Talking with a sitting Augusta commissioner this past week, I was asked what song I was going to dedicate to the commissioners. I had to chuckle to myself. For a group of people claiming they don’t read anything in TAP, they seemed to know all about what is written.
Well, this past week’s song just has to be the 1975 hit written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and performed by the Eagles, “Lyin’ Eyes.” The song is about a person seeking self gratification and blaming it on their significant other. It’s about deception. The realism is, the person who is supposedly being deceived knows full well what’s taking place. Sounds like the relationship between the Augusta Commission and the taxpayers.
“But you can’t hide your lyin’ eyes and your smile is a thin disguise; I thought by now you’d realize there ain’t no way to hide your lyin’ eyes.”
With millions of dollars pouring into the Augusta government coffers, there’s never enough money to perform a job such as much needed and overdue road paving. Grass cutting, drainage ditch maintenance or any landscaping. When the no money excuse has played out, the switch to the not enough people to do the job excuse is then put into play. Maybe one way to get a job done is to have more workers than elitist supervisors and administrators.
Budget cuts
The big commotion and bone of contention during this past commission meeting was the issue of reinstating the 1% budget cuts to each department. The Gang of Five was in full favor of the reinstatement. So much so that Commissioner Bobby Williams actually showed up to vote yes in person. Missing in action once again was Commissioner Branden Garrett. Out for just awhile longer is Commissioner Alvin Mason.
Now Commissioners Scott and Johnson were on their soap boxes all aghast at the mere thought of not putting the money back into the departments. Commissioner Jordon Johnson just couldn’t understand why he couldn’t get a reasonable answer to his question, why not?
Voting on the matter
The Gang of Five was so intent on getting it approved that they called for reconsideration of the vote. Then called for a re-vote and insisted it be a roll call vote. They were playing their tactic of bullying and trying to confuse the ones voting no into a slip up and yes vote. That didn’t happen.
Commissioner Tony Lewis even asked the city attorney if, since the mayor’s last name began with the letter J, didn’t he have to vote in alphabetical order instead of last? Answer: it is how the commission approves or changes the way a vote is taken. So watch out; they will attempt to change the way the votes are cast. Talk about doing everything and anything to foul the mayor’s vote.
Costs increasing
Now Commissioner Francine Scott was just a bit distraught. She stated to WJBF television, “The cost of everything is going up, and I think they need the money, and I’m a proponent of them having the money back because I think it’s unfair.”
Unfair? Commissioner Scott, isn’t it unfair to keep asking the taxpayers to keep coughing up money for more nothing to get done. As an educated person you should know that people invest to get a return. In Augusta, the taxpayers keep investing and keep getting less and less. So, would it not be fair to return tax dollars to the taxpayers?
Now, most people know how to make a budget. At least responsible people do. Successful businesses certainly do. The Augusta interim administrator and department directors obviously don’t.
Engineering director Dr. Hameed Malik, was explaining why the 1% budget cut wouldn’t work for his department. They have certain dedicated money amounts they must pay contractors and some vendors. You know, just like an individual home owner and taxpayer with a dedicated mortgage payment, auto loan payment or insurance payment, they can’t be shorted when making a budget. However a hard working taxpayer with a family to provide for just may have to buy four pounds of hamburger meat instead of five pounds. That’s where the cuts come from. Only within Augusta government does that not apply.
The Engineering Department has one of the largest pools of money coming in, and they seem not to have to explain or account for where it goes. Here is just a few examples.
SPLOST 8 projects
SPLOST 8 calls for a combined $43.5 million in road surfacing and grading and drainage projects and a $14 million for a depot project. Now this doesn’t account for the TIA money for road projects or the approximate $13 million in 2024 stormwater fees collected. Not to mention income from property taxes and other tax revenue. How has this money been spent? Where is it?
Lets go back to SPLOST 7 that began in 2015. There was $25 million in stormwater money in that SPLOST. How was it spent? Here is a goody that really needs to be answered on where the money is at. What about the $8.5 million for Wrightsboro Road reconstruction from Highland Avenue to Marks Church Road.
The road in front of the Augusta Mall entrance and under Bobby Jones Expressway did get paved and redesigned; however as most of you know ,the other portion of Wrightsboro Road has not been touched. This has been nine years, folks. Where’s the money? Account for it.
One commissioner stated he was against a forensic audit because most of the people that were involved in wrongdoing is no longer employed with the city. My response is that it will tell the full story of who, what, where and all people that were involved and compliant.
What about the audit?
Remember the last commissioner’s election when each candidate was asked if they would support and vote for an audit? All but three stated they would. Only two of that three remain. So it looks like there may be six votes needed for the audit after the first of the year. Hold them accountable.
A special called meeting took place this past Tuesday to discuss personnel. It was fully voted and approved that Attorney Jim Plunkett would become the interim city attorney starting immediately. Attorney Wayne Brown would stay and help acclimate Plunkett to the duties for two weeks. When the commissioners came back into chambers to vote to approve in public, wouldn’t you just know it, one of the Gang of Five just had to pee in the corn flakes and try to change the deal they all just approved in legal. That was Commissioner Tony Lewis.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
