Augusta charter review panel outlines options for form of government; residents press for guardrails, clearer outreach

Dr. Facer of the Carl Vinson Institute told a public hearing of the Augusta-Richmond County Charter Review Committee that the committee is conducting a comprehensive review of the current charter and will consider whether to propose an amended or new charter for submission to the local legislative delegation and, potentially, the General Assembly.

The committee has met biweekly, convened subcommittees on finance and form of government and has begun voting on preliminary recommendations; Dr. Facer said the committee has approved removing ‘‘anticipatory’’ language that described future actions already taken, excising verbatim sections of state law that duplicate state code, and recommending that provisions better suited to ordinances be removed from the charter.

Why it matters: changes to the charter define how Augusta-Richmond County allocates executive and legislative authority, how municipal officials are appointed or removed, and what matters must be decided by ordinance rather than in the charter. Those choices shape who makes day-to-day decisions, how accountable officials are, and how the public participates in local government.

Panel presentation and staff work Dr. Facer described the charter as a ‘‘constitution’’ for Augusta Richmond County and reviewed three broad models the committee is weighing: a ‘‘strong mayor’’ model in which the mayor holds primary executive authority; a ‘‘weak…