The Augusta Commission’s ability to block Mayor Garnett Johnson from breaking a tie was on full display Tuesday during two deadlocked votes to hire a city administrator.
Two votes to hire city IT Director and CIO Tameka Allen as administrator each failed 5-4-1, with Commissioner Bobby Williams abstaining.
Without a 5-5 tie, Johnson was prevented from breaking it for his preferred candidate, Allen.
Augusta has been without a permanent administrator for nearly two years, since the resignation of Odie Donald II. Since then and during a regional recruitment process, Central Services Director Takiyah Douse has served as interim administrator.
Douse is favored by several on the commission to get the position permanently.
The votes followed Johnson and the commission spending nearly three hours behind closed doors, for the stated purpose of discussing real estate, personnel and potential litigation.
Prior to votes on Allen, the commission voted 9-1 to ratify the purchase of the Weed School property for $1.3 million using Community Development Block Grant Funds.
Without the appointment of an administrator, the “nominations remain open,” Augusta General Counsel Wayne Brown said.
Johnson said Tuesday he plans to nominate Douse, but needs 14 days under Georgia open records laws for a vote to be taken.
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“That’s my intention,” he said. “According to our attorney, we cannot vote (on Douse) today.”
Johnson previously submitted three names to the commission – Allen, south Florida government administrator Richard Chess and Whitfield County Administrator Robert Sivick.
Sivick withdrew his name soon after. The city didn’t release Douse’s information until Friday.
In each vote on Allen, who served as a deputy administrator under former Administrator Fred Russell and is the city’s longtime IT director, the vote was the same. Commissioner Alvin Mason nominated Allen and called to reconsider her in a second vote.
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Mason, commissioners Wayne Guilfoyle, Sean Frantom, Catherine Smith McKnight and Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Garrett voted in favor. Commissioners Jordan Johnson, Tony Lewis, Stacy Pulliam and Francine Scott voted no.
Williams, the last in the commission to vote in a roll-call vote, abstained both times.
In a subsequent vote on Chess, Guilfoyle and McKnight voted yes while the other eight commissioners voted no.
The outcome shows the importance of voters approving Senate Bill 231, Frantom said.
If voters approve the May 21 referendum it will give Augusta’s mayor a vote on all regular commission business.
“Today is a day of why on May 21 everyone in Augusta-Richmond County should vote for the mayor to have a vote,” Frantom said. “I highly suggest that y’all support that.”
Mason asked if Allen can’t be considered when the commission takes a vote in two weeks on Douse.
“The next name to be considered would be the third person’s name,” Brown said. “After that, the commission would have the right to consider what process it uses for recruitment going forward.”
Voting on Allen is “not absolutely prohibited,” he said.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
