Residents press Milledgeville council for roads, safety and equal investment on south side

Several residents used the public-comment period at Milledgeville’s Aug. 12 council meeting to press the city for action on long-standing infrastructure and safety problems on the south side of town.

Gene Hurt, who identified himself and gave his address, told the council the south side has been ‘‘overlooked for years’’ and listed failed roads, nonworking streetlights and what he described as inadequate police patrol patterns. He urged council members to hold town halls and to ‘‘lead by example’’ rather than defer residents to county meetings.

A later speaker introduced by the mayor as Eric Gordon described cracked road surfaces on his street and said he had been pursuing repairs with county and city contacts for years without success. Michael Thomas, who identified himself and his address, raised separate concerns about congestion and safety at the North Jefferson and Dunlap intersection, noting a recently built apartment complex with limited access and several reported accidents.

Council members acknowledged the concerns and described jurisdictional limits where parts of some streets cross city and county lines. The mayor and other council members said coordination with the county is needed, and several councilors suggested town halls or sit-down meetings with commissioners to clarify responsibilities and next steps. A councilmember noted engineering and funding work tied to a local transportation sales tax (T-SPLOST) and said a roundabout study and speed-limit requests are under way for parts of the north-side corridor.

The city’s response system: City staff and council members said the city is pursuing engineering for the roundabout in some locations, that speed-limit changes on state-controlled segments require Georgia DOT approval, and that some paving within city limits is programmed under the T-SPLOST plan. No immediate commitment for south-side projects or timelines was given during the meeting.

What happens next: Council members asked staff to continue coordinating with county officials and to provide information on options for residents; the mayor invited citizens to bring specific ideas to council or to schedule one-on-one meetings. Several council members encouraged citizens to engage in the process and to follow up with the city clerk for records or next steps.

Quote: "We want the same right. We want our property to increase in value the same way they do on the north side of town," resident Gene Hurt said during public comment.

Ending: Council did not vote on any ordinances tied directly to south-side improvements at the meeting; staff follow-up and intergovernmental coordination were identified as the next steps.