The Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority fired its newly hired Facilities Manager Julie Huggins on a 6-5 vote Tuesday, citing questions about her resume.
In an interview afterward, Ms. Huggins called the coliseum board a "political circus," and said she's considering litigation.
Ms. Huggins, who only began her job last week, told The Chronicle she was shocked, especially at the anger level of member Willie Law.
Mr. Law accused Ms. Huggins of lying on her resume when she stated she was the Non-fraternal Director of Operations at the Morroco Shrine Auditorium in Jacksonville, Fla., when her title was actually rental manager. The chairman of the Shrine board has stated Ms. Huggins functioned as operations director, a position that evolved from her initial role.
Voting to fire her Tuesday were Mr. Law and members Janice Jenkins, Keith Brown, Mildred McDaniel, Booker Roberson and William Fennoy.
Voting against dismissal were members Adrian Arnold, Richard Isdell, John Manuel, Freddie Sanders and Jack Usry.
Chairman Harry Moore could not vote, which is why he said he tried to step down at the beginning of the meeting but was thwarted when the same members who later voted to fire Ms. Huggins voted not to accept his resignation.
If he had prevailed, Vice Chairwoman Janice Jenkins would have had to conduct the meeting and could not vote, a situation that would have probably changed the outcome.
After the meeting, Mr. Isdell said the dismissal of Ms. Huggins, who started work last week, was in retaliation for General Manager Robert "Flash" Gordon's dismissal March 7.
Ms. Huggins, who was to report to Mr. Gordon, said someone should look at his file, and that of Finance Director Margaret Ellis, who was fired Monday by interim General Manager Linda Roberts.
"See if they did those extensive and expensive background checks they did on me on them," she told The Chronicle .
Ms. Huggins said many businesses have canceled the authority's credit because bills haven't been paid for months and that taxpayers are paying late fees on many accounts.
"ADT has cancelled its contract over a $181 bill," she said. "There are stacks and stacks of unpaid bills. One girl has been waiting for her short-term disability nine weeks. I was working with her. Now there's no telling how long she will have to wait."
Ms. Huggins said if the board members can keep the civic center crippled, they can feel important.
"They're slowly just destroying it," she said.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
The taxpayers of richmond county need to revolt against the civic
center. Ms. Huggins should file a law suit against the board members and I would hope she would win. Maybe in federal court the judge would just give her the civic center instead of
money and we would be rid of the board and the civic center also.
Who said the circus is in town only once a year?
And we wonder why Augusta is a second class city.
I heard Ronnie Few is looking for a job...
Another one 'bites the dust'......
This farce will continue until the attitude of all elected officials concerning this money sewer is changed. Right now I do not see anything but a ho-hum, well, maybe we should do this or that, let's just wait and see attitude. We, the voters know positive steps need to be taken, but nothing positive ever happens....and the beat goes on.
Run, Julie, run, before you are dragged down into the muck that is the Richmond County Coliseum Authority!
This disaster at the Civic Center is the responsibility of those responsible for the appointment of the Commission members. Each member is appointed by an elected city or state official. Those making the appointments should be held accountable by the voters in Augusta. Unfortunately, as long as incompetent individuals are elected to public office we get incompetent people appointed to our various commissions. The bottom-line is the citizens of our community make choices about for whom they vote not on the basis of competence or capability but on totally irrelevant factors such as race or good-old-boy politics. As Pogo would say: “We have met the enemy and it is us”.
Another example of government trying to run a business with a "balanced" commission of appointees. The definition of insanity comes to mind. Oh well, it is a good place to get rid of all of those unwanted tax dollars.
Ms. Huggins, you are much better off NOT being involved with this bunch of clowns! I can't understand how any member of this board can possibly think that they are doing a good job down there and that what they are doing is meaningful. It's as if this is a mini-version of the former board of County Commissioners! Are these people just wannabes? I mean, how in the world did something so trivial to the county...a venue for concerts and events...become such a boondoggle and a source for so much strife and embarrassment? In reality, we REALLY do not need a civic center. Sure, it'd be nice to have one, but not one that we're always dumping money into to save. And, according to Ms. Huggins, there's alot more money that's being mishandled down there. This incompetent board needs to focus their actions on getting those things straightened out first, then worry about how else they can get their names in the paper or on TV. On second thought, if any of ya'll are reading this, PLEASE just resign!!
obviously the people of Richmond County like this kind of behavior because they surely do not do anything to change it, like voting in new commissioners. Get rid of them, they act racist and do nothing but bicker, but who keeps them in office but Richmond County voters. WAKE UPVOTERS YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN
Her firing is obvious retaliation and illegal. She will collect lots.
Pure and Simple...PAYBACK FOR FIRING FLASH GORDON...lol what a name for someone who is supposed to be in authority. Grow up man!
I have a great idea
Put some boards on the windows of that CIVIC CENTER [That is what it is being called again on the news} and write CLOSED on them..
Nothing ever happens there anyways except for some ridiculous rap artist that noone cares about except for a few that it seems that CIVIC CENTER caters to...
Well, yes, they have a circus once in awhile. La de da!
The last time I saw a rock concert there with decent people was back in the early 80's, I believe it was John Cougar Mellencamp
Think he would come back here again...I doubt it!
Close that waste of space and make it look like the reat of that area..TRASHY.
That woman did not stand a chance. So what? she lied on her application, was she doing the job and doing it right? probably so..Didn't they READ her application before they hired her AND check her references....Now, who was negligent, I would sue them if I were her!!
After the 'title' of her last job was brought into question the former employer made it claer that she was in fact fullfilling the roll she had on her resume. "The chairman of the Shrine board has stated Ms. Huggins functioned as operations director".End of story. There is a big difference between telling a lie and not having a job title changed on your contract by a former employer to reflect your job title. My question is, can the person do the job? It looks like the big loser in all this is the Richmond County tax payer (again). Is it too late to get legislation through the General Assembly this year?
obviously my original theory is being proven correct,,, being inept on the coliseum board is a rqmt to proving oneself qualified to serve on the aug/richmond board of commissioners,,, wonder if ronnie strength might consider using this place for an addl prisoner facility ?,,, at least it'd get more use & people ' in the door ' ! ! !
Since race has already been brought up, what is the racial makeup of the members voting to fire here and the members voting to keep her on? The real question tho, is why someone doesn't dissolve this board and try to start over? They are a joke!
The coliseum authority needs to be fired! They are the ones who don't know what they're doing!
And I thought I had heard it all! Can't somebody, somewhere, stop the madness in this town!
This town is a joke, does anyone work together in this town.
Sorry Julie Huggins you had to witness the idiots who run the civic center. I am sorry that my tax money runs the sinking ship. There has got to be a way to shut down that ship. Fire ever board member appoint one person to run it. Can we not impeach the board? Can the public attend a board meeting to say how we the tax payers feel. But then again certain board members will more than likely not attend
Lets see, I bet 250 comments.
owensjef..I am waiting for the defense to begin. Call it our amusement for the day.
Get rid of the board and hire a proven management company and keep the locals out of it by having 1 person as liason between elected officials and the management company. The problem with ARC always has been political favors in awarding contracts and jobs.
Instead of shutting down why don't they move to the Regency Mall building?
Any appointed board or authority takes on the tone of its chairman. This group has taken on the the arguementive, divisive, deceitful attitude of the chair. He should be able to contoll these open meetings by have committee meetings and respecting the views of those on committees and have the ability to comprimise for the greater good.
Starting over is not an option it is a must.
Any appointed board or authority takes on the tone of its chairman. This group has taken on the argumentive, divisive, deceitful attitude of the chair. He should be able to control these open meetings by having committee meetings and respecting the views of those on committees and have the ability to compromise for the greater good.
Starting over is not an option it is a must.
CBBC makes alot of sense...You have my vote so to speak...Actually it is the only sound piece of logic written so far.....
Last I heard, the personnel committee did not recommend Huggins. The chair went ahead and hired her anyway. That was a direct challenge that suffered its fate. Sounds to me like there are all sorts of people on that group that need to learn to work together without stepping on toes.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
