Augusta commissioners are set to discuss garbage and streetlight fees during Tuesday committee meetings.
The commission recently approved a five-year agreement with current waste hauler Coastal Waste and Recycling that begins Friday. Residential customers have to pay Coastal directly if they want curbside recycling.
Under the contract, Augusta will pay Coastal $22.11 per month for weekly residential garbage, yard waste and bulky waste pickup.
The commission hasn’t openly agreed to what the city will charge residential customers, who currently pay $320 annually. The fee is billed alongside their ad valorem taxes.
Engineering and Environmental Services Director Hameed Malik’s original recommendation was to increase the annual fee to $440, with the excess intended to cover services such as blight demolition and street sweeping.
Commissioners also are expected to discuss streetlight fees, which currently do not generate enough revenue to cover the city’s cost to provide them.
In addition, customers aren’t billed uniformly for the service, which has cost the city around $5 million annually in prior years.
The commission has used American Rescue Plan Act funds to supplement the expense but will need to cover a $903,000 shortfall in the coming year.
Also going before the Administrative Services Committee are Housing and Community Development’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan.
The five-year plan anticipates more than $24 million in HUD grants. The funding is intended to create or improve affordable housing, assist first-time homebuyers, prevent homelessness, expand economic opportunities and support individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
The economic opportunities include a facade improvement program and working with local nonprofits to provide small business assistance, job skills training and youth enrichment.
In other action:
Going for recommendations by Augusta committees Tuesday include:
- The purchase of audiovisual equipment upgrades for the Linda Beazley Room from Stagefront Presentation Systems for $40,357.
- The award by Augusta Housing and Community Development to sole bidder United Way of the CSRA designation as collaborative lead agency to serve as homelessness task force lead.
- Approving a historical marker for the 1797 Ezekiel Harris House, Augusta’s oldest remaining wood-framed house, to be funded by Augusta Museum of History and installed by the Georgia Historical Society.
- Approving the emergency replacement of hot water boilers at Webster Detention Center for $41,987 and $77,000.
- Commissioner Tony Lewis has comments and questions regarding Augusta’s Charter Review Committee. His presentation previously has been postponed twice after commissioners have run out of time or involved parties have had to leave the meeting.
