Augusta Commission picks interim member for vacant seat

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Augusta Commission has picked a temporary successor to Alvin Mason, who resigned his District 4 seat last month.

Tanya Barnhill on Tuesday was the selection in a 5-3 vote with District 1 Commissioner Jordan Johnson abstaining.

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A special election will need to be held, but commissioners have not officially set a date for that yet.

Mason resigned on June 17.

“I’ve done all I can do,” he said multiple times.

He’d stepped down temporarily in the past for medical reasons.

A year ago, he left for three months because of back surgery.

At that time, he asked Commissioner Francine Scott to represent his constituents in District 4.

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He was originally elected to the commission in 2007 to represent the south Augusta district. He left for a while and was later appointed to take over District 4 once Sammie Sias was convicted of federal crimes. Then Mason was elected to the post once again after that.

Before that, he served for two decades in the Army, from 1984 to 2004.

Also at the meeting ...

• Former Commissioner Moses Todd spoke, pushing construction of a water park with SPLOST money. He said a water park would be the best quality-of-life project for the community.