Grand jury urges city reform

Web posted Saturday, January 13, 2001

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By Sylvia Cooper
Staff Writer

RELATED STORIES: • Report targets commissioners • Race divides city • Grand jury urges city reform  THE 2001 REPORT (in pdf format): •  Page 1     •  Page 2 •  Page 3     •  Page 4 •  Page 5     •  Page 6  PREVIOUS STORIES: • Jurors call for special grand jury • Grand jury wonders at city's purchases • Reports: Connections play role in hiring • Grand jury report 1999 • Jury report vindicates city • Creation of special panel a first in city, officials say

The Richmond County special grand jury has called for an overhaul of city government structure, beginning with a city charter that would give the mayor veto power and restructure voting districts.

In presentments returned Friday, grand jurors contended that ``procedural deficiencies'' that have arisen since the city of Augusta and Richmond County consolidated in 1996 are threatening the future of Augusta. They recommended that the recently created Charter Commission study the charters of consolidated Athens, Ga., and the old city of Augusta for ideas.

Topping the list was veto power for the mayor, but with seven votes the commission could override the veto to ``bring more stability by setting up a check and balance system.''

``Because the whole county elects the mayor, he is not bound by particular geographical loyalties,'' the presentment stated. ``He is the voice of the whole county.''

The mayor's power - or lack of it - has been an issue from the beginning of consolidation. Former Mayor Larry Sconyers often complained he had no vote and no veto and was therefore powerless.

Currently, the mayor may vote to break a tie, but only if no commissioners abstain or walk out of the room during the vote, nullifying it.

``What a veto does is to give you a bargaining tool to leverage. It gives you something to work with in negotiation,'' said Augusta Mayor Bob Young. ``Each one of the commissioners has one vote. He has something he can horse trade. The mayor has nothing to horse-trade with.''

Mr. Young said that, had he had a veto during the recent city budget sessions, he might have been able to force some cuts in the 2001 budget.

Grand jurors also recommended doing away with the rule that requires six votes to pass a measure.

``This `six vote must' regulation is not effective and is easily manipulated and the parliamentary maneuvers derails the entire process and gives the abstaining commissioner(s) a de facto vote,'' the presentment states.

The six-vote threshold should be changed to allow a simple majority of the quorum to pass commission actions. The mayor should be allowed to vote to break any tie, not just 5-5 ties, grand jurors said.

``Most importantly, the abstention/leaving the room loophole must be closed,'' they stated.

An example of the abstention at work occurred last year when Recreation Director Tom Beck asked commissioners to allow him to waive the college-degree requirements for some lower-level employees.

A motion to approve his request failed when the five white commissioners voted for it and the five black commissioners abstained. Five votes for and five votes against would have allowed the mayor to break the tie.

A motion to deny the request failed when the white commissioners voted against it, two black commissioners voted for it and three abstained.

In that same May 16 meeting, black commissioners abstained 28 times. White commissioners did not abstain or leave the room during votes at that meeting.

Grand jurors recommended calling the roll at the beginning of all commission meetings. Once a commissioner is marked ``present'' he may vote for or against a motion or abstain because of a conflict of interest.

Other recommendations are to:

Divide the county into 10 electoral districts with six commission seats representing geographical districts and four at-large representatives for broader representation. Currently, there are 10 districts, with eight commission seats representing geographical districts and two representing five districts each.

Include an ordinance that forbids commissioners from giving work instructions or directing city employees.

Grand jurors concluded that Augusta's population and economy have remained stagnant in the past decade, while surrounding counties seem to be prospering.

``They are attracting new businesses, expanding their tax base and increasing their populations,'' the report states. ``As the last census figures suggest, Augusta is not even keeping pace with the rest of the state of Georgia.''

Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228

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