Augusta officials have authorized spending up to $315,000 on emergency public relations tied to the Transportation Investment Act-funded projects downtown.
The emergency procurement covers a new contract with Paquin Public Relations, a Florida-based firm engaged to manage community outreach and messaging during disruptive downtown roadwork.
Engineering and Environmental Services Director Hameed Malik said the firm is needed to keep downtown businesses, residents and visitors informed about closures, detours, parking changes and construction schedules.
“Continuous daily and weekly communication informing corridor business owners and stakeholders is warranted immediately,” Malik said in a memo. The emergency procurement goes before goes before an Augusta Commission committee Tuesday.
Also going for a committee recommendation is a motion for staff to create a new Tax Allocation District to finance a pickleball facility on Wheeler Road.
“TAD 5” would include Parcel 022-0-161-01-0. The 31.49-acre tract at 3757 Wheeler Road is assessed at $2.3 million and was recently owned by the Donald E. Cheeks estate.
Evans physician-entrepreneur Troy Akers approached the commission earlier this year about bringing a 66-court tennis and pickleball complex to the site.
A committee is expected to receive information Tuesday from a usage audit of Recreation and Parks facilities.
Results may help determine how “to consolidate parks and community centers in order to provide better service and consistent maintenance,” according to Commissioner Brandon Garrett.
Other items going before commission committees Tuesday include:
- A request by Chao Tang for a massage operator’s license to be used in connection with H Relax LLC dba H Massage located at 2045 Central Ave.
- Dr. Gayla S. Keesee, PhD, is speaking on: The Charter Review Process Deserves Better: Holding Our Consultants Accountable
- Commissioner Jordan Johnson wants to create a workshop to discuss “protected class and the current ban the box policy.”
- An update on the implementation of ADP for payroll processing. Effective Oct. 17 Augusta will discontinue issuing paper paychecks. Employees who have not submitted direct deposit information will receive prepaid debit cards.
- A discussion by Interim Finance Director Timothy Schroer about the employee contribution rate for health benefits.
