The past 14 days have swung back and forth like the pendulum in the literary classic by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Emotions have run the gambit on every side of any issue whether it is in the national political arena or the local.
The definitions of the English words that we baby boomers learned in grammar school and have continued to use all of our lives no longer have the same meanings. No, words can now be redefined to mean what the person using them wants them to mean.
If you are a true American, no matter the heritage, then you will surely be wrong about the core values you were taught growing up. Nothing seems to fit anymore. Even if you add four plus five and get a total of nine, they now say that your way of reaching that answer is the incorrect way.
If you don’t believe me, ask many parents why they no longer can help their child with their homework.
People dislike others just because they don’t share the same views on subjects. Take any subject that comes to your mind whether politics , religion, sexual identity or even what color shade of green it is that is being looked at.
Yes, that is how terribly sad our country has become. So hate filled and divided. Sadly, it is the same in our beloved home of Augusta.
It seems to me that most everyone wants to argue their own brand of convenient truth. Now we all have a tendency to do that at times, but here is a real truth; there can only be one real truth.
A truth that can be backed with actual real facts and that can be shown and proven without any prejudice. Still, you will have those that will not accept real facts or truth. It just doesn’t fit their personal objectives.
The Augusta Commission is in the perceived process of hiring a new general counsel.
Now, a question was asked by a sitting commissioner about the idea of letting the city department directors be a part of the hiring process. That, to me, was a very odd thought, much less an actual question. However, with the hiring of a new Parks and Recreation director, the same question was posed by another sitting commissioner.
My question is, why would a commission think that was a good idea? Maybe someone can give a sensible reasoning for that line of thinking.
There are four finalists for the Augusta general counsel position. The names and a shortened resume of each finalist was published in The Augusta Press.
I read the names and compared them to each other. Now, I’m not going to tell the name of the one that I believe the commission will approve; that wouldn’t be fair to the other three who are in the final four. However, if past behavior of the hiring practice in Augusta stays the same, it’s not about the best qualified, but who’s the best fit.
The next Augusta committee meetings will be held Tuesday, July 30. At the time of this column’s deadline, the agendas had not been posted, but one can be assured it will be a doozy. Spending. spending, spending and more spending.
All the while nothing gets done, nothing gets repaired, grass doesn’t get cut and meanwhile, taxes and city employee’s payrolls go up.
A citizen asked me about the status of the Augusta Ports Authority. I had to tell him I have not heard anything from them. Last time I heard anything was when the Augusta Finance Director was asked about a $20,000 check paid to a supposed Ports Authority employee.
Since there are no Ports Authority employees, who got the money? We are still waiting on that answer. Kind of like who got the money from the Tax Commissioner’s office a few years back when the safe was left wide open. Both should be featured on an episode of “America’s Greatest Mysteries.”
I have to address why I have hesitations when it comes to any SPLOST referendum. This referendum asks for a yes or no vote on a single question. Do you the voter approve or disprove?
This is a slightly slanted question, in my opinion. There are some projects that I would approve of, some I wouldn’t. Here lies the conundrum. A single vote yes for all or a single vote of no for all. This is where the real problem lies.
It has been no secret that I have not been in support of a water park built and operated by Augusta. Another past commissioner enjoys taking me to task on my stance and that is his prerogative. We disagree. He has his reasons, and I have reasons as well.
In a reply, it was stated that I was a sitting commissioner when the SPLOST 8 package was approved. That would be correct; however so that there can be no doubt or misleading information, I voted no to approve the list for the public ballot.
I was not alone with a no vote. My fellow Commissioners Marion Williams and Dennis Williams also voted no. Reason being was that there were too many projects that would, in the long run, cost the taxpayers more and more to maintain for no benefit. And many were of special interest only to as few.
Now it has also been stated that I was for a white water course on the Savannah River. To that my answer was a resounding yes to the idea. That was, until I studied all of the facts, researched other dams and saw first hand what it would do to the river. Then I was and continue to this day to be against the idea of a course on the river.
Now, a course on the Augusta Canal where rapids already exist, that can be an idea to explore.
Let me tell of a couple of more no votes that didn’t endear me at all within the hallowed halls of the Marble Palace. I also voted no to the Jamestown Community Center being reroofed at a high cost. Also joining me on that no vote were Commissioners Marion Williams and Brandon Garrett.
We all pretty much know where that money went; maybe Sammie Sias will finally tell us when he gets out of prison.
I also voted no for a disparity study at the cost of $341,580. I, along with Commissioner Marion Williams, made a motion to abolish the Land Bank Authority in its entirety. That motion was met with a resounding defeat, and I am sure that the Land Bank director toasted his protectors with a nice bottle of Moet.
Yes, it was indeed an unsmooth ride being a commissioner relegated to the back seat.. It was bumpy with potholes and sinkholes everywhere, kinda like many of our streets here in Augusta.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
