Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

81 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 reducing energy and water use and increasing operational efficiencies. That’s the centerpiece of our sustainability effort. Those efforts have paved the way for a real opportunity to upgrade our facilities and capitalize on savings generated from lower energy consumption without tapping into the general fund. “As we explored how to become a more sustainable, responsive, and responsible government – especially as we begin to exit the pandemic – we launched Green Augusta. It’s another sustainability effort that’s branded to ensure our public knows which activities we’re pushing forward. “Our Green Augusta initiative expands on the previous investments under the energy performance contract. Through Green Augusta we will transition 20 percent of our non- emergency fleet to alternative fuel vehicles. That will ultimately reduce our carbon footprint on the environment, improve operational efficiency, and allow us to save money and energy, while extending the useful life of our fleet over the next decade. Combined with our building improvements, Augusta is really leading the way in the region on how we look at sustainability and efficient government.” BVM: What investments are being made in infrastructure projects? Donald: “I think Augusta may be the most aggressive municipality in the country in focusing on improving our residents’ quality of life and infrastructure. Back in 2012, Augusta was one of the first to approve the Transportation Investment Act (TIA), which was a 1 percent tax that focused on improving our transportation- related infrastructure. More recently, in June of 2020, we approved the second TIA installment. It passed at 71 percent and that really showed a commitment by our residents to take control of FPL Food — the Southeast’s leading fresh beef processor — supplies a comprehensive selection of beef to retail, foodservice and further processing partners across the nation and throughout the world. FAMILY OWNED, GEORGIA GROWN. fplfood.com Vibrant. Eclectic. Surprising. And open for business. Come see how Georgia’s second-oldest city is transforming into a 21st-century destination for people of all ages. augustadda .com AUGUSTA , GEORGI A