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Residents urge Augusta to include city-owned cemetery repairs in SPLOST 9 after repeated requests
Summary
Speakers asked the commission to allocate SPLOST 9 funds to capital repairs at Magnolia and other city-owned cemeteries, citing prior promises and storm damage from Hurricane Helene.
Speakers at the June 26 meeting urged the Augusta City Commission to allocate SPLOST 9 funds for capital repairs and upkeep at city‑owned cemeteries, including Magnolia Cemetery, Cedar Grove and Fitton Street Cemetery.
Moses Todd said the cemeteries received roughly $300,000 previously but that residents had been promised $6 million to $10 million for capital outlay during earlier SPLOST planning. "We need assistance as far as the capital outlay for the city owned cemeteries," Todd told the commission, and he asked the body to appoint a committee to coordinate cemetery projects and fundraising.
Thomasine Deer described Magnolia Cemetery as "a jewel" and said it "looks terrible" since Hurricane Helene, noting broken tombstones, damaged walls and open gates. Commissioner Francine Scott acknowledged repeated requests by the group and said she believed SPLOST 9 should include dedicated cemetery funding; she also asked staff to follow up on the conversation the speakers had earlier that day with FEMA support staff.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; commissioners asked the administrator and department staff to evaluate whether SPLOST 9 can include cemetery capital allocations and to report back to the commission.
