Columbia County Group Looks to Endorse Good Government

Looking for a Change by Eric Johnson Columbia County is known for its Republicans and its Republican infighting. The newly formed, nonpartisan Columbia County Citizens for Good Government hopes to change that. “I think voters are tired of all the lip services,” says Pat Goodwin, the new group’s public relations spokesperson and second vice chair. “And I think for us locally, there was always a negative perception about politics. The great thing about this organization is that, while it’s involved with your leaders, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or you’re a Republican or if you’re an independent or if you’re nothing.” While some might take that with a grain of salt, since Goodwin used to be the chairman of the volatile Columbia County Republican Party, the fact that she provided a calming influence after one of its more tumultuous periods makes others think this might be a good idea, given the state of the local party. Goodwin makes it clear that the organization is truly nonpartisan and is not trying to replace either local party. Ultimately, the idea is to host monthly meetings featuring community leaders discussing issues. The first meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. May 8 at the large auditorium of Building A at the Columbia County Government Complex, will feature District 4 Commissioner William Morris. Given the last year, which saw several difficult and uncharacteristically public issues cross Columbia County’s landscape, including the Magnolia Trace rental houses, the Augusta Prep lights and a seemingly endless as well as disruptive culvert project in Springlakes, many in the community have expressed a desire for an end to so-called business as usual. “We just felt the timing was right,” Goodwin says. “There have been a lot of issues, there has been a lot of miscommunication and there’s been a lot of people who don’t know what’s going on in the local government. We thought maybe we could help send the message and be supportive of our elected officials and just kind of do some great advocacy to share information with people.” Organizers based the group on the Augusta Richmond County Committee for Good Government. “A group of us went to one of the meetings,” Goodwin says. “We liked its mission, so we began talking to them asking about how they formed their group and their bylaws and now they kept it non-partisan, and we’re like — why not?” Back in the 1990s, Goodwin was a member of the Columbia County Coalition for Good Government, which had a similar basic mission, though very different ways of behaving. For one thing, it cost $125 to join and for another it was more overt in its support of candidates, first interviewing them and then deciding who to give money to, “In a way it was more like a Political Action Committee,” Goodwin says. While the Augusta group does not give money directly to candidates, they will endorse candidates through the media. “It gets you a seal of approval that’s a consensus of mixed-party members and people who haven’t ever voted,” Goodwin says. Though Goodwin says the organization is too young to start endorsing candidates, she has invited the magistrate judge candidates to speak on July 21. “We’ll host a cookout,” she says. “Sen. Bill Jackson has agreed to introduce them.” That is probably about as far as they will go in this election cycle, however. “I really don’t think we’ll endorse anyone this year because we’re so young,” she says. “But I can see us by next year being in full force if we have all our committee seats filled and we get some active members.” Yearly dues to the new group are $25.You Might Also Like: