News 12 at six o'clock, November 20, 2007

Augusta, GA---It was a busy day here in the Augusta commission chambers. Property taxes in Richmond County are going up, and neighbors say it's a noisy club....now Club Dreams is preparing to pack up and leave.

City administrator Fred Russell is proposing a .971 millage rate increase, that's about $33 dollars per year on a $100,000 home. It would mean a possible $1.5 million dollars for raises to the sheriff's deputies...about 664 sworn officers to be exact.

The sheriff's office originally asked for around $3 million dollars. The city is proposing at least half of that. But commissioners said, wait, what about firefighters.

They said if the city increases pay for deputies...the same must be done for the firefighters. Administrator Fred Russell was instructed to go back to the table and return on December 6th.

Also, in the race for the Augusta commission...Tanya Barnhill, who ran against Alvin Mason in the first election, is now announcing her support for Mason.

The Augusta commission voted to put Club Dreams on probation through the end of December. And Club Dreams owners say they are dreaming bigger dreams. There are talks of the club moving by the first of the year...this follows 10 citations for noise violations. Club lawyer, Leon Larke, calls the move a business decision. He says owners of the current building are moving in another direction.