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Council tables proposed changes to convention and tourism committee bylaws and seeks rewritten language
Summary
After a lengthy discussion about membership, spending authority and meeting times for the Convention and Tourism Committee, councilmembers asked staff to revise the proposed bylaws and charter ordinance language and tabled the item for a future meeting.
Augusta City Council on Jan. 21 discussed proposed amendments to the convention and tourism committee (CTC) bylaws and the underlying charter ordinance that defines committee membership and guest‑tax authority, then voted to table the bylaws changes until staff can revise the language.
City staff presented two components: (1) bylaws the committee can adopt without a charter change, covering logistics such as meeting time, vacancy and conflict‑of‑interest rules; and (2) a suggested charter ordinance amendment to loosen strict membership requirements spelled out in the existing charter ordinance (2008) so the city can recruit and retain committee members more easily.
Discussion points included the committee’s request to move meeting start times earlier (the committee proposed 4:30 p.m., current bylaws show 5:30 p.m.), whether to specify meeting start time in bylaws or allow the committee to set it, and a proposal to remove language that required the city council’s separate approval for committee expenditures. The city attorney recommended inserting a clarifying phrase to preserve the council’s ultimate fiscal authority — for example, wording that ties committee spending authority to the authority already granted in the city’s budget and appropriation process.
Councilmembers also debated whether to preserve an explicit seat for a Go Augusta representative (the Chamber of Commerce referenced in the old charter no longer exists). Several councilmembers signaled support for drafting alternative charter ordinance language and for reworking the bylaws language to make the committee’s time and spending rules clearer; multiple members asked staff to return with revised wording. The council voted to table the bylaws item until staff presents revised language.
