Tanya Barnhill Turnley sworn in as Augusta Richmond County District 4 commissioner

Tanya Barnhill Turnley was sworn in as commissioner for District 4 during a ceremony at the Augusta Richmond County Municipal Building's Lee N. Beard Commission Chambers. Mayor Mary Garnett Johnson administered the oath and speakers offered prayers and remarks welcoming Turnley to the post.

Turnley replaces a longtime commissioner who, Mayor Mary Garnett Johnson said, had “decided to take a rest for a little bit.” The mayor opened the event, saying, “Today, we're here to swear in a public servant that has been working out at throughout our community for years now to replace a great gentleman who I call a friend.”

The event included an invocation from Reverend Moore. In the prayer, Reverend Moore asked that officials “empower Tanya to bear the responsibility of leadership with the utmost integrity, courage, and humility.” Family members and colleagues also spoke. Sandra Barnhill, Turnley’s sister, praised her for listening and seeking common ground: “She was always willing to listen. If your opinion was different from hers, she'd listen, she'd ask a lot of questions, she'd share her opinion, but the final… she tried to find that common ground.”

Turnley thanked supporters and described her record of community work. “There's a lot of work to be done, and I'm up for the challenge,” she said, and noted her church-based food pantry, saying, “we fed over 7,000 people last year.” She also expressed readiness to work with the mayor and fellow commissioners “as we strive to create a better Augusta Richmond County for all.”

The oath included the standard pledge to support the constitutions of the United States and the State of Georgia and a loyalty oath related to being an employee and recipient of public funds. After the formal oaths and signatures, Turnley moved quickly to official duties, making her first nomination to a county committee (see related article on the Charter Review Committee appointment).