Technology sought to help decorum at Augusta Commission meetings


Technology sought to help decorum at Augusta Commission meetings

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Commissioners this year have focused a lot of “attention ” on their conduct and their rules, even holding a work session dedicate solely to their rules, now city leaders looking to technology to bring a sense of order to their proceedings.

Commissioner John Clark says it’s time to recognize it’s a problem at Commission meetings.

“There’s too many discussions, arguments if you will well I had my hand up no you didn’t I had mind he never calls on me maybe that will end that confusion,” said Commissioner Clarke.

Right now if commissioners want to speak they raise their hand to be recognized, this can lead to human error.

What’s being pushed is a microphone management system, where commissioners wanting to speak push a button then the person running the meeting will see the request in the order it was presented.

“I can understand that sometime it may give the impression that it’s fair to everybody across he board and you won’t have the difficulties we do have,” said Commissioner Dennis Williams.

“Absolutely we need this it’s long overdue to have something in process we’re a growing community we need to act like it,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Sean Frantom.

But others say the meeting problems won’t be solved by this microphone system.

“I’m not sure what my colleagues are looking for because you hear decorum you hear different things of that the machine is not going to do that,” said Commissioner Ben Hasan.
“Some members say the mayor doesn’t see their hands going up.”

“Aw that’s a cop out that’s like school kids didn’t call on me my hand was up first and all that kind of stuff that’s crazy,” says Commissioner Marion Williams.

“I would expect nothing less from them that’s all I got to say if it’s not there idea it’s not a good idea,” said Commissioner Clarke.

The I.T. Department says the management system would run about 25 thousand dollars, that’s money not in the budget Commissioner Clarke saying though the commission always seems to find the money for other things in Augusta George Eskola WJBF NewsChannel 6.


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