Augusta government was fully on display Saturday at the second-annual Augusta on Display trade-show-style event.
Nearly every city department and division, from the tax assessor’s office and the city street sign shop to the Richmond County Marshal and Augusta Fire Department, had a booth where members of the public could pick up gear and snacks and ask questions. Only a couple of governing authorities were missing.
Parked outside the Julian Smith Casino event were multiple public safety, Engineering and Augusta Utilities available for tours.
“All our departments are here as well as several elected officials and offices, so we’re very pleased about the turnout,” said Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse, whose office founded and puts on the event.
Douse said turnout by the public had exceeded last year’s approximately 150, when it was held at Diamond Lakes Regional Park. This year’s event added several dogs offered by Augusta Animal Services for adoption, and health screenings by Central EMS, she said.
“I think this is a great event, simply because it gives us an opportunity to expose our city to our constituents,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson, who attended. “Folks have concerns that they’re always calling and needing help with, and so this is an opportunity to get them in front of people who can help them.”
Several other current and former elected officials attended, including Mayor Garnett Johnson and former Commissioner Marion Williams.
“I think it’s a good event. I really enjoyed the crowd. The weather was perfect,” Williams said. “They could have advertised it a little more, maybe they had a computer glitch or something like that. As far as the participation, a lot of people have never seen some of the stuff that’s on display.”
