Augusta Commission members have a pricey set of committee agenda items going for discussion Tuesday, including a new mayor’s office credit card policy.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle requested the mayor’s office item, after commission discussion last week of Mayor Garnett Johnson’s request for reimbursement for six months of spending, for which he used his personal credit cards.
Guilfoyle’s agenda item states the mayor will be required to use a city-issued credit card and have a monthly limit of $15,000.
Johnson and his staff have contended using his personal cards was necessary due to Augusta’s daily $500 limit and $5,000 monthly limit for city-issued credit cards.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee agenda items include documentation of Johnson’s request for around $50,000 he spent since January, much of which was in April for the Masters Tournament.
Other committees
In other action, Augusta Commission committees are set Tuesday to approve:
- A two-year contract with Immaculate Facilities Group LLC to provide janitorial services for the Augusta Fire Department administration building for $20,780 a year.
- An estimate from Central Services Interim Director Ron Lampkin to upgrade to the Fifth Street Marina. The cost is $6 million, including $400,000 for electrical system replacement.
- A $384,610 contract with Cranston LLC to provide services related to the Augusta Canal’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license for power production.
- A $550,000 spend of American Rescue Plan Act funds for Georgia Power for a street lighting assessment of some 26,000 street lights.
At an 11 a.m. called meeting, the full commission is expected to approve the millage, which is the property tax rate owners will see applied to their tax bills next month.
The new Augusta rate has not been publicized. It coincides with an increase from the Richmond County Board of Education.
For homeowners not exempt from school taxes, according to a public notice, school tax bills will go up about $167 annually on a home valued at $200,000.
