AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The charter review committee has been working together for three months on how to improve city government, but they’re not working as well as a group.“The community is divided and you could have forecasted this four or five months ago. There are conversations that need to happen that have been tamped down over the years. It is frustrating for many to watch it happen,” said Charter Review Chair Marcie Wilhelmi.The animosity between members Charlie Coleman and Angela Bakos spilled out during the meeting, as Bakos accused Coleman of not showing proper decorum when she’s speaking.“This throwing yourself back in the chair – we are not three years old. We don’t need to throw our bodies onto the floor and throw a tantrum,” said Bakos.
Coleman accused Bakos of rehashing old issues to slow down the process.“It’s disheartening the same stuff we have to talk about every day and it’s over and over again and we’re not making any progress and it’s getting a little bit ridiculous to be honest with you,” said Coleman.It is the committee chair’s job to maintain order during meetings.“I have discussed my concerns with her. I just discussed them again. We’ve had conversations and text messages and e-mails, so when I get to this point it’s not like I haven’t already tried,” said Bakos.“There is frustration because it is the same members talking on every issue what should have been a forty-five-minute meeting is now an hour and forty-five minutes,” said Wilhelmi.There are big controversial decisions facing the committee, like should there be new powers for the administrator or the mayor, so there will be more heated discussions ahead…