Proposals to pay Augusta residents $100 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, bonuses for public safety workers and a $15-an-hour minimum wage failed Tuesday when city commissioners disagreed on how to implement an $82.3 million Augusta Rescue Plan.
Commissioner Brandon Garrett moved to separate parts of Administrator Odie Donald’s proposed plan and deal with them individually. He moved to approve bonuses for public safety employees and a $15 minimum wage.
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Commissioner Ben Hasan said he didn’t think the commission could afford to put the vaccination incentive off. And he made a substitute motion to approve Donald’s proposal for managing the millions the city will receive from the American Rescue Plan, including public safety workers’ pay and other pay increases, as well as $1.5 million to incentivize residents to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.
In making his substitute motion, Hasan implored commissioners to expedite the process and include the vaccination incentives while making dire warnings of the city being shut down.
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“We don’t have time to play games with this,” he said. “Don’t break this process up. Our city is going to be shut down. This is a very serious issue.”
Mayor Hardie Davis supported Hasan and who gave an account of the number of people hospitalized at local hospitals.
“It costs $1,700 a day to house someone (in a hospital), and we’re talking about $100 [for the incentive],” Davis said. “This is an opportunity for us to make a difference in the lives of our citizens when 35 percent of our citizens are vaccinated.”
Most recent statistics show 40.1 percent of Richmond County residents have received one vaccination, and 34.4 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the Covid ActNow website. Covid ActNow is a non-profit formed in March 2020 “to help people make informed decisions by providing timely and accurate data about COVID in the U.S.”
Hasan’s substitute motion, voted on first, failed on a 3-5 vote with he and commissioners Bobby Williams and Francine Scott voting for it, and commissioners Dennis Williams, Catherine McKnight, Sean Frantom, John Clarke and Garrett voting against it. Commissioners Sammie Sias and Jordan Johnson weren’t present for the vote.
Garrett’s motion also failed 4-4 with Garrett and commissioners Frantom, Clarke and McKnight voting for it, and Dennis Williams, Bobby Williams, Hasan and Scott voting no with Sias and Johnson absent.
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During a discussion that lasted almost an hour, commissioners spoke passionately about their views.
Frantom said he was not on board with the $100 incentive and didn’t think it would get people excited enough to get the shot. He proposed taking the vaccination program “to the streets” and have cookouts and other events.
Clarke said he had questions about parts of Donald’s plan, such as $500,000 in salary increases.
“How about breaking that down and tell us who is going to get what,” he said. “What members of public safety are going to be paid? “
Clarke also asked whether employees of the coroner’s office were included. They weren’t, but were added to be voted on along with the rest.
“The other thing is, I’m absolutely against paying somebody to do something they ought to do because it’s the right thing to do,” Clarke said.
He said he’d like to see the agenda item outlining Donald’s proposals separated and brought back for discussion at an already scheduled special called commission meeting Thursday.
Garrett agreed.
“This is a huge agenda item,” he said.
Garrett apparently got under Donald’s skin when he complained about “always hearing about other cities” and said he was more about “modeling” what Augusta does.
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Donald said he makes a recommendation and has a good track record although his record is not “law.” He reminded commissioners that he’s told them before he makes recommendations, but they have the final say.
The U.S. Treasury Department has not yet issued all of the rules for how the money can be used.
“So, we’re balancing the risk of not having the rules,” Donald said.
And he looks to “tried and true models from across the country that have proved successful.”
He said when he’s uncertain, he looks to “those quality governments.”
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Donald’s plan calls for $2,500 bonuses to full-time public safety employees and $1,250 bonuses for part-time employees. Full-time employees would receive $500 bonuses and part-time personnel $250 if the full commission approves the plan at a later meeting. The total of the one-time payments, including $747,274 for COVID-19 vacation payouts, would be $4.6 million.
Recurring costs through 2021 total $1.96 million, which includes implementing the $15 per hour minimum wage for all employees beginning Sept. 10, and $700,202 to address salary compression.
The total 2021 projected cost of one-time bonuses and increased salaries is $6.56 million.
Sylvia Cooper is a Correspondent with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sylvia.cooper@theaugustapress.com.
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