Commission - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Lee Nid commission chambers for this edition of the Gusta Richmond County Commission meeting. Madame Clerk, the time is now 2:09 p.m. I call this meeting to order. Mr. Mayor, thank you. At this time, we will have our invocation shared with us today by All right. Try now. Ready.

Are you ready? Okay. Today's invocation will be shared with us today by Reverend James Williams Jr. interim pastor of the historic Hosana Missionary Baptist Church. After which we would like to stand for our pledge of allegiance and ask the honorable Judge Allen to please lead us in our pledge of allegiance. Thank you.

Yes, sir. the pledge. No.

Good evening, Madame Clerk and Mr. Mayor and commissioners. As we prepare to go into our invocation for our meeting today, uh let us be reminded as I came up on the uh campus of our uh commission. I noticed the flag is at half mass, half staff. And let us be reminded that recently we've lost uh employees and um those who served our community. Let us be in prayer with them and their families and also our county employees as those have been affected by and with their presence. Let us pray. Our heavenly father, we come today first of all thanking you for another day. Thanking you for who you are, your God. and not only you your God but you're our father and as we come oh heavenly father to do the business of your people Lord we ask your presence we ask that those who have been entrusted with the will of the citizens they have been entrusted to do the work that would be satisfying and pleasing and enjoyable to them and have them to know those who sit in these sacred seats those who will make decisions have them to be mindful of the trust that been entrusted to them that they are doing the will of the citizens. And as we do that, oh God, we pray that whatever is said and whatever be is done today that you will be pleased with it as the scripture tells us whatever we do, let it be done decent and in order. So today, oh God, we ask that to be done for the will of your people and most of all that you be pleased with it. Now we ask blessing upon this commission in this sacred room today. We ask your presence and the citizens of Augusta. We ask that you will continue to bless us and watch over us. Not only the leaders here in Augusta, but the leaders all

over this country. In the name of Christ Jesus, I pray. Amen. Amen.

Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Reverend Williams, could you please stand? On behalf of the the mayor and members of the Augusta Commission, we would like to thank you for first for putting us in remembrance of the position of the flag today and what it all it stood for. Thank you for that. By these presents, be it known that Reverend James Williams Jr., interim pastor of the historic Hosanna Missionary Baptist Church is our chaplain of the day. May your spiritual guidance and unwavering leadership continue to bring strength and blessings to the citizens of Augusta. Given under my hand this day, the 21st of April, 2026, Garnett L. Johnson, Mayor. Thank you again, sir. Reverend Williams, thank you so much for being here today. Thank you for that prayer. Madame Clerk, uh before we proceed, I'm going to take a a moment of personal privilege to recognize uh it was mentioned before the prayer two great um two great Augustans. The first being former Chief Deputy Pat Clayton. As many of you know, Chief Deputy Clayton um succumbed to some illnesses that he had early this week, and we're praying for him and his family. He dedicated more than 45 years of his life to law enforcement from the DEA to the

chief of the Richmond County School Systems uh public safety department as well as the chief deputy under former Sheriff Richard Roundry. The second, her name is Bridget Renee Lynch. Miss Lince was just before this body less than two months ago right there at that dis asking to do something that she loved and that's to do nonprofit work for so many of our community that needed it and she did it through the Fatty Marshall Foundation. Uh as I understand she went on vacation with her family and I understand that she was having a great time with her kids and grandkids and unfortunately uh succumb to a very short illness and her service will be later this week. So, if you don't mind, join me in a moment of silence for those two great Augustins, please. Thank you. On a happier note, my last point of personal privilege is to celebrate Augusta, Georgia as part of 2026 Georgia Cities Week. Many of you, Come on with it now. Come on. Give me come. Y'all got to give a round of applause for that. For many of you who don't know, Georgia has 536 cities. 536. And we just happen to be one of them. And we got the opportunity to present and uh celebrate Georgia Cities Week. As I understand, we have some great things that are planned for this week for not only our residents, but our employees. Madame Clerk, as I understand, there's been a proclamation that has been issued. So, if you don't mind,

could you read the proclamation, please?

Yes, sir. My pleasure. Georgia C's Week, love your city, April the 20th through the 25th, 2026. In recognition of Georgia Cities Week, April 20th through the 25th, and encouraging all residents to support the celebration and corresponding activities. Whereas city government is the closest to most citizens and one with the most direct daily impact upon its residents. And whereas city government is administered for and by its citizens and is dependent upon public commitment to an understanding of its many responsibilities. And whereas city government officials and employees share the responsibility to pass along their understanding of public services and their benefits. And whereas Georgia C's week is a very important time to recognize the important role played by city government in our lives. And whereas this week offers an important opportunity to spread the word to all citizens of Georgia that they can shape and influence this branch of government which is closest to the people. And whereas the Georgia Municipal Association and its member cities have joined together to teach students and other citizens about municipal government through a variety of different projects and information. And whereas Georgia's cities week offers an important opportunity to convey to all the citizens of Georgia that they can shape and influence government through their civic involvement. Now therefore, it be resolved that the city of Augusta declares April 20th

through the 25th, 2026 as Georgia Cities Week. Be it further resolved that the city of Augusta encourages all citizens, city government officials, and employees to do everything possible to ensure that this week is recognized and celebrated accordingly. Given unto my hand this day, Garnett Johnson, Mayor, Augusta, Richmond County.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk. One more round of applause. I don't care where you live. If you live in Hepsa, Ble, Harlem, Appling, they're part of Georgia C's week. So celebrate where you live. Celebrate your community. And here in Augusta, Richmond County, we're so proud, so proud to do it. Madam clerk, the chair recognizes Commissioner from the field, Commissioner Don Clark has also asked for a point of personal privilege. Commissioner Clark, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, piggybacking off of the great news and the great information that you're sharing, I also want to talk about the success. um that all of our staff, but I want to highlight specifically um our engineering traffic division staff. Um of course, this year's uh mast's tournament was highly successful. Um all of us know this is the world converging on Augusta, Georgia during this one week. And it is not without a great deal of teamwork, great deal of collaboration, but more importantly, a great deal of extra hours that our staff across the board render support towards. Um, but I'd like to highlight the significant uh contributions of our traffic division. Each and every year they have the herculean task of trying to navigate all of this traffic across the city. And this year um I got a number of calls and I saw directly myself the benefits um of our team with the traffic division through their planning, through their proactiveness, but more importantly through their consistent efforts of improving. So Dr. Malik, if you can bring uh some of our specific team members and yourself up front if they're here so that we can um salute you all appropriately for ensuring that Augusta, Georgia um represented appropriately and that all of our visitors from around the world um were here to see a very smooth transition of traffic and otherwise. Come on up, Dr. Malik and the team. Um I want to talk about a couple of folks um from the traffic management team. Kenny Mass, Bill Robinson, Marquez Jacob, um of course with our contracted uh support um efforts from ISM as well, but of course um our leader and director

Dr. Malik Hamid um who made this a successful event. Um, please let's just shout out and acknowledge this team for all of their efforts and making sure that we look good and we stood tall um for the preparation and the emergence of all these folks on the city. And again, this isn't to just say that all of our staff didn't work tirelessly, but I wanted to highlight highlight you all um because the calls that I received and what I saw this year deserved um that level of recognition. Um the 18-hour days definitely um were were worthwhile and everyone reaped the benefits from it. Thank you, Dr. Malik and team. And again, um, keep up the good work.

Thank you, Commissioner from the 5th. Madame Clerk, I think that concludes all of our personal points of privilege. Now, it's time to get down to the delegations. Okay. Our first delegation, a Mr. Bennis Brown introducing Ashley Guerrero of Destination Augusta to share how their team and community partners are working together to bring Augusta's celebration of the U United States 250th to life.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. To the mayor and members of the commission, I know I have to go on record. I'm Benish Brown, destination Augusta, 1010 Broad Street, zip code 30903. And today we are sharing information with you on the collaborative effort around our Augusta commemoration of America's 250th anniversary. It's been nearly two years ago that uh we asked some of our local historical and cultural leaders, how can we help uh with this uh huge milestone? How can we support them? And the one clear recommendation was they needed a person that could be dedicated to help coordinate all of the many partners and all the moving parts. So I'm here to introduce Ansley Guerrera. She is our projects and operations manager. She has been instrumental in bringing this work together. We do have some of our partners joining us today. I know they stay extremely busy, but I'm excited for you to hear directly from Ansley and thank you for allowing us to be present here today. Thank you, Bennish, and Ansley Guerrero of 1010 Broad Street as well. Um, good afternoon. As you know, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As part of the original 13 colonies, home to George Walton, and burial ground of two of the three Georgia signers, Augusta is in a unique position to capitalize on this moment. When you pair that with the global attention that Georgia will receive during the FIFA World Cup in 2026, it becomes a perfect storm for visitation and economic impact in Augusta. Knowing this, we've been working since 2024, as Ben mentioned, to encourage a communitywide celebration that highlights our history, culture, and continued progress for this anniversary year. You can see that collaboration taking shape through our key cultural partners. The Augusta Museum of History is presenting a series

of four special exhibits throughout the year to tell the story of the CSR from indigenous history to present day. This sustained offering along with an array of special events has established the museum as an anchor for the for the celebration. Meadow Garden, home of Declaration Signer George Walton, is offering special America 250 tours and events that connect visitors directly with uh the story of a founding father. Their programming also highlights highlights the often untold stories of Dorothy Walton and the enslaved women who lived and worked on the property, ensuring a fuller and more inclusive story. The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History will host educational programming that reflects the contributions of black Augustans. And while the Augusta Canal Authority is also utilizing the Discovery Center to interpret our industrial history and also plans to offer theme boat tours to further activate this iconic asset. While these partners have developed their special products and other partners have become engaged, um we developed the America 250 Augusta History Trail. This digital storytelling pass connects the key historic and cultural sites and encourages participants to move throughout downtown and in surrounding districts while engaging with small businesses along the way. All of this information and more that I can't cover in my five minutes here today is centralized on our America 250 Augusta page at visit augustusta.com offering one clear hub for residents and visitors. We've also been working with the American Battlefield Trust to have Augusta featured in the National Liberty Trail, which will further encourage visitation even beyond the anniversary year. Complimentary programming will be offered on site through our visitors center and special events will be hosted at Augusta and Company, including an Americana art exhibit that was created

in collaboration with the Greater Augusta Arts Council. Curated America 250 displays that will highlight local partners, themed products, and more. Our experience center will also be dressed in exterior patriotic decor that sets a visible welcoming tone for downtown and signals that something special is happening here. From a marketing standpoint, we're positioning Augusta as a hub for this celebration. We have print uh developed printed printed collateral which I've placed at your seats today. And sorry the the brochures have been so popular that you might have to pass them around, but I did give you stickers. Everybody loves a good sticker. Um, we have developed these printed collateral video storytelling, digital target advertise, targeted digital advertising, and more. We're working locally and regionally in collaboration with Explore Georgia and the Georgia 250 Commission to ensure Augusta is featured prominently in America 250 promotions. This celebration has given us an opportunity to collaborate, tell Augusta's story, encourage community pride, and bring people downtown with a purpose. It drives foot traffic, elevates our cultural institutions, and supports business during a period of transformation. We're proud of what we've developed together and simply ask for your continued awareness, alignment, and public support as we move forward. When city leadership speaks confidently about the America 250 Augustus celebration, it strengthens the impact across our entire community. Thank you for the opportunity to share this progress.

Thank you so much. And Benish, I'm gonna ask you to come back up because I I want to augment this to change it to reflect one thing. In addition to America's 250th year of celebration, in June, we will be celebrating Augusta's 290th year. So we can we call this the America 250 Augusta 290? Do you realize Augusta is older than this country? Formed founded in 1736 by the great General James Ogthorp. even though he didn't do it, but he's responsible for doing it. But we would love for Augusta's celebration to be a part of this if that's possible. Yes, sir. We might have to work on the logo a little bit, but Okay, we hear you loud and clear.

All right, that'll be great. Colleagues, anybody have any questions regarding this great celebration.

Thank you so much for the information. Can't wait to celebrate America's 250th and Augusta's 290th. Thank you so much. And if anyone can find that date in June. So the former mayor Bob Young and I have had a discussion. He said it's in June, but historically he has not been able to find the date, but he said it is in June. The historical documents say in June of 1736, Noble Brown found it Augusta at our Scholes and but he hasn't been able to find a specific date, but we do know it's in June. So thank you so much, Madam Clerk. Let's move forward. our delegation.

Okay, our next delegation item B, an update from our geek team and Commissioner Pulium, if I'm wrong, please correct me. That's the Georgia Initiative Community Housing. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Team and Habitat for Humanity.

Thank you so much, Madame Clerk. Uh, Commissioner from the second, Commissioner Stacy Pullium, you have the floor. Thank you, Mayor Johnson. Um, as our representative from our geek team as well as Habitat for Humanities director, Miss Bernardet comes up. I just I'm I'm so super excited for this update. We on last week Time is going so quickly. On last week, we were at our spring retreat and we are now in our junior year. For those of you that don't know what GIK is, it does stand for Georgia Initiative for Community Housing and it's in partnership with DCA as well as UG Georgia Power and their other partners as well. This was the second time that Augusta Georgia went after the gig initiative and we got it. So, I'm the work that we've done in such a short amount of time is just amazing. And the team knows every time we're in a meeting almost I'm ready to cry because we've been working so hard. And I want to say that I could not do this, we could not do this without this amazing team that's come together. So with GI, we were the goal of it was really just to have a revitalization plan in place as well as a blueprint for redeveloping an area and that area is Turpin Hill, which has been getting a lot of recognition lately because it's a historical neighborhood. But we went further than that. So our one of our team members, Doug Freeman, the executive director of the housing authority, presented the commission with his suggested revitalization plan. And so that was really just kind of this is a goal to do that in a windshield assessment, but we took it a step further. And I want to not only shine light on all of my team members, but to

give a special shout out today to Habitat for Humanity who secured uh 1.85 million in federal funding to start those houses being built. And so if we could please give them a hand. This is not easy. It's not an easy task at all. Uh Turpin Hill is an area that like many areas in our downtown area and the surrounding areas need a lot of love and attention. And so for our team to stick together and be able to just keep pushing forward and exceed our goals is major. I'm going to be quiet because we have a hold agenda. I would like for Miss Porsche Beasley, our speaker for our team, and Miss Bernardet to give updates. Thank you, Mayor Johnson, if that's okay.

Good afternoon, Miss Beasley.

Good afternoon to you, Mr. Mayor, and good afternoon to everyone. Very happy to be here again. And I just I'm also grateful for the support of all of you so that this could also come to fruition to begin with. I promise not to test your patience. I just wanted to in real life I just wanted to share that the retreat this time like all the other times but this time it was a little bit more insightful. More of us are in our junior years and just sharing more of what everybody is encountering. They did expound a little bit this year and one of the things that stuck out to me was when we had a person come from education and speak on how housing instability affects our youth, specifically those in their early elementary years before your second and third grade year. There was a direct correlation between not being able to read and being in housing instability. basically when they're having to move a lot, if their family is experiencing any type of homelessness or if they have troubles with the condition of the housing at home, those children are not developing normally. They are substantially behind. A lot of times when we hear housing and workforce housing, obtainable housing, we're only thinking of one demographic of people and we often forget the children. So, I thought that it was very important that they brought that up. It affects more than just the big people. The little people I feel feel the brunt of this more so than even we do. And often times we forget that their foundation now is our stability later. So that's one of the big things that I got out of this retreat out in Tiffan, Georgia. Another thing I wanted to behind the middle of nowhere. Do y'all Anyway, I'm not going to go there. Okay.

The weather was nice. Um Jesus. Okay. So, as far as it is far, y'all anyway. Okay. Focus.

Focus. So, as Commissioner Pull shared, the city of Augusta, our gig team, we have gone above and beyond. One of the pivotal things I wanted to point out is the engagement of the community. When we first began this, we had a lot of struggles with the community having trust issues, with us and anybody representing the city, um, not understanding what this initiative would be about, how it could benefit them, and really what the whole point was. I would say that has been a 180 turn. We do now have strong community participation, involvement, emails, text messages, questions. We love that they are officially engaged. I also feel like they are very empowered. They are now understanding what stakeholding they have in this and the things that they could be doing in their own associations to help strengthen themselves. So at this point the community is helping us help them which is ultimately what we wanted and all of us I believe from one time to another have had to work with the community and knowing the challenge that that is is a great one and we have achieved that I believe. Um another big thing we were looking to focus on was the windshield assessment. We are in the process of partnering with United Way as far as volunteers to help us take that right on home. At this point we are about 60% complete. On foot that boundary is quite large on foot and so their extra feet will be pivotal for us completing that windshield assessment which is going to give us data. Numbers always speak more than emotions will. Data helps us get other numbers meaning funding. So that is something that we are primarily focused on. Commissioner Pullium also mentioned about the support from Mr. Douglas Freeman from the Augusta Housing Authority with their

adopted concept for revitalization. So we are no longer pillaring around. We have clear focus and direction of where we're looking to go. And the biggest thing which was also mentioned and I am going to let the beautiful CEO from Habitat for Humanity share more about this and this is this amazing funding for housing in the historic Turpin Hill community. Miss Bernardet, take it away. I mean, I feel like you just did the best commercial for housing ever and I can go home now. But um so let me just start with thank you so much for having me here today. It's always an honor to be here in front of you. Um Augusta Habitat I started there three years and a few months ago and my priority was to be the habitat that Augusta deserved to be the habitat that stood up and said how can we provide this community with what it needs in a way that serves the community not the affiliate. Um, and that has worked out amazing. We have been able to partner with the city um, through Mr. Jackson, through the mayor, through the commissioner, through the entire commission in a way that Habitat hasn't done before. And it is our intent to continue to grow that relationship and to continue to provide the community with what it needs. Housing is the root of it all. Um, she was talking about education. I'm like, I knew that. I knew that. I knew that. I mean, housing is what allows people to breathe and to focus. And not just our youth, but parents who have been struggling over and over and over to provide a life for their children that's better than the one we have. We've all wanted that. We've all dreamed of that for our children. And it's so rewarding. And I feel so blessed that I get to be be in the position I'm in. I get to hire amazing mission focused

individuals like McKenzie Beach who is our VP of mission and community impact and joined us six weeks ago and has been crushing it ever since. But with respect to GI when we were applying for the CDS funding, Gick was coming to the table and I reached out to the city and I said, "Would it help you if we partnered with you? if we went into the area where you're doing gick and focused on that area, it was a resounding yes. And obviously that worked with our senators, both uh Raphael and Waro, I mean Raphael Waro and John Oaf. Um and they jumped on board and supported us wholeheartedly. We got letters of support from the city, the land bank, the um commissioner, businesses in the area. It was just wonderful to see everybody come behind it. As a result of all of the work that we've been doing and the partnerships that we have, we have not officially launched, I might get yelled at by my board at our executive meeting later today, but we have put together a strategic plan that Habitat for Humanity will be building 50 homes a year within the next five years. So, we are and I just want to say thank you. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the faith and the belief and the support that Habitat has received from our city, from the local businesses, from every one of the commissioners sitting up there. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Thank you so much. Last but not least, remember I talked about all that community engagement? Awesome. We've been very cons um we've been very continuous with that. Meaning this Thursday, April 23rd at 6 PM at Carrie J. May's Family Life Center, we will be having our quarterly community meeting and I hope to see all of you there. Thank you so much. This Thursday, April 23rd at 6 p.m. Carrie J. May's Family Center, Family Life Center. Mayor Johnson, may I add to that, please, sir?

You may. You have the floor. Thank you so much, sir. I appreciate it. Um, we actually have a guest coming. So, you know how I'm not sure how many of you, but your mom made you clean up when you have guests and everybody had to show up and they had to look nice. So, we have a guest coming to this meeting. It is Miss Mandy Underwood, who is the executive director of Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce as well as the development authority. and Jenkins County is one of the counties that has gone through the gig uh process and they're doing amazing work. So, she will be with us on this Thursday. So, even if you're not in the Turpent Hill area, I am encouraging you to just share this information so you can come out and see what GI is all about. I promise you, you'll just be like, "Wow, they are actually doing work." Because we are. So, thank you, Mayor Johnson.

Thank you, Commissioner P. One more round of applause for Dick, all the great work they're doing in our community, particularly in District 2 in the Turpin Hill neighborhood. Madame Clerk, next delegation item, please. Our next delegation item C, Miss Deborah Estep, regarding Water Park concerns and surrounding context. Thank you so much, Miss Tep. Welcome back to the Augusta Richmond County Commission. Yes, madam. For the record, please state your name and address. Deborah East, 1523 John's Road. Thank you, ma'am. You have five minutes.

Commissioners, Mayor Garnett, I'm here today on a different matter from my last appearance. I'm here about how the city decides whose needs get funded and whose don't. I'm here about a water park. In 2021, you asked South Augusta to vote yes on a penny tax and promise them something in return. Something for their children. Something that said this city sees them. South Augusta voted yes. Five years later, no water park, no location, no timeline, no plan, $5 million sitting in an account while the people who voted for it keep coming to this chamber and getting nothing back. While that promise aged, you approved a data center twice the size of the Augusta Mall. $2 billion fasttracked. Families in Hannne Station found out from a headline when they came here. Commissioner Gilful said, "This is going to be a learning thing for us." Those families did not buy homes in a classroom. QTS says that facility will create 160 to 220 permanent jobs for a building twice the size of Augusta Mall. Specialized technical positions that do not come from those neighborhoods running on diesel generators while a gas natural gas plant that does not exist yet gets built over years. We do not know who ultimately operates it. The original developers already walked away. Environmental impact on water and wetlands unansered, still approved. 5 million for South Augusta, 5 years, nothing. Two billion for a corporation approved before the neighbors knew the plans had doubled. That is a priority list. Now $85 million to expand the Webster detention center. 300 new beds for a facility full of people.

East, with all due respect, let's keep this specific to the water park, please. I'm taking the water park and I'm connecting it to the fact that we have funds that are not being used for South Augusta, but other projects. It has to be specific to the water park. This is related to the water park. It has to be not funded. Is is it okay for me to continue like legally if it's general counsel? It has to be specific to the item in which you wanted to address this commission. Surrounding context. This is surrounding context based on the water park which was not built and other people who are definitely getting fasttracked. All right, let's let Am I allowed to continue? We're going to Let's let the attorney speak. Yes, please.

I think we should give her a little leeway to see where she ties us back into the water park. We'll go. You got it. Miss EP continue. Okay.

$85 million to expand the Webster detention center. 300 new beds for a facility full of people who cannot pay bail or fines. Not dangerous. Broke. Sitting there two years while the courts move slowly for people without money. Your solution is bets. More capacity for the same broken system and job programs inside. Training a captive population to release into a labor market being shaped by the same corporations that have been fast-tracked into this city. A person who cannot leave is not a student. They are a workforce. That is not rehabilitation. That is a pipeline. Now, let me explain how this keeps happening. When a politician sits on a board, an economic development authority, a land bank, a chamber, they are not volunteering. They are building a wall. Every board seat is another room where decisions get made before they reach this chamber. Boards meet in private. Boards vote without cameras. The more boards a politician sits on, the more insulated they become from consequences. That is not a public service. That is architecture. And here is what that architecture looks like in this city.

Ma'am, Mayor Garnett was seated on Georgia Department of Economic Development Board, the board that recruits corporations to Georgia. The same mayor Garnett who recruits those corporations now signs every contract that brings them here. While this company owns and sells office supplies and workplace solutions to the government, education and private sector clients. Mr. Mayor, I think at this point I think we need to circle it back to you should know better. Missep, you should know better. Be respectful to these chambers and other rules. Don't politicize this process. That's all I ask.

Specifically due to things that y'all have done that is tied to the fact that you do not put funds to parts of the city, but large corporations do. And if I can't do it here, I'll do it elsewhere. Thank you, ma'am. Have a good day. Madame Clerk, let's move on. Our last delegation item D, Reverend Marian Williams, regarding the commission's process and procedures. Thank you so much, Mary. Commissioner Williams, thank you so much for being here. Name and address for the record, please.

Thank you' all for having me. Marian Williams at uh 1941 Crater the Drive, Augusta, Georgia. Uh just met Miss EAP, but I am totally uh convinced that she knows exactly what she's talking about. Uh the procedures now as a commissioner, as a former commissioner, and I thank you for recognizing that, Mr. Mayor. I learned the rules. I learn the process, and I don't see this body following the rules or following the process as elected official. I knocked on doors. I I've raised money and have signs and you knocked on people door and ask them for their vote. Ask them to support you as their commission. You are their voice. Each district has a voice. But the district have not heard from those voices that they uh gave their votes and their uh monies to to to do that. I'm very disappointed when I watched the meeting the other week and I saw where we talked about uh why it wasn't put on uh on on the meeting wasn't put on in afternoon all these different excuses and all these different reason. Let me let me let me share something with you why had not been uh put in afternoon. I heard one reason was that the employees had to pay overtime. Well, how much overtime did we pay when the the charter committee got together and moved all around this city and and and and involved all of that money that we spend there? Nobody talked about the money we spend with Carl Vincent Institute who this city joined over 25 years ago as a part that taught classes every year and then we still paying them now to do some some other work after we've been a part of that association being consolidated. We we we we choose the Georgia Municipal Association and the ACCG. We a member of

both of those association. The stuff that we've been talking about and we talked about that chart but it was all about the consolidation. That's that's the real deal here. Mr. Mayor that the division is still here. People want to know what is going on with their government. This city is tow up from the flow up right now. All over this city is is is just grumbling about what is not being said, what is not being done or how it's been done. This is there's no kangaroos here. So there not going to be a kangaroo court. We're not going we're not going to even entertain that. I remember the question asked why can't we do it uh in the afternoon so people can come to these meetings. This is the government belong to the people. This is not yours. Something happen when you get elected. Some when you before you get elected you don't know nothing. Then when you get elected you know everything in the world. You're the smartest person in the world. Something wrong with that. But the people that suffering, the people who pay in the the taxes, the people who voted for you don't know nothing going on. I was told to not talk to the press when I was in in that seat. You ain't going to silence me to tell me who I can talk to, who I'm not going to talk to. As long as you tell the truth about it, and the truth had not been told in a lot of instances in this in this room here. And I was very disappointed. So that's why I came down and talked about the process and the procedures. People don't know the committee meeting. They don't know what consent mean at all. You ain't never tried to explain. We put stuff on the consent agenda. I say we because I was there one time. Put stuff on the consent general and vote. So I didn't vote for it. Yes, you did, too. If you don't explain to your your constituent what you just voted for is on a consent. Yeah, you just voted for it. You made no bones about it. You let people think that you didn't know what where would happen. I heard when one of the employees got dismissed. I didn't know what the process was. That was a lie. Before you dismiss any employees, you go into legal, you discuss what you going

to do, then you come out and do it. Don't act. The people don't know this cuz they ain't sit behind them desks up there. And I think it's wrong. I think it's low down. A lot of these people up here said, "Well, it going to cost employees if they wait overtime." Every department head is on a salary. I thought now maybe they on an hourly wage, but I thought they was on a salary and whatever time they w there. Now, Mr. Mr. Gford, if you busy, I can talk to you later. I was trying to talk, but I heard you through the mic. Well, your mic is on, I guess. Oh, it's on, sir.

Okay. Well, I'm I'm trying to talk. If you don't want to hear me, just say you don't want to hear me. I can cut it off. I'm sorry. Let me finish cuz too many time we act like we don't know what's going on. People are People are watching now. People are smarter than they ever been right now. They know that you're not running the government. They're outside people who are not elected running this government through this body that's sitting up here. They don't say that. Mr. Bob Young came down, Mr. D. Kovah Haven came down and talked as long as they want to and they running this government from behind the scene and nobody says a word. You get your order from somebody else, but the people that you said you wanted to represent, you asked them to can you be their representative, but you're not representative. And I'm very, very upset about it. Yes, I am. And you ought to be too. We say one thing and do something else. I'm really, really disappointed, Miss Mcnite. I remember when you was running for office and they really thought you had lost office, but you we got together with you and a couple of people went into West Augusta and walked the streets to fight for the neighborhood. The people that w that we that voted for you still suffering right now. They're still waiting on something to be done.

Commissioner Williams, excommission. I'm not a commissioner. You have we've given you more than the five minutes you allotted. Wait, wait. There's there's some colleagues that want to want to want to ask you some questions. So, can we can we give them an opportunity to speak? I I don't mind that, Mr. Mayor. You gave other people longer than that. Now, I just told you Bob and Young and Den talked as long as they wanted to. Even Fred Russell came in and talked as long as he want to, but you going to give somebody else five minutes. I'll take the five minutes. I know you you don't want to expose. You don't you don't want to know. We talked about clarity, but we don't want to know the clarity, but whatever question you got, I'm willing to answer whoever got a question.

Thank you. Uh, former commissioner Mary Williams. Chair recognizes Commissioner Wayne Gil, you have the floor, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Williams. Mary and Williams. actually had put it on the agenda last week to discuss the work um for a discussion about um keep you know doing a meeting after hours while you steadily throwing inuendos towards this floor. I'm telling the truth now. I ain't throwing nothing.

Let me let me let me speak now if you don't mind. You interrupted me. Um, I had it on the floor and when it was received as information, the mayor didn't have anything to do with it, Mr. Williams, at all. He was not part of the committee process at all, but it got shot down, received this information. Is that correct? Well, wait. You know the process and procedure.

I never said the mayor had anything to do with. Now, his dog will holler, my granddad would say, but I never said the may have had anything to do with anything. All I said was we consent stuff and act like we don't know cuz the people don't know the process. We act like oh I ain't had nothing to do with it. This thing this is not the first time Mr. Guilford that it came on the agenda that we should have voted for this long time ago. But the same set of people vote against it because they don't want the public to know. The only reason it's on cable now because they did it free. Mr. Williams, it wasn't it has was brought up many years ago. was actually brought up um during Sean Franom and Brandon Garrett's time as well. It was brought up in your time and my time as well. That's right. It was shot down.

Yes, sir. By the same No, you keep keep calling this. Can I speak after that meeting, the committee meeting the other day, Mr. Williams? I sent an email to Miss Boner about trying to ask my colleagues to uh let's see if we could find a time to do a workshop. You're not aware of that? You you said

I'm asking I'm just letting you know you wasn't aware of that. But there has been correspondence um amongst our commissioners. So it's it's not like we hiding anything, Mr. Williams. says just you got like you always told me, you've got to be able to count to six to get anything done. All it takes. That's right. And I could not count to six, sir. Okay. Can Can I respond? Can I respond? Yes. Oh, absolutely, please. Okay. First of all, Mr. Gford, as a commission, you don't need to call the clerk to set up a workshop. You got a voice. You can call any of these commissions and sit down and talk with the six you're talking about have always been able to talk to each other. That's right. And I could have put it on the agenda and let and let it be on the floor as well. I was trying to be courteous.

Now you you ain't playing the game fair. Now you asked me to speak and I'm trying to talk and you you stepping in. You don't have to wait on the clerk to send an email to tell nobody that you want to meet with them. You could have picked up the phone and talked to any one of these commission in person any other time to get that. The community don't know that. They said, "Well, he went through the clerk. The clerk ain't got nothing to do with this." All right. Anything else you wanted to do, you didn't go through the clerk. You went and did it straight with the the six people you need to get with the five you need to get with. No, sir. Don't fool the public. You can't fool me, man. I've been in this thing too long. You, Mr. Williams, I

Okay, can I talk now? Mr. Williams, you are correct. You know the policy and procedures better than anybody up here behind his eyes, and I apologize if I disrespected you in any way. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Commissioner Gil. Chair recognizes Commissioner from the third, Commissioner Katherine Smith Rice.

Thank you, Mr. mayor and thank you um Reverend U Marian Williams for being here today. Just wanted to point out that you you're right. We did walk neighborhoods um my first term. I remember that and I remember walking neighborhoods and um during my second term I remember reaching out to people and here's what I will say. You said that people are suffering in district three. Well, I'm not, you know, if they're suffering so bad in district three, then I'm I need to get more phone calls then. And uh you know, if if what I'm hearing correctly, it's not just one district that's suffering. According to what I'm hearing, it seems like Augusta is suffering. So, it's not just sitting up here and pointing out one commissioner and one district because because I really think that for the most part if if they want to reach out to me, then they need to be reaching out to me and telling me they're suffering and I want to know what they're suffering from and what it is. But I appreciate you coming here today and I I I've known you for a long time and respected you, but but anyway, I just wanted to put that out there and I you know, I appreciate your support in the past. That meant a lot to me. Let me let me respond with that. Not just district three, and there are people in district three that I've get calls from that is complaining. Not just district three, but like you just said, this whole city feels like there's some underhanded stuff being done on this diet up here that we don't know about when from the charter committee that everything else has been done the way it's been done and and we talked about the charter, but it's really about the consolidation. That's the whole deal. There's division that got in this city more now than it's been in the history of this city, I believe, in my lifetime. And and and nobody's talking about on his diet. Everybody, how could you have a a review of a a a document or charter when nobody that on

the board had any idea about the chart they going to read it? There was no commissioner requested that. It's got to be somebody. The mayor don't have no power over no commissioner. Any commissioner say I don't agree with that. What we need to do, we need to be fair about it. We need to make sure that we have a committee or a group that know at least knowledgeable about what we looking at. Nobody on that board has ever set foot behind that desk before they got to be a charter committee. Then they wouldn't let you talk. They didn't want to hear from people who knew it about the charter cuz it wasn't about the charter about consolidation is by control. And people in Augusta are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Now I didn't want to come down here. I had this is the first time I've been in this chamber since I left here. Well, first time I've been to a commission meeting. I've been in the chamber once before. First time I've been to a commission meeting since I since I stepped down. I'm not elected official. People call me commission. I remind that I'm an ex-commissioner cuz I don't want to be associated with the stuff that's going on down here now.

Thank you. Uh ex former commissioner mayor Williams. Thank you so much for being here, sir. Always appreciate uh your attendance in these chambers to lean be chambers. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Madame Clerk, Madam Clerk is asking for her book back, and I'm going to give it back. All right. Thank you, Madam Clerk. You're welcome.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your government at work. We don't always agree, and we shouldn't always agree, but we agree on one thing. We live in the best country on earth. We live in the best city on the planet. That's Augusta, Georgia. Now, if you're not happy with the way this government is functioning, start Monday, April 27th. You could change that. Early voting starts. Let your voice be heard through your vote. Then on May 19th, we have an election. So, get out and vote and you'll get the government that hopefully you feel that represents you. Madame Clerk, I think that takes us to the consent portion of our agenda. Are there any addendum items to be added? Yes sir. I think I circulated that too. You put it on the screen.

Let's read them in for the record. Okay.

Or we can put them on the screen. Yes. We're getting there. Okay. All right. I'm sorry. We're getting there. Thank you for loaning me your book. You're welcome. Give me your consent agenda. You have a copy. Oh, it's up there. It's not on my screen. Okay. All right. Here we go. We're ready. We're ready.

Addendum agenda, April 21st, 2026. Item number one, administrative services. Item, discuss the path forward with the audit results from the housing community development audit and include all expenditures that was disclosed in legal in regards to rental assistance funds requested by Mayor Pro Tim Wayne Gilo. Item number two is to discuss continued problems with racing burnouts at Diamond Lakes Trailer Park requested by Commissioner Lonnie Wimbley. Thank you so much, Madame Clerk. Colleagues, are there any objections to adding these two items to today's agenda?

Without objection. Uh Mr. Mayor. Yes, sir. I'm going to ask that uh agenda item number two be pulled. Okay. uh and move to the committee. Madame clerk, agenda add agendum agenda item number two has been requested by the requesttor that it be pulled and added to committee. Committee. Okay.

By Commissioner Limberly. Colleagues, hearing no objection to adding number one to today's agenda. Number one is added to our agenda for today. Madam clerk, I'm going to go through the uh to the uh through the list here. The chair recognizes Commissioner Katherine Smith Rice from the third. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was just going to We hadn't gotten to I was consent item. All right, let's go. All right. I wanted to consent item number 28. What's item number 28? 28. 28, please.

Let's get there. That is item number 28. All right. Is that the only item you have commissioner from the third? Yes, that's it for now. Thank you. Thank you so much. Chair recognizes Mayor Pro Tim commissioner from the 10th Wayne Gil. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, um the engineer and had requested that agenda item number two be tabled until further. Mr. Mayor Pro Tim, this item number two, agenda item number two. Number two. Yes, ma'am. Okay. And then consent agenda item number 26. number 26 and agenda item number 27. Number 27. Yes. Item number 26 and 27.

Thank you. And we're going to move item number two is going to table it for now. All right. Chair recognizes Commissioner from the 5th, Commissioner Don Clark. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um I can I get a point of clarity for uh item number 28 that's on the agenda. Um, weren't we bringing somebody from uh magistrate court to speak on that? Actually, Judge Alan, I'm here. He he he he's here. Okay. I thought I thought he was here to speak on that. Um, there was a request to uh contact uh Chief Judge Sims Brown. We have spoken to Chief Judge Sims Brown and she stated she takes no position on this request as is not within her purview of the court.

Okay. I'd like to get some backstory on it. Um, since we do have Judge Allen here and he's taking time out of his schedule. Um, Judge, you just sit tight. We'll we'll we'll we'll get you up. Okay. Yeah. I like to I like to get some info on that one. Madam clerk, 28 needs to remain on the agenda. All right. Um, on the consent agenda item number two, um, after talking uh to the engineering chair, we're going to move this one to the He's He's already moved it. No, no, he moved it to table it, but we're going to move it specifically to committee. Is that that's not the same thing as No. Okay. That's a defined date.

Right. So, we're going to move it to the next committee cycle. After talking to the engineering uh committee, I mean the engineering director, uh he requested for it to be moved to the uh next committee. Okay. It's next week's committee. That that correct? Dr. Malik, put your hands up. Next week is good or does it need to go further? Next week is okay. Next week is fine. All right. Thank you. All right. Commissioner from the Fed. All right, that's it. Thank you. All right, chair recognizes Commissioner from the ETH, Commissioner Brandon Garrett. Motion to approve the consent agenda as stated. Second. All right, there's a motion and there is a second. We do have another colleague in the queue.

You have I have a colleagues in the queue. We have colle So it was motioned by Commissioner Garrett from the ETH, seconded by Commissioner Rice from the third. Okay. And before we vote, we need to acknowledge the planning petitions and the alcohol petition. You got it. But we have a commissioner in the queue that Yes, sir. Commissioner Lonnie Wembley, you had a floor, sir. Uh, I'd like to pull number 15.

Item 15. Item number 15. Now, I may ask that uh if the administration have the administrator rather have any of the advertisement to show some of the images of that water park. I would like for that to be displayed. Madam administrator, are we prepared to We're not It's online. No, sir. Not at this time. So, is that something that we we need to move back to committee or next commission? Yes, sir. Right. Say that again, please, Mr. Mayor.

It's a feasibility study. It's not approving any drawings. I know it's not. Would you like to move it perhaps to next commission? That gives you more opportunity to that that would be best, Mr. Ma'am. All right. What are we doing now? All right. He wants to move item number 15 to uh next commission meeting. That will allow him more time. Next commission meeting. Yes, ma'am.

Madam administrator, just keep us on on schedule with what we need to do by moving that does not slow anything down. Um well, you know, the directive from the governing body through the committees were to go ahead and expedite it as quickly as possible because I I think I mentioned 30 days and so we were pretty much waiting for today to go ahead and get the final approval discussion. All right, I tell you what, let's commissioner let's pull it for discussion if that's okay with you, Commissioner Wimbley. So hopefully it gives you the the information and the and the clarity you need. Is that okay? Can we pull it for discussion? Well, we can't show the images that I'm I wanted to see. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Gentlemen.

Yeah. Commissioner Lim L Wembley will have some questions. I can explain what I want. Okay. All right. You will have the opportunity. We're going to pull item 15. Okay. Madam clerk, let's pull item 15, please. Yes, sir. All right. For sake of the planning petitions that need to be read, madame clerk, you have the floor. Thank you. Call your attention to item number one. It's a request for reszoning from a light industry to a zone R3B multiple family residential affecting property located at 827th Street. Are there any objectors?

Any objectors here? Seeing none, let's continue. Item number two is a request for a special exception affecting property located at 3946 and 3946A Gan Industrial Boulevard. Are there any objectors? I think I think we moved that one. Madam clerk, number two was moved. Right. Okay. They were here. They need to know that. All right. Any anybody here for uh 3946 and 3946A Goan Industrial? question. I know. Okay. Question. Don't see anyone, madam clerk.

Okay. Thank you. Under our public service portion of our agenda, if there are any objectors to our alcohol petitions, would you please signify your objections by raising your hand once the petition is read? Item number seven is a request for a retail package beer and wine license to be used in connection with the location at 2940 Inwood Drive, Hepsa, Georgia. Are there any objectors? Any objectors, madame clerk? Seeing none, and I was just informed that you skipped item number three on the planning petitions. That was a final plaque. That's final. That was a final plaque. Okay. All right.

Okay. Um, we're at eight. Item number eight is a request for on premise consumption liquor, beer, and wine license with Sunday sales on property located at 2651 perimeter Parkway. Are there any objectors? Any objections to 2651 Perimeter Parkway? Hearing seeing none, let's continue. Item number nine is requesting to add consumption on premise wine to his existing consumption on premise liquor and beer license location at 3054 Damascus Road. Are there any objectors?

3054 Damascus Road. Any objectors, madam clerk, hearing or seeing none. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk. Madame clerk, I have a motion to approve the consent agenda uh that we see on the screen with a proper second by commissioner from the third. Send no colleagues in the queue. We're prepared to vote. is unanimous with Mr. Jordan Johnson absent.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk. We want to get the judge out of here. Let's go to uh item 28. Hopefully, it'll be brief. Ladies and gentlemen, thank y'all for being here. You're welcome to stay. This is the people's business. We'd love to have you. Come on up either either side, sir. There's a couple of questions hopefully that we can get answered from Commissioner from the fifth. Uh I can take questions or I can give a little overview of what this is about. All right, Commissioner Clark. Um this you ask this item be pulled. Judge, if you don't mind, just for the record, just state your name and what court you're responsible.

My name is Scott Allen. I am Judge Emmeritus of the Civil and Magistrate Court of Richmond County. I formerly served as judge of that court from 1994 until 2000. I have served as judge emeritus. Uh sub subsequent to that as pursuant to a 10 to1 vote by appointment by the commission on January the 6th of 2021. Thank you sir. Commissioner Clark. All right. Judge Allen. Thank you for your years of service, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you.

Um yep. Thank you for everything that you've uh given to this county and its uh citizenry. Um uh so when this came up, of course many of us um this this agreement predates many of us and we just wanted someone to kind of give us some clarity on because this is the only position in the courts that this is applicable to. Correct. Yes, sir.

Yeah. If you could just give me some backstory um just to clarify it and even um what we're looking to do with this. Well, first of all, let me clarify. The amendment that is being sought um as recommended by the Georgia Municipal Association is not an amendment to the legislation creating the office of judge ameritus. It is an amendment to the 1998 defined contribution retirement plan which is for lack of a better way to put it just about extinct. Um it was created in 1998. In 2007, membership in that program was that that retirement plan was closed out by implementation of the GMES plan, which is the current defined benefit plan available to Richmond County employees. I was then and I have remained in the 98 pension plan. Um, it is a defined contribution of my 4%, Richmond County's 2%, which was up from the 1% that was in the original plan. Um, I understood there was some concern about any effect this might have on the current judges, Judge Carleta Sims Brown and Judge Loy Williamson. There, this is does not this has no effect upon them. This only affects judges who are in the 1998 defined contribution retirement plan which was closed out in 2007. Judge um Williamson first was first employed with Augusta Richmond County in 2009, Judge Sims Brown in 2021. Um so they are this only affects me and what it affects is because of the nature of my judge emmeritus status. Georgia Municipal Association says abundance of of caution interprets this as an an employment position. Um, I do receive compensation as approved by the

commission in 2021 uh for my services and and in exchange for which I am prohibited from practicing law either in the civil magistrate court or state court. I I cover both state court and civil magistrate court. Um and uh that's I guess the sticking point is is um already lost some train of thought there. Um, am I to to get around that Georgia Municipal Association has recommended because it basically I've served Richmond County for 39 years and I hope to serve it till the day that a local funeral home. I don't want to broadcast names because that's promoting a business, but until somebody carries me out, feet first. I've enjoyed serving Richmond County. I've This county has been good to me. People of Richmond County have been good to me and I love going and holding court once in a while. I've I've enjoyed being here today, seeing old friends, and uh it's kind of like old home week. But the point is that to get to get around the fact that I still receive compensation,

right? It there's an exception that needs to be made. It applies only to me and no there is no other judge emeritus um judge it would not affect judge judge Sims Brown or judge Williamson's ability to declare judge for judge a emeritus status uh at a point at any point in the future. Yeah.

Uh frankly when I when I left office in 2020 I spoke with the finance department and offered to uh drop out of that plan. and it's called an inservice transfer and um that would allow me to move my funds and and terminate my participation in the plan. The finance department said no, we're not going to do that. We'll keep paying in. The result is for the last five years $2,000 a month comes from the taxpayers to fund this this program. I'm probably the only person that's ever come before you that says, "Please take something away from me and it will make me happy and it will save the taxpayers money. It will allow me to transfer monies into investments that are more suitable to my age and state and life. Um I I don't know what else I to explain but it it is truly I am the only person affected by this.

Right. And the ameritus status what are the qualifications to receive the ameritus status the judge ameritus status? Well it was to have served at least 10 years in the civil magistrate court. was all codified was codified many many years ago long before I uh went on the bench and I was u approved as I said my it allows one to declare one's status as judge emeritus and be compensated be available for assistance it's up to the the current judges to call one in for assistance um I'm not I'm not compensated additionally right

on a pdeium basis as is the instance in other uh with other senior judges Okay, Mr. Mayor, can I ask uh uh general counsel a question?

Yes, sir. Proceed. Um, Attorney Manton, um, based on what Judge Allen is stating and based on the fact that this is an exception, um, is there and and and especially because the fact that the policy was created in 98, is there room for us to make um, an update or or is this because if we make an exception, we're pretty much going to set precedents of how to move forward with this. Um would it would it be more prudent to just update the uh policy the policy? Well, the agreement in the

this isn't our code that authorizes this. Our code authorizes authorizes the judge ameritus position, right? I don't understand about the judgment, but he's he's asking for an exception to cuz he's subbing in still as a working judge and he's asking to uh start uh pulling the uh benefits that he's earned through his um retirement as well. Is that that's what we're currently talking about right now? In addition, of course, I would stop paying or expecting any contribution from Richmond County. Augusta has a point that is a savings to the commission. I Okay. So, he's saying stop that all together. Oh, yes. Yes. And that and that's that's included

and he's the only sitting judge who is eligible for this judge mayor's in that contribution plan. So, I don't think we need to set a policy. I think the exception solves the issue for judge Allen to allow him to withdraw his funds from the defined contribution plan and invest them as he sees fit, but also does not allow him to continue to participate in that plan. Nor do we have to participate in retirement. And if I may, it would the the juncture is both participation in the 98 pension plan and being judge ameritus. Okay, perfect. Judge Allen, I appreciate the uh the time and patience on that just giving me the uh understanding of it. I

I understand it's a very obscure piece of legislation that that I would not expect y'all to be familiar with. If if you did, then I think y'all would have too much time. You didn't have you had too much time on your hands. But I appreciate y'all allow me to come and clarify any questions you have. Yeah. Do we So the recommendation from uh general counsel and from the administrator, no objections with moving forward with this? No objection. This has been a review and approvement actually was drafted by GMA. Yes, sir. No objections. Thank you. Motion. Can I have a motion to approve?

There's a motion to approve by Commissioner Don Clark. I heard a second by the Mary Pro Tim Wayne Gilfo. Madam clerk, see no colleagues in the queue. We're voting. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let's move to item uh number one from the today's addendum agenda, please. Item number one, a request for concurrence with the planning commission to approve a petition requesting a reszoning from a zone light industry to a zone R3B multiple family residential affecting property located at 8277th Street.

Madam Clerk, I mean from the addendum agenda, my apologies. My apologies. I did not. I did not. All right, our add agendum agenda item number one. Discuss the path forward with the audit results from the housing and community development audit and include all expenditures that was disclosed in legal in regards to rental assistance fund. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Chair recognizes mayor prom commissioner from the tent Wayne Gilful.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. mayor when the auditor came before this body I guess 3 weeks to a month ago and um explained everything and gave us the information that was made public this u the finance committee had motion to receive this information and it died there but with all this um I ain't going to say wrongdoing by any means it just there's a lot of questions that checks was written that we can't substantiate who I mean were they was written to for uh there was no inforces that coincide when the auditor um was able to balance the checkbook shallow we say there was no um it was with resistance that the auditor had so moving forward what we was disclosed in legal am I allowed to say this um attorney As far as um I would recommend not.

Okay. All right. As far as the information that was given to us in legal, it was um not a lot of checks was written. But then again, the same thing that was said on this floor, we could not substantiate it. And this been a 6, seven, 8month audit. And it's a shame. I'm not saying that anybody's doing any wrongdoing, but we can't find out the information. We cannot get anywhere on this. And you talking about a lot of money that we can't substantiate with. And like I said before, the only organization because this is federal money. The only people that could actually require people to come in where we don't have that authority is the the federal FBI and I believe that's the path we need to move forward to because if not it's going to continue to do what we did three weeks ago. It becomes null and void. We got the audit back and hoham. That was it. But the hoham res I'm sorry. The whole humome results was we still don't have any more information than we did six seven months ago and that's a shame. Now u I imagine some of my colleagues will hopefully step in discuss but my motion is to move this forward to the federal level.

Thank you. Mayor promotim has put that in the form of a motion. Is there there's been a second by commissioner from the eth. Ladies and gentlemen, I've always said that um when it comes to uh the dollars that were entrusted to this government as it relates to CO 19, those dollars should have been used by so many people that needed them. And it's unfortunate that we do have the internal accounting controls that have not provided clarity as to where those dollars went. And I believe the general public should know where those dollars were used and how they were spent. and it's way beyond time that we provide that to the citizens of Augusta Richmond County. Not standing that there was anything that was criminal wrongdoing. We don't know, but we do know that there's a lot of unanswered questions as it relates to those funds and and a lot of other things. So, the chair recognizes Commissioner from the fourth, Commissioner Lonnie Wimblely.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh Mr. Mayor, I was in that in that same meeting and uh I I could agree that there still need to be some more work done, but I hate to have an agency come back and tell us that what they found was our own sloppy work that we did not correct ourselves. uh because as you already stated there was no indication of criminality in anything that was presented to us. So what are we looking for or do we want to create that or we just want to create noise talking sometime does not mean that you got you're putting out information you might be just making noise. So right now I don't want to be part of a body that just making noise. So I I don't see how we going to find anything from what that auditor presented to us at that time uh to say it was criminal. I agree that there's a problem with the way it was managed but I did not see any criminality in it. Thank you Mr. Mayor.

Thank you Commissioner Wley. Chair recognizes the commissioner from the ninth, Commissioner Francine Scott. Thank you, Mayor Johnson. Uh, Mayor Johnson, may I ask the administrator a question, please? Yes, you may. Madame Administrator,

Madame Administrator, when the young lady came before us uh to give us her findings um several months ago, did we not do another contract with her to come back with with some other information? And if that's the case, why are we jumping ahead on? Let me answer that first. So what we contracted with Cherry Beckard is for them to start the 2025 SEIPA. So that's to get us prepared for the 2025 audit is what we actually requested them to start working on. That's the one that we got approved by the governing body.

Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Mayor Johnson, can I ask the attorney one question? Yes, ma'am. Continue. You have the floor. Attorney Madden, the procedure for um calling in law enforcements. Do we start with FBI or do we start with our own GBI first? Or does it may

to be honest, I'm not sure. It' probably be our recommendation to instruct us to reach out to maybe the US attorney's office and ask for some guidance on this and see what what the recommendation would be from them for the next step if there's any interest from them. I know uh that'd be my ask for Thank you, Attorney Madden. Mayor Johnson, when it is appropriate, I would like to make a substitute motion, please. Yes, ma'am. Uh you can go ahead and make it now if you don't mind. Thank you. Um I would like to make a substitute motion to have the US is it attorney come in to US attorney office he said is that right? US attorney's office right

the US attorney office to come in prior to um having the FBI all right madam from the ninth there's been a substitute motion to have the US attorney uh to provide guidance before calling in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Is there a second to that motion? Second. There is a second by Commissioner Stacy Pullium. Madam Clerk, we have a second. All right, we're going to go through the queue. Commissioner Scott, uh, Commissioner Tina Slindac from the seventh.

Thank you, um, very much. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I don't have a constituent in my district that would probably say, "Don't do this." M honestly

all this money not not accounted for mismanaged or what. But folks, it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable that it happened in the first place. But right now, we've got to find the the end to this, the bottom to this. You know, I don't I hope we find that nobody needs to be arrested to go to jail. I don't want to see that. But my constituents, and I I can guarantee you most of y'all's constituents are not happy. I get asked all the time, "Well, what happened? What were the results? What happened? Where did it go?" And I don't know what to tell them.

Don't have. So, I for one I think we need to go to the FBI and we should have done it. I thought we were and then something got received as information or something never went anywhere from that. But, um that's all I'm going to say is my constituents want to know what happened to that money and I'm right I'm going to vote for that. Thank you, Commissioner Slindac. Chair recognizes Commissioner from the fourth, Commissioner Wimblely. Um, Mr. Matt, this is u for for the administrator. Yes. Did we receive a final audit? Did we receive a final report on the audit? Did we receive that

for the housing community development audit? Yes, sir. It's actually posted online. Yes, sir. When she provided her report. Okay. That was it? Yes, sir. Thank you. Commissioner from the third, Commissioner Katherine Smith Rice. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm gonna piggyback off um what my colleague from the seventh said. Beautiful.

Thank you. This has been going on too long and yes, we've been waiting for answers, answers, and answers. But after thinking about this and I' I hear this, I'll go to functions. I'll be out and about and I'll have I'll be at the grocery store. What are y'all going to do about that audit? What are you going to do about this? You know, we're talking about we had a former mayor in here, I mean, former commissioner in here earlier saying, you know, talking about district suffering and all that. Well, the people too, uh, citizens are out here suffering when they have to sit here and wait for us to come up with a a decision on an audit when we've been doing this for over a year. And so today, I hope we do make a decision on it because it has been going on too long. And who knows? I don't want to look for wrongdoing neither. But if it's there, it's there and it needs to be addressed and you know, hopefully we won't have to go in other departments and and find this out. But whatever uh we do today, I know where my um my votes going to be. So, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Rice. Chair recognizes Commissioner from second, Commissioner Stacy Pulling. Thank you so much, Mayor Johnson. Um, may I address the attorney? Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Um, attorney Madden, sorry. I apologize because I'm always used to seeing attorney plunket right there and I was like, that's not attorney Plunkett. Um, can you, you said that proper procedure or appropriate procedure would be to go to the Treasury first. Is that correct? No. What I asked was that for us to allow us the opportunity to discuss this with the US attorney as this is a this is something new for me as well. Okay.

Um I don't know the proper procedure. Um I think anybody at any level could ask for an they can reach out to the FBI and ask for an investigation. Okay. So I think I think it'd be appropriate for us to maybe talk to the US attorney. Um to go any further I probably recommend to go into legal session to discuss this. Okay. Um but otherwise I think that'd be my recommendation. Okay. So you recommend going to the US attorney to get the proper procedure. Is that correct? Yes. Allow us to to do the research ourselves to see what would be the proper next step.

Okay. So if our attorney is suggesting that the proper procedure would be able would be to go to the US attorney and we trust him as our interim attorney team. Why would we skip that process of talking to the US attorney who would know how to direct us appropriately? Why are we taking that in to our own hands and just going straight to the FBI? Is it because we know that to be the correct procedure? Mayor Johnson, I'm I'm somewhat addressing the body. I don't know how to do that without asking each one individually. But if our attorney is saying that we should talk to the US attorney first prior to going to the FBI, does someone on this dis have the expertise in that field that surpasses our attorney who is recommending that we talk to the US attorney first?

I don't know if anyone has the expertise, but I know ultimately the voters of Augusta Richen County have demanded to know where uh these dollars have gone. So,

yes, sir. And so, our voters demand to know full transparency in every decision that we make, rightfully so, but there's still a procedure, a proper procedure that needs to be followed. And so, if our attorney that we're paying is telling us, suggesting to us to first talk to the US attorney, why would we overlook that and just do what we want to do? Madam from the second, I I think ultimately it's up to this governing body to decide what's in their best interest and that's how they're going to vote. I mean, our recommendation from the attorney is just a recommendation, but ultimately these were federal dollars that were supposed to be directed to people that needed the money most and those dollars were not spent in that manner. And not saying that there's any criminal wrongdoing, but we owe the people an answer.

Okay. Um, may I address the attorney again? Yes, you may. Okay. Thank you. So, attorney Madden, why is your suggestion or your recommendation to talk to the US attorney? Sir,

again to clarify, I think the question miss Scott asked what asked what I would recommend. That that was my recommendation. Again, as the mayor stated that this body can vote to do whatever this body wishes, um if they would desire to turn it over to the FBI directly, that is the will of the body, then that can be done. I just this is something new for us is all I'm saying. Um, and I don't I don't know the proper procedure. Then you can vote to turn over the FBI or you can allow us to talk to the US attorney's office, which is that would be the person we would discuss it with that has connection to the FBI. Yes, sir. Why was that your suggestion?

Again, because the reason I state it is because again, this is a new step for us and that would be my recommendation for us to allow us to talk to the US attorney's office and see the proper procedure for doing that. But again, this body has the ability just to vote to turn this over to the FBI if they wish.

Okay. So, if this body would like to just vicariously do things and not find out what the proper procedure is, you're saying that that's in this body's hands to do so. But your recommendation would be for you to talk to the US attorney so that they could give you the proper procedure. Is that correct? I'm I'm not saying that voting to turn this over the FBI is an improper procedure. They just that the question was asked for what I would recommend to do and that's what my recommendation would be to do for that for if you wanted us to be involved in or this body can vote to turn it over the FBI directly and take it out of our hands which is fine as well.

So I'm I still stand with my second um with what Commissioner Scott was asking for the attorney to talk to the US attorney first. That way we could actually get the proper procedure and know all of the ins and outs of what it is we're asking for. They can give us clear direction because I'm assuming you offered that recommendation for a reason because you thought that that might be the first place to check. So I still stand by my second. Thank you, Mayor Johnson. Thank you so much, Commissioner Pullium. Chair recognized Commissioner Don Clark.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Hey, I think the biggest thing um attorney Madden, um I'm curious about your recommendation. So, your recommendation is to go to the US attorney. From there, the US attorney will then be able to determine and dictate if it needs to go to the FBI for further investigation and and uh clarity. Correct. That's correct. And they may tell us to go directly to the FBI. Correct. So, at I don't have that answer at this time. So at at in at in at any step the recommendation is let's take it there let's get the direct recommendation um or just take it and and and just give it to the FBI like u was previously stated. Correct.

Correct. Right. But so let me ask this um and this is either you or uh the administrator. What was the date that we received that last um uh the final um audit? You all remember the date? I don't remember it either. I know it was it was a while ago and I know there was uh some response that um there was going to be some additional um information provided and I think that's why Commissioner Gilfoil is bringing it up today because we hadn't gotten it and it had been some weeks. um did we um execute some due diligence to be able to kind of determine next step path for us or

so there were additional discussions with um the auditor. However, it it it it really gave us the same results that the presentation provided and that was a lot of concern or questions in regards to each of those respective um purchases and or checks or what have you. there was just not an ability for them to actually reconcile each of them. Okay. So, and and the the additional dollars, there were no additional dollars provided to that um provider that executed the audit.

Not that I'm aware of that she brought up any additional dollars. It was just basically the the same scope of what she responded and provided to the governing body and to the public was exactly the same thing that was discussed when we had our internal meeting.

Yeah. Cuz I think the one thing about it and this is my viewpoint on it. This is Don Clark's viewpoint on it specifically. I think all of us, even with the two competing motions, we're all wanting the same thing. We want more due diligence to determine um how the dollars were appropriated. We know that there was some misappropriation of the dollars, but basically we can't turn this over to GBI because they're federal dollars. Um, we can't turn it over to Richmond County Sheriff's Office office because again, they're federal dollars. The only way that we can get any level of detailed investigation is through um the FBI or through the US Attorney's Office. Is that accurate, General Matt? I mean uh attorney Mattton

that that again that would be my recommendation. Yes. All right. So US attorney from your recommendation is kind of the initial stage of of moving this forward. So let's say devil's advocate US attorney says hey um we're not qualified to do this. Do we automatically move it um to the FBI then or how does that work from your um understanding of the process? Again, this is new to us. I'm trying running through my mind how work. Um, I guess the vote would be I guess the recommendation would be then to

that the will the body be to move it directly to the FBI and let them do the investigation. Okay. Jump out. So you said your recommendation will be to send it there or No, my recommendation was to allow us to discuss this with the US attorney's office to see what their recommendation would be. Okay. So, with the two uh commissioners that made the motions, would it be ideal for us to combine them as far as starting with the US attorney? If the US attorney comes back with a recommendation that, hey, is nothing we can do, move to the next phase, would that be more comprehensive and ideal? I might have some value to this conversation. So, okay, I I stand. Mr. Mayor,

thank you. U Commissioner Clark, Commissioner Slindac, will you want to come in? you or you yield. All right, Commissioner Gilful. Floor is yours.

Attorney, uh, I did a little Googling on this stuff. Um, for the FBI, the fraud, investment, kickbacks, uh, misuse of grant money or personal gain, false billing, or fake contracts. The attorney general is best for legal action prosecution. The attorney general doesn't typically take raw complaints directly at the local level. Instead, it comes through the FBI investigations, US Attorney Office, or Inspector General. So, the attorney general should not even be in the equation, apparently. But the Here's one that's um just to clarify, I don't think I ever stated attorney general. I think I said US attorney. Okay.

US attorney.

Um number three, the inspector general. Often the most overlooked and powerful. Every federal agency, HUD, do EPA etc. has office of inspector general. Best for waste abuse and mismanagement. Misuse of Pacific programs funds, grants, infrastructure money, etc. They can audit, investigate, and refer cases to the DOJ and the FBI. I believe the if the the maker of the substitute motion would use the term inspector general, I believe that'll be a path forward since that's their in their wheelhouse to look for these three items. So I think we were all schooled by you know what was listed here. best use for waste, abuse, mismanagement, misuse of specific program funds, grants, infrastructure money, etc. They can audit, investigate, and refer cases to the DOJ and FBI. That'll be um if the commissioner from the ninth would like to change her motion to the inspector general, that might be a path forward for us and a clean path forward because everything whatever we do, if we go to the FBI or the uh what she recommended, we still come back to the same spot months down the road and we're still going to end up going back to the inspector general. Commissioner from the ninth mayor prom has asked you to amend your motion.

I would um Mayor Johnson, I don't have a problem with amending the motion. Um may I um address the attorney? Yes.

Attorney uh Madden you think that's a sound way we could go? I just you know it's not that I'm trying to kick the can down the road, but I just want us to do it right. We just had a a a constituent in here saying that we're not doing processes, procedure, and processes, right? So, let's start today. Not saying we we don't know what's going to happen. The audit didn't find anything. Who knows if we move it forward and um I don't have a problem as long as um that's something that you think that um our law department can handle with?

Yes, ma'am. We we'd be glad to reach out to the inspector general if that's the will of the body to to discuss this matter with them as well. Thank you. Um with that, Miss Bonn, I would like to amend my motion sub my substitute motion. Second. You just want to amend your because it's already two motions on the floor. We can't get three. So she can amend hers to go to the atern um inspector general. Yes. Opposed to the US attorney. Yes. for the attorney. Okay. Can we put a timeline on this, too? You know, this this shouldn't have to take six months. So, you should be able to come back with an answer by next week. That's just a call tomorrow. You should be able to have us an answer by Tuesday.

Yes, sir. We'll do our best. All right. You got it. And now, all right, Commissioner Rice from the third. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm I'm gonna step out of the queue. My question was answered. All right, madame clerk, there's been a substitute motion to move this item uh for direction to the office of the inspector general with a proper second by Mayor Proam, Commissioner Wayne Gilhole. We're ready to vote. I don't see anyone else in the queue. That's the only thing we vote on.

That's a substitute motion. We're voting on it first. Yep. That motion carries with Mr. Jordan Johnson and Mr. Brandon Garrett out.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let's move on to item number 15. I think it has it that commissioner from the fourth asked that it be pulled. Item number 15, motion to approve a request from from the administrator to commission a feasibility study relative to the Splas 8 water park project. Commissioner Wimble, I'm sorry, you have the floor, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, Mr. Mayor, may I uh my question for the uh administrator?

Yes, sir. Proceed. Okay. Um, I I just saw on television recently um some advertisement a water park pertain to the splots. Yeah. The city is doing that advertisement and it's a nice looking. You haven't seen them? No sir, I was not aware of it.

Give it your information officer then. That's that's an advertisement about water park and I thought and oh by the way it's tied to the splots when it's talking. And so my point was when I saw that advertisement and also you've given some talks yourself on splots nine pertaining to the water park. Yes sir. Correct. As far as clarification that that was $5 million seed money. Yes sir.

Yes. Yes ma'am. You did that. So my point was my well my point is if I'm gonna see a advertisement and it was a be it's a beautiful water park that is in this advertisement. So I want to make sure that we're not misleading the citizen to vote for something that in the end we get one of these little plastic water pools. You follow what I'm saying?

Yes sir. So I ask that we bring that advertisement and display it so we'll know exactly what are some of the recommendation or or or shall I say some of the uh feasibility study because that's what you're talking about now that's what it's talking about a feasibility study so to speak that this advertisement is thick pitching in that uh ad because I think it it's like saying okay this is what you're voting on and that could be misleading.

Yes, sir. I'm not sure where those advertisement would come from. I'm I'm certain that the government is not the governing body is not or anybody working in the governing body is advertising it. It may be on the news um saying that a feasibility study is going to be conducted but I'm not sure. So, you saying that I might have been looking at something from an outside agency? I I would hope it was cuz it shouldn't been coming from us. No, sir. Okay. So, that so that that will uh absolve Augusta of any involvement in that if in the end we get nothing similar to that.

Yes sir. The feasibility study is for them to bring back various options. One to see if it's feasible and then two, you know, of course to get community engagement and then three to come up with the development plan based on all of the respective responses that we receive. Well, I will admit there's no disclaimer on that ad that I saw and I know it's running. Anyway, here's here's my next one. Now, did we discuss how we going to pay or is is this this feasibility study being paid by some other mean other than that $5 million?

The feas and I think Commissioner Scott actually asked that question, sir. It would come from that actual project. Yes, sir. It would come from right now. We don't have no price tag on that study then. No sir, we do not. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Yeah. Thank you, Commissioner Wembley. You want to uh put a motion to approve this? Uh or you you got your questions answered. Can we motion to move it forward or you want? Uh Mr. Mayor, I will uh put a motion that we move forward with this. Thank you. Is there a second? Thank you, Commissioner. Second.

There's a second. I heard by Commissioner Don Clark. Madam Clerk, I have a motion and a second to move forward. Commissioner from the seventh, Commissioner Tina Slendett. Thank you very much. Um for it was my understanding the last time that we talked about this that um the feasibility study was going to hopefully um be out within a month. Is that correct? Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Um I I haven't seen any com commercials uh that Mr. Wimbley speaking of. Um I don't know whether he's talking about something that was a news story or something. I'm not sure. I would think if if that's what it was, it's it's probably a stock photo. Um, which is very commonly used in news stories and things like that. Um, because I know that you were going to get the feasibility study back and then there was going to be citizen input before anybody started designing anything. So, um, like I said, I haven't seen what Mr. Wimberly said. I don't know if it's an ad or it was a something the TV channels put out and just threw that stock photo up, but um there's there's I think this needs to move forward and so we can get the feasib feasibility study done and get the citizen input before any design starts, which in my mind is the process. So, um I'm hoping that nobody uh like Mr. Wimberly said maybe looking at that and saying, "Oh, that's what we're going to get when when we may not." Um, but I I think maybe it was a a stock photo, you know, it's

maybe not be the best thing, but it's it's done widely in advertisements and news stories and things. So, um, I I would agree to let's move this forward and get that study done. So, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Chair recognizes mayor pro Tim commissioner from the 10th commissioner Wayne Gilful. Thank you Mr. Mayor. Um this for the administrator can I ask? Yes sir. Proceed please.

U madame administrator as far as this feasibilility study. you're going to be reaching out to the general public to get their ideas um their wishes, their wants that would be in a water park and and actually it's probably as far as as well as doing an infrastructure study. Was that correct? Yes, sir. Okay. So with the information that you find from the feasibility study, you could compile it with our procurement director in order to put a package out to where we actually had five different um companies looking at per potentially um taking on the water park. Yes, sir. And they would also be able to respond to the request for proposals as well.

Okay. So what this does is just makes a level playing field with the information that you derive from these um meetings, public meetings. It makes a level playing field for any potential companies to come in to bid on. Yes, sir. Thank you so much. Pro Tim Commissioner Don Clark from the fifth. You have the floor, sir.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Hey, so I think this is all really good um that this is happening like this because number one, it's so many opportunities that we kind of get misled with information that we see out there. No shot against our media partners. Um but you know, there's the way that things are advertised. Of course, people are visuals and they want to see a visual. Um but just because the visual is out there doesn't mean that we've identified a specific concept. um our partners from Augusta, uh Destination Augusta of course has taken up the challenge of trying to lure a company in to come in um for the water park. Our administrators done an amazing job her and the staff of of you know continuing to talk about this with the Splas um meetings that they have. I do want to make sure that there's no confusion from anyone. Augusta Richmond County is not going in the water park business. We will not be building an Augusta Richmond County water park that we will be managing. Right, Miss Al Miss Williams at all. So the biggest thing is um because to the commissioner's point, um it's a lot of conversation going on. It's a lot of buzz going on. It's a lot of things happening and it's easy for folks to get misled. Um so no knock to our WJBF partners. You guys did a great story on talking about it. They did use a visual, but it was a stock image of what a water park could look like. But I just want to make sure cuz I've heard this u more than enough times. Uh Augusta is not getting in the water park business. Can you please confirm that for us on the record, madam administrator, again that we are not going in the water park business?

That is correct, sir. All right. and our destination Augusta partners are on board with helping us lure the businesses in um with the $5 million that were set aside as seed money for a company to come in and potentially provide the benefit of a water park to Augusta Richmond County. Right. Yes, sir. Destination Augusta has been a great partner in getting us to this point. Now, it's on the city to continue the process.

Yeah. So, I I'll say this openly and publicly for everyone to understand because we don't do a great job of always selling the great things that are happening. This process is in motion. This process is in move is is moving even though the dollars were approved years ago still has to go through the process of accumulating those dollars to be able to make the 5 million. So, just because something is approved during SPLS doesn't mean that the dollars will be available that next day. still has to go through the process of collecting the taxes and of receiving the funds for that. And I'm just saying that for everyone that's listening so that we don't continue to frustrate and and confuse everyone. It's not that this process has been sidelined or purposely set aside. It's going through the motions of what it is. This feasibility study is going to give the community a voice in hopefully luring and attracting a company to come in and give us something past the plastic um pool that you know the commissioner said earlier or something you know less than. So, thank you um all for all your collective efforts with this because again, this is what the community voted for and what they're looking for and hopefully we find a company that's willing to come in and support this and we can put those dollars to use. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Clark. Chair recognizes Commissioner from the fourth, Commissioner London Wimberly. Mr. May, call for the vote. It's been called for the vote. Call for the question. Commissioner Lonnie

call for the question. Lonnie Wimbley, Commissioner Lonnie Wimblely has made the motion to move this forward as properly seconded by the commissioner from the fifth. Madame clerk, there's no other colleagues in the queue and we're voting. That motion carries with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Garrett out.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let's see where we're going to go here. Let's go to number 25. We got two presentations. We got 25 and number 29. Let's go to 25 first, please. Item 25 is to receive as information a presentation of the 2025 annual report. Thank you, Madam Clerk, Madam Administrator. All right. Hopefully, we have some good news.

This is This is good news. You're right, Commissioner Scott. This is good news. Miss Richardson. Oh, she's there on the other end. So, Miss Richardson is passing out our 2025 annual report, Evolving Augusta. As you know, Mr. Mayor and members of the governing body, in September 2024, this community faced a devastating event called Hurricane Helen. I am proud to say as our organization continued to deal with the aftermath of the storm in 2025, we continue to evolve. This 2025 annual report entails the accomplishments made by this organization. I think the governing body can be proud of all that has been accomplished by your current staff. We do not deny, of course, that we have many more challenges to overcome, additional room for improvement and efficiencies to gain, but we Augusta, Georgia employees and departments are evolving in the right direction. So, first of all, I want to make sure I thank all the departments for their hard work in putting this information together, their hard work for all that they do, and Miss Richardson for capturing all that respective information. In your 2025 annual report, there's a snapshot of Augusta, Georgia government progress, performance, and priorities from 2025. This report highlights key accomplishments, financial transparency, and department impact across the organization. What's inside you'll find is our financial overview, major initiatives

and accomplishments, department highlights, public safety performance, community impact, and what we have going on ahead. We are going to be publishing this throughout all of our sharing platforms. We've also added Inside Augusta. Inside Augusta is what we are hoping all citizens will go online to our website and register for so they can get this newsletter sent directly to them. And the first newsletter that they will be receiving, the ones that have already registered will be this newsletter. You can actually go, many of you have it, but just to show the audience, this is what you'll find when you go to our website. This is what we have. And I also want to thank our information technology department who does a phenomenal job. It would actually flip over and you can see actually everything on our annual report the same um what the governing body has today. anybody will go out and be able to see the various accomplishments that this governing body has made in the year of 2025. So, just want to share that with you. Let you know that your team throughout all of the obstacles and hurdles that you we may face every day together. We are still making some positive moves and we still are evolving in Augusta. So, with that, I will open it up to any questions that you have. Thank you, madame administrator, and outstanding work on putting all of this together. I don't see any colleagues in the queue, but I will take this opportunity to thank you, your staff, all of the employees and partners for the city of Augusta for their commitment not only to

Augusta, but uh to this region. So, thank you very much. How can we make sure this is put on our website or how can we make sure this is is uh given to the general public? Yes, sir. Good question. That information will be sent out today. We will have a press release going out after this meeting as as well as this will be posted on our um website as well as those um citizens that have registered on our website to receive our newsletter will be receiving it by email. Thank you so much. Thank you for your effort. And ladies and gentlemen, let's give him a round of applause for this. Is unbelievable. A lot of work. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Madam clerk, I think that takes us to the last agenda item and the final for our business for today. And that is item number 29. Item 29 is an update on the fire department and valor station meetings and if if it implemented a path for our fire department employees. Thank you, madam clerk. Commissioner Gil, this is your item, but uh do you yield to the fire chief or would you like to introduce

No, let me add a little uh verbiage to this conversation that uh the chief had reached out to me prior to our meeting starting today. Um, anytime that money is a um with a vendor, it has to go through a procurement process. And I actually had Valor to come before us and there was no reason because we don't want to taint the process at all. So, Chief, it's in your hands.

Yes, sir. So, um, uh, pleased to report that our wellness program is moving forward. Uh I have been meeting with our internal stakeholders u in the HR department uh procurement, the law department and risk management. And as you mentioned uh it was recommended that we move towards a request for a proposal for our new wellness program. And so we are in the process of developing a scope of work for that program. Uh I anticipate within the next two weeks that we will have something that we could provide to procurement.

Yes sir. Uh chief you know this is much much needed for our fire department, our police department, our first responders with um the ambulance service as well as the marshalss and code enforcement. um just two weeks ago with that little girl that was beaten to death. We could only imagine it. Your employees seen it. They take it home with them. They can't take that vision out and that as well as the sheriff's department. That hurts

and it continues to hurt them where we can move on. It's still in their system. So, we definitely need to make sure that we don't look backwards or turn our back on our first responders by any means. And I think this might be a path forward to help them out because last year was tragedy in the fire department. We don't want to see that again. Yes, sir. It just really um uh coincides with the importance of a public safety wellness program of this magnitude. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Um, Mayor Pro Tim, Wayne Gilfo, chair recognizes commissioner from the ninth, commissioner Francine Scott.

Thank you, um, Mayor Johnson. Thank you, Chief. Thank you, Mayor Portim Pro Tim Gil for bringing this um, issue up and I know you have been um, the front runner in making sure that all uh, our staff is in good shape. So, thank you for your due diligence in bringing this forth in a timely manner. I think it's been less than a month and a half. You you asked for this and here it is now. So, thank you for a job well done. So, now we need to not let it sit. We need to move forward. Thank you.

Right. Thank you so much, Commissioner Scott. Madame Clerk, I think that's it. Information and we move on. Yes, sir. receive information without objection. Is there any objection from this governing body here? And seeing none is received. Madam clerk, I think that concludes our business for today. We got out uh a little early, so we're giving some time back. Ladies and gentlemen, all right, Commissioner Mayor Pim has asked for a point of privilege. Madame administrator, where you going to be at 6 o'clock this evening to give out information where Warren Road, sir? Uh disc discuss what we're going to be discussing splot and floss.

All right. It would be good if anybody's listening that you ain't got nothing to do at 6 o'clock. The Warren Road Community Center is the place to be. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Spllos 9 floss Warren Road Community Center. Thank you uh ladies and gentlemen for your attention. Thank you for being here today. Madame clerk, this meeting is here by journ. Thank you. 410. Miss Bonnie got by study.