Atlanta’s numerous main breaks that left thousands of residents without clean drinking water last week sparked an onslaught of questions about the city’s infrastructure. At the top of the list is the big question of what are officials doing to prevent another crisis?
Now, Atlanta City Council is planning a special public meeting to investigate the chain of events further.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said during a news conference last Wednesday that the series of severe breaks that took place around the metro area from Vine City to Midtown were a “wake-up call” for leaders to speed up efforts to replace the city’s water infrastructure.
“We want to make sure that this doesn’t happen again at this scale,” he said.
Council member Antonio Lewis, chair of the utilities committee, called for a special work session to be held in the upcoming weeks to hear from watershed officials about what’s next in the long journey to beef up the city’s 3,000-mile pipe system.
“I’d like to schedule a work session, to address the state of emergency that has occurred in our city,” he said at the council meeting last Monday. Lewis said that during these hearings, council members have the authority to subpoena witnesses and request that departments produce related documents.
“I hope Atlanta community members will attend this work session, as well,” he said.
The work session is open to the public and is set for July 9 in City Council chambers at 11:30 a.m. It also will be streamed online.
Lewis said that City Council plans to set up an email where residents can submit questions and concerns ahead of time.
---
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Amid the water woes, City Council passed the most crucial piece of legislation last week: the FY25 budget.
With the Atlanta’s population continuing to grow, each budget session gives the city’s leaders the opportunity to plan how the city’s general fund dollars will best support growth in the short- and long-term.
One city department’s budget that seemingly always causes a stir is the Atlanta Department of Transportation’s. The department, formed in 2019, has seen its operating budget consistently decreased despite a lengthy list of projects still yet to be completed.
Both council members and community advocates sounded alarms that the mayor’s proposed 2025 budget only included about a 2% increase for transportation — the smallest increase for any city department and a number that doesn’t even keep up with inflation.
But despite concerns, no changes were made to the minimal increase.
Rebecca Serna, executive director of Propel ATL, said that council members doubted whether or not additional funds would help the bogged-down department make any progress.
“The next time your community asks for a safer street design, traffic calming, or a pedestrian crossing and you’re told the City doesn’t have the time, equipment, or capacity to make it happen, remember this decision,” she said.
---
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@
Atlanta residents will soon be able to apply for the city’s e-bike rebate program, aimed at making the environmentally-friendly mode of transportation accessible to more people. Run through the Atlanta Regional Commission, the city is slated to dole out $800,000 in rebates for residents purchasing e-bikes.
Any Atlanta resident is eligible for a $500 to $1,000 rebate on e-bikes while low-income buyers could see anywhere from a $1,500 to $2,000 rebate. The amounts depend on the type of e-bike purchased.
Anywhere from 800 to 1,000 e-bikes are expected to be purchased from local bicycle shops as a result of the initiative.
Beginning on Sunday, June 16, Atlantans can enter the program lottery that will randomly select participants.
---
Got tips, tricks or just want to say hello? Email me at riley.bunch@ajc.com.
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
About the Author
