Transfers of strip clubs denied

With stunning swiftness and surprising unity, the Augusta Commission acknowledged public outcry and voted Tuesday to deny allowing the transfer of strip club permits and struck down hefty raises for Juvenile Court personnel.

A week after two commission committees unanimously approved both items, the commission voted unanimously against allowing an adult club license to become a part of the owner's estate and then be passed on to an heir. The issue had come to the fore recently because the last two adult dance clubs in downtown Augusta are owned by the same person, James "Whitey" Lester, who was erroneously reported to have died.

His clubs were among those grandfathered in when the commission changed the adult entertainment ordinance to only allow those businesses in industrial areas and forbid them from serving alcohol. The permits cannot be sold, so as other owners of strip clubs downtown have died or the businesses have closed, Lester's were the only ones remaining. Tuesday's vote could mean those will close as well when he is gone.

That's what Joe Edge said he understood when his company, Sherman and Hemstreet, decided to spend $1.4 million to buy two buildings in the area and relocate employees there.

While other real estate companies moved to Columbia County, "we saw a vision for downtown and wanted to plant our flag here," he told the commission. That was based on the assumption that "at some point these clubs would go away," Edge said.

But with the clubs in and around the 500 block of Broad Street, businesses he and others have tried to get to locate in that area of lower Broad "will not go past Sixth Street," he said. The clubs are "stopping development" of the area, Edge said.

After Edge and others called for opposition, the public responded.

"We all heard everyone loud and clear," Commissioner Mary Davis said. After hearing that businesses relied on the clubs eventually leaving the area when they invested, "it really wasn't a tough decision," she said, and the commission's stance on it is firm.

Dozens of people followed Edge and other developers out the door after the vote, with many stopping to shake his hand and thank him.

"It puts an end in sight for the strip clubs for downtown," Edge said.

The commission also decided against allocating $138,000 from the city's $250,000 contingency fund to boost the salaries of seven Juvenile Court employees. That money, approved unanimously by a committee last week, came as part of a plea from Augusta Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Carl C. Brown Jr. and Chief Juvenile Court Judge Doug Flanagan over what Brown called "woefully" inadequate salaries.

An Augusta Chronicle analysis found the raises would result in double-digit increases for all of those employees, including a more than 150 percent increase for Brown's daughter, DaCara. The public also expressed its displeasure with that, Commissioner Brandon Garrett said. But it was also "the right thing to do for our taxpayers," he said.

Only Commissioner Marion Williams voted against denying the raises.

After the vote, Brown said he was "disappointed" but "it is what it is." The raises can be requested in next year's budget, which both Garrett and Davis said is the proper process to get them, but Brown said there are challenges for the court that won't wait until next year.

Staff writer Sandy Hodson contributed to this report.

In other action Tuesday, the Augusta Commission:

• Voted to enter into an agreement with private probation company Judicial Alternatives of Georgia in Albany to provide 10 employees to bolster the probation services of Richmond County State Court for $30,000 a month for up to three months. The move, which came as an addendum to the regular agenda and after a lengthy legal session, is intended to help the office while the city looks for a vendor to take over the services. In a related move after the legal session, the commission approved $7,500 retention incentives to probation employees if they stay through May 17.

• Approved seeking a vendor to oversee a parking management plan for downtown Augusta

• Approved rates for ambulance service for the Augusta Fire Department and approved a billing process

• Approved an incidental on-premise alcohol license that would allow businesses to provide limited alcohol samples or drinks. The change was sought by the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau, which wanted to provide limited samples of local beers and spirits at its downtown visitors center

• Approved two additional positions for the Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office

In other action