Commission approves settlement payments, alcohol licenses and funding; schedules follow-ups

Augusta-Richmond County commissioners voted on a package of administrative items and legal settlements during a special-call meeting and related committee sessions, approving several contract settlements, multiple retail alcohol-license transfers, one housing grant for a single-family unit and a mandated PTSD benefit for first responders.

The actions covered routine permitting, legal settlements authorized after an executive session, and departmental funding requests. Commissioners also directed staff to pursue follow-ups on the county’s contract with CSRA Probation Services and asked the law and administration offices to compile information about employees serving on local boards and authorities.

Settlements and legal actions: After executive session the commission authorized settlements on four personnel or civil claims: a workers’ compensation claim by Elijah Battle in the amount of $71,000 (motion by Commissioner Francine Scott; second by Commissioner Stacy Pulliam), a civil claim for Brandon Jones for $2,500 (motion by Commissioner Mason; second by Commissioner Don Clark), a claim by Jamaris Walker for $50,000 (motion by Commissioner Don Clark; second by Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice), and a claim by Natron Adams for $200,000 (motion by Commissioner Francine Scott; second by Commissioner Stacy Pulliam). Each motion was approved by the governing body as recorded on the meeting record.

Alcohol licenses: The commission’s public-services committee approved a series of existing-location liquor and retail-package transfers recommended by Planning and Development and the Sheriff’s Office. Items approved on the record included: - Alcohol license 2502: Classics 56 Pub LLC (John Miller), 4020 Mike Padgett Highway — consumption on premises, liquor/beer/wine (motion: Commissioner Tony Lewis; second: Commissioner Francine Scott) — unanimous on roll call of committee members present. - Alcohol license 2503: Jam Crew LLC/Ready Player 1 (Joseph Tinkersley), 7875 Broad Street — consumption on premises, liquor/beer/wine — approved. - Alcohol license 2505: Sri Lakshmi Narayan Supermarket Inc./Green Street Supermarket (Karthikalati), 2 Green Street — retail package, beer/wine — approved. - Alcohol license 2507: Unity Investments Inc./Pick N Move (Ruth Vick Kasturi), 3082 Dansbridge Road — retail package, beer/wine — approved. - Alcohol license 2508: Lucky Gordon LLC/Lucky 7 (Niotti Rowe), 1857 Gordon Highway — retail package, beer/wine — approved. - Alcohol license 2509: 619 Boundary LLC/Boundary Market (Sharice Roy), 619 E. Boundary Street — retail package, beer/wine — approved. - Alcohol license 2510: Akshar Blessings to LLC/Express Mart 2 (Sachin Kumar Barot), 4212 Windsor Spring Road — retail package, beer/wine — approved.

Housing and program approvals: The commission approved a request from the Housing and Community Development Department to provide HOME program funding in partnership with Mackie Hayes Enterprise to continue development in the Turpin Hill area and support construction of one single-family unit to be sold to a low-income homebuyer. Department staff described the funding structure as a 50% contribution to total development cost with partial recapture on sale to recycle funds for future projects.

First-responder PTSD benefit: The Administrative Services Committee approved carrying the state-required Georgia First Responders PTSD program (HB 451). Human Resources staff explained Augusta-Richmond County must hold confidential benefit coverage for verified PTSD diagnoses among qualifying first responders; the committee approved implementation and directed HR to administer the program.

Referrals and follow-ups: Commissioners directed an immediate administrative review of the county’s contract with CSRA Probation Services and sent the matter to the jail/population oversight committee for fuller review and a report back within roughly 30 days. Separately, the law department and administrator’s office were tasked to compile and return to the commission, within the committee cycle, a list of boards and authorities, their statutory or charter requirements, membership rosters and whether any members are salaried county employees — to inform possible future ordinance or resolution drafting.

Votes at a glance (summary): The meeting record shows motions carried for all items noted above; several approvals were recorded as unanimous among members present. Specific mover/second attributions are recorded on the public minutes and are summarized above.

Ending: Staff will return with follow-up reports — including a jail-population committee review of probation practices, a list of boards/authority memberships and a written summary of the housing funding arrangement — and the Clerk’s Office will post the finalized motions and vote tallies to the official minutes.