audit is finalized,” the city said in the news release.

In November, Augusta Commission members held a budget workshop session with much discussion about the Housing and Community Development Department.

That’s the department that left the city on the hook to pay back millions in federal grant money. The city received more than $6 million in grant money during the COVID-19 pandemic, supposedly to help people who were in danger of eviction. The city never spent the money for that purpose, so the government demanded it back.

The scandal led to the exit of Housing and Community Director Hawthorne Welcher and sparked an audit of the department.

Audit findings

The findings reveal no criminal activity, but uncovered systemic issues rooted in outdated policies and weak internal controls.

UHY confirmed there were no criminal findings in the audit. However, officials say the problems uncovered are serious and years in the making.

Outdated policies

Many of the department’s rules haven’t been updated in more than a decade, and that’s what led to inconsistent bookkeeping, confusing ledger codes, and gaps in how spending was tracked.

The problems identified include:

Outdated policies
Inconsistent bookkeeping
Gaps in oversight
Weak internal controls
Need for better integration with finance and IT systems

Scope of the audit

UHY’s team reviewed more than 20,000 transactions and examined:

Lake Olmstead: Details on expenditures and ledger codes
Community Centers: List of user groups and dollar amounts taken in with each group
River Walk: Expenditures from all areas, including the additional $150,000 for 8th Street bulkhead
Vendor Expenditures: All vendor payments and the jobs they performed, including consultants and lawn services
Park Expenditures: All park spending broken down by park with ledger codes, including Fleming Park
Employee Travel: All hotel stays with locations by all employees in the department
Candlelight Jazz: Money totals for each date and how the money was collected and used
IT Review: Any deleted files for the department that are personnel or financial
Contracts: All contracts of $25,000 or less to verify the department head’s signature on documents, plus recommendations on automating vs. paper processes

What was uncovered?

At Lake Olmstead, $91,000 in charges were spread across seven different ledger codes — including a $5,000 speaker fee logged as “advertising.”
Community centers had no master list of who used the buildings. UHY had to piece it together themselves — identifying 43 user groups and more than $6.6 million in revenue over three years.
On the Riverwalk, $1.4 million was spent — but the city doesn’t have a specific ledger code for bulkhead repairs, making it impossible to track some of that work separately.
Among 36,000 vendor payments, they found missing invoices, wrong dates, and inconsistent documentation — but again, no fraud.
When they looked at park-specific spending, 21 parks had no ledger code at all, and 30 codes existed with no park attached to them.
For travel, some staff stayed in standard hotels — others, including the former director, stayed at more expensive ones. They also found travel costs buried in unrelated expense categories.
For Candlelight Jazz, the deposits didn’t match the revenue the city reported — three years in a row.
And IT confirmed that the former director’s email account was deleted, meaning auditors couldn’t review any of that communication.

Next steps

UHY says the next step is writing a formal response, and commissioners say they want that response before they dig into the audit line-by-line.

Parks and Recreation Director Tameka Williams emphasized the department’s commitment to moving forward.

“As a department, we know how to move forward. We understand the gaps that we need to fill and information for policy and procedures that we need to get in place.”

Williams noted that the department has already begun reviewing and updating its policies, particularly around monitoring and financial controls.

“We’ve looked at our policies with a fine-tooth comb, seeing what we need to update as far as monitoring and controls of our finances, how transactions come in, making sure that we are maintaining accountability,” she said.

Williams also highlighted plans for staff training improvements and the department’s focus on following proper procedures.

“We’re doing better. We’re trying to improve, and this is how we improve. We hear what has happened and then we change so we can move forward,” Williams said.

According to UHY’s assessment, updating policies represents “the best oversight you can provide,” with the consultant team concluding that many of the department’s foundational issues stemmed from procedures that hadn’t been modernized in over a decade.

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Augusta, GA

Multiple crashes occur across Richmond and Aiken Counties during rainy day

Published

6 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Press Room

Multiple crashes occur across Richmond and Aiken Counties during rainy day

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Multiple traffic accidents across Richmond and Aiken Counties, including multiple on I-20, backed up traffic on a rainy Sunday.

In Georgia, two wrecks occurred westbound on I-20 around 2:30 p.m. One of them involved a Richmond County deputy who was working another accident between the Washington Road and Riverwatch Parkway exits when a car lost control and rear-ended the deputy’s car.

The deputy was in the driver’s seat of his stationary patrol car in the left lane when he was hit, authorities say.

One of them involved a Richmond County deputy who was working an accident between the Washington Road and Riverwatch Parkway exits when a car lost control and rear-ended the deputy’s car.(staff)

The deputy was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, officials say.

The left lane was blocked for around an hour.

Georgia State Patrol worked this incident. The scene cleared shortly after 3:30 p.m.

In South Carolina, one accident happened at mile marker 2 on I-20, going westbound.

A car flipped over as a result of the accident. This accident also backed up traffic, and the scene was cleared around 3:04 p.m., our crews said.

North Augusta crash on I-20 causes a car to flip over.(staff)

EMS and North Augusta Department of Public Safety went to that scene.

Another crash happened on Ascauga Lake Road near Canal Street around 3:15 p.m., resulting in another car flipping over.

South Carolina Highway Patrol and EMS went to that scene.

Another crash happened on Ascauga Lake Road near Canal Street, resulting in another car... — Another crash happened on Ascauga Lake Road near Canal Street, resulting in another car flipping over.(staff)

We are working to learn more details on these incidents.

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Augusta, GA

Deputies seek suspect wanted for aggravated assault in Augusta shooting

Published

18 hours ago

February 15, 2026

Press Room

Deputies seek suspect wanted for aggravated assault in Augusta shooting

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating a 20-year-old wanted for aggravated assault.

Jaleel Gantt, 20(WRDW)

The sheriff’s office says Jaleel Gantt is wanted for multiple counts of aggravated assault in connection with a shooting that happened in the 1100 block of D’Antignac Street on Friday.

According to officials, Gantt is known to frequent the area of Barton Village.

Anyone with information regarding Jaleel Gantt’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 706-821-1451 or 706-821-1020.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta downtown construction accelerates with 2026 completion target

Published

1 day ago

February 15, 2026

Press Room

Augusta downtown construction accelerates with 2026 completion target

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Downtown construction will speed up by more than a year, with the city aiming to finish the Broad Street remodel by the end of 2026.

With just two months until tournament week, uncertainty remains about how accessible Augusta will be.

Mixed reactions from business owners

As construction creeps down Broad Street, opinions are mixed with a busy spring season around the corner.

“The way it’s growing will be good for restaurants and bars and the new convention center,” said Greig McCully, owner of Fireside Grills. “I’m just not convinced that we can make it through that growth.”

Here’s a look at Augusta city leaders’ vision for James Brown Linear Park down the middle of Broad Street.

Emma Claire Hansen, design and sales at Merry’s Home Furnishings, said she hopes more work will be completed before Masters Week.

“Masters Week itself, we’re hoping that a lot more is done so that people can enjoy the beauty of downtown Augusta, the restaurants and just visit our city and have a good impression of it,” Hansen said.

McCully said businesses were not properly notified about the construction timeline.

“When this became a reality, we found out because they were tearing the street out on the 14th block, not because we were notified,” McCully said. “I’ve been in this space for about 15 years. And I have not seen Augusta in love with its downtown.”

Construction timeline and progress

The contractor is currently targeting a completion date for the downtown section by the end of this calendar year, according to Lauren Hoffman with Paquin PR, which manages public relations for the city during the construction process.

While the city is working toward an accelerated schedule, there are currently utility conflicts and items that need to be resolved before a finalized timeline is released.

Median work between James Brown Boulevard and 13th Street is anticipated to be finished, and median parking will be fully open to the public before the 2026 Masters.

The contractor has mobilized additional crews to the site to maintain momentum and keep the project moving forward efficiently.

Following the Masters, the schedule will shift and the contractor is likely to begin work on the outside lane moving from 13th Street toward 9th Street, alongside median work between 8th and 5th streets.

The contractor is expected to finalize specific dates for this accelerated schedule within the next few days.

Parking relief coming

Two leased parking lots are expected to open Feb. 16 and will be free to use. Lot A is located at 116 James Brown Blvd. Lot B is at 865 Reynolds St.

Business outlook varies

Many businesses are seeing a clearer light at the end of the tunnel.

“I think it invites new businesses to come down, invest in downtown,” Hansen said. “You know, it’s not at its prettiest right here, right now, but it’s coming, and we look forward to the brighter days ahead,” Hansen said.

But for others, those days downtown are numbered. McCully said he has considered moving his business to Columbia County.

“We’d talked for years and thought for years about moving to Columbia County,” McCully said. “You get to know everybody around. It’s got an old town feel. I love all those things. They’re just not necessarily right for my business anymore.”

The city of Augusta released a Broad Street Improvement Project Q&A with the design team

What is the overall vision for the Broad Street Improvement Project?

We are creating a vibrant, world-class destination that celebrates Augusta’s soul. This isn’t just a road project; it is a catalyst designed to bring a fresh energy downtown where people will want to linger, explore, and fall in love with Broad Street all over again.

How will the James Brown Linear Park serve as the centerpiece of this transformation?

Imagine a park that breathes with music. We have designed a spectacular central plaza featuring interactive water and fog jets that “dance” in sync with James Brown’s greatest hits and color-changing lights.

In a beautiful tribute to the “man of the people,” the James Brown sculpture is returning on a stunning new stage. Following feedback from the Brown family, the stage includes a ramp to ensure the sculpture is accessible to everyone.

What specific design details highlight the musical theme of the park?

The artistry is everywhere. You will walk under shade structures featuring iconic album covers and “I Feel Good” sheet music that casts musical shadows on the ground. The very pavement beneath your feet tells a story, with “sound wave” patterns and an engraved timeline of 20 legendary hits. Even the benches are shaped like guitar picks, and the planters are modeled after Grammy Award bases, engraved with the awards won by James Brown.

How does the streetscape design improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians?

We are introducing state-of-the-art bicycle lanes. These are elevated 6” to be flush with the top adjacent pedestrian use areas and tucked safely behind the parking rows, meaning cyclists are protected from moving traffic. Additionally, by narrowing the lanes to a sleek 11 feet, we are naturally calming traffic, making the entire corridor feel much safer and more relaxed for families and pedestrians.

In what ways will the new layout benefit local business owners?

Businesses are getting a massive boost in usable space. We are opening up 13 to 20 feet of wide, beautiful sidewalk area, which is advantageous for restaurants wanting to expand their outdoor dining.

We are also planting a lush new tree canopy. This will create a cool, shaded oasis that makes shopping and dining on Broad Street a comfortable, all-day experience even in the heat of summer.

What upgrades are being made to lighting and safety?

The design includes both roadway lighting and dedicated pedestrian lighting. Tall roadway lights will be located in the median, while pedestrian-scale lights will be installed along the outside borders to illuminate the bicycle tracks and sidewalks. The lighting and trees are placed to create a consistent rhythm along the streetscape, improving visibility and aesthetics at night.

How will the new landscaping compare to the previous trees on Broad Street?

We have carefully selected urban tree species that are built to thrive, with the landscaping designed to provide a thick, cooling canopy that will grow more beautiful with every passing year.

The Broad Street Improvement Project is about more than just infrastructure, it’s about investing in the heart of Augusta. By combining the legendary legacy of James Brown with modern, safe, and accessible spaces, we are building a downtown that works for everyone. We look forward to seeing you downtown to experience this transformation firsthand. Thank you for being part of this journey as we build a better Broad Street together.

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