Augusta’s quandary surrounding Mayor Garnett Johnson’s use of his personal credit cards for city expenses is nearly resolved.
In other matters from the Augusta Commission’s Tuesday meeting, a city department took heat for its stated unwillingness to help with the upcoming Arts in the Heart of Augusta festival.
The commission approved “rollback” tax rates that will reduce the tax bills of residents whose properties weren’t reassessed at a higher value, although many saw increases.
Mayor assigned city credit card
Johnson’s use of his personal cards first drew questions when he submitted dozens of receipts for credit card purchases to the Finance Department last year to be reimbursed.
When he requested reimbursement for about $44,000 in receipts for this year, Finance Director Donna Williams again requested he stop using his own card.
She said the process isn’t addressed by Augusta’s credit card policy and bypasses procurement, spending limits and other rules.
Johnson has said as mayor, he needs to make sudden, large purchases that don’t fit under the policy.
Commissioner Sean Frantom pulled the agenda item, approved by a committee last week, from the consent agenda.
“We’re going to pay back the mayor, but we’re not going to determine the rate?” Frantom asked.
The vote called for the city to reimburse Johnson for his spending, with the caveat he begin using a city credit card subject to existing spending limits and other rules.
Rules for mayor due Sept. 24
Until a committee can decide his spending limit, Johnson must abide by the city’s policy, which restricts spending to $500 a day and $5,000 per month, according to the motion. Anything higher must be approved by the card administrator.
Frantom’s motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Garrett, was to approve the reimbursement, for Johnson to be issued a city credit card and for a staff committee to return Aug. 24 with a policy for the mayor’s card use.
Commissioner Tony Lewis, who’s been reluctant to pay the bill, stressed that until the committee arrives at an alternative, Johnson’s use of the card is subject to existing rules.
“There is an existing policy already in place,” Lewis said.
The motion passed 7-1, with the mayor abstaining. Commissioners Alvin Mason, Bobby Williams and Wayne Guilfoyle were absent Tuesday.
“I believe strongly that I have the ability to vote on this matter,” Johnson said, of voting on an issue that affects him individually. But Johnson said he would abstain.
City staff commitment to Arts in the Heart questioned
In a late addition to the agenda, Frantom and Garrett also questioned the city Parks and Recreation Department’s commitment to the Arts in the Heart of Augusta festival.
With the festival coming up Sept. 20-22, a Recreation official “basically told the planners for this that (they were) not going to help with that event,” according to Garrett.
Instead, the festival was expected to rely entirely on Augusta City Enterprises, or ACE, Garrett said.
The downtown cleanup crew founded by business owners is contracted with the Downtown Development Authority. It has been aided by grants such as a 2022 allocation of $500,000 in American Rescue Act funds. Augusta Parks also received $500,000 then to make repairs and do maintenance at the Riverwalk.
Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse said city government is fully committed to the festival and that Parks and Recreation is responsible for the public property in question.
Interim Recreation Director and Deputy Administrator Charles Jackson apologized “on behalf of the city of Augusta” for any missteps made by city personnel. Employees are committed to providing “A1 customer service,” he said.
In other action:
The commission approved a list of items by consent with no discussion. They included:
- Reinstating 1% budget cuts to Richmond County Superior Court, Central Services, the Augusta Museum of History and Ezekiel Harris House and the Lucy Craft Laney Museum.
- Closing the recruitment process for a new Parks and Recreation director, receiving the five candidates and interviewing them within the next three weeks.
- Approving the “full rollback” property tax rates for all city tax districts. The reduction will lower tax bills on real estate that wasn’t reassessed at a higher value, but most were. The rolling back of the Fire Protection Fund millage cuts into Chief Antonio Burden’s effort to raise funds for capital purchases such as firefighting equipment.
- Approving a mutual aid agreement with Columbia County to receive and provide fire and emergency management assistance when needed.
- Pausing the search for a Parks and Recreation Director, receiving the five finalists and interviewing them within the next three weeks.
