State Representative Floyd issues the following statement in response to Senate Bill 260, which would create the Central State Hospital Redevelopment Authority: “I am thankful that Senate Bill 260 was sent back to committee and didn’t make it to the House Floor for a vote during the 2025 legislative session. This proposed legislation would allow the state, rather than local entities, to make board appointments to the Central State Hospital Local Redevelopment Authority (CSHLRA) and remove ‘local’ from the authority’s name. The bill contains no assurance that local opinions would be taken into account for issues that should be hyper-localized.”
On March 11, the Milledgeville City Council signed off on a resolution urging continued local government appointments to the CSHLRA board. It was signed off by Mayor Pro-Tem Denese Shinholster. On March 19, Gov. Brian Kemp wrote a letter to the board appointing several members to the board through terms that will expire in December 2029.
Both documents show support of local appointments and decision.
“CSHLRA was created to redevelop former hospital and prison grounds – decisions that must be made by people that reside and work in the community. Furthermore, the goal of the authority is to boost the economy and bring more jobs to our community – actions that would affect our home and should be placed under local control, not solely under the purview of the state.
I’ve heard from constituents who share concerns about the current state of CSHLRA, and I have brought these concerns to the attention of Inspector General Lange. The Milledgeville City Council has also reviewed SB 260 and shares the belief that successful redevelopment depends on local government entities – not a top-down approach from the state.
While we recognize the importance of improving CSHLRA, we must do so by preserving local board appointments and protecting local decision- making. If SB 260 is up for consideration during the 2026 legislative session, we will stand in strong opposition and continue to advocate for keeping local matters, local matters.”
— Contributed