On Our Radar: Savannah council approves contract for Public Art Master Plan, stormwater utility study

News in Savannah this week was dominated by the impacts of Tropical Storm Debby, but the storm did not stop Savannah City Council from its scheduled business.

Savannah's group of elected officials gathered for a regularly scheduled meeting Thursday and made decisions on stormwater and public art. This installment of the On Our Radar series will provide the recap.

If you have neighborhood updates, organization events or news tips you think could be of service to Savannahians, send them to elasseter@savannahnow.com. Also reach out if there are stories here you would like to know more about. Deadline for the On Our Radar series will be the end of day each Friday.

Council approves contract for Public Art Master Plan

City Manager Jay Melder previously dubbed this year Savannah's year of public art, and that moved forward Thursday with approval of a contract for a Public Art Master Plan.

The plan was funded in this year's budget with the goal of establishing a public art program and ordinance for Savannah. The conclusion of a Request for Proposal process ended with Columbus, Ohio-based L.B. Designing Local being awarded the $100,000 contract.

Melder said the master planning process will take about 12 months, and the future ordinance will go before council next summer. The ordinance will create a public art commission and establish a funding mechanism for a public art program.

"This is a big part of our year of public art here," Melder said.

No local vendors applied in the RFP process, but Designing Local has Savannah-based Ethos Preservation as a partner on the project. The master plan process will feature engagement with neighborhood organizations and have an emphasis on diverse racial, economic and geographic participation, Melder said.

The city entered a partnership with Telfair Museums Inc. in February for a Telfair Square Master Plan, which is aimed at bringing public art programs into the square at certain portions of the year. A pedestrian mural at Enmarket Arena was also completed and unveiled this year.

Stormwater utility study approved amid flooding challenges

City council gave greenlight for an 18-to-24-month project for Savannah to study the creation of a stormwater utility fee.

Savannah currently has no revenue source solely dedicated to its stormwater management services; the bulk of its stormwater projects are funded through the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Establishment of a stormwater utility fund, which would be an added fee on residents' utility bill, would need additional approval by council at the end of the study.

This "user fee for service" model has become more widely used within the last two decades, according to the city's agenda item. Currently, there are about 75 stormwater utility programs in Georgia. Neighboring municipalities such as Garden City, Richmond Hill and Statesboro use the model.

Savannah's approved contract requires the consultant, Alpharetta's B.P. Santec Consulting Services, to conduct "robust" public education and outreach. City council and the City Manager's Office will be provided periodic updates throughout the process, according to the agenda item.

Mayor Van Johnson first announced the city was exploring a potential dedicated stormwater fund at a city council workshop on July 25. That workshop featured a near hour-long discussion on the need for greater stormwater investment in the city, and council went on to approve $3.5 million in drainage improvements that day.

Those council meetings were on the heels of extensive flooding before Tropical Storm Debby hit. The recent spate of floods have put Savannah's stormwater system under greater scrutiny and increased focus this summer.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah News Update: City Council approves contract for Public Art Master Plan