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Augusta’s deputy administrator
winds up third week on the job
By Rhonda Jones
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Fred Russell, the deputy ad
ministrator that almost never
was, admits that, like every
one else, he’ll make a mistake
every now and then. He also
realizes that those mistakes
may tend to make good read
ing.
“My job is a public job and
open to all kinds of scrutiny
andreview,and I haveno prob
lem with that,” he said.
Hestarted work for Augusta-
Richmond County on Jan. 8,
in spite of some criticism his
supervisor, County Adminis
trator George Kolb, took for
wantingtoadd to the adminis
tration staff. And he comes
with a $79,000-plus annual
price tag.
The Portsmouth, Va.,
native’s area of expertise is
public safety, having started
out as a deputy sheriff and
moving up the ranks. For six
years, he served as deputy po
lice chief for Richmond, Va.,
and afterward did a six-year
stint as the executive director
of the Virginia State Crime
Commission.
He has even spent time as a
volunteer fireman. '
So what brings him here
other thanajob? Our adminis
trator, with whom he worked
in Richmond, for one.
“George (Kolb) is a pretty
good salesman,” Russell said.
AMCVB seeking
hike in motel tax
Shun Norris
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
The Augusta Metropolitan Conven
tion and Visitor Bureau held a meeting
ondJanuary 30 to discuss the proposal to
increase the Augusta Hotel/Motel tax
from 6% to 7%.
Lloyd Webre, president and CEO of
the Georgia Hospitality and Travel As
sociation (GHTA), the speaker for the
event discussed why the tax should not
be increased by 1%.
“Ever since 9-11, with the recession,
our industry has been the hardest hit,
we are just starting to have some sort of
recovery. Having this tax raised here in
Augusta at this time is counterproduc
tive of what we’re trying to accomplish
on the state level,” he said.
The meeting held at Enterprise Mill
consisted of general managers of hotels
and motels in the Augusta area. All of
those that were present are against the
tax increase.
David Jones, general manager of the
Partridge Inn shared his views.
“Unfortunately, I think some of our
local delegation thinks that it’s a pain
less way of generating money and it
doesn’t affect any of the local people,” he
said. “It is affecting us locally and it’s
going to affect employment. Because if
Sullivan to speak at Black History event
From page one
completed aninternship and residency
at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical
Center. Heis certified in internal medi
cine and hematology. Dr. Sullivan
served as an instructor of medicine at
Harvard Medical School, assistant pro
fessor of medicineat Seton Hall College
of Medicine (now known as the New
the
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Fred Russell: “It's my job to make sure my salary’s an investment in making Au
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gusta better.” Photo by Rhonda Jones
“He convinced me of the po
tential of Augusta, which is
obvious to me now that I've
been here a little while. And I
want to be a part of what gets
done down here.”
And so far, he’s enjoying it,
he says. “I’ve met some won
derful people, seen somebeau
tiful places. I'vealso seen some
opportunities for improve
ment.”
He’s aware also of the con
troversy that his considering
coming here caused in the be
our occupancy goes down, that means
that there will be fewer housekeepers,
cooks, and waitresses. So, it will have an
impact. Iknow there’s aneed for increas
ing some revenue for the government.”
The Richmond County Commission
has passed a resolution requesting the
local state delegation pass legislation to
raisethe Richmond County Hotel/Motel
tax from 6% to 7%. If the sales tax is
raised Augusta will be in the ranks of
Atlanta, Columbus, and Athens as hav
ingthe highest combination bed tax sales
tax in the state. According to a position
statement, the Augusta Metropolitan
Convention and Visitor Bureau Board of
Directors does not support the tax in
crease for many reasons including the
following: no plan has been submitted,
or criteria established, as to how funds
from the tax would be spent, travel and
tourismis at an all time low, an increase
in the local hotel/motel tax would be an
added burden on visitors at a time when
incentives are, and should be given, and
adding one more percentage point will
place Augusta at a disadvantage with
competing cities. The national average
for similar sized markets is 11%.
The immediate plan is to have the
general managers send letters to the
Richmond County elected state repre
sentatives asking that the tax not be
increased.
Jersey College of Medicine), co-direc
tor of hematology at Boston Univer
sity Medical Center and founder of the
Boston University Hematology Ser
vice at Boston City Hospital.
He is the founding president of the
Association of Minority Health Pro
fessions Schools and a member of the
American Medical Association and the
National Medical Association.
ginning, and seems to bear no
hard feelings. “I can under
stand the need to be conserva
tive with the public dollars,”
he says. “As I said back in
August when I was here, it’s
my job to make sure my
salary’saninvestment in mak
ing Augusta better.”
Asked about therecent bud
getary scrambling in order to
keep public safety afloat for
the coming year, Russell says
heunderstands the challenge.
“Youbudget at levels that pro-
vide service, but then you’ve
got to be flexible enough to
provide service above and be
yond,” he says. “It’s not easy
to account for. There’s always
contingencies that you haveto
plan for that, if you’re lucky,
theynever happen. Butyou’ve
got to be ready to deal with
them.”
He’s going to be right in the
thick ofthebudget wars. “Part
of the job is to argue for dol-
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But it wasn’t a bar for long. The local Police Department shut down Swifty’s
Lounge for illegal drug activity. Instead of condemning the property, they j
contacted their local community coalition. The coalition brought in contractors
who donated their time to renovate the building. And the doctor got his hospital ¢
to volunteer services for families that need drug counseling. /
It’s funny what happens when we all work together. Communities become a better
place for everyone, especially our children. Community coalitions bring
; other community groups together. And getting involved is easy. Just contact
www.helpyourcommunity.org or 1-877-KIDS-313. They'll tell you how your group ‘
can help. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish.
"!o'
Office of National Drug Control Policy dunci
AUGUSTA FOCUS
Voting machines
From page one
fers to differences in rates of
access to computers and the
Internet. According toa 2000
report from the U.S. Depart
ment of Commerce, “data
show that the ‘digital divide’
still existsbetween those with
different levels ofincome and
education, different racial and
ethnicgroups, oldand young,
single and dual-parent fami
Morgan Road
From page one
care. Whatever you sow you
reap. I keep that in perspec
tive. I don’t look for a pat on
theback or accoladesof praise.
I just do it, because that’s
what in me to do.”
Beasley expresses her feel
ingsabout thefinalsand nega
tive attitudes.
“I'm very excited. It was a
lot of opposition of pre-sea
son, during the season, and
even now, because I'm the
new kid on the block.”
Obviously Beasley’s hard
work and dedication to her
team has paid off. Members of
her team share their feelings
about Beasley’scoachingand
hope for a championship.
“Ilove her coaching. I know
sometimes she saysstuffthat
SHOP AUGUSTA FOCUS CLASSIFIED i
|
JANUARY 31, 2002
lies, and those with and with
out disabilities.”
Senator Walker added, “The
‘digital divide’ is not just an
issue among ethnic groups;
it’s also very evident in rural
communities vs. Central cit
ies. Through adequate educa
tion, we have to ensure thai
people are ‘connected,’ liter
ally, to technology and to the
democratic process, which is
founded on the power of the
vote.”
makes me mad, but it’s good
for me because it makes me¢
stronger in the game of bas
ketball and in my mind set
ting,” says Brittney James,
14-year-old center and forward
for the team.
“It’s a combination of both
hard work and fun,” replies
LaPorchea Sanders of
Beasley’scoaching. “Imean, if
you don’t want to do the hard
work, then it’s just not going
to pay off.” The 14-year-old is
the team’s point guard.
With only a few games left,
Beasleyand her team’s chance
for the championship is only a
breath away. In a mild I-told
you-so manner, Beasley
praises her team.
“Thenay sayersdidn’t think
we’d win any games. We've
done more than anyone ex
pected. We have earned this
championship.”
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