Augusta’s next recreation director should keep rightsizing the city’s inventory of parks as well as recreation staff levels in mind, city officials said Thursday.
The Augusta Commission discussed what members want and agreed Thursday to reopen the job search for another 30 days, after postponing the hire in April.
The new director will replace Maurice McDowell, who resigned abruptly Feb. 13 after an internal investigation into allegations of age discrimination, sexual harassment, favoritism and fraternization.
So far, the city has culled 12 qualified candidates from 58 applicants, Augusta Human Resources Director Anita Rookard said.
An effort to assess the department with an audit has stalled several times after commissioners disagreed on whether to do one and which audit firm to use.
Deputy Administrator Charles Jackson, who has stepped in for McDowell, said the new hire takes on what’s likely the city’s largest asset inventory, some 70 parks and 20 recreation facilities.
“A lot of care and attention is required for someone in this position,” Jackson said.
In addition, the new leader will have a talented, dedicated and productive staff, he said. Morale is down, but staff is “very enthused” about a new employee advisory committee, and its input should not be overlooked, Jackson said.
The department’s relationship with Infrastructure Systems Management has produced “outstanding” analysis of cost-savings in ongoing recreation capital projects, he said. The engineering firm is headed by former city engineers Abie Ladson and Steve Cassell.
The new director should be prepared to “work hand-in-hand with ISM as we map out how we bring our facilities up to standards,” Jackson said.
Other important factors for Augusta Parks and Recreation are its ongoing partnerships with groups such as the Augusta Sports Council and Augusta National Golf Club, he said.
A major problem for Augusta’s parks and recreation facilities is vandalism. Jackson said the city should consider hiring park rangers with arrest powers to police its parks.
Commissioners Wayne Guilfoyle and Jordan Johnson emphasized the need for Augusta to divest little-used parks and facilities.
Closing parks means “a lot of tough decisions to be made,” Johnson said. “Folks are favoring greenspace now. There’s less of a need for community centers in every neighborhood.”
A list compiled by McDowell in 2022 targeted Doughty, Boykin Road, Bedford Heights, Sue Reynolds, West Vineland and Heard Avenue parks for closure, as well as popular Pendleton King and Hickman parks, which the city leases from or maintains for private foundations.
Commissioner Brandon Garrett said the new director should anticipate moving to the area, rather than make long daily commutes to work in Augusta.
Guilfoyle said candidates need to interview with other city department heads, something he said was done under former administrator Fred Russell. The interviews took place separately from commission interviews with candidates, which were typically open to the public and media.
“They have more experience than we do,” Guilfoyle said.
Rookard said having so many involved makes the decision more difficult.
“It has not been the practice to have so many people involved in your interview process, because it makes it subjective,” she said.
Commissioners said they hoped to have a director selected by Labor Day.
In other action
- After the recreation work session and representing the City Citizens Cemetery Committee, former commissioner Moses Todd and retired Lt. Col. Joyce Law asked the commission for at least $6.5 million to make repairs at the city’s historic cemeteries, a task formerly assigned to the parks department. Todd said the funds would repair crumbling roads, replace roofs on three buildings and address drainage issues. The city designated $600,000 from Sales Tax 8 for funds for 206-year-old Magnolia and Cedar Grove cemeteries and 124-year-old West View, but it wasn’t enough to get all needed work done, Todd said.
- Two late agenda additions from commissioners Francine Scott and Jordan Johnson did not progress Thursday after Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle blocked unanimous consent to add them, saying he needed more time. His objection prevented Johnson’s request – to make July 5 a mental health day off for city workers – from happening, Johnson said.
- Scott’s item was a revision of the city’s Local Small Business Program code, its affirmative action plan for ensuring greater access to city contracts by women and minorities. The proposed revision contained a handful of tweaks and subtractions and a new third chapter further defining the program and adding a process for protesting bid awards.
- The commission learned of the morning’s sale of $80 million in water and sewer bonds at 3.95% to Mesirow Financial, as well as the refunding of about $57 million in 2012 water and sewer bonds. Davenport and Co. financial adviser Courtney Rogers told commissioners ratings agencies Moody’s recently affirmed Augusta’s A1 bond rating and S&P its A+ rating.
- The commission approved the sale of some 1,735 abandoned firearms by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to Century Arms for $267,518. The office’s accumulation and adjudication of illegal firearms continues to increase, Capt. Gina White with the sheriff’s office said.
