Vice chair to leave dias after appointment; committee debates decorum and meeting conduct

Vice Chair Tanya Barnhill Turnley told members she has been appointed to the Augusta Richmond County Commission and will take office next Tuesday; she said she will leave the dais and “sit down with everyone else” and that she will provide a replacement nominee within days. ‘‘I'm honored by the confidence that the sitting commission put in me. And because of that, I'm going to leave the dias and sit down with everyone else, but I will be making my choice to replace me within the next couple of days,’’ she said.

The meeting included repeated interventions and exchanges over decorum. Multiple speakers raised concerns about public comments, rebuttal opportunities, and members interrupting or theatrically reacting while others had the floor. Committee member Miss Bacchus defended allowing public comment and argued community members should be heard even if their concerns fall outside a narrow charter scope; several members complained that some town-hall speakers had used the forum for unrelated political attacks.

During the meeting Miss Bacchus made a formal, on-the-record request that the clerk note an expectation of “proper decorum and respect from other committee members,” saying she was tired of repeated interruptions and theatrical behavior. Several members also criticized others for using personal language about elected officials or for loud reactions while a speaker had the floor. The chair and multiple members urged orderly procedure, with one legal advisor (Mr. Plunkett) noting the committee retains options to reconsider or rescind prior votes under parliamentary practice.

Ending: The vice chair announced her transition to the county commission; the committee recorded a formal decorum request and reiterated that district-level outreach and subcommittee processes will continue with attention to orderly procedure.