A petition signed by 1,773 residents prompted the Augusta Commission’s Administrative Services committee to take steps toward upgrades at Diamond Lakes Regional Park on Tuesday.
Petition leader Frank Howard appeared before the committee to advocate for improvements at the nearly 300-acre park. Requested upgrades in certain areas include earlier hours, improved lighting, speed bumps, sidewalks and surveillance cameras.
City Administrator Tameka Allen said she has asked Recreation and Parks Director Tameka Williams to collaborate with other departments and return with a plan in two weeks. Interim Central Services Director Ron Lamkin noted he would follow up with Trane and Jefferson Energy on lighting and power needs.
Commissioner Don Clark commended Howard, who named the effort the Phalonda Yvette Howard Project in memory of his daughter, who was murdered in 1992.
“Thank you for continuing to take such a painful tragedy and trying to bring some positive reinforcement within our community through improving our parks experience,” Clark said.
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Proposal for arborist criticized
Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice renewed her request for the city to hire an arborist to manage Augusta’s tree canopy. Mayor Garnett Johnson made a similar request two years ago.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle and Engineering and Environmental Services Director Hameed Malik were not receptive.
“The only time in the city that we ever needed an arborist is right now or a year ago,” Guilfoyle said.
Malik said his department instead calls on “subject matter experts” on an as-needed basis for tree removals.
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Recycling still goes to dump
Rice also asked about the city’s future recycling plans. Residents who push a recycling container to the curb may be surprised to know what’s inside is not recycled, she said.
“The recycling that they’re doing is going out to the dump,” she said. “Everybody watching the news, we do not recycle.”
Malik responded that previous bids from Waste Management and Coastal Waste Recycling included options for the haulers to sell add-on recycling services, but the commission rejected them.
The city has since reopened the bidding process. The same two vendors and a third – Ryland Environmental Inc. – responded to the city’s latest request for proposals. Malik said he’ll bring a recommendation to the commission May 27.
Other committee actions
- Johnson asked to delete his proposal to reestablish the city Public Works department.
- Rice asked to postpone discussion of amendments to the city’s historic preservation ordinance.
- Commissioner Francine Scott postponed discussion on changes to the animal control ordinance due to the absence of a redline version showing proposed edits.
