Augusta officials are no closer to starting an administrator search but made some appointments and advanced facility dedications Tuesday.
The city commission also approved with the inclusion of 28 parking spaces rezoning the historic Marion Building as a planned-unit development of 56 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
At a workshop last week, several commissioners discussed moving forward with a national search for an administrator, to potentially replace Interim City Administrator Takiyah Douse. But Commissioner Jordan Johnson objected to adding the late agenda item Tuesday.
“I think we should push that back a little more. I don’t think we’re at the point where we need to be making any decisions on that today,” said Johnson, whose objection blocked the addition.
The commission appointed business owner Donnie Thompson to Augusta Canal Authority and reappointed lobbyist Butch Gallop to the Augusta Economic Development Authority, both at the request of Commissioner Alvin Mason.
Members also moved forward with dedicating the Augusta Utilities and Engineering building to Tom Wiedmeier, the longtime utilities director who died Aug. 12, 2020, of COVID-19 at age 59, and a ballfield at Diamond Lakes Regional Park to Andy Cheek, the former commissioner who died March 10.
The commission also took no action on approving $50,000 sought by Junior Achievement for a Discovery Center of the CSRA being built at a Columbia County School District property in Evans.
Commissioner Sean Frantom said the donation “opens up a can of worms” as various groups continue to ply the commission for donations. But without the contribution, the commission won’t get “branding and representation inside the facility,” which includes a miniature town hall, said Ashley Whitaker, development director for CSRA Junior Achievement.
Both the Columbia and Richmond school districts reportedly already committed $2.5 million each to the project. Its two sections include BizTown, which has 18 businesses sponsoring storefronts where middle-schoolers can learn to be consumers. The second section Is Finance Park, where pupils explore careers, budgeting and money management.
