Aiken Journal Update

AIKEN JOURNAL

Jan 24, 2010

Please feel free to make comments on these issues on the Aiken Journal web site (http://www.aikenjournal.org/).

TELEVISED AIKEN CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS: I hope by now that everyone is aware that the Aiken Standard is televising Council meetings on Channel 95 on the Atlantic Broadband system. They are also televising County Council meetings as well as School Board meetings. I applaud their efforts to bring government into your living room. ASTV has a daily program at 4:00 PM each day on Aiken area subjects.

ONE CENT SALES TAX PROJECTS: I am enclosing the most current list of projects which will be considered by City Council for the next One Cent Sales Tax Program. I will continue to update this list as changes are made. These projects will be submitted to the public for approval at the November 2010 General Election. Please feel free to contact members of City Council with your views on these projects. There may be changes to this list before it is presented to City Council.

Note: It is nearly impossible to list all these items in a perfect column. The first amount is what staff recommended and the second amount is what the City Manager is recommending to City Council. The Other Projects section represents some of the more controversial items on the list.
If anyone can teach me how to place perfect columns in these email, please let me know.
One Cents Sales Tax Projects

New Fire Headquarters Station $ 1,500,000 $1,500,000
Renovate Existing Headquarters 1,200,000 600,000
Mobile Vehicle Computers 500,000 500,000
N.E. Quadrant Station # 6 600,000 -0-
Fire Truck Pumper Station #6 300,000 -0-
Upgrade Burn Building 300,000 -0-

Subtotal $4,400,000 $2,600,000

Planning

Open Space Acquisition $1,000,000 $1,000,000
Roadway Planning Studies 150,000 -0-

Subtotal $1,150,000 $1,000,000

Parks and Recreation

Southside Neighborhood Park (20 ac.) $1,500,000 $ -0-
Citizens Park
Playground 100,000 -0-
Walking Track Phase II 200,000 200,000
CP III Lighting 750,000 -0-
CP I Fencing/Canopy 600,000 600,000
Northside District Park (Land Only 20 ac.) 1,500,000 500,000
Eustis Park Senior/Youth Center* 3,500,000 3,000,000
Expand Farmers Market 400,000 -0-

Subtotal $8,550,000 $4,300,000

Public Works

Street Resurfacing $1,750,000 $1,750,000
Whiskey Road Improvements 700,000 700,000
Streetscape 700,000 700,000
Hitchcock Woods Storm Drainage 4,000,000 4,000,000
Water/Sewer/Stormwater Infrastructure 4,200,000 4,200,000
Recycling Roll Carts 400,000 -0-
New Sidewalks
Millbrook Elementary, Schofield Middle,
Aiken Elementary, Whiskey Road 1,000,000 500,000

Subtotal $12,750,000 $11,850,000
Transportation Improvements (30%)

Powderhouse Road Connector $5,000,000 $5,000,000
University Parkway Widening 3,000,000 3,000,000
Hitchcock Parkway Widening 4,000,000 4,000,000

Subtotal $12,000,000 $12,000,000

Other Projects

Northside Renewal $1,750,000 $ 1,400,000
Municipal Building 3,000,000 3,000,000
YMCA 1,000,000
Youth Center at YMCA ** 1,000,000
SPCA 1,000,000
Railroad Depot 1,000,000
African-American History, Art & Culture Center 1,000,000

Subtotal $8,000,000 $ 4,400,000

TOTAL $46,850,000 $ 36,150,000



*Or Youth Center at YMCA
** Or Youth Center at Eustis Park



NOTES: 1. Estimate $38,000,000 from Sales Tax III
2. Did not evaluate projects from outside organizations.


HIGHWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT: On Tuesday, the Planning Commission will hold a hearing on a proposed Highway Overlay District. This is a concept of applying special standards to property on the main roads (highways) in Aiken. It does not apply to residential properties. The Chamber of Commerce worked closely with the Design Review Board to help develop the elements of this program. They have since withdrawn their support because of the program’s impact to small businesses. I recommend you attend the Planning Commission meeting to learn more about the proposal and then pass comments to members of the City Council.