Lashandra Robinson described a proposal to maintain a section of Oats Creek adjacent to an urban farm at 1650 Olive Road, saying repeated overgrowth was damaging crops and undermining food production and education that serves the community.

Engineering (Doctor Malik) and legal counsel (Jim Plunkett) cautioned that Oats Creek is a regulated waterway with buffer requirements, Corps of Engineers involvement and MS4 permit obligations; Malik said Augusta does not typically maintain creeks to the level of regular mowing and offered a one‑time annual maintenance during the peak growth season as a compromise.

Legal counsel advised that if the county contracted or paid a third party to perform maintenance there would need to be an MOU, hold‑harmless language and procurement review; paying residents directly could trigger procurement, liability and equity questions. Robinson said she has licensing and workforce capacity and had previously been compensated for similar work.

Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle offered a substitute motion requiring county maintenance twice a year (second and third quarters) and recommended use of EPA‑approved chemical treatments where appropriate; the full commission approved the substitute motion, with the clerk recording the motion as carrying "9 to 1" (Commissioner Lewis voted no).

The commission asked staff to monitor the twice‑annual cuts and against the MOU/legal framework if compensation or a formal partnership is pursued in the future. Robinson was told to return if county performance falls short.