[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,73,85,97,109],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6155780,"mediaKeyId","5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2","parentId",5473520,"title","Vice chair to leave dias after appointment; committee debates decorum and meeting conduct","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",346000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2&start=346&end=346","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2/thumbnail_346000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6155780/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Vice-chair-to-leave-dias-after-appointment-committee-debates-decorum-and-meeting-conduct","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155780-c7105d284ac4e26447545f85c6cea089/orig.mp4?Expires=1771104722&Signature=EPA2PPonJtMOAH6VyzNIGXQKFO4rRSPVqTFpvTJGPf~8pIRMm3ovxf7xZ1p8EgWKGRhyQmTc3~qixp7sIMqomJH6gkT2D6lOAbA6yBSiYffhN4ZQ1nUDbYRHzY968wZ3-s9m5ktQWDV3rkFdZxYQn4WHq-L2TUm6H6Z-gF8slXZsOvfBtcJLTinE1iPp2aE-AivgS2c2uu45GOImJLY7Yau-l11MHi6O2p5tr9ezIuasix9eFPXv4rDbA3UqeQhb~HuYRPise5FNYV4HGXNDEb~Kmch7R92eQVti3fj1rwo21CjKHAKBBxVEkVbrsarR6LkNUoxLZ1UqRZo910AZHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-25T16:22:14.377Z","article","Vice Chair Tanya Barnhill Turnley told members she has been appointed to the Augusta Richmond County Commission and will take office next Tuesday; she said she will leave the dais and “sit down with everyone else” and that she will provide a replacement nominee within days. ‘‘I'm honored by the confidence that the sitting commission put in me. And because of that, I'm going to leave the dias and sit down with everyone else, but I will be making my choice to replace me within the next couple of days,’’ she said.

The meeting included repeated interventions and exchanges over decorum. Multiple speakers raised concerns about public comments, rebuttal opportunities, and members interrupting or theatrically reacting while others had the floor. Committee member Miss Bacchus defended allowing public comment and argued community members should be heard even if their concerns fall outside a narrow charter scope; several members complained that some town-hall speakers had used the forum for unrelated political attacks.

During the meeting Miss Bacchus made a formal, on-the-record request that the clerk note an expectation of “proper decorum and respect from other committee members,” saying she was tired of repeated interruptions and theatrical behavior. Several members also criticized others for using personal language about elected officials or for loud reactions while a speaker had the floor. The chair and multiple members urged orderly procedure, with one legal advisor (Mr. Plunkett) noting the committee retains options to reconsider or rescind prior votes under parliamentary practice.

Ending: The vice chair announced her transition to the county commission; the committee recorded a formal decorum request and reiterated that district-level outreach and subcommittee processes will continue with attention to orderly procedure.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Charter Review Committee Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Vice Chair Tanya Barnhill Turnley announced she will leave the dais because she has been appointed to the Augusta Richmond County Commission; the meeting included multiple exchanges about decorum, interruptions and floor control, and at least one formal request for expectation of decorum was made on the record.","taxTitle","Augusta City, Richmond County, Georgia","taxId",3794,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6155785,"Committee accepts public-hearings summary as information; public themes include accountability and equity",1270,5955000,7225000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2&start=5955&end=7225","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2/thumbnail_5955000.jpg","/articles/6155785/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Committee-accepts-public-hearings-summary-as-information-public-themes-include-accountability-and-equity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155785-46c07f3f018612a2e3e0ba9113447dfb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771104722&Signature=Cv0dxMG3FnQvBoxYbMKOornt6VbLOhMLuuyLWP1hyPFs4fRzDXXwtaNGg0wnCoyvDx6UWphHhijYOawoAR~GAcUO6gK~iwcuZMB0QJaSfPIT6DLHriAcVi4iyCXwZWM-Btc~E2Bb2jbwZWWiHbkyTSxncvgPjzTkfH0M9MGOm-oSjs8aM7x8BmII-Vl2RsSV4nOGhZJZIxA~hGMn9aU2BWL~SzG3TTcXRX~G7ezV7CfYP6r0H1G4Z4lCXN9iNYkthKjePt9rs8WJSHbXlMApUIRQ8MxriUzOf4C57YyacjWN1mBl3cpoMRUqj6VUyFQNxx2jC9HCcnlewjvbScGvoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee member Miss Robinson presented a summary of the public hearings and asked the committee to accept it as information. The summary reported that residents prioritized accountability, representation, transparency, and equitable infrastructure investment; it also said the public strongly favored replacing the current administrator role with a professional city manager and expressed near-unanimous opposition to a strong-mayor model.

Miss Robinson read the report aloud and said the hearings surfaced repeated themes: concerns about department head responsiveness and 311 calls, a desire for district-based public meetings, requests for improved outreach and plain-language charter materials, and calls for ethics oversight and attendance policies. Committee members asked clarifying questions about whether the “two-thirds” supermajority requests cited in the summary referred to the charter-review committee or the government commission; Robinson said the comments were mostly directed at the commission’s voting rules.

A motion to accept the public-hearings summary as information was made, seconded, and called for a vote. The motion carried.

Ending: Committee members took the summary as informational and requested that the report and raw survey data be provided to committee members as part of continuing outreach and analysis work.","The committee accepted a summary of public hearings highlighting calls for accountability, clearer roles for executives and commissioners, and district-level outreach; the motion to accept the report as information carried.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6155790,"Committee debates survey methods, paper ballots and data release as responses top 1,300",243,4334000,4577000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2&start=4334&end=4577","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2/thumbnail_4334000.jpg","/articles/6155790/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Committee-debates-survey-methods-paper-ballots-and-data-release-as-responses-top-1300","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155790-7a547d4775429ce7a62780f0790df3cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771104722&Signature=Sv9uHJ3U7jPbHKbXjUFQFYCazPHeNGekvoJHp-gXH2xrEdH-0Qj8THtoUqAwATJUM9a991ORY74hbDml1CGUuKn6BHWzEODK1fnTKDvREPTJX9QfDXzSWo-VRrCvboiMaEZzTeu-G7xzcXOrACLSQdoeOXez0yI8t2s8kCqtvm6-bInJildBWpLpKcTdMs~2EzKqKdprxBkQOU6MM6-naOGf~KBO5gkfNKJqIsD0y4ES20RcXxDf-0CCbdQQvP9SLn2Xh5O4HNFlsOF0s7IU3B0195byIkINswSFhE1yRIuyEahc1QDaAVBMcQr3br5apGhWqGZ4-FcVhx9feszzfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members spent significant time on how the public survey would be gathered and analyzed. Miss Bacchus and IT staff explained that paper surveys gathered at community centers would be entered into SurveyMonkey by committee staff who would cross-check entries. ‘‘What we're going to do is we're gonna pick them up from the rec centers, and her and I will sit down together. And as I enter 1 in and she enters 1 in, we will both check each other to make sure we're doing accurately,’’ said Miss Bacchus.

Some members worried about ballot stuffing and IP-address limits. Mister Coleman and Mister Foushee asked whether the tabulation would distinguish paper entries from online responses and whether paper ballots could be subject to abuse. Miss Pekas (clerk) explained paper responses would be entered into SurveyMonkey and Carl Vinson Institute would not be able to distinguish which responses were entered from paper versus electronic once input.

Members debated whether raw data should be distributed to committee members immediately or only after the institute analyzes it. Dr. Facer and others said the institute will produce an analysis; Miss Bacchus and multiple committee members asked to receive raw data at the same time as the institute’s results so they can prepare follow-up questions. ‘‘My understanding is that that would be a committee decision… it is public data,’’ a Carl Vinson representative said, while some members urged caution to preserve the institute’s contracted analysis work.

IT staff and committee members reported outreach steps: distributed paper surveys at community centers, use of repurposed tablets where sites had no computers or Wi-Fi, and sharing the survey on committee and personal networks. A staff update given during the meeting stated the survey had received about 1,323 responses (announced in the meeting as 1,323). Committee members proposed broader distribution ideas, including mailing surveys with water bills, but noted logistical constraints and costs.

Ending: The committee agreed to continue receiving data and requested the Carl Vinson Institute complete its analysis and share results; committee members also asked that IT and staff continue district-level outreach and that paper ballots be double-entered and cross-checked before analysis.","Committee members and public commenters debated SurveyMonkey settings, paper ballot handling at community centers, and whether raw data should be released; committee staff reported more than 1,300 responses as of the meeting.",{"_33":98,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":99,"_41":100,"_43":101,"_45":102,"_46":103,"_48":104,"_50":105,"_52":106,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":107,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":108,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6155795,"Carl Vinson Institute presents forms of government; committee leans toward professional manager model",722,2720000,3442000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2&start=2720&end=3442","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2/thumbnail_2720000.jpg","/articles/6155795/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Carl-Vinson-Institute-presents-forms-of-government-committee-leans-toward-professional-manager-model","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155795-82c7900e095685120fb157b8a5c10f99/orig.mp4?Expires=1771104722&Signature=ejqYJt~RwhBy4LCIW7m5tVCvk1-IqgX21akswY3YNTbk3On8u5LPTT2j6Qgh1xkSu~dBnxYgMxQjedF1wGIPclX56s~JTTMH7Nfb6xeKHlINKZJHreCyS7PVQ2qLi6XasIevEROn5DrPOBdF9nGorw36gwgCEo-vbe7~l2glU0sbqtZZB-ERXLwdpuTiDBZUfVNgCrSiHkZHZ4y80rQOKNSwNAETmag2Zpg7fXyhvwfTEadp7wA5xugqW8s2vzhTVtgZhT1x8kV1wuUVRb2ayTteNnOWqa--6ynbMjdRTJyrftuwDYBv16Zox1H~kJyRc32P43V~hNn8Wj89OsMi9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Facer of the Carl Vinson Institute told the Charter Review Committee that the institute was presenting “examples” of different government structures and not proposing a specific model. “These are simply examples to give kind of broad boundaries,” he said, noting that multi-member commissions and professional managers are common in larger, consolidated governments.

Facer explained that a sole-commissioner model exists but is generally used in very small governments and that most Georgia consolidated governments use larger commissions. He described a “pure commission” model where commissioners directly oversee departments but noted professionals increasingly prefer a manager to handle day-to-day operations in larger municipalities.

Committee members discussed trade-offs. Miss Robinson and others said public input and prior hearings have tended to favor a manager model. Miss Bacchus asked how a manager alters communications between commissioners and department heads; Facer replied the standard practice is for commissioners to bring issues to the manager, who then coordinates with department heads to avoid direct bypassing of management. Coach Bryant and others asked for examples showing how a manager model operates in practice and how a recommendation would move from the committee to state lawmakers and, potentially, to a public referendum.

Several members raised additional topics for further research: whether larger municipalities are moving to full-time commissioners (Gwinnett County was cited), compensation and office space for commissioners, and how local governments balance commissioner access with managerial authority. Dr. Facer said the institute will provide more materials and research to the subcommittee on forms of government and a process chart explaining next steps.

Ending: The committee did not adopt a final structure. Members requested additional research from the Carl Vinson Institute, including comparative examples, a process flowchart for implementation, and information about full-time versus part-time commissioner models.","The Carl Vinson Institute outlined multiple forms of local government, noting 3- and 5-member commission models are common in smaller jurisdictions; many committee members expressed preference for a city manager model rather than a strong-mayor system.",{"_33":110,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":111,"_41":112,"_43":113,"_45":114,"_46":115,"_48":116,"_50":117,"_52":118,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":119,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":120,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6155800,"Residents and committee members debate representation, redistricting and public trust",2114,503000,2617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2&start=503&end=2617","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473520-79a1ea71f8a6bd74ddc0e1873fd794a2/thumbnail_503000.jpg","/articles/6155800/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Residents-and-committee-members-debate-representation-redistricting-and-public-trust","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155800-7c473e906fc33a6e8397bb6c3a8d37d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771104722&Signature=K~bM47dMf5DD7TZ5mNN3wbwI326oEXKxRhF29G9tn8x-mVmeA-C5EN4qE56ri~clKYexg1GN-4B9uru6WZYSD8W-sD0LloAqX4OAZ96~XibXvxyY5mB~TAVVHFhjdH~YUclZx33oNjCu7g1UuUsmvrUGxEw0zwu1MTK9jiN7RwPi9JO6OtK4dmt3~em3dMxMUoRIuXFDte06Z1zb9zZvjPMAZxUN0R8qrWnoHBdjhMg904HbiDF5vdSO5jUtGxqzSq1dzivowX7l~21PudE6NP~CMh650pLXepeOui944K2VFu90jgt3Od-SRVPm3hJPUfKVeNleBj2MSmtuEDbkpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Reverend James Williams, a community resident, told the Charter Review Committee that many residents fear the charter review could reduce Black representation on the Augusta Richmond County commission and that public meetings have suffered from poor decorum. “I was somewhat disturbed by the way that I saw and the way things were handled managerially,” Williams said, expressing worry that discussion of reducing seats or redistricting would “diminish somewhat the Black community in its representation.”

The committee repeatedly responded that no formal plan to reduce the commission’s size or mandate redistricting has been adopted. Committee member Rod Pearson asked Williams to define “diminish,” and several committee members, including Lee Powell and Coach Bryant, told the public they had not discussed mandating a reduction in seats. “There is no movement afoot to diminish anything,” the chair told the room, adding that the committee’s work focuses on devising a system that helps the county work together.

Other speakers stressed the difference between race-based assumptions and political alignment. Committee member Miss Robinson said she wanted the group to “get past” race-based framing and focus on processes that fit a growing city; she noted most comparable cities have larger commissions. Moses Todd, a long-time resident, urged the committee to watch for socioeconomic inequities that can overlap with race and to ensure recommendations will be acceptable to voters.

Several committee members said public concern has been amplified by social media and letters circulated before the committee met. Powell and others told speakers they would notify the public if subcommittees address redistricting. At least two members asked that any future redistricting discussion be conducted in subcommittee with public notice.

The discussion reflected a broader worry about public trust. Multiple speakers urged clearer communication and district-level outreach so residents understand how recommendations would reach voters and what legislative steps follow committee decisions. Coach Bryant asked the Carl Vinson Institute to publish a simple chart explaining the process from committee recommendation to possible legislative action and voter referendum.

Ending: Committee members emphasized that no binding decisions on reducing commission size or forcing redistricting have been made; members repeatedly encouraged continued public engagement and said detailed proposals would be developed and discussed in subcommittees and brought back to the full committee for consideration.","Public commenters and committee members at the Charter Review Committee meeting raised concerns that proposed structural changes could diminish African American representation; committee members repeatedly said no decision to reduce seats or mandate redistricting has been made.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Vice chair to leave dias after appointment; committee debates decorum and meeting conduct

Committee accepts public-hearings summary as information; public themes include accountability and equity

Committee debates survey methods, paper ballots and data release as responses top 1,300

Carl Vinson Institute presents forms of government; committee leans toward professional manager model

Residents and committee members debate representation, redistricting and public trust