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Project Azalea under review by Augusta Planning

The proposed development of what may be a new Amazon distribution facility in south Augusta is underway, according to city records.

The Columbia County Management and Internal Services Committee approved moving forward with the initial appointments to the Columbia County Library System. Those appointments are: • Connie Melear – countywide (Columbia County District 1 Commissioner) • Rusty Jarrett - District 1 • District 2 vacant • Secelia Brown – District 3 • John Luton – District 4 (Community Services division director) County Manager Scott Johnson said “As you know, now that Columbia County is going to have a standalone library board, we have to appoint new members. These members will need to begin work pretty soon, working on bylaws, the guidelines that are in place, we will need to hire a new regional director, so they do have some work to do.” The District 2 seat will remain vacant until after the District 2 Board of Commissioner seat is filled following the election on Nov. 4. Karin Parham, with the Freedom to Read Coalition of Columbia County, read a statement on their thoughts on the proposed library board members. “Our organization is concerned about the direction of the new Columbia County Library System,’ Parham said. “When county administration, through the Community Services division director, continues to manage library services operation while also placing that same position on the board that hires and oversees the library director, it creates a built-in conflict of interest. So even if direct supervision of staff changes, real control still rests with the county manager and the commission through the administrative link. That means the library’s independence only exists on paper and not in practice. So, we urge the county to establish a structure that keeps library government separate from county administration and political influence.” District 1 Commissioner Connie Melear said she wanted to be on the board to help guide it. “We felt like we needed somebody on the commission on there to help guide it and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. I haven’t participated much in the library aspect before and now this is my opportunity.” The committee approved moving the members to the full Board of Commissioners. Aa resolution to establish the Columbia County library fees fund was also discussed. “Historically, the Library Advisory Board had a fund that money would go into for late fees and other fees, with the sale of books and those sort of things. It’s grown into a pretty sizeable amount of money, so with the Library Advisory Board no longer in place, it’s incumbent upon the county now to establish a fund for that. Due to our fiduciary responsibility, I would ask that we would use this resolution to establish a special revenue fund that way those funds could continue to be earmarked for library operations and use.” The committee also approved moving forward with this resolution. The next Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium at the Evans Government Center Complex.

Featured Article: News, Politics & Government

Columbia County to hold all committee meetings Tuesday

Tuesday will be a busy day for Columbia County government as all five committees will meet due to the Christmas holiday.

SRS Fire Department hosts DOE fire chiefs for three-day benchmarking visit

The Savannah River Site Fire Department hosted fire chiefs from across the Department of Energy complex for a three-day benchmarking and training visit aimed at improving fire safety practices and strengthening emergency response coordination.

Featured Article: Education, News, Politics & Government

All public schools to have naloxone by spring

In a nod to the spread of opioids, Georgia is installing overdose reversal kits at all 2,300 public schools in the state using money from a legal settlement with the pharmaceutical industry.

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Bribery charge filed after Augusta man tries giving flowers to judge in 2024 case

Richmond County Crime Map: November 26-December 2

List keeps getting bigger: SPLOST 9 climbs to $463 million

Columbia County Development Authority closes on property sale to Trammell Crow

Augusta University announces graduation speakers for December commencement ceremonies

Toy gun, bullet, and threats: Busy week for ARC and other county schools

Rick McKee sits with his sketches at his desk. The former editorial cartoonist with "The Augusta Chronicle" has created a new comic strip, "Mt. Pleasant," which launched in newspapers

From Politics to Mt. Pleasant: Former Editorial Cartoonist Launches New Comic Strip

After two decades of creating editorial cartoons for The Augusta Chronicle, artist Rick McKee has started his own comic strip...

Two construction workers labored Christmas Week to help the owner open his dual concept restaurant next to The Soul Bar in the former Blue Sky Kitchen.

People in the downtown Augusta area will get to sample two new restaurants in the Spring of 2021

A favorite go-to meal for frugal college students is set to be the main course at a new restaurant scheduled...

Georgia Marijuana Laws May Change This Year

The 2021 Georgia General Assembly will have the opportunity to move the state closer in line with the national trend...

Halftime in Georgia: A look back at Kemp’s first two years as governor

by Beau Evans | Capitol Beat News Service It was bill-wrangling season in the state legislature, and Gov. Brian Kemp was visiting...

Salutary From Managing Editor Scott Hudson

Hello there! I am told by our editor-in-chief that this type of column used to be known in the publishing...

High School Winter Sports Schedule

Covid hasn’t stopped local high schools from scheduling their winter sports competitions. Click on the links below to find out...

CALIFORNIA COMPANY INVESTS IN TAXSLAYER

The opening of tax season is already paying big dividends for Augusta based TaxSlayer. Marlin Equity Partners of Los Angeles...

Augusta Richmond County Municipal Building. Photo courtesy of Sherman and Hemstreet Real Estate

Sias Investigation Continues

At first it seemed like a story straight out of a Hollywood production. It had all the classic ingredients: corruption,...

Seven homicide cases in Augusta remain unsolved. The victims are shown here with the exception of Charles Watkins victim

Seven Augusta Murders Go Unsolved as Killings Keep Climbing

As Jalen Parks’s family prepared to bury him on May 16, they looked up from the graveyard and saw that...

The First Providence Baptist Church was founded in 1860

North Augusta Council Designates Carrsville African-American Heritage Site

The North Augusta City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 4 to designate the Carrsville neighborhood as an African-American Heritage District. ...

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