AUGUSTA, Ga. (WFXG) - AUGUSTA’S LEGAL DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED IN Tuesday TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE CITY’S POLICY FOR COMMISSIONERS ABSTAINING FROM VOTES.

commissioner WAYNE GUILFOYLE asked TO SEE THE RULES OF ORDER IN WRITING. THE ATTORNEY REVEALED THAT COMMISSIONERS CAN ABSTAIN AND THEY DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE A REASON.

GUILFOYLE SAYS ABSTENTIONS ARE ONLY APPROPRIatE WHEN THERE’S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. IT COULD BE FOR REASONS INVOLVING FAMILY, MONEY OR EVEN GAIN. BUT, BASED ON HIS UNDERSTANDING, YOU HAVE TO GIVE A REASON.

“ROBERT RULES OF ORDER CLARIFIES THAT WHEN YOU ABSTAIN IT SHOULD BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, NO OTHER REASON," Guilfoyle says. "PEOPLE VOTED US IN THIS POSITION TO VOTE YES OR NO. NOW, IF I HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH ONE OF MY COMPANIES. YEAH, I WOULD HAVE TO ABSTAIN OR NOT VOTE FOR IT AT ALL.”

HE BELIEVES IT’S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, PREVENTING THE MAYOR FROM BREAKING A TIE AND THUS, HOLDING UP PROGRESS. AND IT MUST BE ADDRESSED.

IT STALLED THE CITY’S DECISION TO FIND AN AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDER, COSTING THEM MILLIONS of dollars AND HAS PREVENTED THEM FROM NAMING A PERMANENT CITY ADMINISTRATOR.

HOWEVER, Commissioner BOBBY WLLIAMS, THE ABSTENTION IN THIS SITUATION, CLAIMS HE DOES HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST: the way the process was conducted.

“THE PROCESS WAS NOT FOLLOWED," Williams says. "IF ANYBODY SAW OUR FORMER ADMINISTRATOR JANICE JACKSON AND THE INTERVIEW THAT SHE DID, SHE SAID THE PROCESS SHOULD LEAD THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, THE PROCESS LED US TO THE PROPER ADMINISTRATOR: TAKIYAH DOUSE.”

THE CITY ATTORNEY SAYS A SUPREME COURT DECISION ON THE ISSUE OF ABSTAINING, Sets the precedent that YOU CANNOT BE COMPELLED TO VOTE.

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