This interesting article from WJBF shows that the mayor, Deke Copenhaver, believes he was lied to by the commissioners regarding the vote to fill the Administrator position. His email claims that he believed he had 8 votes to approve Oscar Rodriguez. Instead, as the article I linked yesterday shows, the commission voted 7-1 (Wayne Guilfoyle the only vote against) on to abandon the search until the newly elected leaders take control. The mayor elected to take the high road and not name the commissioner(s) who reneged on their promise(s) to him but it would be very interesting to know how and why the commissioners suddenly changed their tune. 

… and the sound of taxpayer money being flushed down the toilet. As reported in today’s article in the Augusta Chronicle, the Augusta Commission voted  to discontinue the search for Fred Russell’s permanent replacement. This comes only a couple of weeks after the commission interviewed  the three finalists. As noted in the Chronicle’s article, the failed search cost the city roughly $19,000. The interim administrator, Temeka Allen, appears to be doing at least a serviceable job so the need to find a permanent replacement isn’t as urgent as it otherwise could be. As a Richmond County taxpayer, I  wish the mayor and commissioners would commit to an outcome before before spending money on something that doesn’t materialize. I also feel for the candidates who spent their time and energy applying and interviewing for the job. I doubt being interviewed by the 10 commissioner is a fun or easy exercise.