AUGUSTA, Ga. () – The heavy lifting is now underway for the Charter review committee. It’s the first proposal altering the government structure.

“That way, our city administrator or manager, if you will, doesn’t have to be pulled 11 different directions to decide what she should be doing,” said Steve Foushee of the Charter Review Committee.
The proposed new organizational chart would have just the Mayor Pro-Tem, elected by the commission, provide direction to the administrator. Right now, it’s the mayor and ten commissioners.
“It’s not a bad idea when you have too many voices trying to exert their influence it does make it very complicated to do your job,” said Sheffie Robinson, Committee member.
“The first reading is always going to have some controversy with it this one has some so we’ll work our way through it,” said Lonnie Wimberly, Committee member.
The proposal also calls for the mayor to have veto power over commission actions.
“There are many effective forms of government that give the mayor veto power and I think if he had veto power, the commission would work better with him to accomplish objectives,” said Foushee.
“I don’t think the citizens would stand for that right now. I think you’re going to have to convince them to give the mayor a veto,” Wimberly.

This committee’s job is to recommend changes to the charter, but is one too big to be proposed this early?

“Not at all, spent the last two and a half months reading through several thousand pages. Big legalese stuff. It’s time to get on with the duty,” said Committee Chair Marcie Wilhelmi.
So starting now, change is in the wind when it comes to the city Charter.