UPW - Urban Pro Weekly

UPW

URBAN PRO WEEKLY

AUGUST 14 - 27 , 2023 VOL. 12 NO. 1

THE TULSA MASSACRE & REPARATIONS

KEN MAKIN : WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG?

JUST*ICE POPS HAVE ARRIVED

TOUGH ON BULLIES & THUGS

Fani Willis: Ready to prosecute

Tanya Chutkan: Ready to judge

MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin

What are we doing wrong?

What are we doing wrong?”

It’s a question that was attributed to AugustaRichmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree in a story that made national news. Thirty-three officer arrests have been made in the past three years, a stunning statistic employed to talk about the “dilemma” of county jails all over the country.

Roundtree has requested more money from city commissioners to bolster salaries. That is a shameless petition, considering the state of the county prison.

The question of what’s wrong goes beyond the issues at the county jail.

The problem is police culture. It’s a system that historically uses tax dollars to violate people’s civil rights, particularly Black folks.

People seem to think that a Black elected official in power might change that system, but that’s not how police culture works. The conflicts between the Black (mis)leadership class and the predominantly white media base should not distract us from the realities of police culture.

I’ll never forget when Burke County sheriff Alfonzo Williams justified the use of force in the murder of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta back in 2020. That diatribe made it painfully

Road closures in Downtown Augusta

AUGUSTA

Expect traffic delays in certain parts of Downtown Augusta due to road closures. View the information below for details.

BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION

13th Street between Telfair Street and Walker Street is now closed to through traffic due to repair work on the bridge over the Augusta Canal that started August 5, 2023. All traffic will be detoured around the closure using 12th Street. This long-term closure is expected to last for the remainder of this year (2023). Residents should use alternate routes and expect heavy traffic delays in this area. Stay informed on the progress of the repair work by visiting the Augusta, Georgia TIA Infrastructure Projects website at augustadtp.com.

RAILROAD MAINTENANCE

From 9am on August 15, 2023, to 5pm on August 18, 2023, CSX Transportation will close the railroad crossing between Twiggs Street and 5th Street to allow the company to install a new switch near the crossing. Note this crossing is directly under Gordon Highway- US78/25. For more information, call Southern Commercial Development Traffic Control at 803-808-3600. Road closures in Downtown Augusta AUGUSTA, GA (August 9, 2023) – Expect traffic delays in certain parts of Downtown Augusta due

Registration now for 11th Annual Women Empowerment Conference

The 11th Annual Women Empowerment Conference sponsored by AB Beverage of Augusta and the Wells Fargo Foundation, will take place on Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 5:00 PM.

We will meet in the River Room of Saint Paul’s Church, located at 605 Reynolds Street, and via ZOOM Webinar, for anyone who would like to attend virtually.

There is no charge to attend, refreshments will be served to in – person attendees.

Vendor Spaces are available on a first come basis, please contact Ms. Montez R. Williams at administrativeassistant@business-league.org or at 706 722 - 0994.

You can request an in – person ticket or a virtual ticket.

apparent that for those in the system, police culture outweighs kinship.

Even now, Atlanta is in the midst of police controversy due to “Cop City,” a training center that the city is pushing down taxpayers’ throats. The people of Atlanta have repeatedly and decisively expressed their disapproval of what will likely be a hundred-million dollar project.

If police officials had any shame, they would actually cut the police budget and reallocate those monies to education and other people-building institutions. The top cause of crime isn’t the ill intent of people. It’s poverty. Don’t be fooled – your

police officials know this.

The reason why they ask for more money and not less money is because if we cut police budgets, they might not make the cut. But their selfishness – and the white supremacist elements of policing – are to the disadvantage of us all.

Ken Makin is the host of Makin’ A Difference and a freelance writer for ESPN and The Christian Science Monitor, among other outlets. Look him up on Facebook at Makin’ A Difference, and you can also send him an email with your thoughts at makinadifferenceshow@gmail.com.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM

Commissioners approve Augusta’s FY 2024 Budget Priorities

As city officials begin mapping the city’s financial plan for FY 2024, the Augusta Commission has approved the FY24 budget priorities to include the following areas: Homelessness, Human Resources, Infrastructure, Public Safety, and Quality of Life.

Housing and Community Development given the greenlight to amplify efforts in lead safety and awareness

To increase Housing and Community Development’s efforts in educating the community about lead safety and awareness, the Augusta Commission has approved HCD’s request to partner with local agencies to help with the efforts.

The partnering organizations include

• Asociacion Latina De Servicios Del CSRA

• Augusta Fire Department

• Augusta University Environmental Health and Safety Div.

• Augusta, Georgia Compliance Department

• Augusta Utilities Department

• Baptist Ministerial Conference of Augusta

• Boys and Girls Club of Greater Augusta

• CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc.

• Georgia Legal Aid

• Goodwill of Middle Georgia & The CSRA

• Housing Authority of Augusta, GA

• Richmond County Health Department

• Security Federal

This effort is a part of the HCD’s participation in the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program, which aims to identify, clean up, and educate the community on dangerous lead related health and safety hazards in specific housing units built before 1978.

HISTORY MATTERS : CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Fani Willis hates bullies

BY RICHARD FAUSSET, NYT EDITED BY UPW STAFF

Once again, the nation’s attention is riveted upon the Peach State. This time it’s the political quake surrounding District Attorney Fani Willis and the much-indicted former president.

Willis, 51, a Democrat, is the first Black woman to lead Georgia’s largest district attorney’s office in Fulton County. She is viewing as a possible criminal enterprise: Donald J. Trump and his allies who tried to overturn his narrow 2020 election loss in Georgia.

In recent weeks, Ms. Willis has called dozens of witnesses to testify before a special grand jury investigating efforts to undo Mr. Trump’s defeat, including a number of prominent pro-Trump figures who traveled, against their will, from other states. It was long arm of the law stuff, and it emphasized how her investigation, though playing out more than 600 miles from Washington, D.C., is no sideshow.

Rather, the Georgia inquiry has

emerged as one of the most consequential legal threats to the former president, and it is already being shaped by Ms. Willis’s distinct and forceful personality and her conception of how a local prosecutor should do her job.

In her 19 years as a prosecutor, she has led more than 100 jury trials and handled hundreds of murder cases. Since she became chief prosecutor, her office’s conviction rate has stood at close to 90 percent, according to a spokesperson.

Her experience is the source of her confidence, which appears unshaken by the scrutiny — and criticism — the Trump case has brought.

In a heated email exchange in July over the terms of a grand jury appearance by Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, Ms. Willis called the governor’s lawyer, Brian McEvoy, “wrong and confused,” and “rude,” among other things.

“You have taken my kindness as weakness,” she wrote, adding: “Despite your disdain this investigation con-

tinues and will not be derailed by anyone’s antics.”

The phrase “I don’t like a bully,” is one Ms. Willis deploys often. After taking office in January, she had a quote from Malcolm X painted on the wall as a sort of mission statement: “I’m for truth no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against.”

Ms. Willis, as a child, split time between her divorced parents. Her father was a former Black Panther and criminal defense lawyer who practiced in the Washington,

D.C., area. He brought her to the courthouse often and put her to work as his file clerk starting in elementary school. A career in law, she said, was never in doubt. She attended Howard University, then moved to Atlanta to attend Emory Law School. She felt at home in Atlanta: As an undergraduate, she had attended Freaknik, the boisterous, mostly Black Atlanta street party that became a headache for city leaders and an inspiration for the

Tanya Chutkan is tough

Judge Tanya Chutkan is one of the toughest Jan. 6 sentencers. A week ago, she was randomly assigned to preside over the pending trial of Donald Trump who was indicted last week on charges of attempting to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election.

JUDGE TANYA CHUTKAN: Trump’s trial judge in D.C. is a former public defender and was one of the first U.S. judges to reject his executive privilege claims to withhold Jan. 6 White House records.

Chutkan is a former public defender appointed in 2014 by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, after she served as a volunteer with Lawyers for Obama during his 2012 campaign.

Chutkan, 61, who over a year and a half ago became one of the first federal judges in D.C. to reject the

former president’s efforts to use executive privilege to withhold White House communications from Jan. 6 investigators, in that instance from the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot.

A trained dancer raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Chutkan graduated from George Washington University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School before working in private practice with two Washington firms and serving 11 years with the D.C. Public Defender Service. She then joined the Boies Schiller Flexner law firm, where as partner she was a white-collar defense specialist focusing on complex antitrust class-action cases.

See Chutkan on page 4

See Willis on page 4

ORIGINAL ARTICLE BY SPENCER S. HSU AND TOM JACKMAN

EDITED BY UPW STAFF

FANI WILLIS, Fulton County District Attorney, is viewing former President Donald J. Trump and his allies as possible criminal enterprise partners.

“If you thought Fulton was a good county to bring your crime to, to bring your violence to, you are wrong,” she said, facing a bank of news cameras. “And you are going to suffer consequences.”

“It has to be made clear that trying to violently overthrow the government, trying to stop the peaceful transition of power and assaulting law enforcement officers in that effort, is going to be met with absolutely certain punishment.”

JUSTice Pops: Empowering communities through wholesome treats and local support

AUGUSTA

JUSTICE Pops, the brainchild of community planner

Sarah Bobrow-Williams, has been revolutionizing the frozen treats industry for the past four years. Founded with a profound commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle and supporting local farmers, JUSTICE Pops has been delighting its customers with delicious, fresh, and vegan popsicles made from locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Since its inception, JUSTICE Pops has been at the forefront of championing the cause of local farmers and nourishing communities with its wholesome treats. Sarah Bobrow-Williams, the visionary behind the brand, embarked on this journey with a mission to grow good and create stronger bonds between food growers, creators, and community members.

From humble beginnings at local Augusta farmers markets, JUSTICE Pops has expanded its presence to support new markets in underserved communities like Harrisburg, South Augusta, and Laney Walker. Their aim is to ensure that all individuals have access to fresh, locally produced food, regardless of their location.

“At JUSTICE Pops, we believe that our mission goes beyond just crafting delightful popsicles. It’s about fostering connections, celebrating culinary traditions, and promoting a healthier lifestyle for everyone,” says Sarah Bobrow-Williams.

As a community planner with experience in cooperative enterprises across the United States South and Southwest, Sarah’s dedication to sustainable lifestyles and land-based

CHUTKAN FROM PAGE 3

“For a lot of people, I seem to check a lot of boxes: immigrant, woman, Black, Asian. Your qualifications are always going to be subject to criticism and you have to develop a thick skin,” Chutkan was quoted as saying in a February 2022 profile posted by the federal judiciary.

The featured speaker at an African American History Month event hosted by the judiciary’s Defender Services Office, Chutkan cited “the dignity and the brilliance” of former federal judge and NAACP Legal Defense Fund litigator Constance Baker Motley and her predecessors as a model. “They put their lives on the line every time they did their jobs and had to put up with far more than I have,” she said.

Chutkan also said that she drew inspiration from young people.

“Young people inspire me in their openness, in their tolerance, and in their desire to fight injustice,” she was quoted as saying. “I can’t let them down. I have to be an example to them.”

livelihoods shines through in every flavorful popsicle she creates. Her passion for diverse cuisines and her love for locally grown ingredients inspired her to embark on a journey of creating popsicles with real fruits and vegetables, free from harmful additives.

JUSTICE Pops has become a beacon of hope for communities in need of fresh and healthy food options. By supporting local farmers and sourcing fairly traded ingredients, the brand not only offers delectable treats but also contributes to strengthening local food systems and policies.

“Growing up in ethnically diverse communities in New York, I witnessed the power of culinary celebrations in bringing people together. At JUSTICE Pops, we aim to carry forward that tradition by embracing the diverse palate of our community through exciting new popsicle flavors,” says Sarah.

With a firm commitment to authenticity and community-driven values, JUSTICE Pops continues to invent innovative flavors that resonate with the taste preferences of their patrons. Each bite of a JUSTICE Popsicle is an invitation to celebrate the abundance of locally grown ingredients and cherish food traditions that unite us all.

To experience the delicious taste of JUSTICE Pops and join hands in building a more resilient and connected community, visit their Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/justice_pops or explore their offerings at the Augusta Hub, South Augusta, and Laney Walker Farmers Markets.

WILLIS FROM PAGE 3

Chutkan has been the toughest sentencing judge on the D.C. federal court for Jan. 6 defendants, according to a Washington Post database. Through mid-June, Chutkan sentenced every one of the 31 defendants to have come before her to at least some jail or prison time. She has exceeded prosecutors’ sentencing recommendations nine times and granted them 14 times, while court-wide, judges have sentenced below government recommendation about 80 percent of the time.

“It has to be made clear that trying to violently overthrow the government, trying to stop the peaceful transition of power and assaulting law enforcement officers in that effort, is going to be met with absolutely certain punishment,” Chutkan has explained from the bench.

Alluding to Trump’s role in the events, Chutkan said at another defendant’s sentencing: He “did not go to the United States Capitol out of any love for our country. … He went for one man.”

novelist Tom Wolfe’s satirical exploration of the Southern city and its racial divides. She settled down in the area, raising two girls as a working single parent and finding her calling in the prosecutor’s office. She took on murder cases for eight years straight.

“I wore a pager and got up in the middle of the night and walked over bodies,” she said. “And I know what kind of pain it causes when you lose someone.”

The experience helped set her on a philosophical course to the right of America’s new wave of progressive prosecutors, as well as her liberal father (“We have knockdown, drag ’em out arguments,” she said) but to the left of the traditional lock-themup crowd.

“You have all these extreme people who think that there should not be prisons. They’re crazy,” she said. “There are people out here who will take your life and think nothing of it — go have lunch, like, literally think zero about taking your life — and they have to be removed from society. But then you also have these other crazy people that think everyone should

JUSTICE Pops, founded by Sarah Bobrow-Williams, is a socially conscious brand dedicated to supporting local farmers and promoting a healthy lifestyle. With a focus on crafting fresh, vegan popsicles made from locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables, JUSTICE Pops aims to foster strong connections between food growers, creators, and community members. The brand’s commitment to creating authentic and community-driven frozen delights reflects its vision of building a more resilient and connected society. Visit https://www. instagram.com/justice_pops for more information.

go to jail. That’s also kind of — that’s crazy, right?”

She has declined to answer questions about the likely course of her investigation as it specifically pertains to Mr. Trump, but his indictment in Georgia remains a plausible scenario, particularly given his call to the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in January 2021, in which the then-president asked Mr. Raffensperger to “find” the votes to put him over the top. Some legal experts contend that this call alone may have violated a state law against the solicitation to commit election fraud.

Ms. Willis has indicated that she may pursue the range of election-meddling efforts in Georgia as a multi-defendant racketeering case, much as she has against Drug Rich and other street gangs.

It is unclear what this means for Mr. Trump, who has spent his business and political career wiggling out from complicated legal entanglements. He commands a loyal and enormous following, a multimillion dollar war chest for paying lawyers and a bully pulpit that never shuts down.

We’d Love to have you Volunteer for Arts in the Heart 2023!

Join us for our 41st festival as a volunteer today! When you volunteer, your gain free entry into the festival all weekend, plus a free tee! Festival begins Friday, September 15th and ends Sunday, September 17th. Shifts range from Pre-Fest Set-up prior to open, to close of festival. Morning, day, and evening shifts available.

Latrell’s Easy Taco Casserole

Live your best life! That is my motto. My name is Menia L. Chester, I am a chef and owner of Desserts by Latrell and Southern Jazz and Sweets. My goal is to teach you about food, finance, anything about the home, gardening, and healthy living.

As students are going back to school, I get lots of questions from parents about quick and easy dinner recipes. Casseroles can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Here is a easy taco casserole recipe that your family will enjoy!

LATRELL’S TACO CASSEROLE

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground turkey or crumbled meat substitute

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 can (16 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained substitution

Substitutions available

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Optional toppings: Sour cream, minced green onions, diced fresh tomatoes, chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat and drain the liquid and/or fat. Stir in taco seasoning six, beans, tomato sauce and corn. Reduce heat to low; let simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish.

Sprinkle with cheese and tor-

tilla chips. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream, green onions, and fresh tomatoes (optional). Serve immediately. Enjoy!

If you have questions, would like to see other recipes, or

would like to learn about events by Latrell, please visit my website and send an email via the contact form.

Website: www.southernjazzandsweets.com

FORUM VOICES

Tulsa, Oklahoma and Reparations

The purpose of the African American Business Project is to promote African American economic empowerment and independence for present and future African American generations.

BY MELVIN LORENZO KELLY

African Americans earn approximately 1.3 trillion dollars annually and over 80% of what we earn and spend goes into the hands, pockets, and bank accounts of another race of people. It is time for a change, we need to keep our dollars circulating within our race.

Please come and go with me on a short journey and allow me to share some information with you related to the Tulsa Oklahoma Riot and Reparations.

Most recently three of the survivors from the Tulsa Oklahoma 1921 riots which destroyed what was known as “Black Wall” filed a lawsuit for the damage done and lives lost, and the case was dismissed in court by a judge.

The survivors named Lessie Benningfield Randle, Viola Fletcher, and Hughes Van Ellis are between the ages of 103 to 109 years old. This riot started not only out of jealously by whites of successful blacks, but ignited because a White woman claimed she was physically abused by a Black man. The entire area was burnt to the ground by fire and bombs were dropped from air-

planes above which killed hundreds of Black people, burned down 1,250 homes, and 35 city blocks went up in flames.

During this period 56 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, in the deep South racist Caucasians were still lynching Black men, raping Black women, burning down Black churches, burning crosses, and getting away with it by law.

You tell me, when does the statute of limitation run out on murder in this country. Somehow my consciousness tells me that the police were directly involved with this disaster in Tulsa and didn’t try to stop it because they were part of the mob.

Have the police ever dropped a bomb on an African American community in this present day, the answer is yes. Twenty years ago, in Philadelphia, Pa., Osage Ave. was the site of stunning use of force by Philadelphia Police and Pennsylvania State Troopers against MOVE members killing people and destroying property.

Most recently around May 11, 2023, Missouri Democrat Rep. Corey Bush introduced a bill initiating reparations of slavery and the effects it has on African Americans today. This bill called for the United States government to reward African Americans 14 trillion dollars in reparations.

The Republicans immediately dismantled the reparation recommendation, and the Independent Party joined them, while most Democrats

were in favor of reparations for African Americans.

I really don’t know which part of Africa my ancestors came from during the Atlantic Slave Trade from the year 1500-1880, whether it was the Blight of Benin, the Blight of Biafra, the Gold Coast, Senegambia, Sierra Leone, Windward Coast or West Africa. But one thing I do know is that I was born in the United States of America, I am an American Citizen, and I expect to be treated with all respect and honor due to American citizens by law and within the Constitution of the United States of America.

Somehow through false teachings it was taught that 400 years ago our ancestors were living in Africa as wild animals in the jungle, which is untrue, they were doctors, lawyers, school teachers, Architects, farmers, merchants, soldiers, musicians, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, fathers, and husbands, etc.….

Whether they were sold into slavery or captured, they built the United States freely under the whip and gun and never received a penny for their labor, it is time for America to pay-up and give us our inheritance from their labor.

Rep. Cori Bush also indicated that the United States has a moral and legal obligation to provide reparations for the enslavement of Africans and its lasting harm on the lives of millions of Black people.

Rev. Dr. Vernon Johns (April 22, 1892 – June 11, 1965) said that “slavery is a horror.”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929) said “America gave the slaves no land or nothing in reality when they were freed to get started” but at the same time America was giving away millions of acres of land in the West and Mid-West to the White peasants from Europe to start an economic base.”

John Lewis (February 21, 1940 –July 17, 2020) “If you see something wrong speak up.”

Elijah Muhammad (October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) said “we need to build our own schools, hospitals, factories, and give us some land where we can do for ourselves.”

Burning down Black Wall Street was evil and so is slavery, even today it is very hard living with anybody that hates me or anyone because of the color of their skin.

We must build and do the best we can for future African Americans generations economically and spiritually while teaching our children the value of the voting process. I will continue expounding on restitution, reparations, and evilness in my next newsletter.

Photograph shows African American people amongst ruins of houses and destroyed property in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after the Tulsa Race Massacre, also called Tulsa Race Riot, when a white mob attacked the predominantly African American Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Starting your Business with the Basics, a Valid License

The CSRA Business League, Inc.

Starting your Business with the Basics, a Valid License will take place on Tuesday, 15 August 2023 at 6:00 PM via ZOOM Webinar.

The Facilitators for the session will be Ms. Kathy Y. Jackson and Mr. Kevin Boyd, AugustaRichmond County Planning and Development Department, License and Permitting Manger, and members of the Licensing department staff.

The Small Business Seminar on Licensing Procedures will focus on the processes and procedures, the how too and what is needed to obtain a Business License, which is required to legally operate a

MEETINGS

The following public meetings for the Richmond County Board of Education will be held on the dates listed below at 864 Broad Street, Board Room Auditorium, Augusta, Georgia 30901:

AUGUST 8, 2023

– AUGUST 2023

COMMITTEE MEETING –4:00 P.M.

AUGUST 8, 2023 -

ADOPTION OF FY24 TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE – 5:00 P.M. – WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW THE COMMITTEE MEETING

AUGUST 15, 2023 –

AUGUST 2023 REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6:00 P.M.

AUGUST 17, 2023 –TOUR OF GOODWILL/ HELMS COLLEGE AND LUNCH AT EDGAR’S GRILLE, 3165 WASHINGTON ROAD, AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 30909 – 11:00 A.M.

AUGUST 22, 2023

–1ST PUBLIC HEARING ON FY24 MILLAGE RATE – 12:00 P.M.

AUGUST 22, 2023 –

2ND PUBLIC HEARING ON FY24 MILLAGE RATE – 6:00 P.M.

AUGUST 29, 2023 –

3RD PUBLIC HEARING ON FY24 MILLAGE RATE – 5:30 P.M.

AUGUST 29, 2023ADOPTION OF FINAL FY24 MILLAGE RATE –6:00 P.M.

Business in Augusta - Richmond County.

The Seminar will also speak to what is needed by those who operate a Home-Based Business, perform Flea Market Vending or Manage a Not-for-Profit organization.

To register for the Seminar, please scan the QR Code

NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

AUGUSTA

The Richmond County School Board today announces its intention to increase the 2023 property taxes it will levy this year by 10.67 percent over the rollback millage rate.

When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.

The budget adopted by the Richmond County School Board requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate; therefore, before the Richmond County School Board set a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase.

All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the County’s Board of Education building, 864 Broad Street, Augusta, GA on August 22, 2023, at Noon and 6:00 p.m. and on August 29, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.

RICHMOND COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION PROPOSAL NUM.: 22-001-1056

Bond Issue Program

PROJECT NAME: National Hills HVAC

COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTY INVITATION TO BID

Sealed proposals from Contractors will be received for the National Hills HVAC Project, by the Board of Education for Richmond County at the address below until 3:00 p.m. local time,August 29, 2023, at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read. No extension of the bidding period will be made.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held 10:00 A.M. , August 15th, 2023 local time in the National Hills E-School Conference Room, 1215 Northwood Road, Augusta, GA 30909

Drawings and project manual on this work may be examined at the Department of Maintenance and Facilities, Richmond County Board of Education, 2956 Mike Padgett Highway, Augusta, Georgia 30906.

Electronic bidding documents may be obtained directly from the engineer. Requests may be made by phone or email by contacting Steven Petersen at 706-774-1020 ext. 204 or spetersen@ingconsultinginc.com. A link will be provided for immediate download of plans and specifications. Only registered plan holders requesting the documents from the engineer will be notified of published addenda.

Contract, if awarded, will be on a lump sum basis. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of 35 days after time has been called on the date of opening.

Bid must be accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not less than 5% of the base bid. Personal checks, certified checks, letters of credit, etc., are not acceptable. The successful bidder will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds in an amount equal to 100% of the contract price.

In accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, and the General Wage Determination’s available from the DOL for Richmond County (www.wdol.gov), the Contractor will be required to comply with the wage and labor requirements and to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedule of wage rates established by the United States Department of Labor. The highest rate between the two (Federal and State) for each job classification shall be considered the prevailing wage.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities.

Bids shall be submitted and addressed to:

Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw

County Board of Education of Richmond County Administrative Office

864 Broad Street Augusta, Georgia 30901

c/o: Mr. Bobby Smith, CPA

RICHMOND COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Bond Issue Program

RCSS to host Walk-In Wed. job fair

The Richmond County School System will host a job fair to recruit employees for open positions on Wednesday, August 16. Recruiters and hiring managers will be on-site to conduct interviews and discuss open positions.

PROPOSAL NUM.: 22-002-8013

PROJECT NAME: Transportation Facility HVAC

COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTY INVITATION TO BID

Sealed proposals from Contractors will be received for the Transportation Facility HVAC Project by the Board of Education for Richmond County at the address below until 3:00 PM local time, August 31, 2023, at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read. No extension of the bidding period will be made.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held 10:00 AM, August 17th, 2023 local time in the Conference Room, Richmond County Transportation Facility, 2956 Mike Padgett Hwy, Augusta, GA 30906

Drawings and project manual on this work may be examined at the Department of Maintenance and Facilities, Richmond County Board of Education, 2956 Mike Padgett Highway, Augusta, Georgia 30906.

Electronic bidding documents may be obtained directly from the engineer. Requests may be made by phone or email by contacting Steven Petersen at 706-774-1020 ext. 204 or spetersen@ingconsultinginc.com. A link will be provided for immediate download of plans and specifications. Only registered plan holders requesting the documents from the engineer will be notified of published addenda.

Contract, if awarded, will be on a lump sum basis. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of 35 days after time has been called on the date of opening.

Bid must be accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not less than 5% of the base bid. Personal checks, certified checks, letters of credit, etc., are not acceptable. The successful bidder will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds in an amount equal to 100% of the contract price.

In accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, and the General Wage Determination’s available from the DOL for Richmond County (www.wdol.gov), the Contractor will be required to comply with the wage and labot requirements and to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedule of wage rates established by the United States Department of Labor. The highest rate between the two (Federal and State) for each job classification shall be considered the prevailing wage.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities. Bids shall be submitted and addressed to:

Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw

County Board of Education of Richmond County

Administrative Office

864 Broad Street

Augusta, Georgia 30901

c/o: Mr. Bobby Smith, CPA

“We are looking for talented and dedicated individuals to join our high-performing workforce to support the educational offerings and resources required to educate more than 30,000 students. Our employees are eligible for excellent benefits, and we offer professional development and a collaborative work environment,” says Dr. Cecil Clark, Richmond County School System Chief Human Resources Officer.

The Walk-In Wednesday job fair will be held at our Central Office, 864 Broad St., from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

To view the complete list of openings, visit our website at rcboe. info/Work4RCSS.