The curtain is opening on act three of the latest Augusta sagas. Viewers are waiting with bated breath, hoping the play will not end in yet another cliffhanger.
First, it was a simple malfunction, later it became a more involved problem that would take longer than expected to be corrected, and finally it became a ransomware issue.
This gives great concern for all, due to the data held hostage and volumes of data presumed lost. So much concern that commissioners met in several special called meetings out of the prying eyes and ears of the citizens to determine how the issue was to be addressed.
The combined leadership of Augusta’s government agreed to hire two outside agencies to handle the ransomware issue. One agency is the Mullen Coughlin firm headquartered in Devon, Penn. This is a high-profile law firm that specializes in the area of cyber.
The other agency is Charles River Associates headquartered in Boston, Mass. It has been reported in the media that the Charles River Associates’ beginning fee is to be $345,000 for the first three phases of their involvement. Also expenses to cover travel and deployment of their equipment. This group also specializes in cyber.
This will prove to be very, very costly for the taxpayers of Augusta. We must hope that the city attorney and the city finance director will get receipts for all of the monies that will be paid out. If past history is a guide, they probably won’t.
Just a side note: many in Augusta’s government think and publicly state that to get and retain good, qualified employees, we must pay a higher salary and benefits. They claim that this would solve many problems and issues.
In 2021, the listed salary paid yearly to Augusta’s Information Technology Director Tameka Allen was $148,999 dollars. In 2021 the listed salary paid yearly to Augusta’s General Counsel Wayne Brown was $180,508 dollars. Both of these department heads receive outstanding benefits.
Both salaries must surely be higher now due to the bonuses and raises given Augusta employees from the Covid 19, American Rescue Act funds. Taxpayers, how’s all this working out for you?
I would be remiss not to state that many citizens question the timing of this ransomware attack. The demands for records using the Freedom of Information Act have caused many headaches for city leaders. Add to this the fact that two commissioners for two years demanded a city financial forensic audit, with me being one of those commissioners.
The past six months the same forensic audit has been called for singularly by Commissioner Catherine McKnight. Sadly, Commissioner McKnight had to settle for an operational audit. This type of audit would most likely shield any financial misbehavior from scrutiny.
But some people may have got to thinking that just maybe this operational audit would uncover so many out-of-scope behaviors that it could lead to question the financials. Uh oh, can’t take that chance. Quick, tell Joe to open that special marked e mail. OK, now it’s time for a Watergate coverup. Yep, now we got us a Conspiracy.
Well, a theory, that is.
Most of the time when someone develops a conspiracy theory, there can be facts on both sides. One set of supposed facts can support the theory while another set of supposed facts dispels the theory. Thus, it seems to be this case of the ransomware attack.
Exactly what is a conspiracy? The Webster’s definition states: “(A) conspiracy is an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.”
Now, could this possibly take place within the Augusta government?
It is amazing that when some government or elected officials are asked a question, they can suddenly become as quiet as a Trappist Monk. No realistic answers are forthcoming. No logical ones it seems.
Try asking for an update on subjects such as the Augusta Rowing Club building status, or how about the Olmstead Stadium lawsuit? The restrooms at Diamond Lakes? The maintenance issues on Riverwalk? The overgrown and blighted properties? An update from the Homeless Task Force?
This past week, Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle asked that a curtain of chain strands, covered in PVC plastic pipe, be placed across Olive Road like a curtain in front of the train overpass on both sides. When a truck that is too high to safely go under the overpass hits the pipes, the noise would alert the driver to stop.
Seems that the rumble strips, stop signs, height marking signs and flashing lights just aren’t doing the job. This would seem to be the last effort to stop these incidents, short of installing a “whack a mole” that would pop up out of the roadway if the chains are hit.
Guilfoyle’s reasoning is it could stop the taxpayer’s expense of paying the cost of police and fire departments deployments of personnel and equipment every time this happens.
But how about adding a hefty monetary fine to the driver of any vehicle that ignores all the warnings and proceeds to hit the overpass. Also charge the driver for all cost of city expense to be on the scene while the mess is handled.
Closing the road should not be an option; this would cause great inconvenience for many hundreds of citizens for the act of negligence of one.
Augusta’s Fire Department Chief seems to be unsure of what violates the HIPAA privacy rules. Such is the case of the toxicology results from tests given to Fire Department Chief Shift Supervisor Gregory Hartshorne. He is the employee who is named as the driver of the fire department vehicle that ran over a deceased body from the infamous motorcycle gang shootout here in Augusta.
It is standard procedure that any city employee involved in an accident with any city-owned vehicle or piece of city-owned equipment be directed to undergo drug and alcohol testing.
Now, if results of this type of testing violate the HIPAA rule, this just may open up a new line of defense for attorneys defending anyone charged with driving under the influence.
Gregory Hartshorne has been reported to have been placed on administrative leave with pay pending an investigation. Fire department insiders say the pay rage for his position is near the $90,000 a year mark. Suspension with pay seems to be the normal for any city employee being reprimanded.
Tomorrow, June 20, is the day that convicted ex-commissioner Sammie Sias is to be sentenced. Will it truly be a day of reckoning or a day for another Sias surprise? Could it be that Sias comes to court dressed in yellow and ready to sing like a canary in exchange for a lighter or reduced sentence? A few people have got to be experiencing anxiety wondering if this would be the case.
Never say never. We all will have to wait for the gavel to fall.
