Albany Mayor Bo Dorough gives list of accomplishments in campaign website

ALBANY — Incumbent Mayor Bo Dorough is urging Albanians to go to his website ahead of Tuesday’s election to view what he says are accomplishments the Albany City Commission had made over the past four years under his leadership.

Dorough, who is seeking another term, compiled that list at https://www.re-electmayorbodorough.com/work and said it shows progress in the city.

The incumbent is being challenged by former City Commission member Henry Mathis and Albany businessmen Omar Salaam and Antonio Screen Sr. Earlier this week a group of area clergy members gave an endorsement of Mathis.

On his website Dorough discusses the downtown area, which is in the process of receiving an infusion of more than $100 million in investment. That includes a hotel project at North Washington Street and Pine Avenue, an apartment complex at North Washington Street and East Broad Avenue and the renovations underway across the street from that project for the future home of the Albany Museum of Art.

Renovations in the area include three historic structures, including the former Albany Herald building that is part of the hotel development, the Davis Exchange building which will house the apartments and a project coming to the former St. Nicholas Hotel building at the intersection of North Washington Street and Flint Avenue.

“These projects are going to give you the foot traffic you need to have a vibrant downtown,” he said.

The commission also has made strides in economic development, the mayor said.

“The Harvey’s (grocery) going in at West Gordon (Avenue), that was quite an accomplishment to bring a full-service grocery store back to an area in south Albany that was described as a food desert,” he said. “It not only benefits the community, but it brings 65 new jobs.”

Over the previous four years the city has resurfaced some 105 miles of streets and has approved an additional $18.5 million for additional projects, mostly with funding through the transportation special purpose local option sales tax, Dorough said

The biggest issue in terms of spending over the past four years is the city’s combined sewer separation project, with the city under a mandate to accomplish 85 percent separation of stormwater and sewage by June 2025.

“Probably the most controversial issue is the combined sewer separation,” Dorough said. “What I’ve tried to do here (website) is explain how the city is going to generate the $135 million that is going to be required to accomplish that 85 percent separation by June 30 of 2025. We are finally grappling with an obligation that the city has postponed for more than 20 years. Our consultant says we are on schedule to meet that deadline.”

Another topic covered is recreational facilities and programs. The city has invested in recreation and received federal and state grants and has several projects that are either in progress or in planning stages, the mayor said.

Other topics include public safety, Southwest Georgia Regional Airport, fighting blight and utilities.

“Over the next few days I’m going to continue to try to get the news out, meet the voters and make the case for my re-election,” Dorough said.

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