District 1 Commissioner Jordan Johnson resigned from his position on the redistricting committee at the Oct. 5 Augusta Commission meeting.
Citing COVID-19 as a factor in his decision, Johnson made a statement before the body thanking the commission for placing him on the committee. He said that he could not continue to serve because of the impact that COVID-19 has had on his family, disclosing that a family member had contracted the virus.
“While I really do thank my colleagues for their vote of confidence in this appointment a few months ago, um, son is the first priority I have right now,” Johnson told the commission, adding, “COVID-19 is real.”
At first, people were confused at Johnson’s statement considering that he does not have children, but apparently Johnson was referring to simply being a son, according to District 8 Commissioner Brandon Garett.
“It is my understanding that it is his father who is struggling with the virus,” Garrett said.
Johnson could not be reached for comment or clarification.
The commission accepted the resignation, and District 9 Commissioner Francine Scott was affirmed as a replacement of Johnson by an 8-2 vote.
District 3 Commissioner Catherine Smith-McKnight, who has publicly lobbied for a seat on the redistricting committee, called the entire process a “ruse.”
“They knew that having (Johnson) on the committee was a conflict of interest and that any decision made by that body would never hold up in court, and his replacement was decided behind closed doors, just like always,” McKnight said.
However, a family member of Johnson’s battling COVID-19 was not an acceptable excuse for him to vacate his position on the powerful committee while still attending meetings of the full commission, according to District 10 Commissioner John Clarke.
“If he is tending to a family member with COVID-19, and it impacts his ability to serve on a board, why is he showing up to the commission meetings and possibly spreading infection? He should be in quarantine if he is being constantly exposed, rather than showing up to public meetings,” Clarke said.
According to Clarke, “It is hypocrisy and corruption on display.”
In other business, the Augusta Commission approved a recommendation from the administrative services committee to impose mask mandates on all local government buildings.
Commissioners voted that effective immediately, masks must be worn in all Richmond County public buildings. The mandate does not include state-controlled properties, such as schools.
MORE: Augusta Commission Approval for Cigar Bars Inches Close
In August, Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order banning mask and vaccination mandates for private businesses, but left the mandate option open for city and county-owned properties to enforce such measures.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com.
