GA Officials Vote to Hire Controversial Fire Chief Candidate

The Augusta Commission voted Tuesday to hire Antonio Burden, a deputy chief in DeKalb County, as Augusta's new fire chief.

The decision was a disappointment to two commissioners who opposed how the job search was conducted, as well as the Augusta Professional Firefighters Association Local 3357, which opposed both the process and the result.

"The citizens of Augusta were counting on us. We didn't get the votes, and I hate it for Augusta," Commissioner Catherine Smith McKnight said.

On a motion from Commissioner Sammie Sias, the vote was 6-3-1 to authorize Administrator Odie Donald to negotiate a salary, benefits and other details with Burden. McKnight and commissioners John Clarke and Brandon Garrett were opposed.

Commissioner Sean Frantom, who called Monday to restart the search using a process determined by the commission, was absent for the closed-door discussion and votes Tuesday.

Clarke made a substitute motion to start the search over with the commission interviewing 11 finalists named at an earlier stage of the search. The motion failed 3-6-1, with Sias and commissioners Ben Hasan, Jordan Johnson, Francine Scott, Bobby Williams and Dennis Williams opposed.

The city had refused to release the names of other top candidates for chief until several media outlets filed a lawsuit. Open records requests revealed Burden was suspended from work last year for driving his county vehicle to a liquor store and had scored below interview-level in the city's hiring matrix.

Another finalist was Sterling Jones, a former Augusta deputy chief and interim 911 director who scored highest on the matrix. All four who interviewed with commissioners passed background checks, according to city correspondence.

The fire union called last week for the commission to restart the search process using the existing candidate pool.

"We're disappointed in the process that led us here, but the commission has made its choice and we stand by willing to work together to move the department forward," the union said in a statement.

Garrett said the materials obtained by the media showed Burden "was not the best for Augusta" and that the department and Augusta residents deserve the "best possible" leader.

"I feel this process failed the county and hope that Chief Burden will rise to the challenge of making our fire department a great success," Garrett said, "and support the great firefighters that give their all, day in and day out."

Clarke, reached Tuesday after what he said was "time to cool down," said his colleagues indicated little regard for public opinion. Hasan, Sias and Dennis Williams leave office next year.

"The commission today pretty much told the citizens of Augusta, 'We're going to hire who we want to, regardless of how y'all feel about it,'" he said.

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