Kirby's Augusta - The Last Mayor of the City

Consolidated Augusta Richmond County has a new mayor and we wish him well.
But before the city and county joined their governments almost 20 years ago, our town had had its own to leader for close to two centuries.
And some people think the best one was the last.

Charles A. DeVaney was a young Augusta city councilman in the early 1980s when he took over when then-mayor Ed McIntyre was convicted of bribery and extortion.
Tall, eloquent, musically talented, DeVaney would be re-elected mayor four times, leaving office on the day the consolidation of Augusta and Richmond County became official.
He died in 2007 from a heart ailment while returning from a trip where he had picked up a large donation for the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, an organization he was directing at the time.

Most Augustans remember the Charles DeVaney as a friend, a gentleman, a scholar and a statesman.
Former Mayor Bob Young said the most visible elements of the legacy are the Riverwalk and the Augusta Riverfront Center, which includes the Marriott hotel, conference center and office building that was partially funded with federal grants during his tenure.
The Port Royal tower, Artists Row, the city Marina and Boathouse and the trees on Broad Street and Walton Way were projects completed during DeVaney's tenure, Young said.
"The Historic Preservation ordinances for the Bethlehem neighborhood and Summerville were adopted to protect those neighborhoods while Charles was mayor," Young said. "There's so much to see that Charles had a hand in."
Dayton Sherrrouse, who often clashed with Devaney over city vs. county issues said, “He was representing what he felt was the interests of the city. He was fighting to get every penny for the city that he could get. So I can't fault him for it, but there were some tough conversations and negotiations."
Things weren’t perfect for DeVaney. Despite Augusta development on his watch, the city bank account dwindled and finances from its tax base waned. DeVaney quietly used revenues from the water department to keep going.
By 1995, that didn’t work any more and the handwriting was on the wall.

The city of Augusta and the county of Richmond consolidated – joining forces as many other communities had done in Georgia, hoping to save money by avoiding duplication of civic services
But when his political service ended, a very active and commendable time in public service began.
DeVaney became executive director of Augusta Tomorrow, then interim president of the Augusta Neighborhood Improvement Corp., then the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, associated with the nationally known Joseph M. Still Burn Foundation at Doctors Hospital.
.DeVaney showed us all that you don't have to have the power of a political office to do good things, make a difference or bring about change.
While his work now remains for others to carry on, Mr. DeVaney has already shown us all a way to do it.

Charlest DeVaney left Augusta with many things.
And one of them is a mystery.
The last mayor of the city of Augusta, is not buried in the city of Augusta.
He’s not buried in Richmond County.
He’s not even buried in Georgia.

He’s buried in Sunset Hill Cemtery in North Augusta, Aiken County, South Carolina.
WHY?
Well, I AM TOLD, that it was his mother’s decision. She was still alive when Charles died. She owned the cemetery plot here and she wanted him buried beside her because she was devoted to her son, just like her son was devoted to Augusta.
He might resting here, but he left his legacy on our side of the river.

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