For the first time in its history Avondale Estates is considering borrowing money to finance major capital projects. The city’s Board of Mayor and Commissioners hasn’t rendered an official decision, but this is the approach recommended by consultants Davenport & Company.
“This is a typical strategy for many cities,” City Manager Patrick Bryant said recently. “Yes, it is a strategy [Avondale has] not employed in the past. [Davenport] believes the city can handle [borrowing] without increasing the burden on residents.”
In the past year Avondale commissioners have discussed a number of primary needs on their to-do list. Those appearing most immediate include the reconfiguration of U.S. 278, the Kensington Station storm water project, reconfiguring the intersection of Laredo Drive and Clarendon Avenue—possibly with a roundabout—creating a new downtown street grid and developing five city-owned acres just west of the Tudor Village.
“We need to develop a multi-year capital program—something that’s never been done in this city,” Bryant added. “In other words we have to determine which projects have priority and our financial capacity for those projects.”
Avondale Estates has traditionally spent conservatively, and this was certainly true under Bryant’s predecessor Clai Brown (city manager from 2008-2018) and former Financial Director Ken Turner, who held the position from 2008 (he was hired by Brown) until retiring last December.
Turner, who was interim city manager for seven months last year until Bryant’s arrival, believed that conservatism doesn’t necessarily oppose the city’s current thinking.
“Being conservative doesn’t mean you don’t want growth,” Turner told the AJC in March 2018. “If you’re going to grow you have to manage growth so you’ll be a vibrant city and attract good businesses.”
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