A sizable crowd gathered Monday for an unofficial charter review committee town hall meeting. Many had doubts about the committee’s ability to successfully complete its task.
The resolution establishing the committee calls for it to convene for a term beginning April 1, 2025, and not to exceed March 31, 2026, until extended by the Augusta Commission.
With contracted assistance from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia, the committee began its work in April and meets every other week presently.
While we agree that the committee needs to expedite its work as much as possible, revising the city charter should not be rushed. Remember that the original charter was the result of a shotgun marriage that had virtually no public input.
Committee members, chosen by each sitting commissioner and the mayor, are taking the job seriously and weighing the various options while placing a premium on transparency. They are to be commended for taking their work seriously and judiciously.
Still, when the public starts making noises about dysfunction, spats during committee meetings, undue influence by those appointing them and a former state representative issues calls for the current committee to be disbanded, it’s clear that something is rotten in Denmark.
Former elected leaders, rightfully excluded from the charter review process, are free to express opinions but should otherwise step aside and not impede the committee’s work.
Current leaders, who will determine the future of the committee’s recommendations, should be similarly transparent and sincere in their responsibility to successfully transmit the recommendations to the legislature then back to Augusta voters in a referendum.
Perhaps the problems are grounded in same partisan and racial politics that have plagued city government for so long. Perhaps not. In any case, it is time for committee members to work with the Carl Vinson group to address concerns. Publication of benchmarks and timelines for their work and decision-making that the public can use to assess the committee – which should have been provided to the public before work ever began — would be a first step.
Citizens have a right to demand accountability of those serving on the charter review committee, and the committee and the city need to demand accountability from their consultants.
