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Walker’s leadership
leads to landmark
® -
local legislation
B Referendum set for May, 1995. If it passes,
elections for new government set for November;
mayor-chairman to have limited powers;
city of Augusta population balloons to over 200,000.
By Frederick Benjamin Sr.
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Augusta Senator Charles Walker set
his sights on an Augusta-Richmond
County consolidation bill over a year
ago.
“Timing is everything,” Mr. Walker
said at the time. When Senators Walk
er and Don Cheeks put their signature
to the final consolidation measure to
emerge from the House this week, the
merger of the City of Augusta and
Richmond County had passed its first
significant hurdle.
The bill provides for the abolition of
the charter of the City of Augusta and
the merger of the two governments if it
is passed by a referendum to be held
sometime in May.
Successful passage by referendum is
important for a number of reasons.
The city of Augusta will, in one step,
increase its population by 400 percent!
It will grow from its current popula
tion of about 45,000 to over 200,000
making it the second largest munici
pality in the state behind Atlanta.
The measure calls for a total over
Merger bill provides for
minority business boost
By Rhonda Y. Maree
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Since its introduction to this year’s
General Assembly, Sen. Charles Walk
er’s, (D-Augusta), proposed merger for
Richmond County and Augusta govern
ments has received loud opposition
largely because of measures protecting
the interests of the black community.
Also adamant about ensuring fair
treatment of minorities in government
business, Rep. Henry Howard, (D-Au
gusta), introduced a bill identical to Mr.
Walker’s compromise version tothe state
house where it won a 97-0 vote.
One of the most outstanding features
of Mr. Howard’s bill is specific goals to
increase the use of black and women
enterprises to a level comparable with
their availability.
The bill stresses that these participa
tion goals are to be used as “guidelines
and shall not be construed as aceiling or
quota.”
To correctoccurrences of black-owned
haul of local government. Existing of
fice holders, fourteen in the city, in
cluding the mayor, and eight in the
county will hold their seats only until
December 31, 1995. A new govern
ment will be seated January 1, 1996.
SRR Y TR SRN IR R T
Response from local
African Americans is
mixed; most are
optimistic W See page 2
Key features of the passed legisla
tion include non-partisan election de
cided by a 45 percent plurality, a may
or-chairman who has mostly ceremo
nial powers, a 10-member governing
board and the creation of a minority
business official.
The most significant aspect of the
1995 consolidation bill, besides gar-
See CONSOLIDATION, page 2
businesses being denied county con
tracts despite being the lowest qual
ified bidders, the bill calls for all
persons to have “equal opportunity
for conducting business with the com
mission-council to the greatest ex
tent possible.”
A newly created position,director
of equal employment and minority
business opportunities, will oversee
such policies.
According to the bill, some of the
powers and duties of this position are
the following:
* To ensure that bid specifications
do not discriminate against minority
businesses.
* To monitor quality testing of
product specifications to ensure non
discrimination in testing.
* To establish a minority commu
nity council to advise the commis
sion-council and to meet with minor
ities to review problems of minority
business.
See MINORITY BUSINESS, page 3
‘Your local newspaper sponsored by your local grocer.
March 16 - 22, 1995 VOL. XIV NO. 691
Metro Augusta's Finest Weekly Newspaper
Al H | Yy o
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Senator Charles Walker seemingly relished the
possibility of a pitched battle waged on the floor of
the Senate. He has yet to lose one.
In the Georgia Senate, there are few
more exciting contests than when two law
makers from'the samedistrict engagein an
all out floor fight for all the marbles. It
doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is worth the price
of admission.
Prior to this past weekend, all bets were on that Senator
Charles W. Walker (D-22) was going to have to lock horns
with Senator Don Cheeks (R-23) over someone’s consolida
tion bill. The twowere about as far apart as you could get on
the issues.
Mr. Walker was out of the chute first this session with a
bill that would not only unite the two, frequently warring,
governments, but ensure that minority and women busi
What will the new government be all about?
% M The chief executive will be a chairperson-mayor with
"2 limited powers. The chairperson-mayor will not be a
— voting member of the commission, but will vote in case
of a tie. The term of office is two four-year stints after
which a four-year waiting period must be honored before
being eligible for a third term.
B The board of commissioners will consist of 10 persons,
~Li25 each from a commission district drawn from the exist
) ingschool board districts. The districts will be numbered
~70% 1-10. District 9 will be comprised of a combination of
districts 1,2,4, and 5. District 10 will be comprised of
districts 3,6,7, and 8.
f W All elections will be without regard to political party.
@ A mayor-protem will be elected from among the 10
commissioners. The mayor pro tempore shall make
commitfee appointments and assignments.
B The legal entity will function as a county and as a
municipality.
B An Urban Service District shall correspond to the
current incorporated area of the city of Augusta. Any
public funds invested on behalf of the former city shall
be used exclusively for those living in that service
district. A similar service district will be created for the
former city of Hephzibah. A Suburban Service District
will correspond to the current Richmond County bound
aries.
M Residents will continue to pay the taxes they are
currently paying.
M The Sheriff of Richmond County shall be the chieflaw
enforcement official.
M The Chiefofthe Augusta Fire Department shall be the
chief firefighter in the new government.
M Pensions for municipal employees will remain in force
and all city and county employees will maintain their
employment in the new government.
M A Law Department will be created and staffed with
one or more full-time attorneys and staff.
| Political Analysis I
Frederick Benjamin, Sr.
based on race.
Mr. Walker was equally adamant that he would block any
legislation that smacked of ‘business as usual.’
As the session entered its final week, the two remained
poles apart. A compromise bill entered by Representative
Henry Howard was essentially the same bill as Walker
threw into the ring, with a few concessions.
But as the eleventh hour approached, the House secured
See SHOWDOWN, page 2
MR. 808 HENNEBERGER
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Senator Don Cheeks relented and agreed to add
his signature a consolidation authored by Sen.
Walker thus averting an ugly Senate battle.
ness owners would get a fair share of local
government contracts. Mr. Cheeks imme
diately announced that he would never
sign a bill tmgave “unfair preferences”
B The make-up of all boards, commissions, committees,
panels, authorities, or other entities will eventu
‘ ally be revamped to include representatives from
=77 each of the commission districts. Existing mem
-7 Dbers will be permitted to serve out their terms.
M The positions of all department heads will be abolished
90 days after the members of the commission
council take office. The departments may be
~+=_ reestablished, reorganized, or consolidated with
~—" new job descriptions established as needed. New
heads shall be appointed by the commission
council. Any person who formerly occupied such position
and any other person shall have the right to apply for any
position thus created.
M A new position will be created to ensure minority and
women’s participation in doing business with
the new government. This position will pro
vide for an equal-employment opportunity di
‘ rector and a director of minority business op
portunities.
M A transition task force shall be created on
July 1, 1995 comprised of four members of the current
o county commission, four members of the city
285 council, four members of the current legisla
=t Y tivedelegation. The task force will be charged
YUTY with making such recommendations as it
deems appropriate for the assumption of governmental
powers by the commission-council on Jan. 1, 1996. It will
develop proposed ordinances, including ordinances relat
ing to the creation of special services tax districts.The
transition task force shall be authorized to examine any
and all records existing in the current two governments.
The task force shall also be authorized to receive and
expend appropriations from the existing governmental
entities for the purposes of carrying out its duties.
B Every effort shall be made to consolidate water and
sewerage services as soon as practical and to ensure that
every citizen within the county is treated fairly and
equitably in the pricing of such services and is charged the
same rate for the same services.
