[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6149917,"mediaKeyId","5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b","parentId",5509889,"title","Augusta officials briefed on Coastal takeover of trash service, recycling rollout and vote to pursue sale of CNG fueling assets","audioSeconds",362,"startMs",4365000,"endMs",4003000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b&start=4365&end=4003","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b/thumbnail_4365000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6149917/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Augusta-officials-briefed-on-Coastal-takeover-of-trash-service-recycling-rollout-and-vote-to-pursue-sale-of-CNG-fueling-assets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149917-7d9078be794e216603b699476e38f49f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770843278&Signature=l36ubEwVDHmvHahsjBhT~4yvmWAgl7l7OeWprIh6Q2HhY5FlAoe~m03-WD8NEzeG6dN9K7Nyh9XpAMnSAg157m~7Nwi0ACkdtSZcK78yMM~EyBdD1lhhVLeOsMU2oja6zABfWc~bzhgbk~CErBbkdZN7md6Gb1vL6aFtn1NYTJgcgThzkyUn4yEQiFl~y~CIr9e2ZhVKLlJ5BVkWsfhe73M~KL9aYSmVKSk69J5YlRaJ8BIVx8hC7Qv9ST8doKuOS0-HbaI2j1j3LAqu~HJclwlE1B~D0RGz2qo-fR-SxGndHauu0kk8~08yOJ4FPD3SBeO4ZqjjPIXlineK0hMV4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-31T00:18:15.737Z","article","Coastal Waste & Recycling representatives told Augusta–Richmond County commissioners that they have trucks and drivers in place to start the city’s new solid-waste contract and outlined a timetable to relaunch subscription recycling while the commission debated how to pay for ancillary services.
The contractor’s senior vice president, John Casagrande, said the company has trucks in Augusta and “we were able to hire 10 of the 12 incumbent drivers from Zone 1,” and that subcontractors will continue to handle some bulk collection. Casagrande said Coastal will remove roughly 68,000 city recycling carts beginning Aug. 1, accept signups for subscription recycling through a public web portal and deliver new branded carts “sometime in November.” He said citywide curbside recycling collection is expected to begin “January 1,” without specifying a year.
Why it matters: The county’s new contract replaces prior arrangements and changes recycling from a universal curbside service to a subscription model. Commissioners said they received many constituent questions about timing, signups and how old carts will be collected.
Commissioners and staff described the operational plan and communications work that must follow. Administrator Allen said county customer-service staff and the contractor have prepared flyers and a website sign-up; Commissioner Tina Slendak and others urged a coordinated county communications push so residents receive consistent information.
Coastal’s plan and drop-off sites: Casagrande said Coastal will buy and supply the new blue carts with green lids and that the company expects to accept residents’ signups immediately when the pickup of old carts begins. He also said Coastal will provide three or four staffed drop-off containers (satellite sites) for residents who do not sign up for curbside recycling; the contractor would collect those containers and deliver recyclables to the North Augusta processing facility.
CNG fueling facilities and procurement authorization: Engineering staff and the utilities director told the committee that the new contract does not require compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, and sought permission to market and sell the county-managed CNG fueling facilities. The committee approved a motion to authorize engineering and environmental services to initiate an RFP/procurement process to sell those assets; the vote was unanimous.
Budget and fee debate: Administrator Allen briefed commissioners on the county’s “waste collection fee” funding gap and presented two example rate paths to cover direct contract costs and ancillary services such as vacant-lot maintenance, mosquito control and demolition work. Allen said the county had not applied earlier CPI escalations required by prior policy, leaving a growing deficit. She said one option would not cover ancillary costs while a higher-rate option would, and recommended commissioners decide whether to include ancillary costs in the fee or fund them from the general fund.
What commissioners decided: The governing body did not set a final consumer rate at the meeting. Commissioners voted to defer the fee decision and referred the matter to a special-call meeting so staff could return with additional scenarios. Commissioners also asked staff to analyze an interim option — raising fees for out-of-county commercial and self-haul customers — and report back before the commission’s next full meeting.
Discussion vs. decision: The committee received Coastal’s operational update as information and approved the procurement authorization to sell the county’s CNG fueling facilities (formal action). The fee-setting discussion produced directions to staff (analysis and follow-up) and a referral to a future commission meeting for a formal rate decision.
Next steps: Staff will provide the requested analysis on out-of-county/self-haul fee scenarios and a refined timeline for recycling signups, old-cart collection and new-cart delivery. Coastal and county staff will coordinate public outreach; the commission will set the final waste-collection fee at the later, special-call meeting.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special Called/Augusta Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Coastal Waste & Recycling told commissioners it has trucks and drivers ready to roll under the county’s new solid-waste contract, will remove old recycling carts starting Aug. 1 and aims to begin curbside recycling on January 1; commissioners also authorized procurement to sell the county’s CNG fueling facilities.","taxTitle","Augusta City, Richmond County, Georgia","taxId",3794,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6149903,"Finance recommends higher streetlight fees; commission sends item to full board without recommendation pending counsel review",1281,10816000,12097000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b&start=10816&end=12097","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b/thumbnail_10816000.jpg","/articles/6149903/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Finance-recommends-higher-streetlight-fees-commission-sends-item-to-full-board-without-recommendation-pending-counsel-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149903-373166c232510150d8f3ee47d45cd261/orig.mp4?Expires=1770843278&Signature=lbhJDxinQp7oo1ONu-Edft0~VJKuZIhhg4fHDQM67f1QDhOsuHIUjk1FWArAiGiWd9sfqcgRRd2nibxPS67-7JIIIftmgVCXB03IjWnz76iaYppbOdsbokM5hqQdGer5ko~QXpbsW3nk9hfZVEX1VwxDCcHv0gKw6PvntHrVIL88ABnTse34~pmYHje324bdvJF-DFcZ0timyoqYHNxMjGCDrlrTMdfgIMSulpBj6uXi0I3cHl0JWrUYPFI2AaHauN6LdQ~qtLS9mcWiODuRTQPFT7R7kZAY5QvF3J0TGk5gNyQteChkPeScPJgfy1olrcd0U-Z-fhyW0JN5QQIyFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The county’s interim finance director reported a growing deficit in the streetlight special fund and presented a recommended fee structure intended to stabilize the program and avoid a transfer from the general fund.
Director Tim Schreier said the fund balance had fallen to a roughly $900,000 deficit in 2024 because expenditures have risen faster than revenue. Under the current billing, residents with lights pay an annual residential fee (currently $85) and commercial parcels pay a higher annual fee (currently $107). Many parcels across the county had not historically been billed for streetlights.
The finance office recommended a new fee schedule that would, if adopted as presented, increase residential fees to $110 per light and increase commercial fees to $185 per light. The proposal would also bill currently unbilled parcels a base charge of $60 per year for streetlights; the proposal includes an option to reduce the urban-service district millage by roughly one mill so urban taxpayers see an offset in their millage rate. Schreier said the proposed changes would generate a surplus of about $700,000 and, over two years, help eliminate the fund deficit while establishing a two‑month reserve.
Why it matters: Streetlight costs are paid by a mix of special fees and millage. Changes affect property tax bills and, as commissioners noted, vary across the county because some municipalities inside Richmond County are currently exempt and because utility ownership (Georgia Power, Jefferson Electric, county-owned lights) differs across the system.
Commission action and legal review: The engineering committee heard the presentation and had specific questions about exempted municipalities, homeowner-association (HOA) obligations and how the urban-service millage offset would be implemented. Committee members asked for additional legal review on whether cities such as Hephzibah and Blythe — which have separate municipal status — may be treated differently under the county’s proposed billing changes. The committee forwarded the matter to the full commission without a recommendation and instructed staff and counsel to return with draft ordinance language and legal clarifications.
Discussion vs. decision: The committee did not adopt the new fee structure at the meeting. The finance director said a draft amendment to the streetlight ordinance would be prepared with the numbers and returned for final action by the full commission. Any final adoption will require ordinance amendment and formal commission approval before the billing cycle deadline.","Finance presented options to stabilize the county’s streetlight fund, proposing to raise residential and commercial streetlight fees and charge previously unbilled parcels; the engineering committee sent the item to the full commission without a recommendation and requested additional legal review on urban/suburban billing mechanics.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6149908,"Commission approves multiple litigation settlements, hires and a consent order after closed session",136,1520000,1656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b&start=1520&end=1656","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b/thumbnail_1520000.jpg","/articles/6149908/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Commission-approves-multiple-litigation-settlements-hires-and-a-consent-order-after-closed-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149908-bf6e70d6f37e538aaea7c914bb5027a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770843278&Signature=BUQ1tQxN7pnm2lNY76G~HR01BW0uFsjadsrnDwbRiRs1nvqyiPLOSdzTx3GmN6Xk89T0GhV-i5~A~ToXcjikVFXXfJqukp2EIhaWa8Go2MdH8uEcA2RlXXPEc8es73Otzo1aFxHfNzcrzjiX-bWHntfWbLWhq4nmtB1ziXZpngnG-dM3gjQfv-8XQ~~IOBCQd2miYb3NLnJymeDcWrSAalJsu3t6lC-O6~Ink-PDQ2Sqta0dMEDjp5mINGegkZ1eN2OPBYe~KvSxLGby1bnfwDw-sVa0UKGmn9iKQR85PElFIPqqISfLV1py6t8NOtRNvYu7UqJxAdSCT0Ult795mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","After a lengthy closed legal session, the commission returned to public session and moved to implement several settlement agreements, personnel actions and an environmental consent order that had been discussed in executive session.
Legal settlements and claims: Interim general counsel outlined a series of approved settlements arising from automobile-accident claims and workers’ compensation matters. The commission approved motions to settle multiple claims, including (as announced by counsel) settlements for:
- Cameron Ruff v. Richard Rountree et al., case no. 1:24-cv-183 — $25,000; motion carried (record noted commissioners present; one commissioner absent).
- Jacqueline Jones v. Augusta, Georgia and J.L. Logan (auto accident 08/02/2023) — $41,000; motion carried.
- Corin Jones v. Augusta, Georgia and J.L. Logan (auto accident 08/02/2023) — $13,500; motion carried.
- Kenyon Jones v. Augusta, Georgia and J.L. Logan (auto accident 08/02/2023) — $11,500; motion carried.
- Maurice Rivera v. Walsh McNeal et al., U.S. District Court case no. CV 1:24-188 — $300,000; motion carried.
- Quincy O’Bryant, workers’ compensation claim no. 2019-106056 — $15,500; motion carried.
- Sandy Estelle Estellett (workers’ compensation claim no. 2021-027972) — $55,000; motion carried.
- Nasia Hodgepietz v. Augusta Richmond County, case no. 2021-RCV-00390 — $20,000; motion carried.
Counsel also requested and the commission approved a motion to execute a consent order with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GEPD) related to alleged violations at the Mesley plant, authorizing payment of a fine of $170,000 and execution by the mayor and clerk. The commission recorded the motion as carried; specific vote tallies for many items were recorded as unanimous with a named commissioner absent for several votes.
Personnel and appointments: The commission approved multiple appointments and personnel actions announced after the executive session, including:
- Authorization to hire Reggie Horn as chief information officer at $145,000 per year (motion carries unanimous with one commissioner noted absent).
- Approval to hire Horace Green as central services director starting Sept. 1, 2025, at a salary of $120,000 and moving allowance up to $10,000 (motion carried 8–1–1 with one commissioner voting no and one abstention).
- Authorization to hire Mitchell O’Neil as engineering manager in the Augusta Utilities Department at $105,000 per year (motion carried).
- Acceptance of an amended resignation agreement for Phyllis Johnson (effective 07/31/2025) that provides a lump-sum payment of three months’ salary upon execution of a release (motion carried).
- Appointment of Dr. Yolanda Jackson as interim compliance director with a 15% pay increase for the interim period and authorization for HR to advertise the compliance director position.
Why it matters: The settlements and consent order have budgetary effects and conclude litigation and regulatory exposure for the county. The personnel decisions fill multiple senior management roles that county officials said are needed to run operations.
Discussion vs. decision: The material was presented as motions and formal approvals; counsel’s summary in open session reflected the outcomes of the executive session. The motions were approved as stated on the public record; if specified, vote tallies were recorded in the transcript. Commissioners emphasized that the executive session was necessary to discuss pending and potential litigation and personnel matters and then voted on the resolutions when back in public session.
Next steps: Staff will execute the settlement documents and the GEPD consent order after mayoral and clerk signatures. Personnel hires will proceed through HR for onboarding and contract execution.","After an extended executive session for litigation, personnel and cyber matters, the commission approved multiple settlements with claimants, a consent order with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and several personnel hires and appointments including a new chief information officer and central services director.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6149912,"Augusta commission delays final trash-fee vote, asks staff for targeted revenue options",2843,5774000,8617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b&start=5774&end=8617","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5509889-647cf88a65244218f3676b2b19efee8b/thumbnail_5774000.jpg","/articles/6149912/Augusta-City/Richmond-County/Georgia/Augusta-commission-delays-final-trash-fee-vote-asks-staff-for-targeted-revenue-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149912-b8b5d79879ecd8617bdfa9114edc4dfb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770843278&Signature=A5sxZ6eHmRtHj5XZg5LNfA5Kds24BFRv0IYQXEOnTfUI80nic7PrUnhHEY1-uHeKJr9cOfCZRdRND-tH9RVX5pGLXfpKZy5fQesDkq9~YDDm31EiafpHWTPnCXFUIZSHDia7BlTYga2sRfZY41S35AtGxw5n2GcPkkwzNZdu-~YQsTFpqX-dZdEErn-X8VAZqblvRR652E3O2h2MJ8SaxwhwoHM4sUG6Oh1f~-ymWmiylPJoyEMjLScbSP4jMD7Fa8A2BS246-XWqSWbBu6~jtWHgFT8DPN2GOKtJeczKiDkT2bJFkaoZKpyKQe02~Fkd15Aj8TmapdGaUjUuUHA1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County administration told commissioners the waste-collection fund has accumulated a deficit because prior required CPI-based rate escalations were not implemented, leaving the program underfunded as contract and disposal costs rose.
Administrator Allen said the county’s 2013 starting fee would have been about $434 in 2025 if prior annual escalators had been applied; the current billed rate is about $320.50. Allen described two example fee-paths: a lower-option that would not cover indirect/ancillary services (vacant-lot maintenance, mosquito control, demolitions) and a higher option that would include those services. She said the county must decide whether to include ancillary programs in the user fee or absorb them in the general fund.
Why it matters: The county collects a dedicated waste-collection fee on property bills. Changes to that fee affect nearly all households and are time‑sensitive because the tax commissioner requires final rate information for billing processes.
Commissioner discussion and directions to staff: Commissioners expressed constituent concern, questioned visible return on prior ancillary spending (street sweeping, mosquito control, vacant-lot work) and urged sharper fiscal options. Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle and others asked staff to identify alternative revenue levers that might reduce the burden on households — for example, higher user fees for commercial and out-of-county/self-haul customers who use the landfill. Commissioner Guilfoyle moved and the commission agreed to ask staff to analyze a 10% increase for outside/self-haul waste users and return to the commission with that scenario; staff committed to present the analysis for the next commission meeting and to coordinate timing with procurement and finance because of imminent tax‑billing deadlines.
Decisions and next steps: The commission did not adopt a final consumer rate. Commissioners voted to refer the fee decision to a special-call meeting (noted deadlines: tax commissioner requires finalized information by Aug. 18) and requested targeted revenue scenarios, including a 10% surcharge on out‑of‑county/self‑haul waste, for consideration at the follow-up meeting.","Faced with a multi‑million-dollar shortfall in the waste-collection fund, commissioners deferred setting a new user fee, asked staff for additional analyses (including a 10% surcharge on out‑of‑county/self‑haul customers) and scheduled follow-up for a special-call meeting ahead of the tax-billing deadline.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Augusta officials briefed on Coastal takeover of trash service, recycling rollout and vote to pursue sale of CNG fueling assets

Finance recommends higher streetlight fees; commission sends item to full board without recommendation pending counsel review

Commission approves multiple litigation settlements, hires and a consent order after closed session

Augusta commission delays final trash-fee vote, asks staff for targeted revenue options