AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – It’s the first meeting since Dr. Hameed Malik called out the creation of a landscaping Department, and commissioners are hearing his concerns. “I think Dr. Malik is correct, funding is everything, George. In government, in any entity, funding is everything,” said Commissioner Tony Lewis.For better efficiency and accountability, city leaders voted to consolidate all the departments cutting grass into the new one,
But Malik sent an e-mail saying the failure has not been the departments, but the failure to provide resources to the departments to match the current level of expectations.“For the past few years, the department has come to the commission to request additional funding to be able to meet the standards that the commission has for them and the commission hasn’t given that funding,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.But some say a consolidated department should be able to stretch the available funding.“We’re combining all of these, creating efficiencies because you have multiple resources from multiple departments into one sole place, then those resources will go farther,” said Commissioner Brandon Garrett.And the city will soon have something new looking at all the resources. After the resignation of the Interim Finance Director, commissioners are turning to a consulting firm to run the Finance Department.
The cost is $32,000 dollars a month. It’s an expense city leaders believe they will be paying for a while.“We have not been able to hire a Finance Director for the latter part of a year and so we think we’re going hire one within six months, I’m not exactly sure that’s going to happen,” said Commissioner Johnson…