Embattled Augusta official quits amid scandal over $6.3M in unpaid funds
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Augusta’s suspended housing and community director has resigned.
Hawthorne Welcher has been suspended for more than a month after the city’s top brass learned more than $6 million in federal grant money wasn’t spent but also wasn’t repaid in a timely manner when the feds demanded it back.
The money was meant to fund COVID-era programs to help people in need avoid eviction. Among the strings attached: It had to be spent on the purpose it was meant for and by the deadline.
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However, when it wasn’t used, the federal government said it wanted the money back from the Housing and Community Development Department.
It was months before the city’s top officials learned of the problem, and ultimately the money was paid back from city funds.
In addition to suspending Welcher, city officials decided to conduct an audit of the department.
Augusta Commission member Wayne Guilfoyle on Friday confirmed the resignation.
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The resignation coincides with the FBI’s visit this week to the Augusta-Richmond County Municipal Building for an unspecified reason.
The agency said special agents have been at the building “conducting law enforcement activities.”
The FBI isn’t saying what that law enforcement operation might be.
We asked Mayor Garnett Johnson about it, and he said:
“It’s a personnel matter and I cannot confirm nor deny.”
And the grant money debacle is one city personnel matter that also has caught the eye of the federal government lately – although no one has said the two matters are related.
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