AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Augusta leaders have been calling to clean up the city for months. Now, a budget proposal is picking up on that.

“We want to be part of a clean and carefree environment; one of which is free of litter. So it takes a force to go out and pick up the litter,” said Interim City Administrator Takiyah Douse.

And there is plenty of litter to be picked up. City leaders say they’ve seen the volume increase since the pandemic.

“It has grown. We have the homeless population there’s certain areas and panhandling certain areas. They tend to leave their trash on the side of the road. It just creates more problems for us to enforce and trash to clean up,” said Marshal Ramone Lamkin.

The Richmond County Marshal’s Office is picking up litter twice a month currently, using community service workers but a nearly $90,000 proposal in next year’s budget would greatly expand the program.

“This program is proposed to expand from twice a month to three times a week, so we have great expectations for the Marshal’s Office this litter expansion project,” said Douse.

“It’s going to be a big impact it’s going to be more boots on the ground cleaning up getting the roads cleaned get the sides of the road cleaned,” said Lamkin.

But the litter pickup expansion only happens if commissioners approve the budget increase for next year.

“When you go from twice a month to three times a week it’s a significant increase in picking up litter this community talks about how bad it looks all the time, I think they’re going to make a significant impact on it,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom. 

The plan is to reduce the litter with more money for the Marshal’s Office in Augusta.