Newspaper Page Text
> : . ¥y
% ESR i T ;
| PR : 5
ik o g e
,{x”a oo
aalt sy L xR .
DISTRICT 7
W
“I feel great ... fantastic. Love this feeling.”
This is how Jerry Brigham responded to his victory (50.7 percent
of the vote) in the District 7 election. He attributes his good fortune
to “hard work, lots of friendships, and lots of people’s confidence.”
He is not surprised at the overall results of the elections, he said,
because “basically the leading contenders won.” But, he said, “I
thought there would have been mere run-offs.”
Though the consolidated government is full of incumbents, he
discounts the idea that it is a recycled version of the old county
commission. If the county had had problems similar to those of the
city, he said, “I don’t believe any of us would have been there.”
District 7 candidate John A. Ribock, who won 11.74 percent of the
vote, agrees. “Well the county was in good shape, wasn't it?” Though
disappointed about his loss, he feels that the incumbents were re
elected because “the people in the county thought (the commission
ers) were doing a good job.”
“You can’t really expect to come in there as a newcomer and win,”
he said, and denies any intention tolaunch a political career. “It was
my intent to try to make Augusta better today.”
Charles Dutch, whoreceived 2.82 percent of the vote, had expected
the incumbents to be thrown out on their ears. “I think all of us were
banking on them voting the incumbents out. I based my campaign
on ‘new government, new people,” he said. Instead, he said, “it went
‘new government, old people.”
He does feel, however, that the voters of Augusta and Richmond
County will be able to detect a difference because the new council
commission is going to be “under a microscope for the next two
years.”
In fact, he said, “Jerry Brigham might have done me a favor,” and
feels that there might be an “anti-incumbent” vote in the next
election, because setting up the consolidated government will force
the council-commissioners to make some “hard decisions.” One of
these hard decisions, he said, involves deciding how to spend money
and who to dismiss in getting the fire department and police
department “up to the standards that you find in the county.”
Neither Rodney K. Elkins, who received 4.41 percent of the vote,
nor Paul D. Webster 111, who received 30. 95 percent, could be
reached for comment.
DISTRICT 8 -
On Nov. 28, two District 8 candidates will be sweating it out as they
wait for the results of the run-off election. If there is to be a woman in
the “new” government, it is up to Martha B. Sherrod. In Tuesday’s
election, she captured 34.07 percent of the vote, which locked her into
astruggle with Ulmer Z. Bridges for the district. They are both audibly
excited.
SUPER DISTRICT 9
Richmond County Commissioner Willie Mays
trampled his competition in the Super District 9
race.
With 7,171 votes (56 percent), Mr. Mays’ biggest
threat was A.K. Hasan with 3,185 votes (25 per
cent). The other three candidates split the re
maining 19 percent of votes with Davida L.. Johnson
getting 1,029 (8 percent), Brian S. Green, 785 (6
percent), and Andrew E. Garnett, 641 (5 percent).
Mr. Hasan said the election results were inter
esting in that it showed people’s calls for change
meant a purging of city leadership.
“It basically says that voters are content with
DISTRICT 10
“I'm fine,” said Bill Kuhlke, winner of the
Superdistrict 10 seat, when asked how he’s doing
now that the elections are over. He laughed. “I am
now. I wasn’t yesterday.”
He is not surprised that so many incumbents
were re-elected, but he did think there would be
more run-off elections. He says his own success is
due to having “a little more business experience
than his opponent, Andy Cheek, and said that the
voters want someone who is “fiscally responsible”
and ethical. “I have both of those attributes ... “ he
said.
Hefeelsthat having one governing body between
the city and the county will provide for more
efficiency. But, he cautions, “there needs to be a
Norman tribute
From page one
will be marked by an official
unveiling of the marker and a
black-tie banquet open to the
public.
Whether Ms. Norman will sing
is uncertain, but Mr. Johnson
said sheis known to doimpromp
tu, a cappella performances.
“Maybe if we beg her enough,
she’ll perform for us,” he said.
Ms. Norman, who made her
'
county government and dissatisfied with city gov
ernment,” Mr. Hasan said.
After having run unsuccessfully for several po
litical offices, Mr. Hasan said it would take “exten
uating circumstances” for him to enter another
race.
Poll reports initially left a bitter taste in new
comer Mr. Green’s mouth.
“At first I said I'd never mess with politics
again,” Mr. Green said. Reconsidering, he said he
would stay active by pressuring those in charge to
act responsibly and effectively.
Super District 9 had ashowingof 12,811 voters.
degree of patience ... to give the newly elected
officials a chance to make things happen.”
Mr. Cheek, who received 32.04 percent of the
vote, has mixed emotions about the new govern
ment so closely resembling the county commis
sion, but feels the city will be represented fairly.
Heis cynical, however, about what it takes to win
a seat in government. He said the election pro
cess is structured “to be favorable toward incum
bents and people with a lot of money.” There were
a lot of candidates with good ideas who simply
didn’t have the resources to compete, he said.
Mr. Cheeks, who is involved with the PTA and
attends most, if not all, school board meetings,
says he might just try for a spot on the school
board. “I haven’t made any decisions yet, butlam
looking at it.”
Metropolitan Opera debut in
1983, will perform next summer
with the Atlanta Symphony Or
chestra in a major Olympic Arts
Festival event.
Over the years, Augustans
have had opportunities to see
her perform locally at The Old
Government House, Paine Col
lege and the University of South
Carolina-Aiken’s Etheredge
Center.
International opera critics
have labeled her a legend in her
Local News
Ms. Sherrod said that the outcome has left her “very encouraged,
very hopeful.” There were so many candidates vying for that district,
she said, that inclusion in the inevitable run-off election was her
immediate goal.
She has had many “encouraging comments” from people who see her
as a potential women’s representative in the government. “I'm just
pleased to be that one,” she said.
The influx of county incumbents to the consolidated government
doesn’t concern her. “Apparently the people were comfortable with
them,” she said. “I believe everybody’s going to work together regard
less of whether they’re incumbents.” The most important thing, she
said, is that the council-commission accomplishes what needs to be
accomplished.
Mr. Bridges felt confident he would be in the run-off, and attributes
his successtothefact that he has “worked in the community forthe past
10 years” with organizations like the Augusta Boxing Club and the
Masters City Little League. “When the time came,” he said, “they
showed up and they supported me.”
He also brings accounting and business experience to the table.
“Ifeel very good about the run-off,” he said. “Of course, we're running
against some stiff competition.”
He, too, is unconcerned about the number of county incumbents that
have kept their seats. “I think in some cases the people are pretty well
satisfied ... They obviously are: they voted them back in.” He cited J.B.
Powell and Jerry Brigham as examples.
Still, a lot more candidates are disappointed than are excited. Jesse
Green’simmediate plans are simply to run his golf shop. “In the future
I might pursue another chance at it,” he said. He said he considers the
whole thing a learning experience, and he learned that “one-man”
campaigns do not spell success. “I took not one penny from anybody. I
cut the wood (for the campaign signs) ... I did all my waving.”
He is very concerned about the incumbents. “You know, people are
saying they want change, and keeping the same people in ...”
The lack of city councilmembers, he said “goes to show you the
county’s got more power. There’s more people in the county, with how
they did these (district) lines.” He also cites Augusta’s ... ahem ...
financial difficulties. “What hurt the wards,” he said, “is the situation
they got the city into.”
Media endorsement, he feels, has a lot to do with the results. He said
onecandidate he talked to election night confided sending The Augusta
Chronicle 21 letters, from supporters, none of which were published.
“Next time,” he said, “I'll be more prepared.”
Candidate Paul Shockey, who received 0.69 percent of the vote, is
equally hopeful. “You have to crawl before you can walk,” he said, and
apologized for using such a cliché. His next step may be running for a
spot on the Richmond County Board of education next year. But he
hasn’t given up on the new government. “Believe me, if they’re not
doing a good job, I'm going to run again.”
He is bothered at the number of incumbents re-elected. “Sometimes
I feel like I'm at a homecoming dance voting for king and queen. ...
Seeing how more came from the county, it was really quite disturbing.”
But, he said, “the really distressing thing that I see is that no females
were elected.”
About the voters, he said, “They didn’t vote their convictions.”
own time, and locals agree.
“I would venture to say that
only once in a century does a
singer come along with her gift,”
Mr. Johnson said.
“She is a true artist with a
wonderful talent. How fortu
nate we are that we can ensure
that future generations will re
member and know the story of
this great star...,” Mr. DeVaney
said.
Ms. Norman has relatives still
living in Augusta.
i)A i) ED”T‘WE? Tn
o UTIA TR
WEEK
- %tch “Teen Angels”
tonighton
Channel 12 News at 11:00
— J__TJ/WRDW-TV AUGUSTA |——
Happy Veteran’s Day,
November 11, 1995
AUGUSTA FOCUS November 9, 1995
Mayor Sconyers
From page one
Mr. Sconyers said he also
worked hard to establish a fa
vorable reputation in the black
community by campaigning in
the neighborhoods vigorously.
“I wanted them to know who I
was and what I stood for,” he
said.
According to Mr. Sconyers, he
represents the force that will
unite a longtime racially and
geographically divisive Augus
ta-Richmond County.
As a strong pro-South Rich
mond County voice, Mr.
Sconyers’big win could signal an
end to the county versus city
mentality as well as the South
side versus West side syndrome.
“We were able to bridge the
gap. Not only have we unified
the city and the county, we've
unified the whole area. I think
we’ve become one cohesive group
working toward a better Augus
ta-Richmond County,” he said.
Mayor Charles A. DeVaney,
who sat out the historic mayoral
election after 12 years in office,
agreed that a smooth transition
to the new government largely
hinges on a fusion of entities.
“I think each part of our com
munity has a niche, and that it is
up to our elected officials not to
be provincialin their thinking —
that everything has to go in one
area versus another — but to
realize that each part of the com
munity has special needs and
New government
From page one
work to overcome racial differ
ences in the county and he cur
rently has the support of the
black opposition. Dr. Hamilton
has promised to_work for a
Let us hear from you!
Fax letters to
724-6969
special uses,” Mr. DeVaney said.
For example, it would be a
“huge mistake” for anyone to ig
nore projects and issues fostered
by the soon defunct city council,
Jjust as projects in the county
must get equal support, Mr.
DeVaney said.
This will come only with a
change of attitude for some re
cently elected officials, Mr.
DeVaney said.
The friction between the areas
is real, but the source of it is
uncertain.
“I really don’t know where all
that came from, but it’s been an
ongoing thing. I guess it may be
resentment, probably. I don’t
know where that started at, but
hopefully we can put a stop toiit,”
Mr. Sconyers said.
Although he said he feels no
pressure now as the first to head
the consolidated government,
Mr. Sconyers said he suspects
the pressure will come with time.
“We'reready for the challenge.
We welcome it, and we’re ready
to prove to people that we can do
a great job for them and give
them a much better govern
ment,” he said.
Mr. DeVaney said he has con
fidence in Mr. Sconyers as Au
gusta-Richmond County’s new
leader.
“I think Larry will do a very
good job. I have no reason to
think any other way,” he said.
Mr. Sconyers takes office Jan.
1 for a three-year term.
smooth transition toward Janu
ary 1, 1996 when the new gov
ernment is installed. State Sen
ator Charles W. Walker, a
Hamilton supporter is also look
ing for a smooth transition un
der the leadership of Mr.
Sconyers.
3