Under the ‘Pay it Forward’ program, each member of last year’s graduating class was given the chance to distribute a certificate that could be used by a new student to pay for three college credits.

Councilors want to target rundown properties and avoid penalizing owners who maintain their vacant property well.

Under a proposed new ordinance, the permits would last for six months, after which the building owners would have to renew them and pay the permit fee again.

A city councilor says an ordinance could be ‘toothless’ if Augusta adopts exceptions to the rules.