A new water treatment plant, improvements to Aiken’s downtown, completing the Powderhouse Connector, continuing the growth on the Northside and providing more resources to the Aiken Department of Public Safety are among the Aiken City Council’s highest priorities in the new year.
The Aiken Standard recently asked the members of the Aiken City Council to describe their top priorities for the new year. Their responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Mayor Rick Osbon
Priority No. 1: Water treatment plant
It is imperative that we continue to make progress on our new water treatment plant. This will help ensure clean and safe drinking water for our water customers now and in the future.
Priority No. 2: Downtown improvements
It is important that we work to find the best path forward for the revitalization of our downtown from the old hospital to the new Aiken Steeplechase.
We stand ready to work with the county and future developers of the old hospital and county administrative complex. This gateway property brings great potential for mixed-use or apartments behind the original building.
We must also continue to seek solutions for the Hotel Aiken property that bring Aiken up and not be detrimental to our historic downtown.
The Jackson Petroleum Building will figure to enhance the experience of the market and help expand our downtown.
Priority No. 3: Make sure Aiken can keep its outstanding employees
In 2023, we must continue to position our city to be competitive for the best people to provide the best service to our citizens.
Take, for example, the officers of the Aiken Department of Public Public Safety. Our officers are trained and held to a high standard. They are brave men and women and some of the finest individuals I know. It is important that as a city we show that we value their service. We must always be ahead of the curve for compensation for these public servants to maintain the quality of officers and leaders that Aiken deserves.
It is an honor to serve such a great city, I look forward to the new year and wish health and success to all.
Gail Diggs
Priority No. 1: Construct the next phase of Beverly D. Clyburn Generations Park using funds from the state’s settlement with the federal government over plutonium stored at the Savannah River Site.
Priority No. 2: Expand the Department of Public Safety’s downtown camera system to include more adjacent neighborhoods
Priority No. 3: Complete the exterior improvements to the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center and begin internal improvements at the facility
Priority No. 4: Progress toward the final design for the new water treatment plant
Priority No. 5: Address the needs of our homeless population.
I find it very difficult to sleep peacefully, knowing that so many people in close proximity to my home do not have a safe, warm and comfortable place to lay their heads.
Lessie Price
Priority No. 1: Neighborhood pride and cleanup
Establish programs to reverse signs of deterioration in older areas of our city that will change the physical structure. I.e., through the construction of sidewalks for safety, bicycling instead of driving, establishing neighborhood crime prevention programs supported by community engagement along with addressing the need for economic development, and improvement in abandoned and workforce housing that will create safe and healthy behaviors for generations to come.
Priority No. 2: Reestablish the Community Development Department/Office of Business Opportunity
Host workshops for contractors for new housing rehab programs for single-family housing improvement, which will help to identify opportunities for small and minority business owners.
Priority No. 3: Invest in clean energy
Recruit businesses and investors in the clean energy market for next-generation opportunities addressing pollution reduction, fossil fuel, climate change and healthy alternatives for our community, which could be an opportunity for small and minority business owners
Priority No. 4: Create a sustainable workforce
Prioritization is needed to discuss hiring and workforce sustainability and reducing our turnover in various job assignments.
Kay Brohl
Priority No. 1: Health and safety of residents and the business community
As we look to the New Year, council is always concerned about the health and safety of our citizens and our business community. This underscores the necessity to support and work with the Department of Public Safety in all their efforts to keep us safe.
Priority No. 2: New water treatment plant and Powderhouse Connector
After the ribbon cutting for the Hitchcock Woods stormwater project Dec. 18 and the initial progress on the redevelopment of the Aiken Mall, our infrastructure focus moves forward with the planning and construction of the new water treatment plant to replace the one built in 1954. The city purchased the New Brunswick tract recently to protect our watershed area preserving our drinking water for future generations.
Also, after several years of negotiation, council has secured the land necessary to move forward with the Powderhouse Connector project which will alleviate 25% of the traffic on Whiskey Road and improve connectivity.
Priority No. 3: Improvements to Hitchcock Parkway from Jefferson Davis Highway to Silver Bluff Road
In District 3, we will continue to work with the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the state legislative delegation on the timely completion of the series of intersection and safety improvements along the 4.8 miles of the bypass from the Jefferson Davis Highway to Silver Bluff Road.
Priority No. 4: Gateway improvements
Continue to work towards the beautification of Aiken’s gateways and partner with the Planning Commission to create overlay districts to help with this project.
Priority No. 5: Plutonium settlement funding allocation
Allocation of Plutonium Settlement Funds that will benefit various areas will be a priority discussion in this coming year as we plan for the future.
Ed Girardeau
Priority No. 1: Powderhouse Connector
This being the end of my fifth year, one thing I have found is things do not always happen as quickly as you might expect. For instance, I have listed the Powderhouse Connector as a goal every year, however, it is not as easy to get all the parts done as I would like. However, the funds have been secured from the state and agreements made with all the property owners involved with the exception of one and that is close to getting an agreement and we should be able to start moving dirt soon and some of the traffic off of Whiskey Road.
Priority No. 2: Downtown improvements
The City Council needs to work with citizens and find a way to move forward with the downtown area.
Priority No. 3: Northside and Eastside growth
In addition, we have several new additions coming to the Northside and the Eastside. The goal is to oversee the various developments that are coming and have situations that the community will be proud of for its completion.
Here is hoping for a Happy New Year.
Andrea Gregory
Priority No. 1: Downtown improvements and Powderhouse Connector
There are a lot of moving parts, but I am dedicated to continuing efforts to address and develop the downtown we all love and are passionate about. I look forward to seeing the Powderhouse Connector project break ground in 2023 and seeing continued movement at the old Aiken Mall site.
The completion of the Hitchcock Woods stormwater project coming to fruition in 2022 was a major win.
Priority No. 2: Infrastructure improvements
Addressing infrastructure continues to be a major priority. I want to commend staff for keeping up with the continuous needs that come from aging infrastructure and growth. The Department of Parks and Recreation continues to move the needle for our city by providing a marvelous array of programs and activities for people of all ages at various new and traditional locations. With that said, we’ll be focusing on some additional preservation and maintenance efforts at some of our historic parks. Buildings like Hopelands Gardens, The Rye Patch, etc. are part of Aiken traditions that need to be tended to and properly maintained. That will be a major topic of conversation as we go into 2023.
Priority No. 3: More resources for the Aiken Department of Public Safety
Finally, support of the Department of Public Safety will continue to stay on my radar. Funding for our team needs to remain at the forefront of all we do. Technology, staff and equipment are core to their ability to keep Aiken safe and we must advocate for the department so they continue to have the resources they need.
Cheers to everyone this holiday season and wishing every person in our beautiful community a healthy and prosperous new year.
Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Woltz
Priority No. 1: Downtown improvements
Project Pascalis is dead. However, we still have a lot of issues regarding it to resolve. We will never make everyone happy, but we should be able to agree to meet in the middle and move forward. My first three priorities for the year are:
— Plan for the future of downtown and resolve the Aiken Hotel issues;
— Reunite and get both sides of the Aiken Hotel controversy to work together; and
— Move the project forward to make Aiken an even better city.
Priority No. 2: Infrastructure improvements
In concert with that, I’d like to mention other projects that are of priority:
— Build a new water treatment plant;
— Design and develop the watershed conservation park;
— Complete the Powderhouse Connector;
— Run sewer and water out to I-20 to encourage development on the Northside;
— Add more improvements to Beverly D. Clyburn Generations Park;
— Continue work on our sewer and water systems;
— Redevelop the Williamsburg Street neighborhood surrounding the Farmers Market; and
— Improve our airport.
This list could go on, but we are lucky to have so much in the works.
