It's a stalemate: Augusta Commissioners cannot agree on their next city administrator
Just before Valentine's Day, it seems the Augusta Commissioners have reached an impasse in their relationship.
After more than three hours of discussion in executive session on Tuesday, a decision could still not be reached on who will be the next Augusta Administrator.
Three finalists have been proposed, though the discussions have largely centered around two: Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse and Augusta's Chief Information Officer Tameka Allen.
Douse received "Yes" votes from Augusta Commissioners Jordan Johson, Tony Lewis, Stacy Pulliam, Francine Scott and Bobby Williams. The rest voted against. This resulted in a tie, which Mayor Garnett Johnson broke by voting against Douse.
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Allen received "Yes" votes from Commissioners Sean Frantom, Brandon Garrett, Wayne Guilfoyle, Catherine Smith McKnight and Alvin Mason. Most of the rest voted against, but Commissioner Bobby Williams voted to "Abstain," preventing a tie that the mayor could then break.
There were two sets of votes on Tuesday, both of these and the votes taken during the Jan. 30 special-called meeting were identical.
It's been two years since former administrator Odie Donald II resigned, and after all this time plus more than $30,000 spent on a search firm, the lack of an end in sight has bred some frustration.
During Tuesday's meeting, Lewis chastised the mayor for wanting an equal vote to the commissioners while using his tie-breaker to vote against Douse. Multiple audience members vocally expressed their irritability during the proceedings. Commissioner Johnson commented on how nasty and divisive this issue has become, asking for unity.
Barring someone's change-of-heart, this issue is seemingly in a deadlock until the summer. Augustans will be able to vote during the General Primary on May 21 on whether or not the mayor should get an equal vote to the commissioners and not just in the event of a tie-breaker. If approved, this would go into effect in July.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta's next city administrator, no decision from Commissioners
