ATLANTA --- Restructuring the Augusta Coliseum Authority is likely to wait until next year, according to Rep. Hardie Davis.
His comments came Thursday, the day Rep. Wayne Howard, D-Augusta, formally introduced a restructuring bill with three of the six members of the local House delegation signing, one short of the minimum required for passage.
"I doubt seriously they're going to get a fourth signature on that," said Mr. Davis, D-Gracewood.
But Mr. Howard was hopeful that the bill could still be amended enough in the legislative session's few remaining days to convince Mr. Davis or Rep. Barbara Sims, R-Augusta.
"You probably never get a bill that everyone will agree on completely," he said.
He introduced it with signatures from himself, Rep. Quincy Murphy, D-Augusta, and Rep. Gloria Frazier, D-Hephzibah.
Sens. J.B. Powell and Ed Tarver will also have to agree for it to pass the Senate. Both have said they wouldn't decide until a majority of the local House delegation supports a bill.
Augusta commissioners asked the delegation to pass legislation to revise the authority after repeated accounts of personality clashes, personnel changes and financial problems with the board that oversees the management of the James Brown Arena and Bell Auditorium.
Mrs. Sims has said that she realized she was alone in favoring the return of control to the commission with a professional management firm operating it day-to-day.
Mr. Howard's bill, introduced on the last day for local bills to have a chance to pass this session, would abolish the board July 31. It would replace the board with nine members serving two-year terms, and at least some of them would have to have backgrounds in entertainment, marketing and finance. Plus, it would create a way for board members to be removed if seven Augusta commissioners agree.
After separate efforts to write legislation by both Mr. Davis and Mr. Murphy failed, Mr. Howard agreed to craft a compromise.
Comments
The bill sounds like a tiny step in the right direction. But by keeping the board, just cutting it 25%, imposing an unenforceable professional requirement, and asking seven commissioners to agree in case of a mistake - not enough change to be worth the trouble. Barbara Sims has it right on this one.
What is Representative Davis' objection to the compromise bill? He says it will not get a fourth signature but gives no reason other than for us to deal with the present situation for twelve more months. Please tell us why you are on the fence.
Just do away with the board and rent the civic center out and give the Augusta Arts folks the Bell auditorium.
Since returning to the Aiken-Augusta area back in 2002, I can honestly say, I have yet to see any elected official, committee or board in Augusta complete a single act which shows competence. Regency Mall has wasted away. Parks and public areas have gone unmaintained. The Civic Center...well nothing else needs to be said there. All of the projects downtown move forward just far enough to waste lacking tax-payer money. Officials steal and waste what little is left...only to be reelected and supported by the voters right through imprisonment. And the only project that has actually been completed in any real sense...a statue of a james brown. ha! Now they want to be allowed to build yet another downtown project? Shouldn't they first learn how to manage and complete projects they already have underway? Shouldn't they first clean up all of the messes they've already caused? THEN and only then...if they have managed to show they are capable of handling the responsibility...maybe they can be allowed to move forward on something as massive as a coliseum. Until then...they should probably go ahead and remove the word "Authority" from anything related to "Augusta".
My objection to this bill is that it does not go far enough in demonstrating due diligence to change this board. It is no secret that problems have been reported about the coliseum authority for ages. I thought that I had a compromise worked out with Howard and Frazier 2 weeks ago only to be thrown for a loop days after a presumed agreement. Long story short my suggestions for legislation were: 1. Reducing the board to seven members...I compromised on 9 during my meetings with Howard and Frazier but stated that seven would operate more efficiently as a smaller board and demonstrate real change versus glossing over it with a reduction of 3 members to 9 total. 2. Provide for term limits: 2 consecutive terms with the new board having an initial term of 2 years and 3 years for the next term assuming reappointment after the initial term for all new board members. All subsequent terms would be for a perriod of 4 years. 3. A mechanism was added for removal of all appointees by the appointing official without a showing of cause. 4. All members (3) appointed by the legislative delegation would come from (3) industries.
Finally, let me re-iterate that I am not on the fence. I believe that a solution should be rendered, one that all members of the delegation can stand behind. This should be understood since you only have 3 signatures. Additionally, it was the media that informed me of the fact that a bill had been filed not the members who signed on to this legislation. Typically all signatures are obtained before filing legislation. This is the legislative way. This is also the way we handled local legislation last year. I am certain that a "real" "compromise" will be developed before the session ends and most folks in Augusta will be satisfied.
My objection to this bill is that it does not go far enough in demonstrating due diligence to change this board. It is no secret that problems have been reported about the coliseum authority for ages. I thought that I had a compromise worked out with Howard and Frazier 2 weeks ago only to be thrown for a loop days after a presumed agreement. Long story short my suggestions for legislation were: 1. Reducing the board to seven members...I compromised on 9 during my meetings with Howard and Frazier but stated that seven would operate more efficiently as a smaller board and demonstrate real change versus glossing over it with a reduction of 3 members to 9 total. 2. Provide for term limits: 2 consecutive terms with the new board having an initial term of 2 years and 3 years for the next term assuming reappointment after the initial term for all new board members. All subsequent terms would be for a perriod of 4 years. 3. A mechanism was added for removal of all appointees by the appointing official without a showing of cause. 4. All members (3) appointed by the legislative delegation would come from (3) industries.
Let's face it. The Coliseum Authority is very much a reflection of all political "leadership" in Augusta. It can't be saved. Nor can the Golf and Gardens or downtown or the county commission or the Board of Education, which can brag of a 50 percent high school graduation rate. Fifty percent!!! Is there any worse in the USA? The basics aren't covered and until Richmond County insists that its young people are educated and its criminals are locked up (most especially including its politicians), the deterioration will continue. Just look at the emails from the house member. Nothing will get done. It's over for Augusta and when my last child graduates from N.A. High School next year, I'm out of here.
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