The city government of Augusta, Georgia, officially known as Augusta-Richmond County, operates under a consolidated government structure. This means the city and county governments merged into one unified body in 1996, streamlining services and administration for the entire area.

Government Structure

Augusta-Richmond County operates under a commission-manager form of government. Here’s how it breaks down:

Mayor

• The Mayor serves as the ceremonial head of the government and represents the city at official functions.

• The Mayor presides over the Augusta Commission meetings, though the role is largely symbolic and does not include a regular vote—except to break ties.

• As of recent years, the Mayor has limited executive powers compared to other cities with strong-mayor systems.

Augusta Commission

• The Augusta Commission is the city’s legislative body, composed of 10 commissioners elected from single-member districts.

• Commissioners serve four-year terms and are responsible for enacting local ordinances, setting policies, and overseeing the city budget.

• The commission selects a Mayor Pro Tempore from among its members to act in the Mayor’s absence.

City Administrator

• The City Administrator acts as the chief executive officer of the city and is appointed by the Augusta Commission.

• This individual oversees day-to-day operations, manages department heads, prepares the budget, and implements commission policies.

Key Departments and Services

Augusta’s city government oversees a wide range of services through various departments, including:

• Public Safety – Augusta Fire Department and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office

• Public Works – Infrastructure, road maintenance, sanitation

• Utilities – Water, sewer, stormwater management

• Parks and Recreation – Maintenance of parks, youth programs, community events

• Planning and Development – Zoning, permitting, and urban development

• Information Technology, Finance, Human Resources, and other support departments

Citizen Involvement

The city encourages public engagement through:

• Public hearings and commission meetings open to residents

• Boards and committees, such as planning commissions, housing authorities, and ethics boards

• Online services for utility billing, permits, and information access

Notable Features

• The consolidation of Augusta and Richmond County was one of the first in Georgia and aimed to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency.

• Augusta is best known globally as the host of the Masters Tournament in golf, but locally, the government plays a key role in maintaining infrastructure and promoting economic development, especially along the growing Savannah River corridor.