Augusta is looking to Savannah as it begins refining a proposed non-discrimination ordinance recommended by Mayor Hardie Davis.
The working group, led by Commissioner Francine Johnson, held a virtual meeting Sept. 23 to work out the language for the final document. Commissioner Jordan Johnson began the discussion by going over the filing fee, filing process and enforcement plan.
MORE: Defining a Non-Discrimination Ordinance for Augusta
“I think Compliance Department is definitely the right place to go being that they are well versed in the world that we’re trying to address,” he said. “One thing I would suggest to the committee is that we move toward a hearing officer model versus the route that’s presented now. I think if we go the hearing officer model, it gives the Compliance Department the opportunity to designate a hearing officer.”
The draft of the Augusta ordinance calls for complaints to go to Richmond County Civil and Magistrate Court.
Johnson had also suggested the filing fee be somewhere around $50.00 to $100.00. Attorney Matthew Duncan of Equality Augusta agreed.
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“I do think a filing fee is warranted; you always want someone to have skin in the game,” he said. “I would prefer it be on the lower end. Around $50.00 would be sufficient, especially if we’re talking about individuals earning minimum wage. We don’t want the filing fee to be so burdensome that they cannot bring the issue to the Compliance Department.”
Duncan also supported using that department to receive any complaints but to then turn it over to a hearing officer. Sue Parr, president and CEO of the Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce, agreed.
“I think that is a great way to go,” she said. “If you look at other ordinances throughout the state, there is a person that reviews the claim for all of the information that is required and makes a determination whether it should move forward.”
The group also wondered about the length of time from the filing of the complaint to the complainant receiving a response.
Phyllis Johnson, Augusta compliance director, suggested using the city’s existing equal employment opportunity policy guidelines.
“There are timelines within our EEO policy that states the complainant will hear back from us within a certain amount of days. I would see the ordinance following that same guideline,” she suggested.
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Administrator Odie Donald mentioned using the sections of the Savannah ordinance dealing with filing fees, filing procedure and enforcement as a guideline. Commissioner Francine Johnson said she spoke with Savannah officials earlier in the week and they report they still have not received a complaint filed under its ordinance.
Johnson made the suggestion to have Augusta’s ordinance follow the guidelines of the Savannah ordinance for the filing fee and using a hearing officer but to make the Compliance Department responsible for receiving the initial complaint. In Savannah, the city clerk’s office receives any complaints.
MORE: Work Continues on Augusta’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance
The members of the working group reached a consensus on the wording. Attorney Wayne Brown of the city’s legal department was instructed to revise the existing draft to reflect the group’s wishes.
Brown was given two weeks to draw up the revised version. It will then be distributed to members of the working group for review before their next meeting on Oct. 14.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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