There are so many things going on in Augusta, and I have no idea where to start, but as usual I have found a spot.
I can tell you this – I will not have enough room to finish, so you will have to come back next week to read what I say about the blighted properties and HCD.
However, let’s get this ball rolling with more election news. Just joining the mayor’s race is Robert Ingham. For those of you who have no idea who I am referring to — that is ok. I don’t know if he knows who he is from time-to-time.
Michael Meyers: Great Expectations
He reminds me of the guy that was on the national television show, “I got a Secret,” many decades ago. He ran for office so many times in Augusta. Yes, Robert is a “serial runner” — meaning he throws his name into races from time to time.
The last race he participated in, he actually did fairly well. I think I read he garnered about 10,000 votes. That was exactly what they wanted him to do.
So the question is — did those Ministers and that group put Ingham into this race also?
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I guess the jury is still out on that situation. Speaking of juries — Commissioner Sias is scheduled to appear in court this week. I am gathering information that the panel will wait for his plea and then tell the Governor to give Sammie the door. Now when I say plea — I’m referring to him pleading “not guilty.”
I just don’t believe he will negotiate a deal or plead guilty after he said all those things at his breakfast that morning. More importantly: is he willing to tell on the other people involved in the community center stuff? Maybe there’s more to come on THAT.
Speaking of commissioners… I believe the commissioners should get the money from the Cares Act or America Recovery or whatever it’s called. They should get money to do things in their district.
I was having a great talk with someone in the know, and they said to me they felt like $1 million was just too much. They said you can buy an election with that much money.
I feel that the commissioners deserve a raise. I talked about this before.
My issue was not to do it in the middle of a cycle. Check this out — I have an outstanding plan for the commission, and when or if they use this later, everyone here just remember: it was me who said it first.
Give each commissioner an office in their district and $100,000. So, each district has at least one Recreation Department in it. Let the Commissioners set up shop as an office in a room or location inside one of them. That will give them a place to meet their constituents and hold meetings. (Sias was already doing this. His “bunker,” however, was not in his district).
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I would suggest you don’t use one that is unoccupied. You use one that is still functioning so they don’t feel it’s their building. Now, with the money, you let the commissioner pay themselves a salary up to $50,000. They pay an assistant up to $30,000, and they use the rest for their district office —little trinkets, fans with their faces on them, community breakfasts, bottled water for when they have guests.
This plan allows us to cover a few things all at once. We get to compensate the commissioners a little better, because believe me, it’s a full time job. I can vouch for John, Hasan, Jordan and Brandon. Any time I try to sit and talk with them or have lunch, their phones are constantly going off with constituent calls.
Commissioner Garrett more so to stop the dad jokes, but I digress. (I actually like the dad jokes, and that was a joke, for the people who can’t tell the difference.) You have to admit that’s a pretty awesome plan.
We will come up with a few tweaks for it, but I’m sure you will see that soon somewhere.
On a happier note, or to bring a ray of sunshine to this column, just in case no one smiled yet, I must say that I am very impress with Sherman and Hemstreet and what they are doing with the Old First Baptist Church.
I had an opportunity to go inside and look around. That place is amazing.
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Then to hear the vision that is in place. I am glad that they are the ones who are in charge of making it happen.
The sign out front that states, “This property was saved by Sherman and Hemstreet,” doesn’t even do that company justice for what they are truly doing.
That building isn’t saved alone. We are all saved by what they are doing. It is one of those projects that should make everyone that pass by it’s they’ll feel a little better about Augusta.
MORE: Opinion: It’s a Clean Audit
The great part is, we can all play a part in this by just giving encouraging words and trying to make sure positive things we see do shine for ALL of Augusta. Something like this makes Augusta and all Augustans just a little better than we were the day before-and my goal each day is to make this world a little better than the day before.
So, with that being said, don’t forget there will be free COVID-19 vaccinations at the Barnyard Flea Market this weekend 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for ages 12 and up. Once you get that vaccination, you can head over to Damascus Road. Apparently “Aquatic CenterGate” is in full swing, and we need to see how this ties into the Jamestown Community Center and who made the phone call to request the pivot on the blighted properties… but here I am getting ahead of myself again. Well, that’s my MO.
Michael Meyers is a Columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at Michael.meyers@theaugustapress.com.
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