| | Issue #19.41 :: 05/07/2008 - 05/13/2008 | Power people
An ASU graduate survey identifies the top 12 most powerful people in Augusta — and the ones at the top surprised us, too
| BY ANGEL CLEARY
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AUGUSTA, GA. - Who is really calling the shots in Augusta?
According to a recent Augusta State University graduate student study, Augusta’s most powerful person is Mayor Deke Copenhaver.
Surprised at the results? We weren’t the only ones.
“I don’t feel powerful,” said Copenhaver. “I wouldn’t even know how you begin to define power.” This coming from the man whose pitch to build a baseball stadium a year ago is still gaining momentum.
Last week, six Masters in Public Administration graduate students announced the results of a two-month power study they completed as a class project under Ralph Walker, a 38-year professor of political science. Coming in at a close second was Billy Morris, owner of Morris Communications. Medical College of Georgia President Dr. Dan Rahn came in third.
The goal of the study was to determine who the most powerful people in Richmond County are. Based on a similar “reputational” study done by sociologist Floyd Hunter in 1953, the students surveyed “insiders” from diverse community spheres.
A reputational study measures the perception of who holds power, as opposed to measuring who actually holds power.
They polled 30 people from organizations such as The Augusta Chronicle, Metro Spirit, and the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as religious and government leaders, members of the Chamber of Commerce, business organizations and others. In other words, they didn’t just ask the man on the street.
The survey defined powerful people as those whose actions “involved decision making and the function of executing determined policies” and those who are the most effective and influential at doing so.
Each respondent gave 10 nominations as to whom they thought wielded the most power.
Out of 30 respondents, 24 nominated Copenhaver as one of the most powerful people in Augusta. Twenty nominated Morris and 14 nominated Rahn.
Copenhaver doesn’t exactly exude the archetypal persona of a politician. As he says to everyone, “Just call me Deke.”
The irony is that Augusta’s mayoral position exercises little decision-making power.
“Augusta’s system is considered a weak mayoral system,” said Walker. “The mayor doesn’t have traditional powers.” The man many consider responsible for authoring Augusta’s weak mayoral charter is Professor Walker. If anyone would know whether or not the mayor is powerful, it is he.
“After consolidation and now that the Cracker Party is gone, Augusta doesn’t have a political machine anymore,” Walker said.
The charter, written in 1996, was a compromise that came after decades of racial tension. Certain powers were deliberately denied to whoever held the position of mayor so that no one person, black or white, would have too much power.
Thus, the mayor can’t appoint new positions without the consent of the commission. He can’t veto any resolutions or laws the commissioners decide to pass. He can’t even vote, unless there is a tie.
“You know, last time I did this study,” he said, “[Copenhaver] didn’t even make the list. Nobody knew who he was.” Then, Billy Morris took the No. 1 spot.
Copenhaver’s new ranking can be explained by many factors, he said. Copenhaver has influenced deals bringing job-creating businesses, such as T-Mobile and Automatic Data Processing, to Augusta.
He is also well-connected. He has sat on numerous business and community boards.
Add to that the fact that he is married to a member of the Boardman family, another name that was nominated multiple times, doesn’t hurt, Walker said.
“He is always appearing in the news as a part of some social or business event,” he said. “That media presence likely propelled him into the No. 1 position.”
But perhaps, most importantly, the man otherwise known as the “Dekester” is known for his likeability — a trait Walker says helped bring the usually contentious Augusta Commission together.
So what is Deke going to do with his newfound rank to move Augusta forward?
“I anticipate breaking ground on many of our stalled projects,” he said, “and I will continue to seek out businesses to invest here.”
Walker said there is some legitimacy behind the study.
“The perception that he is powerful actually gives him a certain amount of power,” he said. “When people talk about the city, they think of him.” After all, perception is reality.
Moreover, there must be some truth to the perception, because Copenhaver also made Georgia Trend’s 2007 list of the 100 most influential Georgians. (Billy Morris ranked as No. 1 on the list.)
Even if the study can’t show those who are “actually” powerful, it does prove one thing: Augusta’s insiders are “actually” humble. Although the ASU students couldn’t release the names of those who responded, they said nobody nominated themselves.
Other rankings surprised, too. Super District 10 Commissioner Don Grantham came in at eighth place, scoring well below District 1 Commissioner and Mayor Pro-Tem Betty Beard, who scored fourth.
Sheriff Ronnie Strength tied for fourth place with Beard and Senator Ed Tarver.
And perhaps an even bigger shocker, only two businessmen made the top list, Clay Boardman and Billy Morris, while City Administrator Fred Russell came in above Don Grantham, at No. 7. Go figure.
Billy Morris
CEO, Morris Communications
Rank: 2
As Georgia Trend’s most influential Georgian, William S. (Billy) Morris III is a shocking No. 2 in Augusta.
He’s the son of William S. Morris Jr., who became involved with The Augusta Chronicle in 1929 as a bookkeeper, then purchased it in 1945, eventually acquiring sole ownership.
Billy Morris delivered newspapers from horseback as a boy. He earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and joined the company in 1956 at age 21 as assistant to the president. He became publisher and president 10 years later. He established Morris Communications in the 1970s and now serves as its chair and chief executive officer.
The company owns newspapers across the nation, as well as outdoor advertising, magazines, radio stations and European companies. The largest newspaper in the chain is the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, but Augusta remains the corporate headquarters. Morris publications dominate Augusta media, with everything from weeklies in suburban communities to niche publications aimed at young adults and women.
Billy Morris started the Augusta Futurity, a major cutting horse competition, and the Morris Museum of Art, with its large holdings of Southern art. He is a major property owner in downtown Augusta. His company owns the Marriott Hotel and will manage the new trade and exhibit center. He has endowed chairs at various universities in Georgia. He is a member of Augusta National.
His influence is maintained not only through the newspaper, but also through top employees in various enterprises. Several Morris employees appear on the list of the community’s most influential, but all answer to Billy Morris. To this day, editorials and stories related to family interests are vetted through Morris’ office.
Dr. Daniel W. Rahn
President, Medical College of Georgia
Rank: 3
Dan Rahn, a native of the small town of Stroudsburg, Pa., is the seventh president of the Medical College of Georgia.
He attended Yale University on a music scholarship, where he would eventually goon to medical school and a rheumatology fellowship. After a stint in private practice,Dr. Rahn returned to Yale full time and was a researcher, writer and administrator of the faculty practice for 200 physicians in the Department of Medicine.
In 1991, he became the vice-chairman of the MCG Department of Medicine.In 2000, after handling a number of administrative appointments in the medical school, he was named the Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for MCG Health Inc., the nonprofit corporation that took over management of MCG’s clinical system.
In 2001, Rahn was appointed the successor to retiring MCG President Francis Tedesco. At that time, he talked about the need for more medical research in Augusta and for greater diversity in the medical staff.
The development of the MCG Cancer Center and the growth in biomedical research at MCG are two signs of the success he has had in reaching his goals. However, he’s not one to take the credit for himself.
“I’m very reluctant to accept personal credit. It’s really everyone’s effort,” Rahn said. “MCG is a large enterprise with a large number of employees, faculty and staff.”
As he looks back, however, Rahn is pleased with the restructuring that took place in 2000 with the formation of MCG Health Inc. and the capital projects that the hospital has undertaken.
“Now we’re working on the expansion of the School of Dentistry and the School of Medicine, which will have not only regional but statewide impact,” he said.
He foresees continued expansion of medical research and consistent growth over the next five to 10 years. And he’s modest about his own role.
“Personally, I just try to get up in the morning and do more good than harm,” he said. “I try to operate with integrity, to perform with transparency and to align my walk and talk.”
He noted the many people who were named in the list. “There’s a broad array of people who have impact on other people’s lives and we may all have more impact than we realize.”
Betty Beard
Augusta Mayor Pro-Tem
Rank: 4 (tie)
Aside from the extra points we give her for being the only female currently serving on the Augusta Commission, as District 1 Commissioner and Mayor Pro-Tem, she is also the highest ranked female on the list. Appointed unanimously to fill the seat of her husband who died in 2004, she has undoubtedly been a key player since.
Could her power come from the fact that, in 2007, she cut the biggest deal of the year, and arguably the biggest in the last five years?
Last year, she voted against the TEE Center hotel and conference center development. After maneuvering the Augusta Commission into promising the Bethlehem and Laney Walker neighborhoods, located in her district, $750,000 a year for the next 50 years, bringing in $37 million, she cast the final swing vote approving the project. The city is expected to sell bonds to get the money up front and it will be paid back in the form of a hotel tax — at the rate of $1 a night from county hotel guests. At least Augustans don’t have to pay it, assuming the TEE center is successful.
Before the new guard of Augusta commissioners were voted in last fall,Beard was thought to be the key swing vote on the board. Since then, she is still a strong voice, but we’d like to see if her power extends beyond 2007.
Ronnie Strength
Richmond County Sheriff
Rank: 4 (tie)
He’s was elected Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff in 2000, but he’s been with the department for almost 32 years. His recent victory in a $6 million slander lawsuit against radio station WAAW, home of talk-show host Ryan B., and its owner Kevin Neely, only adds to his local celebrity.
More recently, Strength has lobbied, and very nearly succeeded, in getting the commission to add a penny for police on the next Local Option Sales Tax ballot in November.
“Currently we have 44 unstaffed positions,” he said. “These are positions that are funded but go unfilled because of competitive wages elsewhere.”
Strength is certain the “penny for police” issue will come around again soon.
“We all agree that safety is important,”he said.
However, the single most important event that propelled Strength’s name into the category of Augusta legends is his “Operation Augusta Ink” crackdown on gang-related crime last summer. He, along with the Georgia Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, organized an undercover operation in which more than 70 criminals were arrested. The sting went down at Colour Tyme Tattooz & Things, a storefront located on Tobacco Road. It was a momentous event, having been the second-biggest weapon seizure in the bureau’s history.
Ed Tarver
Georgia State Senator
Rank: 4 (tie)
Georgia State Senator Ed Tarver (D), elected in 2006, is also lawyer for the Augusta
Housing Authority. Some say he will have a tough fight against Marion Williams in the upcoming election. Unfortunately, the failure to restructure the Augusta Coliseum Authority looks to be partly his fault. He sat on the senate delegation that looked into possible avenues, but, because of what appeared to be a disagreement in wording between Tarver and House members, the bill failed.
Perhaps he made it to the top 12 by making more friends than enemies, as he has managed to maintain a relatively low profile in the media. He seems to have directed or been on every organizational board in Augusta, including currently serving on the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, Augusta Leadership and Georgia Bank & Trust.
Dr. Dana Bedden
Richmond County Superintendent of Schools
Rank: 7
Last summer, Bedden accepted the position of Richmond County Board of Education superintendent, filling the shoes of former superintendent Charles Larke, one of Augusta’s most controversial figures. Bedden came in swinging and he hasn’t stopped yet.
At the onset, he already had the reputation for being something of a superhero, able to single-handedly bring up a district’s test scores. People applauded when his first act was to revamp the school’s Web site and overhaul their approach toward public relations. Then he hired an outside firm to determine the areas where the system could be more efficient. In the face of criticism, he began consideration for school closures.
Perhaps people see him as powerful because we have already entrusted the keys to Augusta’s future in his hands — our children.
Quincy Murphy
Georgia State Representative
Rank: 8
As Georgia House representative and leader of the Augusta legislative delegation, Quincy Murphy (D) helped pass a bill to restructure the faltering Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority. It passed the Senate with different wording, and then Murphy declined to vote for it.
Murphy, elected in 2005, spoke loudly against the controversial e-mail by former Republican Party Chair Dave Barbee, calling for his resignation from a city appointment to the Augusta Housing Authority. Murphy also voted against a dubious ad valorem tax elimination, which drew praise from many who wanted better clarification as to how the lost money would be recouped.
Fred Russell
Augusta City Administrator
Rank: 9
As city administrator, Russell doesn’t make the rules, he just oversees their enforcement. He can’t even appoint employees without the commission’s permission. However, he’s the guy they all the run to when they need advice about whether or not they can or should make a rule. The commission certainly values his opinion. At least he is one of the few city employees to stay out of hot water.
For instance, last December he urged the commission to give all city employees a 3 percent cost of living raise, along with a $2,000 raise for public safety. Some of the commissioners balked, but they all voted in favor of the raise, costing the city $4 million a year and the taxpayers about a half a mil from the state-mandated cap on property tax. Of course, the firefighters who showed up to the meeting in uniform carrying their babies might have had some sway, too.
Don Grantham
Augusta Commissioner
Rank: 10
This may be the year of Grantham. Last year, the Super District 10 commissioner handily beat his opponent in his bid for re-election. He also helped win raises for city employees and public safety.
Already this year he has blocked two votes to approve the appointment of city governing board members. He also very nearly convinced the commission to support a one-cent sales tax to support an increase in funding for public safety. That issue is far from dead.
Perhaps his power lies in the fact that, among all the commissioners, his vote is the one of the most steadfast. He rarely abstains, but he also rarely reveals beforehand how he will vote. That’s smart politics. Having served on the pre-consolidation commission, he knows his way around local government.
Clay Boardman
Developer
Rank: 11 (tie)
When you restore some of the most visible properties in Augusta, such as the Enterprise Mill and the old Sibley Mill, people are bound to think of you as influential. In fact, redeveloper Boardman has dedicated his life to bringing life back to abandoned and crumbling historic buildings.
He uses his powers of restoration for philanthropy, too. He gave one of his
projects, the Widow’s Home, to Christ Community Health Services to create a clinic. He bought and restored the old Houghton School, and sold it at cost to Heritage Academy.
Last summer, he was hand-picked by the mayor to spearhead the fundraising effort for a feasibility study on bringing a baseball stadium to the downtown area. Perhaps his power comes not so much from his acts of restoration, but from the lucrative gasoline fortunes of Boardman Petroleum, Inc.
Barbara Sims
Georgia State Senator
Rank: 11 (tie)
When the Georgia Department of Transportation project along I-20 suddenly cut off plans to build a sound barrier,Georgia House Representative Barbara Sims fought for the residents. She stood firm in support of Dave Barbee when his resignation was being called for last fall.
This year, she was a part of the delegation to re-examine the restructuring of the coliseum authority but miraculously stayed above the morass. Again, she stood alone in her refusal to sign the bill when it passed the House. Most importantly, she’s one of the few women, along with Betty Beard, to serve on the Augusta Commission. Any woman who not only wins acceptance into that traditional men’s club, but also manages to exert a strong influence on it, has got to have major cajones.
Cover photo by D.K. Bhaskar | |
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