AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The grass is towering over the streets of Augusta and getting it cut is a priority issue for city leaders.  

“This is one of the simplest deliverables that we can grant to our constituents. Just giving them pride in having a clean city and maintaining the right of ways,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.  

But before city leaders get the right of ways looking right, they’re planning to discuss how to do it right, which includes approving and holding work session to discuss how to improve city maintenance.   

“Let’s have some good dialogue on it because again, it becomes sometimes in our government: ‘It’s not my responsibility, it’s their responsibility.’ ‘It’s not my area, it’s their area,’” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.

But the talk will not only be about grass.

City leaders will also use the time to debate whether Augusta needs a full-time arborist to make decisions about city trees.

“I’m wholeheartedly in support of having an arborist, and I think it will benefit the city of Augusta,” said Mayor Johnson. 

City leaders may talk about an arborist, but that doesn’t mean they all think one needs to be on staff full time.  

“Because we already have consultants that we work with. We already have professional arborists that we pull information from to make sure we’re successful in our endeavors,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.  

Augusta can see the problems from the grass, and the trees’ problems are the reason the city plans to workshop.