Commissioners split on funding a new West Augusta community center; some back keeping $10 million in SPLOST 9

Augusta commissioners debated the future of a proposed recreation center for the city’s fast‑growing western corridor and whether to allocate $10,000,000 in the SPLOST 9 draft package for planning or construction.

Commissioner Tina Slendak noted two requests that were listed as "other requests" in the packet — $5,000,000 for May Park and $2,000,000 for Newpark/South Augusta waterpark or community center — and asked whether those amounts were part of the administrator’s updated recommendations. Administrator Allen said additional funds remain requests unless the commission reached consensus to include them.

Commissioners exchanged concerns about whether $10,000,000 would be sufficient to build a full facility, with some members pointing to lessons from the Henry Brigham Center project that showed rising costs for construction, furniture and equipment. Commissioner Lonnie Wimberley and others argued the Sue Reynolds site is underused and suggested money would better serve a corridor that is growing rapidly; other commissioners responded that planning now helps ensure voters in that corridor see a project on the ballot, because SPLOST proceeds take years to collect.

The mayor called for a show‑of‑hands consensus to keep $10,000,000 earmarked for a parks project in the Jimmy Dices/Gordon Highway corridor. Initial votes produced no clear consensus to keep or remove the item; after legal counsel explained options for generic area language and including IGAs for voter clarity, the clerk later recorded consent to retain the $10,000,000 allocation in the draft package while staff returns with clearer language and cost scenarios.

Commissioners asked staff to return with an inventory of existing parks, a report on any dedicated funds previously set aside for Sue Reynolds, and an analysis showing what $10,000,000 would buy today (construction only) versus a higher‑cost scenario that includes furniture, equipment and maintenance. The board scheduled another work session for Dec. 4 to continue the discussion and directed legal staff to draft ballot language options that allow corridor designation without over‑promising a specific site.