In one of his first votes to carry some weight, Mayor Garnett Johnson helped defeat the reinstatement of 1% budget cuts to certain city departments and agencies Tuesday.
In other action, the commission postponed taking voting power away from city employees who serve on boards and authorities, and on hiring a consultant to help Augusta Animal Services address its high kill rate.
MORE: Columbia County approves lowering of millage
“We’re never going to get away from the fact that euthanasia is a part of the process,” James Hill, animal services director since 2019, told commissioners.
Last year, the commission voted to require all departments to make 1% cuts from their 2024 budgets and to review the impact of the cuts midyear.
In July, commissioners agreed to reinstate the funds to Engineering, the stormwater program and Environmental Services, at the request of Director Hameed Malik.
The commission had agreed to not cut or restore funds to the Richmond County solicitor general, marshal and 911.
All told, the eliminated cuts totaled $752,480, according to a meeting agenda document.
About 24 departments and some outside agencies also made requests for reinstatement of some, all or additional funds for the commission to vote on Tuesday.
The requests ranged from $510 for the Ezekiel Harris House and around $33,000 for juror fees, to $111,600 for Recreation wages and maintenance and $68,840 for Central Services travel, training and projects.
A vote to restore the funds failed 5-4, with Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Garrett and Commissioner Alvin Mason absent Tuesday.
Mayor Johnson and commissioners Catherine Smith McKnight, Sean Frantom and Wayne Guilfoyle voted against reinstating the funds.
Commissioner Jordan Johnson said the commission already agreed to restore funds to some departments for training and other claimed needs.
“Why wouldn’t we approve the additional 1%?” he said.
After the vote, Commissioner Tony Lewis questioned why the mayor, who gained a vote on all commission actions in a May referendum, voted last, while the rest of the commission votes in alphabetical order during roll-call votes.
“His last name is Johnson, so I just wanted to know,” Lewis said.
Johnson said when he had a tie-breaking vote only, he voted last.
General Counsel Wayne Brown said now that Johnson can vote or abstain on every item, it’s up to the commission to determine when he votes during a roll-call vote.
New board rule postponed
Frantom said it was a “no-brainer” that city employees not be voting members of city boards and authorities.
Community members should be allowed to participate, and the employees engage in deals “behind closed doors” when they make decisions, he said.
The city’s database of commission, board and authority members is incomplete, but reveals only a handful of employees serving on them.
Augusta Canal Authority includes a staff member from animal services who was appointed by state legislators. The board of elections includes a part-time city attorney. The library board includes the legislative appointment of a human resources employee.
Augusta, Georgia Land Bank Authority’s enabling legislation has four city employees specified among its seven members: the city administrator, planning director, tax commissioner and tax assessor.
Brown said the effort should pause to look at its impact, including whether the commission can cut short an appointed voting member’s service.
Moving the discussion to the Aug. 29 committee cycle passed 6-3 with Jordan Johnson, Bobby Williams and Lewis opposed.
In other action, in an agenda addition requested by Guilfoyle, the commission gave final plat approval to “Premier Estates,” a new subdivision on Brown Road.
