Sadly, Augusta's system fights change

I am closing a chapter in my life that I have enjoyed immensely. Many, many people have wished us well as we move to a new community and a new challenge in my career. I would like to express our personal appreciation for the warm welcome to Augusta and for the opportunity to serve as your administrator.

This opportunity was challenging and rewarding, and I hope I have made a difference in Augusta's future and its quality of life.

I will miss Augusta. Not the long, nonsensical commission meetings, but the many people we've met and grown very fond of. I will miss Augusta's employees, who became associates. They truly care about this city and want only what's best for it.

People have asked me to share some of my thoughts about Augusta and what I think is best for its future. I have many thoughts. I could, and maybe someday will, write a book about Augusta. I surely took plenty of notes and I have many memories about my experiences here.

FIRST, LET ME say I am not leaving Augusta because I dislike it. I am leaving because I see no value in staying and struggling with a system that does not want change and that is designed to fail.

Yes, I could have stayed and fought - and chances are I could have won. At what price? It would have meant sacrificing my beliefs and principles of public service, and would not have done the community's image any good. My integrity said that it was best that I get out of the way of whatever fate has in store for Augusta.

I still firmly believe that Augusta has the potential of being a great city in the Southeast that can boast a good quality of life. It has a very long way to go to achieve that, and a lot of healing to do to make it a reality.

I don't think I can repeat enough that the government structure is, at best, seriously flawed. This government was structured to build consensus. In effect, it has not achieved that result, but rather has led to bitter struggles and divisions for the sake of what can only be compared to gang power and, in some cases, feeding personal egos.

With no power or input from the mayor or administrator, it encourages and is certainly designed to frustrate the organization with inaction and political game playing by the commission. Having to have six votes to do anything is inefficient and invites the temptation of interfering with normal operations and successful outcomes of the government, all for the sake of consensus.

When I look back at history, I cannot find any instance where successful governments and their governed communities were built on consensus. Rather, in democratic societies, the majority rules, and someone is in a leadership role to lead for the greater good. When that leader fails, he or she is replaced. When they succeed, however, the total community benefits.

I HAVE HEARD many conversations throughout this community about the need for a change. I wholeheartedly agree. I believe that the first step is to begin talking to each other.

The Community Trust Initiative and the Blue Ribbon Committee is a first step. People from all over the community are talking about issues that impact their lives and their neighbors. Blacks and whites are talking about their needs, wants and desires. Those should continue and expand. The conversation should not focus on what happened in yesteryear. At times, it's emotional and interesting, but nonproductive and divisive. The world and Augusta have changed, and they continue to change. Instead, it should focus on the realities of today and how to make it better for all tomorrow. Good ideas should be debated, and not used to bargain for "what's in it for me?"

I believe that the majority of this commission are good people attempting to do what's best for the entire community. I, like the rest of you, accept their decisions hoping that the majority will prevail in leading and doing what's best for Augusta. For that to happen, though, they must lead and not be afraid of repercussions from those who oppose the greater good. This has not, and probably won't, happen during this term of the commission. The opposition is loud and threatening, with no one raising a voice to stop it. That leads me to what I believe should and could happen in Augusta to make it a great city.

FIRST, IF THE community truly believes that the government is inept, they should change it. Not just talk, but action. The mayor is truly a champion for Augusta and promotes it every chance he gets. But his place in the government is weak. The position should be a strong mayor with a vote or veto, and should not reflect the weakest part of the government. The mayor should truly be a mayor, and not a figurehead presiding over a gang fight.

Whatever form of government works best for Augusta - strong mayor, council-manager or some other hybrid - someone or some group in the community should lead to make that happen.

Second, I would urge the passage of SPLOST V - the special purpose local option sales tax - which contains quality-of-life projects such as the sports arena, performing arts center, the exhibition center and library. Infrastructure projects are necessary but so are those projects that make up the economic infrastructure of communities. Augusta's population is declining. There's nothing to keep people in Augusta, especially young people. If Augusta chooses not to invest in its quality of life, some other community in the region will. There are many good projects on the drawing board ready to be implemented immediately that inspire confidence in this community and this government, and that will take Augusta in a new direction. A no-vote on SPLOST's quality-of-life projects is a vote against Augusta's future.

Third, and probably more important than the other two, the whole community should work hard to dispel the perception of racial division. I have no doubt that the past was bitter and left wounds that will take generations to heal. The healing process should begin now. I believe efforts to bridge and close the divide between races should greatly expand. Discrimination still exists in Augusta, as it does throughout America. But it embeds itself in values that people have. We tend to look at others less fortunate with a casual eye. They in turn look to us as "uppity" - the battle of the "haves" and "have-nots." That's not racial. That's people being people, as ugly as that seems.

Augusta needs to get over blaming everything on race and talk about the real issues that divide it. Affordable housing, deteriorating neighborhoods, educating our youth, domestic violence, crime, unemployment and underpaying jobs are the real challenges that face this community, and they must be discussed and addressed. In all of these issues, race is not a barrier.

ONE OF THE characteristics that attracted me to Wichita, Kan., was the fact that the community is engaged with the government. Citizens demand good government, and that benefits everyone - not just a privileged few. The entire interview process stressed that the community was included in the decision-making process.

Wichita is the 51st-largest city in the nation. By far the largest city in Kansas, it still has its own set of problems. Augusta boasts being the second-largest city in Georgia. Reports that Augusta is losing population will quickly erode that assertion, and Augusta will struggle to find a niche that propels it to greatness.

Unless there is a change - a change that will require the community to become engaged through its neighborhoods, businesses, individuals and, yes, in its government. Augusta can no longer afford to ignore the elephant in Aunt Martha's living room. The elephant is destroying Aunt Martha's house.

Augusta has a very special place in our hearts. The people of Augusta are some of the finest we have ever met. The employees of Augusta's government are the best. Without exception, they want what's best for Augusta and are willing to work for it. Most of the commissioners have that same mission. Trusting employees to do what they have been trained to do and not second-guessing and punishing them for mistakes leads to high performance and continuous improvement.

I will come back to Augusta to visit. We will pray for this city and trust that God will lead it to greatness.

(Editor's note: The writer, the city manager of Wichita, Kan., is the former city administrator for the city of Augusta.)