Can the Augusta Commission and the Richmond County Board of Education work together for the betterment of Augusta? That was the question explored at a Wednesday joint meeting.
The collision of the governing bodies happened in part due to connections: School board president Charlie Walker Jr. is sales lead in Mayor Garnett Johnson’s office furniture business, and Johnson has pushed for greater city involvement in the success of the school system.
Addressing the group, Superintendent of Richmond County Schools Kenneth Bradshaw Walker said its 21 elected members have three unique characteristics: Each represents all Augusta-Richmond County citizens, each must make “very critical decisions” and all do so within a finite budget.
An area the board and commission can overlap in support is for a new schools program, known as “the Basics,” which focuses on child development from birth to age three, he said.
The system is a partner with Columbia County schools in the Junior Achievement Discovery Center of the CSRA, intended to teach financial literacy in grades 6 and 7. It’s set to open in January, Bradshaw said.
Partnering with the school system led to the successful land swap of the former Craig Houghton Elementary School for former city property adjacent to T.W. Josey High School Douse, remarked Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse.
Augusta is converting the former school to a juvenile justice center for Augusta kids, Douse said, while the city intends to redevelop the nearby former jail site at 401 Walton Way, where demolition continues.
Parent advocate Monique Braswell asked about jobs for kids.
Jasmine Sims, the former Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce vice president now chief of staff for Johnson, detailed the chamber’s “Students 2 Work” program, which connects Richmond County students with jobs in local industry.
Why do realtors refer new home buyers to Columbia County? Commissioner Sean Frantom asked the question Wednesday.
“It happens directly in Fort Gordon’s housing and transitions department,” noted Commissioner Alvin Mason, a retired Army first sergeant who works on post.
Commissioner Stacy Pulliam, a realtor, said Augusta needs to have “influencers” on advisory boards that steer military homebuyers. The area board of realtors meets monthly, she said.
Commissioner Jordan Johnson said not to forget Augusta’s homeless population, of which as many as 500 are homeless children attending Richmond County schools.
Johnson said Augusta’s Homelessness Task Force would welcome participation from the school system.
