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Augusta council approves Convention and Tourism Committee membership changes, authorizes disposal of seized weapons and other routine votes
Summary
Council adopted bylaws amendments and a charter ordinance expanding membership eligibility for the Convention and Tourism Committee, approved sale/disposal of surplus evidence items, passed an appropriation ordinance and scheduled a strategic retreat.
The Augusta City Council on March 17 approved amendments to the Convention and Tourism Committee bylaws and adopted Charter Ordinance No. 21 to broaden committee membership eligibility, voted to declare seized weapons in the evidence room as surplus property and authorize disposal, approved Appropriation Ordinance No. 3 dated March 12, and set a follow-up strategic retreat for April 12.
Council approved an amendment to the Convention and Tourism Committee (CTC) bylaws that gives the committee more flexibility in meeting times and clarifies that purchases and grants are subject to the usual appropriation process and city-manager authority. The council then voted on Charter Ordinance No. 21, which changes the CTC membership language to broaden several of the nine slots so they may be filled by owners, operators or employees of hotel, motel, transit or lodging businesses or representatives of organizations engaged in tourism or economic development. The charter ordinance requires a protest-petition period before it takes effect; staff said the change does not alter the city's guest tax rate.
The council also approved a staff recommendation to declare certain items held in the Department of Public Safety's evidence room as surplus and to dispose of them under the city's surplus property procedures. Staff said proceeds from any sale would be placed in the public safety equipment reserve to support replacement of service weapons and related equipment.
Other actions approved by voice vote included approval of the minutes of the March 3 council meeting and passage of Appropriation Ordinance No. 3 dated March 12. Council scheduled the second part of its strategic retreat for Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The meeting concluded with customary council remarks and adjournment.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes, March 3, 2025: motion approved (voice vote). - Appropriation Ordinance No. 3 (dated 03/12/2025): motion approved (voice vote). - Declaration of surplus property (evidence-room weapons): motion approved (voice vote); proceeds to public safety equipment reserve. - Convention and Tourism Committee bylaws amendment: motion approved (voice vote). - Charter Ordinance No. 21 (change membership requirements for Convention and Tourism Committee): roll-call vote recorded as "yes" by Councilmembers Bailey, Scott, Richardson and Nicholas and carried; charter ordinance subject to protest-petition period before taking effect. - Strategic retreat (April 12, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.): motion approved (voice vote).
Council did not propose any changes to the guest tax rate; staff noted the charter ordinance in this instance pertains only to committee membership language.
