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Augusta mayor kicks off campaign for vote

Scott Hudson is an award winning investigative journalist from Augusta, GA who reported daily for WGAC AM/FM radio as well as maintaining a monthly column for the Buzz On Biz newspaper. Scott co-edited the award winning book "Augusta's WGAC: The Voice Of The Garden City For Seventy Years" and authored the book "The Contract On The Government."

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WFXG) - Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson says—to be the voice of the people, he needs a vote on the commission. He was joined by former Augusta mayors this morning to ask voters to help make that change happen.

When the city and county were consolidated in 1996, a mayor/commission government was established, meaning the mayor of Augusta has never had an equal vote with his colleagues on the commission. The exception is if the ten commission votes result in a tie… the mayor is then allowed to break the tie, but in some cases, a single abstention by a commissioner means the mayor can’t vote on that policy at all.

Current Augusta-Richmond Mayor Garnett Johnson wants to see that changed.

This morning, Johnson welcomed three former mayors, a former commissioner and a former senate majority leader to give their opinions on why they think Augusta-Richmond county voters should vote yes to giving the mayor a say…

“Augusta-Richmond County is the only consolidated government in Georgia that does not have a charter review committee. And it's about time we have one,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.

The speakers included former Mayor Hardie Davis, former Mayor Bob Young, former Mayor Deke Copenhaver, former Commissioner Richard Colclough and former Senate Majority Leader Charles Walker.

“It clearly states that the mayor is a member of the city commission, and is empowered to vote to make or break a tie. But our mayors, since the inception of consolation, have been subjected to voter suppression,” said former Mayor Bob Young.

“Never would I have thought that the mayor could not vote,” said former Senate Majority Leader, Charles Walker.

The mayor of Augusta has never had an equal vote with his colleagues on the commission, except in the event of a tie. That’s a system we’ve seen manipulated by abstentions in certain cases of potentially split decisions.

“We want to move this city forward. Whether that's the advancement of bringing a new business to Washington Road, and it's a five, five tie, the mayor needs to be able to cast a vote to say ‘yes, bring business to this city,’” said former Mayor Hardie Davis.

Those in favor of allowing the mayor to vote /outside/ of the tie breaker tell me…those manipulations and abstentions can hold up government decisions and waste taxpayer money.

“The convention center was held up by extensions, the judicial center, as was the library. So it took years and years and years to bring these projects to position. So its speed to market, it is costing the taxpayers money by just slowing down those projects,” said former Mayor Deke Copenhaver.

“We can't fix Washington, but on May 21, we can fix Augusta, or take a step in the right direction by giving the mayor a vote,” said former Mayor Deke Copenhaver.

However there are a few commissioners who don't think this is a necessary change. Commissioner Tony Lewis spoke with FOX54 on the phone and opposes the mayor vote.

“Ever since the charter was enacted back in 96, that's been the position of the original consolidation charter that we are under. If it hasn't happened in 26 years, and it wasn't broken then, then I don't see why anything needs to change,” said Commissioner Lewis.

On May 21, voters will be able to decide whether or not the mayor should have the right to weigh in on commission topics.

COPYRIGHT 2024 WFXG. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Sometimes the meaning behind the numbers carry more weight than the numbers themselves.

Following a 10-0 win over Gatewood Tuesday, Westminster Schools of Augusta boys soccer coach Shawn Brower is now looking to become the 25th boys soccer coach in the nation to reach the 500-win plateau.

The defending Georgia Independent Athletic Association Class 3A state champion Wildcats host defending 2A champ Westminster Christian (Atlanta) Friday at 7:15 p.m. with the milestone on the line.

“When you set out, you never really think, ‘How long am I going to do this,’” Brower said. “Yet, I can’t imagine ever not doing it.”

This is Brower’s 30th year of coaching high school boys soccer (he also spent three years coaching girls during his career). He enters Friday with a career record of 499-114-49 and has led his teams to six state championships and five state runner-up finishes. Before landing in Augusta, he’s had stops at Orangeburg Christian (Fla.), Chattanooga Christian (Tenn.), Jupiter Christian (Fla.) and Briarwood Christian (Ala.).

When Brower took the head of school position at Westminster Schools of Augusta in April of 2022, he thought it would be the end of his time on the pitch. He never intended to coach soccer at WSA, but that all changed just two months later when former coach Sean McLarnon moved to North Carolina. The school suddenly found itself without a coach to lead its most prestigious athletic program, but the answer was already in its backyard.

“When I came to Westminster, it was going to be the first time in 29 years where I wouldn’t be coaching,” Brower said. “The prior coach ended up leaving and the board asked if I would step in and they didn’t have to do a lot of arm twisting. There was a point when I left my last school that I thought, ‘I might never set foot on a soccer field again.’ That was a very hard moment for me to think I wouldn’t be coaching a group of young men again. When asked, I was pretty excited to do it.”

Brower promptly led the Wildcats to their 13th state championship since 2000. Coaching a varsity sport is nearly a year-round job in 2024, much less when that coach is also the top administrator. For Brower, who played soccer in high school and college and has been coaching for the last three decades, it’s what he knows.

“I’ve been doing soccer a lot of my life, through high school, college and then started coaching my very first year as an educator,” he said. “Being head of school and boys soccer coach, which is a particularly odd combination, sometimes people say, ‘Well, how do you do that during soccer season?’ Sometimes I ask myself the same question. It is very, very busy, but I don’t know any different. There’s always a soccer season.”

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What makes Westminster Schools of Augusta different

Brower’s made a lot of stops in his education career, but he quickly realized what set Westminster apart when he landed in Augusta.

“In a word, it’s a big family,” he said. “There really is a family feel with the idea that your kids are my kids and my kids are your kids. We cheer for one another, families support one another, there’s just a lot of good comradery and a sense of belonging. When you’re in it, you know it and you can just sense and feel that there’s something special when you walk the halls.”

The family component of Brower's coaching career

Brower praised his wife of more than 30 years, who is coincidentally also named Shawn, for the support she’s given over his career. Anybody who has coached at any level knows that it’s a family affair. The Browers and their three sons, Joshua (26), Josiah (22) and Jakob (20) are all integral parts in this coaching journey.

“Being in a coach’s family is not for everyone. I would highly recommend if the family is not on board, don’t do it. She has been such incredible support and I remember in the early days when we’d be on away trips, she’d be on the bus with one of my sons as a newborn. Then as the boys grew older, I coached all three of them and two played college soccer. It’s been a family journey, but I would come back to any success I’ve had has been with a supportive wife who has been there every step of the way. Couldn’t have done it without her.”

As it turned out, Shawn knew her husband would eventually be back on the sidelines.

“When I left my last school, I felt God was calling me to Westminster, but was sad I wouldn't be coaching,” Brower said. “She said, ‘Don’t worry about it. You’ll be coaching again.’ Of course I didn’t know it, but like usual she was right once again.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The final public meeting for Richmond County School’s 5-year master plan wrapped up on Tuesday.

The meeting ended around 4:30 p.m. where parents were able to give their final input on the plan.

The school board will only vote on next year’s portion of the plan. This includes closing A. Brian Merry Elementary School and Spirit Creek Middle School, opening up Richmond Hill Elementary School and Belair Middle School, splitting up the current Richmond Hill and Belair K-8, Tutt Middle School and Langford Middle School would combine to help construction speed up at the new Langford Middle School.

This would be the first step to get more resources to schools if approved.

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Some parents are still concerned about the overall outcome for the long-term plan.

“That’s what needs to come out of the situation, the best thing possible for the county. It’s not a one man show. It’s not a one school show you so we don’t lose the we don’t keep some, but let’s lose the ones that we have to lose. But let’s keep the ones that are definitely doing the job for these babies,” said parent Delvin Howard.

For a week, parents listened and gave their inputs on the future for the school systems.

Tiffany Prieto, a parent, said: “We have to consider the legacy that’s being built there, the legacy that has been there, and what’s to come.”

MORE | Student faces charges over threat at Grovetown Middle School

Another parent, Janice Ramirez, said: “Are we willing to make that sacrifice for somebody else’s kid? And if we are not then you know, that says a lot about the community and what we need to do.”

No matter what happens, parents say they want what is best for their kids.

“No matter how much we bicker and we’re different, we’re one team in this building and I need everybody to know that,” said Howard.

The Richmond County Board of Education will meet next week to vote on next year’s changes.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The fall-out continues after an incident at the Richmond County jail led to the arrests of multiple deputies.

We first showed you this exclusive video in February after a source gave it to our I-TEAM.

Radio traffic shows the call went out as a riot at the jail after inmates popped off sprinkler heads and flooded their pod.

This happened almost two years ago, but warrants say command staff only met about it recently because someone filed a civil rights complaint about it with the FBI.

Our I-TEAM learned more employees have been suspended over this incident, and another one has been fired.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t officially confirmed this yet, but multiple sources say Jennifer Shelton was fired.

This is a photo of her when she was promoted to lieutenant in June.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Another photo posted to the RCSO website in 2018 shows Shelton being honored for 10 years of servie, so that would mean Shelton has been with the agency for at least 16 years.

We’re told she was fired for giving out warrants that had already been executed. Warrants are public records.

As we reported last month, defense attorneys asked command staff for them but were told no. We’re told she was also fired for not intervening in the jail incident.

At least from the body cam we have, she doesn’t appear to be there for the incident. From what we can tell, she comes in with several others when it’s pretty much over.

Multiple sources tell us two other sergeants, Troy Moses and Albert Parrish, were also demoted and suspended in connection to the jail incident.

The photos below are from their promotions. Parrish was just promoted this past November. Moses’promotion happened back in 2021.

Again, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has not offically confirmed this. We asked on Thursday, but we still have not received a response.

We checked with Georgia POST, the state agency that certifies law enforcement officers.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has 15 days to report firings and demotions.

So far, POST hasn’t been notified, but we’ll keep checking.

We’re also hearing other deputies have recently been disciplined because of this incident as well and are hopeful Sheriff Richard Roundtree will be transparent.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.