That old paper mill smell that once lingered over Augusta has been replaced by a fishy smell. The source of the smell has been determined to come from most of the deals the elected and directed has made, all under the guise of the betterment of Augusta.
In order for that premise to be sold to the taxpayers, again the same embedded outside auditors made their yearly feel-good audit this past week to the elected body. NO FEAR! Augusta, all’s well. (Wink wink.)
Yes, indeed. The stormwater program has excess funds. Yet, Augusta still floods, and the grass isn’t cut.
The Utilities Department is in great shape with, again, excess funds. Never mind that sections of the city can’t get new water lines that won’t burst in a nanosecond; we still gotta have that 3% rate hike.
The new garbage contract has to be renewed. Engineering Director Hameed Malik recommended option number three. Of course he did. It will not have any effect on him, he lives in a gated community in Columbia County.
And it really won’t have any effect on the south side of Augusta. Only the west side and downtown area will get the rate increase to $440 a year.
Only an Augusta director of a department can make such great contract agreements.
There will still be once a week, single can pickup. Yard waste will be picked up only twice a month. The waste disposal company will be responsible for any recycling program.
Folks, there has been no real recycling program for Augusta for quite awhile. It has only been a farce. Both cans are picked up by the same truck and dumped into the same truck mixing recyclables with household garbage; that makes any potential recyclables unusable.
As stated before, the demolition of the Boathouse is being reconsidered. The interim director of Central Services, Ron Lampkin, can’t seem to get the true facts of the real numbers together. Changes during a single presentation.
Now bear in mind that the Boathouse has not been used for an extended period of time. The building is deemed unsafe, except for the Augusta Rowing Club. This leads to the question of why, then, according to the city budget, why in 2022 was $48,064 spent on the facility?
In 2023, there was a budget of $53,780 with $39,870 being shown as spent. Then, on an unused, soon to be demolished building a 2024 budget of $55,060 was given to the building. The question is, Why?
Now, this budget item leads to questions about other location amounts of budget spent monies and spent on what. In the year 2023, the budget shows that $397,141 was spent on Riverwalk. Trees and limb removal cost $669,488.
The city cemeteries spent $504,224 measuring molehills.
It would be interesting to hear the explanations of monies budgeted and spent on the Lake Olmstead Stadium. Remember, it sits unused and decaying for lack of maintenance.
Still, in 2022, $49,943 was spent on the stadium. Then in 2023 there was $77,720 budgeted and $48,535 spent. In 2024 the stadium shows a budget of $97,500. These figures come directly from the figures shown within the 2024 city budget.
It would be something to hear the Parks and Recreation director, Maurice McDowell, explain this piece of fantasy. Maybe he and interim Administrator Takiyah Douse could team up and become the duet of nonsensical answers.
Last week, the matter of new furniture was an exercise in political comedy.
The “Monarch of Mayhem,” Commissioner Bobby Williams, must have given Commissioner Tony Lewis his marching orders. Lewis became the crusader against the mayor having the audacity to ask for a budget reach-back of unused funds in the mayor’s budget of $25,000. Where will it end? What precedence does that set? After all, the mayor was the one exalting for budget cuts.
Of course, Commissioner Jordan Johnson had to put his reasoning into play. Something to the point that he would not vote if it was for political reasons. Huh? Did his nose just grow?
There are two things that Mayor Garnett Johnson needs: a full vote and office furniture.
As Commissioner Catherine McKnight pointed out, other departments have gotten new furniture and make overs. The mayor’s office hasn’t had new furniture in quite a few years.
The city is paying an outside firm $7 million dollars to tell a department director how to run his job; yet some think the mayor getting new furniture is using taxpayer’s money unwisely. They voted and the mayor is indeed getting the furniture.
The roster of candidates for office is growing, with more saying they will announce soon.
Until they do, their names will remain just a rumor. However, rumor has it that a very strong contender will announce for district one. Also, another candidate for district seven is said to be ready to announce soon.
The vote to hire Takiyah Douse as the city Administrator is supposedly happening this week. Now this is something for everyone to think about: With Douse as administrator, will interim Central Services Director Ron Lampkin be promoted to full director?
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
