AUGUSTA, Ga. – As Augusta works to restore the city’s appearance following Hurricane Helene, the issue of maintaining the city’s medians has become a pressing concern. More than three dozen medians, including those along Windsor Spring, Greene Street, and Fleming, are set to be cut every two weeks at a cost of $350,000. However, this expense is raising eyebrows, as it was not originally accounted for in the 2025 budget.

Venessa Saford, a resident of the south side of Augusta, is particularly vocal about the need for proper median maintenance. “Yes, especially on the south side of Augusta. It looks really bad. They need to go ahead and fix it,” Saford remarked, emphasizing her frustration with the state of the area. “I don’t appreciate living over here and seeing it crazy.”

The city initially funded the median maintenance program using federal Rescue Act funds, but those dollars have now been fully spent. As a result, Augusta is relying on its own tax dollars to continue the program, with $250,000 coming from the city’s contingency fund.

Mayor Garnett Johnson, speaking on the matter, acknowledged the city’s efforts to get back to normal after the storm’s aftermath. “Now that we’re kind of recovering from Hurricane Helene, it’s time to get back to the normal business, making sure the appearance of our city is taken care of,” Johnson said. However, he also expressed concerns about the financial implications of the program.

“I’m not happy with that,” the mayor said, referring to the use of contingency funds. “I believe there is certainly the opportunity to create more efficiencies with the grass cutting.”

Despite these concerns, Johnson insisted that halting the grass cutting is not an option. Instead, he suggested that the city could streamline the mowing operations by centralizing all city mowing efforts under one department. “We have to have a call for the reestablishment of some form of public works department, so all the grass cutting is centralized under one area. You will see that push come soon,” Johnson announced, signaling a possible restructuring of city operations in the near future.

For now, the city’s focus remains on cutting the highly visible medians, even though funding for the program was not included in the original budget. As Augusta looks for ways to manage this ongoing expense, residents like Saford continue to voice their desire for a cleaner, more attractive city. With budget constraints looming, the mayor’s office is expected to explore new solutions that balance both the aesthetic needs of the city and its financial realities.

As Augusta navigates these challenges, the future of the median maintenance program will likely hinge on finding cost-effective and sustainable solutions that address both the city’s appearance and its budgetary concerns.