The Aiken City Council is on its way to spending another $8 million of the funds it received from the state's settlement with the Department of Energy over plutonium stored at the Savannah River Site.
The council voted unanimously Monday evening to approve the first reading of an ordinance allocating the money to eight projects including:
• $3 million for master plan updates and improvements at Beverly D. Clyburn Generations Park;
• $2 million for pedestrian improvements including sidewalks and accessibility improvements;
• $1 million for additional upgrades and improvements at Smith-Hazel Recreation Center and the adjacent park of the same name;
• $750,000 for the Preservation Society of Aiken's Kershaw Street home restoration project;
• $500,000 for playground equipment at Children's Place's new headquarters;
• $500,000 for bike lanes;
• $200,000 for property maintenance at Pine Lawn Cemetery; and
• $50,000 for the Aiken Downtown Development Association.
Councilwoman Lessie Price made the motion to approve the allocation.
Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Girardeau seconded her motion.
The city council discussed the allocations at a Feb. 26 worksession. The allocations the city council discussed did not include the $750,000 to the Preservation Society of Aiken.
However, the Preservation Society's Lucy Knowles addressed the council during public comment Monday evening and asked for some funding for the demonstration project.
Price then amended her motion to include the funding.
Councilwoman Gail Diggs seconded the amended motion.
The city received $25 million from the settlement for unspecified downtown/northside improvements.
The council voted to allocate $16.5 million on April 11, 2023.
Those allocations included:
• $9.6 million to pay off bonds issued to fund the Aiken Municipal Development Commission's purchase of seven properties downtown;
• $3.5 million for a Northside gravity sewer project;
• $3 million to fund repairs to the Fairfield Street Bridge; and
• $400,000 for a streetscape project at the Aiken County Farmer's Market.
A budget conference committee voted to allocate the $25 million plus an additional $1.2 million to fund the construction of a turn-lane at Generations Park on June 10, 2022.
Federal and state elected officials announced the settlement Aug. 31, 2020.
The council could consider second and final reading of the ordinance approved Monday evening on March 25.
