Jury resumes probing waste in government

City administrator testifies for nearly four hours, answering panel's questions and providing documents

Web posted October 15, 1999

By Sylvia Cooper
Staff Writer

Richmond County's new grand jury apparently is doing what Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Commissioner Ulmer Bridges requested -- continuing the investigation into alleged waste and wrongdoing in Augusta government.

City Administrator Randy Oliver testified before the grand jury for almost four hours Thursday, answering numerous specific questions about city government and providing documents the grand jury had requested.

``I presented the response we sent over and told them I would provide any information that they wanted, and that we didn't have anything to hide,'' Mr. Oliver said.

Margaret Dunstan, forewoman of the previous grand jury, participated in Thursday's proceedings.

Last month, the outgoing grand jury called for a ``citizens alert'' in its release of a scathing report concerning operations of local government.

At the conclusion of its term of duty, the jury reported its dismal opinion of personnel practices, how the county buys goods and awards contracts, the lack of long-range planning even after large sums of money have been spent, and how the city gives taxpayers' dollars in the form of grants.

Mr. Young called the report ``unfair and unspecific.''

He and Mr. Bridges requested the new grand jury confirm the alleged malfeasance and punish the culprits or clear the air of suspicions raised by the previous grand jury.

Mayor Pro Tem Lee Beard called the report a ``disservice to the city and community,'' misinformed, inappropriate and driven by somebody out to embarrass the Augusta Commission.

Commissioner Stephen Shepard proposed sending the new grand jury ``a proactive and responsive message.''

And commissioners voted to direct Mr. Oliver and department heads to respond in the four areas of government targeted by the grand jury in its presentments. Mr. Oliver submitted policies and other documents pertaining to those areas to the grand jury, he said.

Mr. Shepard said Thursday the grand jury should attend city commission meetings.

``They go out to visit the jail, the clerk of court and the tax commissioner,'' he said. ``But maybe that's not what they're interested in.''

Commissioners had been called before the previous grand jury twice shortly before jurors issued their report -- the first time by invitation, the second time by subpoena.

Mr. Young and six commissioners -- Mr. Bridges, Mr. Beard, Mr. Shepard, Richard Colclough, Freddie Handy and Jerry Brigham -- said Thursday they had not heard from the jury.

REACH Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylviaco@augustachronicle.com.