The city government of Augusta, Georgia, officially known as Augusta-Richmond County, operates under a consolidated government structure. This means the city and county governments merged into one unified body in 1996, streamlining services and administration for the entire area.
Augusta-Richmond County operates under a commission-manager form of government. Here’s how it breaks down:
The Mayor serves as the ceremonial head of the government and represents the city at official functions.
The Mayor presides over the Augusta Commission meetings, though the role is largely symbolic and does not include a regular vote—except to break ties.
As of recent years, the Mayor has limited executive powers compared to other cities with strong-mayor systems.
The Augusta Commission is the city’s legislative body, composed of 10 commissioners elected from single-member districts.
Commissioners serve four-year terms and are responsible for enacting local ordinances, setting policies, and overseeing the city budget.
The commission selects a Mayor Pro Tempore from among its members to act in the Mayor’s absence.
The City Administrator acts as the chief executive officer of the city and is appointed by the Augusta Commission.
This individual oversees day-to-day operations, manages department heads, prepares the budget, and implements commission policies.
Augusta’s city government oversees a wide range of services through various departments, including:
Public Safety – Augusta Fire Department and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
Public Works – Infrastructure, road maintenance, sanitation
Utilities – Water, sewer, stormwater management
Parks and Recreation – Maintenance of parks, youth programs, community events
Planning and Development – Zoning, permitting, and urban development
Information Technology, Finance, Human Resources, and other support departments
The city encourages public engagement through:
Public hearings and commission meetings open to residents
Boards and committees, such as planning commissions, housing authorities, and ethics boards
Online services for utility billing, permits, and information access
The consolidation of Augusta and Richmond County was one of the first in Georgia and aimed to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency.
Augusta is best known globally as the host of the Masters Tournament in golf, but locally, the government plays a key role in maintaining infrastructure and promoting economic development, especially along the growing Savannah River corridor.
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