‘Slum’ designation, smoking, cooling tower return to city committees | The Augusta Chronicle

A revived debate on designating all of downtown Au­gus­ta a “slum” to renovate the government’s downtown campus and a renewed request by Augusta Riverfront for a shared air-conditioning tower highlight Monday agendas of Augusta Commission committees.

Commissioner Wayne Guil­foyle, who heads the city’s Fi­nance Committee, said he was unaware the “slum” item had been placed on the agenda.

“There are going to be questions about it,” he said after seeing the item Thurs­day.

He maintained, as other commissioners have, that the city need not designate all of downtown as a “slum” for the bonding project but only the block containing the Munic­ipal Building.

Heated debate ensued last month after City Admin­is­tra­tor Fred Rus­sell and special city counsel Jim Plun­kett revealed the proposal as part of plans to fund $26.5 million of a $40 million renovation of the Municipal Buil­ding using tax-exempt bonds available under Geor­gia redevelopment laws for blighted areas.

Another item previously dismissed by the commission returns for committee review Monday.

Augusta Riverfront LLC, headed by Paul Simon and sharing management with Augusta Chronicle owner Morris Communications Co., wants to install a centralized cooling system to serve the city-owned Augusta Conven­tion Center and Conference Center and the adjoining Marriott hotel, which runs all three facilities.

via ‘Slum’ designation, smoking, cooling tower return to city committees | The Augusta Chronicle.