AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Mayor Garnett Johnson was the force behind reviewing the city charter, but he knows it hasn’t been smooth sailing.“I imagined this process being very emotional, very contentious and it is that. There is a lot of emotions and a lot of contentions in our government, so this process I didn’t expect to be any different,” said Mayor Johnson. The Charter Review Committee has lost faith from some in the community and from some commissioners.“There’s been a lack of transparency and a lack of just pure honesty where that committee is coming into play, and so we have to get serious about how we want the future of Augusta to look,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.Recent meetings have been contentious. There’s infighting and members are saying the group isn’t making progress.The committee is getting some advice.“Work together more efficiently instead of what I’m hearing this tit for tat, and we don’t want that,” said Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice.Some say it’s time for the committee to move in a new direction.“Where we’re trying to go could have been done without creating another political entity. I think that we are at the point right now to where it’s time to figure out the next steps for the committee,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.
The mayor believes the committee needs to say the course.
“My charge to the committee is to keep working. Our community needs it, the city of Augusta needs it, our future needs it. We’re going to task them with continuing to work through this,” said Mayor Johnson.The committee is only making recommendations. Any changes approved by state lawmakers will have to be decided by voters…