AUGUSTA, Ga. () – “Because you are in violation of law.”

A former commissioner accused the Charter Committee of acting unconstitutionally and some committee members are discouraged.
“I don’t know that people remember the last time there was a charter review and it went nowhere. I would not be surprised if we have the same issue to be honest,” said committee member Sheffie Robinson.
A motion to require that any charter changes recommended needed a two-thirds majority or eight votes to be approved, the same majority required to propose changes to the state and U.S constitutions – that failing 7 to 4.
“One group on the committee has those votes, so they don’t have to negotiate, they don’t have to listen, they don’t have to do anything. They can just choose what ever they want,” said committee member Angela Bakos.
Opponents of the two-thirds majority vote say after months of work the committee is not making progress.
“If we’re going to make recommendations to improve the government of Augusta, we need to get this train on the tracks and rolling,” said committee member Lee Powell.
But former Commissioner Moses Todd says the committee is derailing by not following the law.
“That violates the Georgia State Constitution and federal constitution and general law. It’s null and voided, so it was ridiculous that they even voted on it,” said Todd.
 
“If we are going to do that, you may as well fold up the government because nothing is going to get accomplished,” said committee Chair Marcie Wilhelmi.
Any recommendations the committee makes will need to be approved by the legislature and Augusta voters, so will this vote harm the public’s acceptance of the committee’s work.
“I think a two-thirds vote would offer legitimacy,” said Bakos.