Augusta Marina Boathouse deemed dangerous, unusable

I keep hearing money was collected for projects from past SPLOSTS but was never spent on those projects..where is that money and where did it go? This is why you should never vote for another SPLOST..this smacks of A) fraud B) embezzlement and C) Any tax funds collected for specific purposes and not used for those purposes should be refunded to the citizens…The corruptness that is ignored in Augusta is to the point that’s it’s laughable…and even more so that no criminal investigations are happening..do any of you honestly believe Sias was the only one with his hand in the cookie jar? If you do? I have some swamp land in Arizona for sale I’d like the next SPLOST to be earmarked for…

The boathouse and Diamond Lakes maintenance issues, as well as the many other poorly maintained city facilities are the result of a pretty simple failing. The failing to check and to re-check the work performed, while the work is underway, and then the lack of holding people accountable for work performed. I was a service engineer on power generation projects for 36 years and you cannot just assign your own people or outside contractors to do work and then go into your office and drink coffee and play solitaire on the laptop. You have to check on work being performed, from start to finish, to the point of being an absolute nuisance to whomever is doing the work. I am sure there are employees who are assigned this task but someone is definitely asleep.

The city reminds me of an old farmer with an old muscle car in his barn. The conversation usually goes something like “ I’ll let it rot before I sell it.” Or “ I’m going to restore it one day.” It’s time to either repair all of the properties owned by Augusta and use them or sell the unused ones to reduce future liability. Before we do that we need to rid of more incompetent and corruption!

Most people know that pipes in an unheated structure will freeze and break during freezing weather and nobody really knows what “holistic” means when the word is used by a government official or employee.

This is SOP for the city of Augusta. Not surprised. At this point it’s time for the departure of the Parks and Rec director. Like Mr Wylds, it’s time for an investigation regarding the funding issues and incompetent leadership. Follow the mess at Diamond Lakes. Look at the outlay of 7 million for an outside company to come in to clean up the disaster of Parks and Rec. Prepare for the same in regards to the Olmstead stadium. The patterns continue…

The Augusta Rowing Club should approach the NORTH Augusta city government for help on the other side of the river!! Give them space right next to the Greenjackets stadium which moved out of AUGUSTA a long time ago.

This issue of maintaining city property has been ongoing for years. We should not build anything else until the city develops and executes a plan with funding for the continuing upkeep and repairs of these properties. The days of building new but not maintaining are over. That goes for grass cutting (simple to divide the city into quadrants and schedule cutting at least 4 times a year for ALL areas, not just west Augusta), building maintenance (annual assessments for upkeep and repairs), and outside recreational areas (Augusta Canal, Riverwalk, The Augusta Commons, 5th St. Bridge, etc.). This is important to be factored into the budget because it’s a part of ownership. The Boathouse, Webster Detention Center, Lake Olmstead should not have been allowed to get to the situation that they are in now. Constantly waiting until things start getting out of hand must stop! Wastes our hard earned taxes. And I really don’t understand how “Director” McDowell still has a job. Make it make sense . . .

“Funding in the amount of $450,000 was provided through SPLOST VI, but that money was never spent, and the city is currently collecting SPLOST VIII, of which an additional $500,000 is earmarked for the Boathouse.” So, is the $450 still in play for the Boat House, or has it been spent on other projects? I’m confused.

Every board in the boathouse deck that surrounds the building was replaced within the past five years. It was replaced with untreated lumber that has of course rotted.

What is the condition of Lake Olmstead Stadium? Has the infield collapsed, taking the bleachers, dugouts, and concession stands with it?

does any one remember a previous mayor who went to jail for what’s going on now

Pure incompetence. What did he think would happen during the recent hard freeze? This “director” wouldn’t last an hour in the private sector property management world.

Like I said before demolition by neglect !!!!!

McDowell now says it will cost $2M to restore The Boat House. Hey, wake up. Don’t try to put the toothpaste back in the tube. You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. Sell the property, let the new owner demo the building, rezone if needed, build on it, and get the property back on the tax digest.

The next administrator must have a background in economics and engineering similar to past administrator Randy Oliver, or the leadership skills of Fred Russell in working the department directors in making things happen. They also need to be given hiring recommendations opportunities for new department directors and firing power. We need to turn the corner. I would hope Commissionor’s keep up with the major splost projects in their district. The boathouse is really a black eye for the city and especially devastating to the future of the rowing on the river more so for the club. The ambulance contract, wrecked fire trucks (training) now a jail crisis. I hope there are at least 6 or more commissioners that get on board with our new mayor and put together an aggressive agenda to turn our city around and care her citizens.