Augusta Commissioner Catherine McKnight tried to get commissioners to agree to start in-person meetings in commission chambers in mid-April, but her motion didn’t receive enough votes to pass.
McKnight’s motion to reopen commission chambers to commissioners and the public starting April 13 failed with McKnight and commissioners John Clarke and Brandon Garrett voting yes and Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Williams and commissioners Sean Frantom, Jordan Johnson, Francine Scott, and Dennis Williams voting no. Commissioner Sammie Sias abstained, and commissioner Ben Hasan was not present.
Commissioner Sean Frantom, who at an earlier meeting had proposed waiting 30 days, which will be up next week, said he’d like to hear Donald’s recommendation before voting. Donald, however, said he wouldn’t be able to present his findings on reopening until next week’s committee meetings or even until the March 16 commission meeting.
Donald cautioned that if all commissioners were to return to meet in person, it could put the whole governing body and staff out of commission.
“The current status is, we have to have a plan to re-enter safely,” he said. “If you were to put all of our staff and commissioners into chambers without certain precautions, and say one person were to come up positive, you basically take out your whole commission and staff at one time.”
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Mayor Hardie Davis said they’d also have to purchase equipment through emergency procurement orders before re-opening commission chambers to in-person meetings. He said Covid-19 was still an on-going pandemic and that while there are vaccines available, there are new strains of the virus.
“And we have to make sure that we provide for the health, welfare and safety of all Augusta citizens,” he said.
Commissioner Brandon Garrett questioned using emergency procurement procedures.
“In regards to this emergency procurement that the mayor stated we’re going to need, what sort of items are we going to need?” Garrett asked. “I mean, we’ve known we’re going to have to be preparing to meet in person for quite some time. I know the plexiglass is already in place, as well as other measures. What else is needed?”
Donald said some of the items, such as thermometers for temperature checks have already been put on order, but if the public is allowed inside commission chambers, they’ll likely have to buy other materials to “reconfigure the chamber.
”In other action Tuesday, commissioners went into a legal session, and upon reconvening, unanimously voted to accept the resignation of environmental Services Director Mark Mehaw, who will receive 45-days severance.
Sylvia Cooper is a Correspondent with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sylvia.cooper@theaugustapress.com
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