Albany, Dougherty County officials discuss legislative wish lists

ALBANY — Albany and Dougherty County officials met Monday with area lawmakers to discuss legislative priorities when the Georgia General Assembly convenes next month in Atlanta.

State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, D-Dawson; State Reps. Gerald Greene, R-Cuthbert; Winfred Dukes, D-Albany; Darrel Ealum, D-Albany, and Ed Rynders, R-Leesburg, heard legislative wish lists from the city, county, Albany State University, Darton State College, Albany Area Chamber of Commerce/Economic Development Commission, and Dougherty County School System.

As usual, most of the morning and early afternoon discussion revolved around funding requests.

The County Commission got the day started presenting the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) legislative agenda before going solely local when county Library Board Chairman Walter Kelley and Library Director Pauline Abidde brought up the county’s request for $2 million in Capital Outlay Funding to finance renovations of the Northwest Library branch.

“It’s time for that facility to grow to reach its full potential,” Kelley told the legislators.

“You don’t have to sell us on the importance of this project,” Greene said. “I think we were all caught by surprise last year that only one project was funded. We don’t know yet how many will be funded this year, but we will emphasize the importance of this project to the county.”

The county’s library project is currently third on the state’s Capital Outlay projects list.

Rynders said that while the bond package from which Capital Outlay funds are allocated will “not be as generous as they were last year,” he said that did not necessarily determine how much money would be allocated for projects.

Dukes told the board, “You unequivocally have our support on this matter.”

The County Commission was later chastised by Ealum and Powell Sims for not including the delegation in local talks to facilitate the relocation of the local National Guard unit to Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany.

The Albany city Commission was next, presenting a more modest list of three priorities — pavement resurfacing, a possible Downtown University Center, and setting standards for residential rental properties.

The city’s annual analysis of the pavement condition of Albany’s streets notes that approximately 36 percent of all streets fall into the “very poor” or “poor” range.

Albany City Manager Sharon Subadan also noted the city’s annual LMIG (Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant allotment is $704,000 with a required match of 30 percent. This represents an annual shortfall of $3.1 million.

To alleviate the issue the city requested $4 million in increased funding to be used for street resurfacing.

The city also requested funding to study and plan the scope and function of a possible Regional University Center to be located downtown.

The Darton State College contingent, led by former President Paul Jones, requested $2.9 million in small capital project funding for improvements to the school’s Plant Operations building. The plan also includes a partial demolition of the building to make way for new offices for the college’s public safety department.

Albany State University President Art Dunning, noting several of the school’s buildings remain within the 1994 flood plan, asked for $1.5 million to partially renovate one building while razing three. He said Andrews Hall, which was the former home of Albany Early College could be renovated for additional classroom space while Willey Hall, Gibson Hall and Holley Hall would be razed.

Dunning added much of the lower campus would then be turned into a green space.

He also asked the delegation to consider a request for $2.1 million for furnishings for the school’s new fine arts center.

The Chamber and EDC combined their presentations to the legislators, most of which was covered in the early meetings. Chamber Interim President Barbara Rivera Holmes requested between $1 million and $2 million to move the National Guard Armory from North Monroe Street to Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany.

“We’ve already moved the Veterans Clinic to the base and the armory is just another component,” she said.

Rivera Holmes also asked the legislators to consider supporting $4.98 million in funding for Phase II of the Carlton Construction Academy at Albany Technical College. She said the expansion would provide additional classrooms and labs as well and facilitate the expansion of programs in the current building.

The DCSS closed the day by presenting a list of four priorities including possible relief from austerity cut, funding of health insurance for Classified (non-teachers) employees and retirees, teacher salary increases and preserving the current structure of the teacher retirement system.