The Augusta Commission approved spending an additional $725,000 of its remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds at the final meeting of 2022.
The meeting was the last for three commissioners, Dennis Williams, Ben Hasan and John Clarke, as well as Mayor Hardie Davis. The terms of all four end this year.
Mayor Pro Tim Bobby Williams brought the first spending item, upgrades at the Sue Reynolds Community Center to make it ADA compliant. Commissioners Catherine Smith McKnight and Clarke had earlier pushed for improvements there.
“There are a lot of people in District 5 and District 3 that are excited and hoping to see Sue Reynolds cleaned up,” McKnight said.
Williams made a motion to spend $150,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds on the upgrades. Clarke made a substitute motion to spend $200,000 and it passed 9-1 with Commissioner Dennis Williams opposed.
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Davis presses for more library funds
Next, Davis said the Augusta-Richmond County Library System needed an additional $500,000 in rescue plan funds. State funding for libraries continues to dwindle, and the system has a running shortfall of more than $1 million, he said.
“I believe, Madam Administrator, we’ve got $4-plus million left in terms of ARP dollars, and I’m not suggesting today would be a day to exhaust all of those, but I wanted an opportunity to engage one more time before we move forward,” he said.
Several commissioners expressed unfamiliarity with the request. The library system sought and was approved for an additional $300,000 during the budgeting process, Administrator Takiyah Douse said.
“This should have had a robust discussion during the budgeting process,” Commissioner Alvin Mason said.
Bobby Williams moved to add $25,000 for mental health services, something Commissioner Brandon Garrett pushed for during the budget process.
“Mr. Garrett, is $25,000 enough for you, sir?” Williams asked.
In the end, the motion for $525,000 passed 6-4 with commissioners Jordan Johnson, Mason, Garrett and Sean Frantom opposed.
Adult entertainment revisions pass
In another item, the commission approved revisions to the adult entertainment ordinance with one new addition Tuesday: Upon leaving the dance platform, exotic dancers must cover their genital area.
Outgoing officials share final words
The four departing officials each said a few words after being presented with plaques. Commissioner Ben Hasan had served the longest, He took office early in August 2014 when his predecessor resigned.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and hope the city is in a much better place than it was when we got here,” Hasan said.
Hasan said he was proudest of three things: Augusta has its largest-ever fund balance; the city relocated dozens of families from Hyde Park, which was considered a contaminated area; and the Green Meadows neighborhood was spared the arrival of a drug- and mental-health treatment center.
Davis, who took office in 2015 and served two terms, touted improvements Augusta made to public transit, roads and green energy, as well as the community’s resilience during the pandemic.
”When we started, we knew there would be challenges, but no matter how difficult they became, our shared commitment to the ongoing success of the city that we love dearly and the place that we call home has never faltered,” he said.
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Dennis Williams said he chose Augusta as home over his native Chicago after locating here via Fort Gordon. His career took him away for 25 years but he returned and is proud to have served two terms on the commission.
“It been good knowing a lot of people; it’s been good forgetting some people, to be honest,” he said. “We have great citizens in Augusta. Sometimes our little personalities hold us back, but If we all work for the common good we’ll have a great, great place to live.”
Clarke took office early, in November 2018, after his predecessor Grady Smith died.
“I can’t say it’s been pleasurable to serve every minute, because that would be a lie. We’ve had our battles, we’ve had our differences, but it’s all been for one goal and that’s to try to make Augusta better,” he said.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
