Augusta commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday supporting Columbia County’s bid to become a single judicial circuit apart from the Augusta Judicial Circuit if the state Legislature simultaneously approves a two-county circuit of Richmond County and Burke County.
The resolution also calls for the two-county judicial circuit to have a minimum of five judges.
Commissioner Ben Hasan’s motion to approve the resolution passed on a 7-1 vote with Commissioner Dennis Williams voting no and commissioners Sean Frantom and Brandon Garrett out of the room.
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Columbia County Commissioners voted unanimously in December to split from the Augusta circuit, saying that it would save the county money.
Republican state senators Lee Anderson and Max Burns filed legislation creating the new circuit last week. It is now headed for Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for signing.
Richmond County Chief Judge Carl C. Brown Jr., and other local judges and attorneys oppose the split. They contend the three-county judicial circuit was working well and see no need to change it. They contend it will be a costly move for all.
Last week, Mayor Hardie Davis appointed a commission committee to meet with Richmond County court officials to consider ramifications of the breakup. The committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday.
Commissioners also rescinded action taken two weeks ago to waive 2021 alcohol license fees for all bars and restaurants and voted to waive the fees only for bars and restaurants that had been forced to close because of Covid-19.
“During our conversation we were discussing waiving fees for 2021 for bars and restaurants that were closed,” said Commissioner Brandon Garrett. “Somehow that got translated to waive fees for everybody.”
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Commissioner John Clarke agreed with Garrett.
“We need to make this to apply to restaurants and bars that had shuttered during this time,” he said.
Businesses that had remained open such as big box stores should not have their fees waived, Clarke said.
Commissioner Ben Hasan moved to rescind the previous action and approve Garrett’s motion to waive the fees as they had agreed to do at the earlier meeting.
The motion passed 8-2 with commissioners Sean Frantom and Jordan Johnson voting no.
Commissioners also received good news about the county’s 2019 audit from Miller Edwards of Mauldin & Jenkins auditing firm.
“I’m happy to give you a thumbs up that your financial statements arein order.” Edwards said. “The audit is a clean report.”
Augusta has $2.1 billion in assets, $1.5 billion of them in capital assets and $950 million in liabilities and $1.15 billion in equity,” he said.
Overall, the county has revenues of $495 million and expenses of $433 million, leaving a bottom line of $62 million.
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The county also has $53 million in depreciation expenses and a $49 million increase in long-term debt. It also purchased $133 million in capital assets in 11 months and has $31 million in net cash, which Edwards called a “reasonable amount. As for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Taxes, Augusta is in a pretty good place, he said.
In the General Fund, assets total $52.8 million; total liabilities, $13.6 million with $39.2 million in fund balance.
Revenues and other sources were $161.6 million and expenses were $158.2 million, creating a $3.4 million increase in fund balance in 2019.
Most of the county’s money comes from property taxes, $57.7 million, and other taxes, $63.2 million.
The major expense is in public safety at $64.2 million; the judiciary is $22.6 million.
The cost to run the government was $40 million, Edwards reported.
He also said the county’s fund balance had increased for the past five years to $39.1 million.
“Being able to accomplish growth, you have to have to have growth in the fund balance,” he said.
The government also spent $10 million less than budgeted,” he said.
“That’s a nice thing to see,” he added.
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Phase 7 of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, Fire Protection, Utilities, Augusta Regional Airport, Storm Water, pension and garbage collection funds were also in good shape, Edwards said.
“Garbage collection made $1.3 million which is a good thing,” he said. “I seldom see that. Very seldom do I get to see a bottom line that’s positive in garbage collection.”
Edwards also pointed out six management points that should be addressed, including old outstanding checks in the sheriff’s office that should be remitted to the state; excess funds in Magistrate and Civil Court and Probate Court; deficits in Special Revenue Funds. He
also noted the existence of large petty cash accounts across various departments and constitutional offices.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, City Administrator Odie Donald also briefed commissioners about the government’s activities related to Covid-19.
Public safety personnel will receive the vaccine first, he said, but a decision about who should get it next needs to be made, he said.
Donald recommended not making immunization against Covid-19 mandatory for city employees.
Sylvia Cooper is a contributor with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sylvia.cooper@theaugustapress.com
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