At the Aug. 30 committee meetings, Augusta Commissioners will hear information on needed emergency repairs at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center and, in a special called meeting, for the fourth time, the commission will attempt to set the mileage rate for 2022.
The detention center has long been in need of repairs and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is requesting $984,123 in emergency funding to fix a leaky roof, replace locks and upgrade showers.
The entire roof of the facility does not need to be replaced as the leaks are only occurring in E-Pod which houses women inmates and also has administrative offices. The expected cost of the repair is estimated to be $184,675, according to the Central Services Department.
Flooring in some of the shower units are uneven, according to prior reports in The Augusta Press and some of the cell locking mechanisms are worn from age and also from inmates attempting to pick or disable the locks.
MORE: Augusta Commission’s failure to pass millage rate has ripple effect
In other business, Augusta Commissioners will also revisit the matter of setting the millage rate, so that tax bills can be sent out to landowners. The commission has repeatedly stalled over the matter, but to date, there has not been a tie on any of the motions that would allow the mayor to cast a vote.
The city, at this point, cannot advertise any proposed rate, whether that rate becomes the final rate or not, which is required by state law. Meanwhile, the commission inaction has had a ripple effect on the Richmond County School Board, which cannot collect its taxes since the property tax bills from the school board are bundled in with the city property tax bills.
At issue is whether to adopt the rollback rate, which would leave taxes pretty much the same as 2021, except for those whose property has drastically gone up in value, or whether to adopt the recommendations of the Finance Department, which would raise the general millage rate from 7.986 to 8.411.
While District 6 Commissioner Ben Hasan has offered several alternatives that would allow for more funding for the Augusta Fire Department while leaving the general milage rate the same, the commission has yet to find a compromise.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
