A move to investigate City Administrator Fred Russell's computer hard drive to determine whether Commissioner Marion Williams has a bootlegged copy of it failed Tuesday.
The racially divided Augusta Commission also refused to rescind last month's censure of Commissioner Calvin Holland for asking a city employee to give him a copy of the administrator's hard drive information.
Mr. Holland said he would continue to bring the censure issue back before the commission.
"Their ploy was just to try to embarrass me," he said. "I've been down this road before, so that doesn't hurt."
Commissioners did agree to fire in-house General Counsel Eugene Jessup after he refused to resign, as he was asked to do a month ago when the computer controversy boiled over.
Commissioner Andy Cheek's motion for a full scan of the hard drive for hacking or copying, followed by prosecution if it was determined the computer had been hacked, failed to make the quorum on a 5-4 vote, with the five white commissioners voting for the probe and the four black commissioners voting against it. Mayor Pro Tem Betty Beard left before the vote.
Mr. Williams, who requested a copy of Mr. Russell's hard drive information after the controversy erupted, argued against the investigation. He has said he has the information but won't say how he obtained it.
Commissioner Joe Bowles suggested the hard drive, which an attorney has said is not public record, could be checked for tampering without examining the contents. Mr. Williams said that was the "dumbest thing" he'd heard in a long time and referred to Mr. Bowles as "boy."
"Don't call me boy," Mr. Bowles said before suggesting Mr. Williams pay his overdue property taxes.
After the vote, Mr. Cheek said he will seek further legal review of the matter, possibly with federal officials.
"Anybody that claims to be in possession of stolen property kind of makes you wonder about their character if they are aware it is stolen and illegally obtained," Mr. Cheek said.
The vote on Mr. Williams' motion to rescind the censure against Mr. Holland and apologize failed on a 6-4 vote, with the same commissioners who voted for the censure last month voting against the motion.
The vote followed a statement by Mr. Holland defending his actions and reasserting that he had done nothing wrong. He also asked that Atlanta attorney Quinton Seay's letter be read. Mr. Seay had written that Mr. Holland only violated the intent of the city ordinance, not the law itself, by seeking the information.
Mr. Seay also rejected Mr. Williams' request for a copy of the hard drive information on the grounds that it was too broad and that a hard drive does not constitute a public record under Georgia law and is not subject to disclosure under the Open Records Act.
The computer controversy began when Mr. Jessup and Mr. Shepard obtained a copy of hard drive information from assistant in-house attorney Vanessa Flournoy's city computer, which indicated she was doing real-estate closings on it. Mr. Jessup wanted Ms. Flournoy fired. He soon clashed with Mr. Holland, Mr. Williams and Commissioner J.R. Hatney, and shortly thereafter Mr. Holland tried to get Mr. Russell's computer information to see whether he had been doing private business on it.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
As long as our commission is set up to have no leader then our community has no leader since the commission makes all decisions. And what kind of genius wrote that a 5 to 4 vote on a ten person commission isn't a quorum? The ARC charter needs to be rewritten, now. Why isn't this major interference to growth being addressed?
you people in Richmond County need to GET RID OF THE LOT down there (with the exception of dek whom is trying to repair the racial divide ) they rest of them want it, and play it like spoiled brats
Why would you have an even number of people? Does the Mayor's vote carry any weight or does he vote at all? The commission is a joke, it will always split on racial lines as long as some of these knuckle heads are still on the commission....I thought you had to have 2/3's of the vote to pass anything.
Betty Beard does it again, she leaves before the vote. This is one of Marion Williams tactics. I guess she learned from the pro!!! The immediate supervisor of a person should be able to request the scan of that person's computer to determine it they are viewing porn or running a business with city/county property.
Pathetic. Really pathetic. "Boy?" They certainly are not a group of people that I look up to or would want any young people to follow. Get rid of the entire lot of them.
I say if a commissioner walks out before/during a vote or abstains without cause - terminate them!
Are these CLOWNS being paid to act like this?
REMEMBER -- if you do not VOTE -- you have no right to complain about the make up of the Commission. Why do you think that your property taxes continue to go up? Because Augusta is losing business owners to Columbia County and Aiken County every day which causes less tax revenue to run local government. With less tax money we will see increased crime (robberies) and NO traffice law enfocement. The cure to teh government problems we have is to elect competent people without power hungry egos. There are a lot of people in Augusta that think that the Commissions are doing a very good job as evidenced by their continued vote to elect less than competent Commissioners.
Bowels is the new clown. Glad I didn't vote for him. It's like they have something on each other, why would Bowles tell that man to pay his taxes.... I just wonder what Deke's facial expression is when RACE surface and it's THICK in the room.
How do we allow him to be on the commission without paying his taxes? That should be a disqualifier right there. We should be ashamed that we elect these kind of people to office.
"Their ploy was just to try to embarrass me," he said. "I've been down this road before, so that doesn't hurt." I'm sure Calvin Holland has been down Embarrassment Road many, many times. And yes, after you've done wrong time and time again, it begins not to hurt. Calvin Holland has lost his moral compass by repeated bad behavior, and there's likely no changing him back to responsible behavior. The citizens of his district deserve better, but they are stuck with a person who acts like a three year old who has been pampered and spoiled rotten.
When is the next election? VOTE! I think I'll be like the rest of the working tax payers of Richmond Cty. MOVE!!! Here we come North Augusta.................
Can you imagine what kind of fit Marion would have thrown if he were called "boy?" It's no wonder that no quality candidates are interested in being part of this commission/circus.
"The racially divided Augusta Commission also refused to rescind last month's censure of Commissioner Calvin Holland for asking a city employee to give him a copy of the administrator's hard drive information." People take a hard look at this sentence and pay special attention to the first few words, I am sick and tired of racial everything. It always boils down to race. Can we not see beyond this? What a joke. My sand box is bigger than yours! Clowns, please get a life and understand before you ruin our city.
Boy, glad I don't live in Augusta! It's really interesting to read about your Commissioners. How do they get away with acting like spoiled little children? Isn't anyone holding them accountable? Do they get paid for this position? If they do, then it's no wonder the City of Augusta is in trouble.
Quit complaining, just get out the peanuts and enjoy the free show that Richmond County is paying dearly for!!!
The County Commission in Augusta is the main reason I live in South Carolina.
well it seems as if everything in disgusta is running smoothly, especially the dis commissioners. marion williams is my hero......
According to Georgia law, an elected official cannot serve if they owe any federal, state or local taxes. However, first it has to be brought to a judge who will determine if there are any taxes owed. Once there is a judgement that taxes are owed, the offender can be put out of office. Where are you Woody? Here's the case you need to take to a judge.
Thats it I am moving!!!
I agree with mycomments, WHERE IS WOODY??
Hacking or illegal access of computers is an intrusion offense. He violated the employees rights to privacy. What Mr. Williams did was unethical. I would hope that the powers to be investigate Mr. Williams, not only on this matter but on all decisions he has made since becoming a commissioner. The taxpayers need to demand better of their commissioners. No abstaining, no walkouts, DO YOUR JOB or GET OUT of OFFICE!!!!!!!
I agree, I want to move also. Any takers on my house? This is out of control. We take one step forward and five back!
Are these meeting televised? Not that it would be good tv, but shining little light on these people might cause them to start at least pretending to be adults.
Buisness as usual in Disgusta. Why don't we sell Augusta to
north Augusta??? They seem to have a progressive approach!!!
Quote from the above article, "Mr. Holland said he would continue to bring the censure issue back before the commission." There was a time when parents reared their children to become responsible adults. They would tell their sons, "You have to take your punishment like a man." But Calvin Holland is no man. Have you seen the TV clips of him in the commission meeting whining like a little boy, "I did nothing wrong! I did nothing wrong! I did nothing wrong!" It's time to take your punishment like a man, Calvin. Stop bringing your censure up for endless discussion.
Pass the popcorn, please..
Does anyone have any Milkduds?
To 1980reader, the commission meetings are televised on Comcast and have been for decades. It doesn't help. In fact, I wonder whether it actually encourages outrageous behavior. Obviously Williams enjoys his pontificating. But the childish outbursts by Holland continue to be an embarrassment for everyone but Holland.
All of them are acting a fool, It is funny to watch them (ALL) act a fool but, the shame is the peoples business is not getting done because of nonsense.
Yes it is televised and called Gubment in Action on Channel 4 I think on Comcast. No I am not being racist with my ebonics statement, listen to Mr. Williams he cannot form a sentence that has proper grammer in it. And yes he says gubment and bidness I have heard him, just a quote. Sorry folks but that is the truth.
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