The second of four Community Budget Engagement Forums was held Sept. 27 at the May Park Community Center. The series is part of an effort by city administrators to educate and gather input from Augustans on the annual budget.
The event had approximately 70 attendees — more than double the turnout of the first forum held on Sept. 9 at the Julian Smith Casino.
“I’m actually surprised that so many folks are coming out and getting involved. It’s a pleasant surprise,” said city administrator Odie Donald.
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Donald hosted the forum, which included presentations from the department heads of environmental services, planning & development, finance and the fire department. Between presentations, attendees created two simulated budgets.
This required splitting up the city’s approximately $175 million general fund for services among eight categories: public safety, judicial services, quality of life, taxation, transportation, infrastructure, economic development and government services.
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The first exercise demonstrated the chaotic nature of creating a budget on a deadline, as attendees had twelve minutes to fill out their worksheets while various administrators traveled from table to table pitching their department’s needs.
The second exercise, which came at the end of the forum, required cooperation and compromise as each table worked together to compile a budget. The groups then presented their results, detailing which departments they gave the most and least funding to and why.
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Some groups prioritized public safety while others focused on government services. Former Augusta commissioner Bill Fennoy was in attendance and gave top funding to improvements in infrastructure.
Terence Dicks, chairman of Augusta’s transit citizens’ advisory committee, emphasized transportation, calling it “the difference between us being the second-largest city versus the third,” referencing Augusta’s recent fall in population ranking to Columbus.
Worksheets were collected at the end of the forum, and administrators encouraged attendees to visit an online survey for any additional input. That survey can be found here.
Donald said he expects the forums to make a direct impact on the budget.
“I know they will,” he said, “because I’ll use all of the data and information to make decisions on certain things that get cut, certain things that remain in the budget, and what type of recommendations we make to the [Augusta] Commission.”
While many government employees and community groups were in attendance, some citizens came on their own.
Ormeca Scruggs, an accounts receivable specialist, said, “I really want to get more involved in what’s going on with my city. I’ve been here about ten years, and this is my first [public forum].”
Augusta citizens have two more chances to attend, with forums on Saturday, Oct. 2 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Bernie Ward Community Center (register here) and Wednesday, Oct. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Warren Road Community Center (register here).
Marcus Plumlee is a Columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at mplumlee87@icloud.com.
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