North Augusta mayor, council share goals for 2024 | North Augusta Area Government | #citycouncil

Post and Courier North Augusta asked your elected officials about what’s high on their agenda for 2024. Here are their responses. 

Mayor Briton Williams

I am excited for 2024, and my three priorities are the following.

One, we will begin using information from several planning initiatives to help us improve the quality of life of residents. These planning initiatives include the Georgia Avenue traffic calming study, the parks master plan and the impact fee study/Capital Improvement Plan.

We know that we must improve walkability and slow traffic in downtown, utilize the country club property to add amenities for our citizens and be smart financially in planning for major capital improvements in the years ahead.

Two, we need to put together a strong list of projects to improve our community for our citizens with the next round of the one cent local option sales tax that will be on the ballot in November 2024.

Three, we need to continue to focus on our communication with citizens, develop our new tourism department and continue to make our downtown and Riverside Village the types of locations that enhance our citizens’ quality of life. I believe the new boat dock and amphitheater at Riverside Village will help us to utilize the river, and the Beacon Bluff mixed-use development will be key to connecting our downtown with Riverside Village.

David Buck

My three priorities in 2024 as a member of North Augusta City Council are the following.

One, to finish the Public Safety Headquarters. This project is long overdue and will be a tremendous asset not only to our public safety employees but to our city as a whole.

Two, to finish the development of Riverside Village. There are too many empty parcels that need to be completed. This project has been a success so far, but I want to see the whole project finished.

Three, to continue to help this city be the most wonderful place to live and raise a family. North Augusta is such a great place to live, and I look forward to the city becoming even better!

Pat Carpenter

My three priorities for 2024 for the city of North Augusta are as following.

One, to continue the completion of the Police Headquarters. This has been a long time coming. We want to continue keeping our citizens safe and give our police a safe and healthy environment to work in.

Two, I would love to see our employees have a bigger raise in the 2025 budget, which will be done in 2024. We have wonderful employees who give all they have for this community.

Three, I am like everyone else in the city, to contact and follow up with more restaurants to come to our city. More family sit-down lunch or dinner [spots]. I feel we need one person to continue to contact restaurants and continue to follow up with them ‘til we get them to come.

North Augusta is a great place to live, but let’s make it better!

Jenafer McCauley

In 2024, we will focus on our Downtown Corridor. Phase One of the Downtown Greeneway Connector will be completed. The Greeneway will continue to be an economic engine for our city.

Another goal is to work on connecting Riverside Village to the Downtown Corridor. This will be key in making both areas successful. I want to implement some of the recommendations from the Georgia Avenue Traffic Calming study. Finally, I hope to see some more initiatives implemented off the Main Street plan (such as pocket parks, flowers and festivals).

In 2023, we separated Tourism from Parks and Recreation. We had two great events with the Down to the River event and Toby Mac at Jack O’ Lantern Jubilee. One of my goals is to see the tourism department grow and for this department to work closely with other organizations to help create more foot traffic and visitors to our city.

All of these initiatives are exciting, but we still want to keep communication with our citizens at the very top. We strive to create open areas (like the Power Hour) to hear from everyone. We live stream all meetings, and we will continue to use social media to get our initiatives out.

Mostly, in 2024 we are here to serve at the recommendations of our citizens. It’s our hope we are representing you well.

David McGhee

In 2024, my primary focus as a city council member is to support public safety, recreation and community engagement. One of my goals is the timely completion of the new state-of-the-art public safety headquarters, ensuring our law enforcement has the resources and facilities necessary to effectively protect and serve our community. A secure and well-equipped police force is fundamental to fostering a safe and thriving environment for residents.

I am excited to see the new boat dock that will not only enhance riverfront access but also promote tourism and economic growth. This project aligns with our vision of creating a vibrant and attractive city that residents are proud to call home.

Lastly, the improvement of our amphitheater. By investing in additional amenities such as additional seating and bathroom facilities, we can host diverse events that bring residents together, fostering a sense of unity and belonging.

My goal is to contribute to a city that is safe, economically robust and culturally vibrant, where residents can enjoy an enhanced quality of life. Through collaboration and strategic planning, I am confident that we can achieve these objectives and create a city that thrives in 2024 and beyond.

Eric Presnell

Goal No. 1 is to hopefully see the completion and move-in of our new public safety and courts building.

This has been long awaited and rightfully deserved for our officers.

No. 2 is the build out of the remaining parcels in Riverside Village. We hope to see some movement on construction this year, with additional retail and restaurant spaces filled.

No. 3 is more talks and actions concerning growth over the next few years. The previous councils and mayors have always done a great job, but there looks to be huge growth, both residential and commercial, coming. We have to stay ahead of it with proper planning for traffic and our corridors throughout the city. We have started with a study to implement impact fees for development. We need to be more proactive.

Kevin Toole

Development — Passing the updated Development Code in 2023 achieved a long-stated goal of mine. I am proud of the updated document and feel like it made great progress towards balancing the need for sustainable growth while respecting the rights of property owners to control their property. Having said that, I believe that there are continued enhancements that we, along with the Planning Commission should continue to pursue.

Infrastructure — Because of a more intentional planning and visioning process over the past several years (along with the help of the SLRF program) numerous needed infrastructure upgrades have been and will be completed in the near future. We need to continue to implement plans to continue to ensure our infrastructure needs grow with the city with a particular emphasis on transportation infrastructure; especially around exit 1.

Downtown — It doesn’t take a lot of effort to see both the progress and the potential related to downtown. Third Thursday is proof positive that downtown is truly North Augusta’s gathering place. So much of our sense of community and communal personality come from our Downtown. A continued focus on creating an atmosphere and market for downtown growth is essential in preserving that which makes North Augusta special as we continue to grow.