(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Augusta Press.)
Opinion
Based on recent court filings in Augusta, when you live in a glass house you shouldn’t file for a divorce.
It looks like a man as smart as Mayor Hardie Davis thinks he is, would have waited a few months until his term was over before suing his wife, Evett, for divorce. But he didn’t, and now he’s objecting to the photographing, recording and/or broadcasting of any court proceedings concerning the divorce, including hearings, according to filings in Richmond County Superior Court.
In his standing objection, Davis contends there is a substantial likelihood of harm to his and his wife’s personal and professional reputations if the proceedings are allowed to be documented through photography or recordings.
In addition, the nature of a divorce action itself raises a substantial likelihood of harm to the parties, according to the objection.
“Divorce actions necessarily involve delving into the parties’ most private and personal matters. These matters generally occur in seclusion and without third-party witnesses. As such, the proof of these matters is commonly limited to the biased and exaggerated allegations of the parties themselves, which frequently remain unproven, or are even disproved, by the end of the action,” the objection states.
(Hmmm. Could it be Hardie is afraid details of Evett’s allegation about his longtime mistress will come out on the local news?)
The mayor also seems concerned there would be a substantial likelihood of harm to the integrity and dignity of the Court if the proceedings were so documented because it would be “extremely doubtful that such interest would be rooted in promoting the integrity and dignity of this Court,….”
(Whatever he’s done must be bad if it threatens the integrity of the Court.)
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What a Hoax!
Davis was absent from the Augusta Commission’s committee meetings Tuesday, and as it turns out he was out of town again. This time, he was at a U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting that created the “Mayor’s Compact to Combat Hate and Extremism.” Among the 10 key components of the compact are “Expressly Rejecting Extremism, Racism, and All Forms pf Bigotry” and “Calling for Fully Resourcing Law Enforcement and Civil Rights Investigations of Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes.”
If the Conference of Mayors were all that interested in “Denouncing all Acts of Hate Wherever They Occur,” they should denounce Ohio Democrat senate candidate Rep. Tim Ryan calling for Americans to kill and confront supporters of former President Donald Trump and his MAGA political movement.
And they should denounce President Joe Biden for calling MAGA Republicans “Violent,” “Extreme,” “Dangerous,” but saying not a word to condemn Leftist violence.
I am totally tired of their lies and hypocrisy. Democrats do not reject extremism, racism and all forms of bigotry. After all, where would they be without it?
They Didn’t Do Their Homework. Or Did They?
Georgia Tech officials knew about Davis’ troubles as mayor of Augusta when they hired him as a professor but apparently held off on announcing it when they found out, according to a partial string of e-mails obtained through an open records request.
The subject of the letter offering Davis a job as a professor began with a few optimistic emails before they learned of some “external news surrounding the mayor.” He still got the job, but the hiring was low-key.
Here are the emails:
From: Sugimoto, Cassidy R
Date: Thursday, December 23, 2021 at 1:35 PM
To: (Name Blacked Out)
Subject: FW: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter.pdf
Now that the offer is ready, I want to do a full story on our first professor of practice, Mayor Hardie Davis!!
From: (Name Blacked Out)
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 9:55 AM
To: Sugimoto, Cassidy R
Cc: Denise Ward; Michael W Pearson
Subject: Re: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter. Pdf
Absolutely, this is big news! Once we set our meeting times for the semester, we should use one of them to walk through the background _ why bring in a PoP now, what will Mayor Davis’ role be etc. We’ll also want a quote from him about the significance of this appointment.
I’m also looping in Denise and Michael to see if they have any other thoughts.
Thanks,
Grace
From: Ward, Denise<
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 10:00AM
To: (Name Blacked Out) and Sugimoto, Cassidy R<
Cc: Pearson, Michael W <
Subject: RE: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter.pdf
Thanks team.
Cassidy and (Name Blacked Out) do you both have a few minutes today for a quick call to discuss this game plan? I’m open between 12-3
From: Sugimoto, Cassidy R<
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 11:53 AM
To: Ward, Denise< >; (Name Blacked Out)
Cc: Pearson, Michael W<
Subject: RE: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter.pdf
From: Ward, Denise<
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 12:03 PM
To: Sugimoto, Cassidy R< >; (Name Blacked Out)
Cc: Pearson, Michael W<
Subject: Re: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter.pdf
Thanks Cassidy. That’s fine.
Bottom line, I think we need to hold on making any announcement at this time because of some external news surrounding the mayor. I’m happy to share more when we chat tomorrow.
Thanks,
Denise
Denise Ward
Director of Communications
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Georgia Institute of Technology
Phone (404) 894-1720 Cell (404) 433-2552
From: Sugimoto, Cassidy R<
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 9:17:03 PM
To: Ward, Denise< >; (Name Blacked Out)
Cc : Pearson, Michael W<
Subject: RE: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter.pdf
From: Ward, Denise<denise.ward@gatech.edu
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 9:18 PM
To: Sugimoto, Cassidy R sugimoto@gatech.edu; (Name Blacked Out)
Cc: Pearson, Michael W michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu
Subject: Re: Please DocuSign: Mayor Hardie Davis-Offer Letter.pdf
Yes, that works for me.
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Is There Gold in Ambulance Service? Commissioners Want it if There Is.
The city and Gold Cross EMS have resolved most issues during contract negotiations, but a few thorny ones remain, interim City Administrator Takiyah Douse told Augusta commissioners Tuesday.
So far, the two sides have designated Fire Chief Antonio Burden as the contract administrator and designated non-peak hours for ambulance service as between 8 p.m. and 7:59 a.m. Sunday through Friday.
They also set response time standards and the number of ambulances that will be in service in Augusta during peak hours and non-peak hours. And the city will buy a computer program that will track their whereabouts. Gold Cross already has a tracking system.
The contract will be for five years with two renewal options for a total 10 years. Termination clauses and liquidated damages have been added. Gold Cross will pay a penalty if it doesn’t meet response time averages during a quarter.
Response Time Standards are:
Priority level 1 in urban area less than 12 minutes on 90 percent of calls.
Priority Level 1 in rural area less than 15 minutes on 90 percent of calls.
Priority Level 2 in urban area. Must respond in less than 15 minutes on 90 percent of calls.
Priority Level 2 in rural area. Must respond is less than 20 minutes on 90 percent of calls.
The city has agreed to pay $250,000 for three Quick Response Vehicles that would be in service 24/7. Gold Cross wants $500,000.
Gold Cross will be required to undergo an annual financial audit.
The city also wants Gold Cross to obtain a performance bond, which is an unresolved issue.
Commissioner Alvin Mason asked what the issue was with Gold Cross purchasing a performance bond.
“A performance bond is very costly,” said Steven Vincent, Gold Cross vice president. “We are constantly buying ambulances and equipment. It affects your ability to borrow money. We’ve been here since 2006 and have never had one. It increases the cost of doing business.”
Mason said the city has a choice to renew or opt out of a contract every year.
“And we should keep in mind that we do not determine who our service provider is,” he said. “That’s determined for us, and I would certainly like to see us work with them versus in what appears to be against them. Or more appropriately what’s in the best interest of our constituents. That’s more appropriate to say.”
Commissioners will set Gold Cross’ subsidy and transport fees.
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Rain Tax! Rain Tax! Go Away! And Don’t Come Back Another Day!
A commission committee also received a presentation from engineering department employees about the essential services the city’s stormwater fee (rain tax) funds.
Oscar Flite III, stormwater service manager, said flooding has become more prevalent in Augusta and that the city is required by the state to have a stormwater program.
It was a convincing presentation. I think he gave one just like it a few years ago, but then, not that much has changed with the stormwater system since then. Some commissioners weren’t all that impressed. Mason wanted to know why the program needed 82 employees, and Commissioner John Clarke renewed his call for an audit.
Commissioners are all for auditing other businesses like Gold Cross, but when anybody suggests auditing a city department, they break out in hives.
A Huge Loss
People in Augusta and Columbia County were shocked and saddened by the sudden death of longtime Richmond County Board of Education attorney Pete Fletcher who was also attorney for the Columbia County Board of Education for many years.
Pete was always kind and helpful to me. I did not usually attend board of education meetings, but when I did, he’d always make it his business to stop by my seat and ask what I was up to.
Condolences to his family in their time of grief.
Gone to the Dogs
Since voting in America has gone to the dogs with dogs and cats getting absentee ballots in the mail, these famous dogs are watching the news on big scree TV at their favorite hangout, “Bones Bar & Grill.”
(Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn’s “Bartender” is playing on the jukebox)
Please listen to me bartender
I’ve got something on my mind
I think I might feel better
After one more glass of wine.
I’m payin’ for a broken heart/
The price of love is high
With nothing left to live for:
What’s there to do but die.
I know your story honey,
They’re all the same you see
Why, I knew the minute that you walked in
You want to talk to me.
Johnny: I’m really getting worried about our getting to vote in this next election with all this talk about how they’re going to require voter ID.
George: Don’t worry about it Johnny. If it’s anything like last time, everybody will get to vote, ID or not.
Johnny: I’m not so sure about that.
Jerry Lee: Be Bop A Lula! Everybody going to get to vote again this time.
Hank: That’s right. Remember how they had those “Souls to the Polls” dinners where they fed everybody who showed up to the church and then bused them to the polls to vote. The Republicans raised all holy hell and said it was illegal, but nobody listened to them. And in some places they even had a program called “Take a Goat to Vote!” It was very successful, too.
Merle: Why, in some places they were lettings pigs and hogs vote. All they had to do was put their feet in the mud and then press it on a voter registration form and they got a ballot. It was sort of like folks who can’t write making an X.
Jerry Lee: Be Bop A Lula!
Buck: You know, once you let somebody set a precedent, it’s set. That’s why they call it a precedent.
Johnny: Hey look, there’s Joe Biden talking about the success of his Inflation Reduction Program.
George: But look at the bottom of the screen, it’s saying inflation rose again last quarter.
Hank: Inflation didn’t rise. It skyrocketed. I can’t hardly afford to eat. My canned food is up to over two dollars. At this rate, I’m going to have to start turning over garbage cans again.
George: Oh man, those were the good old days.
Merle: Listen! There’s David Allen Coe on the jukebox.
Jack Daniels, if you please
Knock me to my knees
You’re the only friend
There has ever been that didn’t do me wrong
Jack Daniels, if you please
Knock me to my knees
You can kill this pain that’s driving me insane
Since my baby’s gone
Cigarettes and whiskey
Calm my shaking hands
I just lost a lover to a one night stand
Something temporary too late I had to learn
Someone from her past
Said it couldn’t last a bridge she could burn
Sylvia Cooper is a columnist with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sylvia.cooper@theaugustapress.com
