An Augusta commission committee held off Tuesday on approving a 37% garbage fee hike that eliminates recycling and raises an additional $9.7 million for “ancillary costs” which some had questions about.
A committee also held off on setting guidelines for choosing members of a charter review committee, referring the action and the garbage item to the full commission without a recommendation.
Former commissioner Moses Todd said during Tuesday committee meetings the fee hike needs a public hearing.
Garbage fees appear on a property owner’s annual tax bill and nonpayment can result in their property being sold on the courthouse steps, he said.
“What the public wants is a fair shake, not just the easy way out… to put the burden on the rate users,” Todd said.
Commissioners had numerous questions about Engineering and Environmental Services Director Hameed Malik’s proposal of a $440 annual garbage fee, up from its current $320.50, including why Malik did not present bids from vendors to service the entire county.
Instead, he presented bids from Georgia Waste System LLC, a division of Waste Management, and Coastal Waste Recycling Inc. each to service about half of Augusta’s 78,000 garbage customers.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle questioned that and other aspects of the procurement, and asked to see fines imposed on the two vendors – which currently haul the city’s trash – for missed pickups over the last three years.
Commissioners Sean Frantom said having a single vendor bid on the entire county likely could have saved a few million dollars.
Mayor Garnett Johnson asked what the waste hauling contracts did to address recycling. Malik said any household desiring to recycle would have to enter a separate contract with the waste hauler.
Johnson also questioned the reduction in service and the value of the ancillary services.
“Who’s going to account for that?” the mayor asked.
Malik’s schedule of “ancillary costs” covered by $9.7 million in increased fees included contract management, environmental compliance, street sweeping, vacant lot cutting, building demolitions, mosquito control and a transfer to the general fund, according to his presentation.
On the charter review committee, an effort spearheaded by Johnson, commissioners questioned proposed restrictions on who can serve. A proposed resolution bars current and former elected officials, city employees and anyone currently serving on a local board from participating.
Johnson said the goal was to make the process apolitical, but Commissioner Jordan Johnson said having commissioners make the appointments makes the committee inherently political.
“The more independent and objective the group is, the better,” said David Tanner from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
The institute is proposing to facilitate the charter review process for $320,174. Tanner said the process typically takes 18 months, although Mayor Johnson is proposing a shorter 12 months.
Johnson said the process would have “plenty of room for dialogue” that could involve the current and former officials, while Commissioner Bobby Williams said having members with knowledge of the local government would be preferable to someone “starting from scratch.”
The largest county the Vinson Institute has assisted, DeKalb, used a different process that included elected state legislators, Tanner said.
In other action, the full commission approved the 2025 budget presented by Administrator Tameka Allen. The budget leaves spending at 2024 levels and includes funding sought by Sheriff-elect Gino Brantley and District Attorney Jared Williams.
In approving the budget, the commission avoided Allen’s proposal to slash funding for non-governmental organizations, which range from victim support organizations to the Augusta Land Bank, by appropriating contingency funds.
