AUGUSTA, Ga. - The future of the city of Augusta is being planned out for the next 20 years, but some question whether a racially divided commission can bring change.

The Augusta Development Agenda met Thursday night to present its findings for how to move the city forward.

The plan leaders presented is supposed to pull in new businesses and develop the whole area, bringing Augusta to its full potential.

Development leaders talked about making Augusta into the "Garden City" it was always supposed to be, complete with new businesses, attractions and parks.

The plan does have its doubters, though. Some say there’s no way the city commission can pass any future projects when it can’t pass what it has now.

They say the future projects are just a lot of talk with a commission split for years on projects like the Trade Exhibit and Event Center and the Judicial Center.

"Personally, I think it's just a case of, 'I'm black, your white, I'm going to go my way and you're gonna go yours.' The commission is gonna say all they want to on how that's not true," said Bill Mitchell, referring to the dozens in attendance Thursday night.

Mitchell stood up in the Augusta Development Agenda meeting and called it like he saw it. He's worried all of the commissioner's planning will be for nothing if they can't agree on anything.

Commissioner Jerry Brigham fought back. He said it's not just the commission that can't make up its mind.

"Until we have a consensus from all of Augusta, we're not going to get anywhere. This commission doesn't have a problem, this community has a problem," said Brigham, Commissioner of District 7.

Yet, there are those who are optimistic about the planned future of Augusta. John Shields was hired by the city to lead the Development Agenda.

"This plan is different from the others in that it's not site specific, it's all of Augusta. It comes down to specifics, but people want to work together on it," said Shields.

"I believe that no matter how bad a person is, that they can have a change of heart,” Mitchell said. “They can see things differently, they can change."

Mitchell and others agree, a change of heart is what it might take for the commission to move Augusta into the future.

The Augusta Development Agenda's next step is to plan out what members are actually going to try and bring to Augusta. They'll announce that sometime in the coming months.

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