Column: The commission needs to return to civility
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Recent posts
The writer is proclaiming victory on the issue of AUDITS with the same fervor that former President Bush declared premature victory in Iraq . I believe that the Commission opposition to AUDITS —- has once again defeated the pro-AUDIT advocates , and the pro-AUDIT advocates are willing to accept the compromise motion and attempt to fool their constituents into believing that something significant has been accomplished.
Perhaps the Mayor will appoint an ad-hoc committee of community volunteers (no cost to the taxpayers) to examine the records of the STORMWATER TAX .
Former Mayor Bob Young and former Commissioner Moses Todd would be good appointees to start a 10 person committee .
Please, no more committees. it is improbable that the obstructionist commissioners will listen to and follow the committee’s advice. That means more talk, expense, and even less action.
And more secret behind closed doors meetings..
The audits need to have teeth and a time limit to be completed. Yes it will cost to complete the audits but the findings can save more than the cost of the audits. Each Department should have a SOP manual that every employee has been checked off as read. The employees do not need to be able to recite the manual but should know where a copy of the manual is kept and can reference that copy if a question on procedures arises. I am sure HR has a procedure for new hires as to what can and can’t be done on the job and so should each Department. The SOP manual would direction on each job title and what their duties are. A copy of each Departments SOP should be on the ARC WEB site.
Agree Mr. Powell. Not trying to be hard but, no raises to employees except through evaluations. Salary employees should not be compared for their pay to Columbia Co. or other municipalities, everyone is different. If we get back to a better organized common sense city with professional and reasonable structure we will attract the right employees and a better city. If an employee is unhappy you will see a track record with the employee or the job, department that should be looked at by a unbiased manager or adminstrator or caught through the proposed organization audit. Plus, we need a transparent budget and stop the giving to every tom, dick, and harry, especially now – we have gotten way out of hand over many years and it balloons daily. It may take years but it will make it easier for all and I believe you will see us move to a desirable-top place to live not only in Georgia but in the USA. It’s time we my changes.
Yet there is one commissioner who wants immunity for employees for financial malfeasance because they are not trained to do the right thing.
Well I am skeptical of the Standard Operating Procedures manuals. My guess, if there are any departmental manuals, they need to be updated.
In my opinion, you can not conduct an operational audit without examining the internal controls.
The departments of Income accounts need to be examined first.
Utilities, StormWater, Licenses and Permits, Property Taxes, are good departments to start the first operational reviews.
Can you imagine this audit process making the County Government more efficient and saving the taxpayer’s money?
And yes, Catherine McKnight deserves a huge county thank you for her success in implementing this audit process.
Mr. Clarke the voters should also thank you. In office or out, you and Ms. McKnight have never let up pushing for this much needed audit review.
P.S.-
Manners and civility are learned. It will take a lot of ego shedding for manners to ever take precedent.
I remember seeing a session of the South Korean National Assembly that degenerated into a WWE brawl with members throwing punches and slamming each other with chairs. A few commissioners and their toadies could benefit from a well-placed folding chair.
Until the former mayors office is audited? I won’t believe any audit moving forward. The in your face attitude of Davis should warrant the State Attorney Generals office to look into it..it was flagrant, he illegally used his credit card, my brothers keeper paying one person all that money, the circumvention of the procurement process, the implication that he was paying someone city money that’s rumored to be involved in the dissolving of his marriage? Any one of these things by itself is bad, but collectively? It’s really bad…now we can add in him using his credit card to rent a storage shed with taxpayer money for use after he is no longer the mayor..the city should be able to legally view the contents of that shed..I hope the stink of what he has done prevents him from ever holding another office in any branch of government again..I also question any church that would allow him to stand in the pulpit and act like a man of god…
An audit in RC is a dead horse. Just keep beating it and it still won’t move. There is enough prima facie evidence to have legal action taken as to the shenanigans of the former mayor and administrative action against some department heads. The problems there won’t be addressed until the system goes bust. This time, there will not be a consolidation bill to save them. The problem is they still burden property owners with picking up the tab. And I guess this will pass editorial review, One must understand the chip one gets on one’s shoulder when you are the last person picked, especially in basketball or because you own the ball.
With the knowledge that Augusta Richmond County already have an external / nternal auditor on contract to do internal audits. I supported the commission going out for RFP so the Commission could get back to other important business. Like exempting Seniors Citizens below the poverty level from stormwater fee!
I applaud Commissioner McKnight for being able to tolerate all this BS. Bobby Williams needs to go.