City of Albany unveils unified logo, rebranding campaign

ALBANY — Albany city commissioners signed off Tuesday on a new logo that will be used citywide as part of a branding campaign designed to unite the city’s various departments under one umbrella.

The brightly colored City of Albany logo, which was on display at the meeting, was designed by the Tampa, Fla.-based Vistra consulting firm.

“We believe this rebranding campaign is critically important to demonstrate that our city is one unified entity,” City Manager Sharon Subadan said. “Currently, we have eight to 10 departments with their own separate logos. This rebranding campaign brings everyone together under a simple, shared vision.

“We want our residents to know that they are dealing with a unified city.”

As part of the campaign, Vistra helped city officials develop mission and vision statements and unveiled a one-minute video ad that features city leaders and staff. The company’s president, Brian Butler, presented the branding products at Tuesday’s special called meeting.

“It’s a new day in Albany, and we invite you to be a part of our future,” Subadan proclaims in the ad.

During a work meeting that immediately followed the special called meeting, Assistant City Manager Phil Roberson and Finance Director Derrick Brown filled commissioners in on a plan to finance infrastructure projects through low-interest Georgia Environmental Finance Authority loans of up to $40 million.

Brown told the board the Finance department wanted to get clearance to move forward with the application process for the GEFA loans as soon as possible because the process takes up to three months to complete.

“Debt service on these loans would be paid through accumulated and future SPLOST funding,” Brown said. “A contingency plan will be developed should this funding source not be available.”

Subadan said the city had to be prepared for the possibility of city and county voters rejecting the next SPLOST vote in November.

“We are hopeful that SPLOST will pass because our citizens can see the benefits we’ve gotten from the process over the years,” she said. “But we have to have a contingency plan in place in case SPLOST doesn’t pass. It would be arrogant of us to take the will of our taxpayers for granted.”

Roberson said $15 million of the GEFA funding would be used for Westside, Eastside and Booker Alley sewer improvement projects, while $25 million is planned for stormwater improvements along the Holloway Basin.

“The recent greater-than-10-year rain event that we had (last week) illustrates the urgency of these projects,” Roberson said. “The Holloway project improvements will allow us to address the issues that cause flooding along Davis, Oglethorpe, Highland and those areas.”

Brown said the city has approximately $5 million in SPLOST V funds and an additional $4 million in SPLOST VI allocations for the projects as well.

Ward II Commissioner Bobby Coleman asked if officials weren’t putting the cart before the horse by applying for the funds before a plan is available for the commission to look over.

“I believe in preparing for war during the time of peace,” Coleman said.

Brown said he was looking only for permission to start the application process and that a plan would be presented to the commission before GEFA loan funds would be available.

The board also voted to approve $138,905 in emergency funding for sewer repairs along Westover Boulevard.

During a discussion of agency reports, Coleman said he wants clarification on a jobs forecast presented to the commission by the “Chamber of Commerce.” (The plan was presented by Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission President Justin Strickland, a group that is closely aligned with the chamber.)

“I want to know if the numbers they gave of all these jobs are actual numbers or projections,” Coleman said. “From what I’m hearing, their numbers were deceptive, if not outright lies.”

Ward III Commissioner B.J. Fletcher asked City Attorney Nathan Davis if all required agencies were completing paperwork with an updated breakdown of time sheets and other necessary information.

“I’m not pointing a finger at any agency, but my question is are these agencies doing the things they’re required to do to remain in compliance, things like completing time sheets?” Fletcher said.

Davis confirmed that not all are currently in compliance.

“We’re about to apply for (GEFA) loans for our infrastructure, which is our city’s biggest problem, and I don’t think it would be very good for us not to be in compliance for any information (GEFA) might request,” Fletcher said.

Subandan said the city’s ongoing work to green-light the downtown microbrewery and Albany Heights residential projects was moving forward, though at a slower pace than planned. Erroneous media reports surfaced saying the city’s “deadline” had passed for moving those projects forward and left them in jeopardy.

“My expectation is that it could take from 60 to 90 days to get everything done,” the city manager said. “We set a target date of Feb. 29 to have everything ready, but there are some issues that have slowed the process. There are very legitimate issues why (the developers) require additional time.

“I’m confident everything will be worked out and we will get to the finish line.”

After a lengthy executive session, Mayor Dorothy Hubbard announced that the commission had reached a consensus agreement to award former Albany Police Department Deputy Chief Nathaniel Clark a six-month severance package totalling $45,642.68.

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