Commissioner Joe Bowles, saying a city facing a deficit of more than $8 million has more important things to worry about than the name of a building, provided the sixth vote Tuesday to name the new judicial center the Augusta Judicial Center and John H. Ruffin Jr. Courthouse, or some variation thereof.
"If anybody could pretty that name up for us, we'll amend it later," Mr. Bowles said just before the 6-1 vote. Jimmy Smith voted no; Joe Jackson was in the restroom; Jerry Brigham left early; and Don Grantham was absent. Mr. Jackson said he would have voted in favor had he been present.
The name will honor a retired state Court of Appeals judge who grew up in Waynesboro, Ga., and went on to be an Augusta civil rights attorney and the city's first black Superior Court judge.
The naming issue had threatened to once again divide the commission along racial lines. Mr. Bowles said previously that his constituents wanted the building simply called the Augusta Judicial Center.
Other white commissioners said it shouldn't be named for anyone because county courthouses seldom are.
But Commissioner Corey Johnson, who proposed the Ruffin honor, came armed with a list of 10 courthouses across the country named after people, including the Frank Moore Judicial Center in Cartersville, Ga., and the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse in New York City.
The first vote on the issue Tuesday failed 5-4, but after Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bowles had a conversation the matter was revisited. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bowles said no deals were made in exchange for the vote.
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Comm. Johson did his homework and easily demonstrated that the non-minority commissioners were exercising selective memory in opposition to naming the building. What ethnic group are the previous named buildings? And why is that OK, but honoring Ruffin is not OK? It appears that none of the non-minority commissioners saw fit to even vote for this outstanding American. How sad, but it reflect horribly on those commissioners especially in the minority community. However, the proposal does allows the judge's name to appear on the courthouse, which is a compromise of sorts. (wonder if the other named buildings are similarly named-probably not) The Rev. Lowery prayed at the inaugural celebration of the first African-American U.S. President that, "When will whites do what is right?" well, it seems that it's not today.
It's stupid comments such as "when will whites do right" that keeps things in an uproar. I could care less what they name it or who they name it after, just stop the black vs. white or white vs. black junk. I'm sure a few whites don't like Obama because he's half black but your comments make it as you don't like anybody white. Congratulations to Judge Ruffin I'm sure he is deserving regardless of his skin color. justus4, please drop the racial junk.
if justus drops the racial crap, he will disappear, that is all that there is to him.......
No big deal, it will simply be known as "The Courthouse".
justus, one white commissioner did vote for the motion, the white background in the article must have thrown you off.
Commisioner Joe Jackson was in the restroom??? They couldn't have waited five minutes for him to finish his business? Or was this a way for him to later come out and say that he "would have" voted for it... after seeing how the vote went. Come on Joe, grow a pair will ya'?
Joe Bowles is the only Commissioner showing tough leadership these days. That's something our Caspar Milquetoast Mayor is lacking. Joe knows the everyday, nuts and bolts, business of the city and is not afraid to go against the grain...even if I don't always agree with him. He's a common sense Bud drinker around those drinking cheap wine and acting like it's Chateau Lafite.
:It appears that none of the non-minority commissioners saw fit to even vote for this outstanding American." OK, Joe Bowles is now officially an minority according to Justus. And it's pretty hard to vote when you aren't even there, but Justus doesn't let a little thing like that change his opinion.
Congrats Joe Bowles for realizing this issue was as important as selecting a pair of socks. Let's see if any of the rest of the commissioners of any race learned anything about priorities and compromise. I suspect the answer will be negative.
CEITPro, unfortunately, 5 of the commissioners feel if they stay banded together, to the exclusion of all else, they'll receive their "rights". Nothing was gained except a silly feud was put to bed. Thanks to Bowles.
GO JOE !!! Another non-issue over with...who really gives a flying foot what the name of the stupid building is...no one will call it that anyway...appease the little people and get to work on Really important things.
When is the mayors, term up? He is the most invisable mayor, I have ever heard of!! You hear more about the ''commissioners'' than the mayor!! What is his job as mayor!!
hey why do"t we just change augusta s name while you all are at it?
Everyone calls them the non-minority commissioners. Has anybody checked the population statistics since the "white flight" started? It could turn out that the black commissionerrs are the "non-minority" commissioners. Or are blacks always going to be the minority? Just askin.
MsJ: White's are not a protected group. Hope that helps.
Joe Bowles would not have voted for this if he didn't have any opposition. This tells us what the white commissioners really feel about the black community. Joe Jackson represents a majority black district but votes the way Don Grantham and Jimmy Smith tells him to.
Tired, I second that motion. Re-name Augusta Brownville in honor of James Brown.
1941, don't feel alone. A lot of people don't know the mayor's job or the limits on his power. Do you know some people care so little to have never read the ARC charter? Ignorance is still very popular here.
I moved from Augusta 3 years ago because of this kind of nosense. In years to come most of the tax paying citizens will have evacuated the blyte of Augusta and then the parasites that remain can name things as they wish. I know how Charlton Heston felt now when he crashed his space ship.
j4: "The Rev. Lowery prayed at the inaugural celebration of the first African-American U.S. President that, "When will whites do what is right?" well, it seems that it's not today" is also a question one might pose to you and yours. It is clear that you have limited memories in that they are selective and are fixated on what occurred eons ago. People who live in the past seldom move into the present or the future. Furthermore, there is a demonstrated inability to acknowledge the totality of the history connected with that selective memory, which makes your rendition of past occurrances to be proven false.
sucram, Why is it I asked for the Mayor and the 2 Superdistrict Commissioners make a recommendation to us?????? Why is it that I drove to Atlanta 2 years ago to discuss this issue with Judge Ruffin over breakfast???? The reason I voed no on the first motion was that I wanted the Entire complex called The Augusta Judicial Ctr, as did 99% of those that gave me an opinion before the vote. I had no problem honoring Ruffin.
Bottom line, just like someone else said on here, the place will be simply called the Courthouse, not the Ruffin Whatever. It's done and it doesn't really mean jack squat. And Joe?????? Don't get your panties in a wad over sucram, man.