At the first meeting of 2022, the Augusta Commission handled some new business by a consent vote and then returned to business that has been brewing for the last year: whether to allow for a total financial audit of the city’s finances.
For the third time, the Commission voted the measure down.
District 10 Commissioner John Clarke and District 3 Commissioner Catherine McKnight softened the language of their motion by asking for an “in-depth” rather than a “forensic” audit. A forensic audit would imply that a criminal act had occurred.
During the discussion, Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. asked Clarke exactly what he was looking for in such an in-depth audit. Clarke said there were many issues such as where the storm water fees are being spent, as well as infrastructure projects.
However, Clarke did not point out the fact that a recent audit, which was instigated by Davis himself under political pressure, resulted in the Commission severely curtailing the mayor’s use of his city-owned credit card.
After the commission meeting, Clark explained that he did not include the mayor’s office as part of his interest in a city-wide audit because the mayor had already been exposed for financial mismanagement and there was no reason to put another microscope on the mayor when the state ethics commission is already investigating those matters.
“He’s already been got. The Augusta Press got him and all that information is out there in the public; all the documents, everything. And now the state ethics commission is looking into it. We need to focus on the whole city. There is a lot of money going through this city and the citizens need a full accounting,” Clarke said.
District 7 Commissioner Sean Frantom brought Finance Department Director Donna Williams to the meeting to discuss the annual yearly audit and how the city has fared in past audits. Williams confirmed that the auditors are selected by the procurement department.
“We have received awards for excellence in financial reporting by the Governmental Accounting Organization. That is about as good as it gets,” Williams said.
Clarke disagrees and calls the annual audit required by law a whitewash.
“They don’t study all the numbers. They take samples of different areas and compile a report. There has been no such thing as a true in-depth financial audit since I have been in office, and I am going to continue to stand by my constituents and demand one,” Clarke said.
Clarke and McKnight both vow that they are not going to back down and will keep pressing the matter.
“For some reason, some of these commissioners like to snicker about this and don’t yet understand that this is serious business. The people are demanding transparency, that includes the mayor and all the commissioners and the city departments,” McKnight said.
District 8 Commissioner Brandon Garrett joined McKnight and Clarke in voting for the measure. District 4 Commissioner Alvin Mason was absent from the meeting.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at [email protected]
Certain members of government will never allow this…there should have been a GBI investigation over the refusal to produce credit cards receipts, the circumventing of the procurement department for expenditures in excess of 5000 dollars, the fact that state law was broken concerning credit card use (I might remind the mayor and commission members that ignorance of the law is not a viable defense for breaking it) and of course the regency mall fiasco..but nothing will be done, the same ???? will keep running and uninformed voters will keep electing them. Just look at the next upcoming election at the candidates that keep running for any office they can..they are t doing it because they love the city. One has even been accused of money mismanagement in another organization. I bet people still vote for that person tho…it’s pathetic..at least Sylvia and Scott keep digging…
The only reason they voted it down is because certain ones know they will get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. If you have done nothing wrong, then why object?
Voting against this was a tacit admission of guilt. Sad business…
Perhaps, more focus could be put on the city’s Internal Auditor and his annual work plan. Use him like an Inspector General to target specific issues.
This is no surprise. If you’re doing the right things, you should welcome an in depth audit so you can get pats on the back.
Keep fighting Catherine and JC!
Kudos to Clarke and McKnight and shame on fence-rider Frantom.
The people of Richmond County want and need this audit in order to trust our elected commissioners .
Those commissioners that vote against the audit need to be remembered and remove in the next
election as well as the sitting mayor . Their vote against is an admission of guilt . Don’t think the voters
( young and older ) don’t know who is responsible for the joke we call our Commission . We also know
those that vote for the right issues .
The coverups and murkiness of the marble palace MUST come to and end. They work for the citizen, not the other way around. VOTE THEM OUT!
Of course they did…..
It does seem like some members of the commission are afraid of an audit.
Time to go around the commissioner’s. Report to FBI, or an entity of the state that investigates suspected misappropriation of funds within a municipality. This is taxpayers money and with Odie’s plan to give each commissioner and mayor a million dollars to spend (?), an investigation is warranted. (Particularly since Cares money spent is already in question) Thanks to Clarke, Smith and Garrett for voting yes.
It will never happen..there are to many money players behind the scenes..it’s all politics..and it’s all shady
As usual, these Commissioners and Mayor know what they have did is wrong and know they are guilty. They are not going to make it easy that’s for sure! Keep digging is all we can say, it will be exposed one day. Just like term limits for all these crooked politicians up there in D.C. and everywhere else, they’ll never vote for term limits. Thank God we have term limits on some.