Augusta leaders discuss progress on city cemetery clean-up

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – In December, we told you that the city-owned Augusta cemeteries were locked, and fam ilies have not been able to visit their loved ones.

Now, two months later and five months after Hurricane Helene, leaders spoke at a forum to discuss an audit of the parks and recreation department and progress on restoring the cemeteries.

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson and new parks and recreation leader Tameka Williams gave updates.

Williams said she visited the Cedar Grove, West View and Magnolia cemeteries that the city owns.

She said the debris had been removed, but areas deemed unsafe are still blocked off.

Williams also offered a new time frame when the cemeteries may reopen.

“We are looking to within the next couple of weeks,” said Williams. “Our biggest work was getting the debris removed once we hit one cemetery, then we moved to another, and we finished with Magnolia Cemetery.”

Williams said staff would be on site to help people when the cemeteries reopen.

Johnson gave his thoughts on the cleanup as well.

“Most of the roads are clear, a lot of the debris have been removed, it’s the spring time of year and everyone wants to go visit their loved ones,” said Johnson. “Our ceemteries were severely damaged as a result of the hurricane and we’ve asked that they just give us some patience as our primary focus was cleaning up our cities.”

Regarding the audit for the parks and recreation department, leaders gave an update saying they will have to choose a new firm to perform a new audit no later than April 15.

We will keep you updated on that process.

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