Committee postpones manager‑hire rules; debate centers on thresholds, interim authority and manager powers

The Charter Review Committee debated several related motions on how Augusta City would hire, remove and temporarily replace the city manager, but took no final votes on the substantive rules.

A motion that the mayor "shall present up to 3 candidates for manager to be hired with [the] approval of 6 or more commission votes" was introduced for discussion. Members voiced differing views on the appropriate threshold for hire and removal: counsel and the Carl Vinson Institute said the most common practice is a simple majority and that hire and removal thresholds are often the same, but they warned that a supermajority can make it difficult to remove a nonperforming manager and can have financial consequences if termination without cause triggers severance. Community feedback at a town‑hall also favored a higher threshold at that event, members said.

After discussion the committee voted to postpone the final vote on the mayor‑nomination and threshold motion until the next meeting so consultants can draft clearer language and the public can weigh in. The motion to postpone was moved by Miss Backus and carried on a roll call; the clerk recorded seven yes votes (Miss Robinson, Miss Backus, Coach Bryant, Mister Lewis, Mister Powell, Mister Wimberley and Miss Wilhelmi) and four no votes (Mister France, Mister Coleman, Mister Fouche and Mister Pearson).

A separate motion that the commission shall require seven votes to terminate the manager was moved but failed for lack of a second and therefore was not considered.

The committee also discussed interim staffing. An initial proposal that a deputy manager automatically assume responsibilities during a vacancy was considered; a substitute proposal that the mayor propose up to three nominees for interim manager (with the commission appointing the interim) was offered but did not receive a second. Members noted that a vacancy can be temporary (illness or leave) and asked for clarified language that distinguishes short‑term absences from permanent vacancies.

Members raised a separate but related question about whether the manager must "report to the commission" in a way that would require commission approval before hiring or removing department heads. Counsel and the Carl Vinson Institute said model charter language typically grants the manager authority to appoint and remove department heads subject to personnel ordinances; they advised the committee to adopt clarified charter wording to avoid ambiguity. The body directed staff and the consultant to return wording that clearly expresses the intended allocation of authority.

What’s next: the committee postponed final action on hiring thresholds, interim appointment procedures and manager qualifications and asked Carl Vinson and legal counsel to provide clarified charter language and ordinance recommendations before the next full meeting.