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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting May 19, 2020 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER MAY 19, 2020 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., May 19, 2020, the Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. B. Williams, Garrett, Sias, Fennoy, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, D. Williams, Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. The Clerk: Roll Call attendance. Mr. Clarke, Mr. Clarke, attendance. Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Present. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Present. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom, Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Present The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: I had to step away, what are we voting on? The Clerk: Attendance. Mr. Mayor: You’re voting attendance. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Present. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Present. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, you have a quorum to conduct this. 1 Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Madam Clerk, as a matter of record today I’d like to just proceed with our agenda items. We’ve already convened, we’ve already convened and I’d like to go ahead and continue to proceed with our meeting agenda minus the invocation and The Pledge. The Clerk: Okay. Consent Agenda consists of Items 1 and 2. Mr. Sias: Mayor, can I --- Mr. Mayor: Okay, can I get everybody to just hold for a minute. I want to give everybody a chance to look at our agenda. We have these items again from a consent standpoint. What I also want to take an opportunity, Madam Clerk, to entertain any motion to add to the Consent Agenda nd or remove items okay, the Commissioner from the 2. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, sir. If my colleagues would agree, I would like to consent Items 18 and 19. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk --- The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- I’d also like to add Item 17 to the Consent Agenda but for the next scheduled full Commission meeting. Mr. Hasan: Which item is that, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: That’s Number 17 Public Safety. nd The Clerk: To the June 2 meeting? Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am. Mr. D. Williams: Mr. Mayor --- nd Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m coming back to you, yes, sir, the Commissioner from the 2. Mr. D. Williams: --- yeah, I spoke to the IT Director this morning and she wanted to speak to this particular item. Have you been in contact with her? Mr. Mayor: So I know she wants to speak to it and given the lateness of the hour I’d like nd to give appropriate time to speak to that matter and if we did that on the June 2 that’d be more time for that to happen. Mr. D. Williams: Good to go. th Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. The Commissioner from the 4. 2 Mr. Sias: Thank you. I’d like to pull Item 2 and also request consideration to add, whether it is or not, request consideration to add Addendum Item reference the Small Business Program, the Long Relief Program for Small Business for the COVID-19. Mr. M. Williams: You don’t have unanimous consent to add anything. Mr. Sias: I just said I’m requesting. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got that, we know we don’t have a consent all right (unintelligible) --- Mr. Sias: I had a couple more things that I wanted to request added. Mr. Mayor: --- all right, please go ahead. Mr. Sias: All right, we have a lot of items today so if we can, can we add Item 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14 --- Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got a question about Item 11 and 12 I think it is. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, so no problem. So again, Madam Clerk, you’ve got the last th one to be added consented #10, continue Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: --- Number 14, 18 --- Mr. Mayor: We’ve already got that. Mr. Sias: --- I’m sorry you’ve got 18 and 19, I’m sorry, you’re right 21 --- Mr. Clarke: I have issues with 21. Mr. Mayor: Okay, that’s no problem. Mr. Sias: --- 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 --- Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got some issues with 26. I need to find out what we’re doing with 26, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: All right, no problem, no problem, all right. Mr. Sias: --- okay the last one I called was 27 and I’m going to scratch out 26. Item --- 30 --- Mr. M. Williams: 26 and 27 --- 3 Mr. Mayor: Hold on 26 and 27 are companion items effectively so let’s --- Mr. Sias: --- okay. Mr. Mayor: --- 26 and 27 remain on the regular agenda. All right, Commissioner continue (inaudible). Mr. Sias: Item 30, I’m done. Thank you. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to add a couple of items. rd Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, hold on. All right, the Commissioner from the 3, rd Commissioner from the 3. Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor Commissioner Sias covered all of mine except I wanted to see if we could also consent 13 --- Mr. Mayor: Okay --- Ms. Davis: --- I think Commissioner Sias had not said that one. Mr. Mayor: --- yes, it makes sense. Mr. Sias: I missed that one, thank you. Ms. Davis: Thanks. We have the same list, Commissioner Sias. Mr. Mayor: So let me just say this for a matter of record. I know that we are in these virtual meetings and may have gone as well as can be expected in light of where we are but I would ask for a little bit more decorum from our members especially when it comes to being recognized. If you’re holding your thumb up I will get to you, I promise you and hopefully we won’t have to do all this blurting out and talking over one another, I would greatly appreciate that. All right, I’m th going to the Commissioner from the 10. Mr. Clarke: Mr. Mayor, can we add 31 to Consent please? Mr. M. Williams: No, I’ve got a problem with that one, Mr. Mayor. We can’t add that one. th Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, with objection. All right, the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: I’d like to add Item 29 to the Consent. Mr. Sias: What’d he say? Mr. Mayor: There’s an objection to that so, yeah, I mean come on that’s embarrassing. 4 Mr. M. Williams: I mean it is what it is. Mr. Mayor: I know, I know, I know. Mr. Sias: You have objection. th Mr. Mayor: All right, okay, so again I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: I have one question for you. On this on our Zoom program we have a little thing that says raise your hand --- Mr. Mayor: You can use that. Mr. Sias: do you, do we, huh? Mr. Mayor: If you push that I will see it. Mr. Sias: You will see it. That was my question do you see it? Mr. Mayor: Yeah, absolutely. Mr. Sias: I did raise my hand. Now I will put it down, thank you. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, I will see it. All right, if everyone can mute your devices that will be even more helpful as well. All right, I’m going to the Mayor Pro Tem for a motion. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Motion to approve the Consent Agenda with all the agenda items discussed. Mr. Sias: Second. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, can I get The Clerk to read that list out again? We’ve got a lot of stuff that’s been called out there and I know ya’ll can keep up with that. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I keep up with it. Mr. M. Williams: I want The Clerk to read those off because there’s some --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah, we got it --- Mr. M. Williams: --- okay. Mr. Mayor: --- gotcha, I gotcha, I gotcha, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: To read the items? 5 Mr. Mayor: Yes, please. The Clerk: Okay, Item Number 2 was pulled from the Consent Agenda, added to the nd Consent was Items Number 3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 14, 17 rescheduled to the June 2 meeting --- Mr. Mayor: Yes. The Clerk: --- 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, Item Number 30. th, Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9 you tracking? Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, I’m tracking, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Great. All right, Madam Clerk, we’re ready to vote. Mr. Hasan: We’ve got the same list, Ms. Bonner. CONSENT AGENDA PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 1. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular held May 5 and Special Called Meeting May 5 & 12, 2020. PUBLIC SERVICES 3. Motion to approve Augusta Transit’s utilization of Cityworks to manage its vehicle and facility assets. 4. Motion to authorize the Mayor to Sign the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) ACT Grant Offer. 6. Motion to approve a contract amendment with Reeves Young LLC for Construction Services for Augusta’s Transit Operation and Maintenance Facility project. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 10. Approve Change Order #2 to the contract for Design Services for the 911 Center Addition and Renovations with 2KM Architects in the amount of $26,368.00 to adjust the total fee to reflect 11% of the construction cost in accordance with the contract. 13. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s) request to provide funding to assist one (1) low to moderate income homebuyer with down- payment assistance to purchase a home. 14. Amend the Augusta Commission approval of the Design Contract with 2KM to reflect the contract amount of $44,000.00 rather than the $55,000.00 reflected in the original agenda item. PUBLIC SERVICES 17. Present the 2019 Information Technology Annual Report and an update of the Information Technology Strategic Plan. 6 18. Accept an award in the amount of $102,542.00 from Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. The monies will assist in the preparation and prevention of the Coronavirus. 19. Motion to approve the GEMA/HS Statewide Mutual Aid and Assistance Agreement and authorize the Mayor to execute the agreement. ENGINEERING SERVICES 22. Approve final Phase funding for Streambank Stabilization Design, Permitting and Construction Engineering Services Agreement to Pond & Company in the amount of $154,712.61 for Sandpipe Lane Site and $163,597.61 for Morningside Drive Site as requested by AED. RFQ 19-152. 23. Approve the resolution authorizing the Augusta Engineering Department to apply for th Financial Assistance from Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for 13 Street 9SR4) Enhancement and Beautification in conjunction with 13 Street (SR4) Improvements Project. Requested by AED. 24. Approve Georgia Power (GP) Encroachment request to Place GP Facility in Augusta, GA (Augusta Levee) as part of GP facility improvements Project. Also authorized Augusta Mayor to process and sign all associated documents with consultation of Augusta Legal Counsel. 25. Approve Supplemental Agreement Two for Constantine Engineering for Watershed Assessment & Inventory Project in the amount of $439,500.00 for the phase 2 Storm System Inventory, Basin Analysis, and Date Review & Reconciliation as requested by AED. RFQ 13- 149. APPOINTMENTS 30. Consider a request from the Richmond County Medical Society via Richmond County Board of Health recommending the appointment of Dr. Thomas Kieman to RCBOH to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Blackwood. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: Yes. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. 7 Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: That motion carries with Mr. Fennoy out. Mr. Fennoy: I said yes, I had my phone muted, Ms. Bonner. The Clerk: Okay, it’s unanimous. Motion Passes 10-0. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, we’re going to Item #2. The Clerk: SUBCOMMITTEE Administrator’s Recruitment Process Subcommittee 2. Review/approve revised job description for the position of City Administrator. (Approved by the Administrator’s Recruitment Process Subcommittee May 12, 2020) Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Chair, I’m coming to you. Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor, thank you. We had a good committee meeting, subcommittee meeting last week and we approved a couple of minor changes but overall the motion is to just on the job description to make it more clear and I know the Clerk sent this out to you all about really exactly what we’re looking for as compared to an Administrator and a Manager to really dictate the differences on that. So we made minor changes to the job description. We did talk about the years of experience and you can see that, where is that listed --- Mr. Hasan: The second on the back side. 8 Ms. Davis: --- on the top of the second page and we did talk about the search three to five years as Administrator and/or City Manager of a City Government. So we did discuss that and came to an agreement on that with the subcommittee and then we talked about moving forward with a national search so I’d like to hear from Commissioner Sias I believe he was the one who pulled the agenda item, if that’s okay with you, Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: Yes, it is. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4 (unintelligible). Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir, thank you, ma’am. Serving on this subcommittee I appreciate the candid discussions after much reflection from past and present I wanted to make a, I will make a motion to approve that with one minor change and that being instead of serve three to five years serve one to five years and that’s my motion. Mr. M. Williams: I’d make a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Okay, hold on, hold on, we didn’t get a second so --- Mr. B. Williams: Second, I got a second. Mr. Mayor: --- okay. Mr. Speaker: I have a substitute. th Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, everybody just hold on. Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I wanted to make a motion that we approve, we had a good subcommittee meeting, we did make some tweaks on it but everything went well. The committee came out with this recommendation, the Chair did a good job I want to make a motion to approve as is. Ms. Davis: And I’ll second that, Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, we’ve got a motion, we’ve got a substitute motion with a second --- Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: --- Commissioner, hold on. I just asked ya’ll again just hold your thumb up or push the button. I promise I’m going to come to you, I want to hear from everybody okay? All right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the, I’m going to go to the Mayor Pro Tem then thth the 10 then the 5, okay? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was on part of that call and I guess my question is why would the committee agree last Tuesday to three to five and now we want to switch it? The community’s growing, we need leadership that has experience to help us with that growth 9 and with frankly new blood that will help us with that. So I just kind of wondered to put it back on Commissioner Sias what was the reasoning to go back to one year when it was three to five years? th, Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, so I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 4 th directly through the Chair if you don’t mind, the Commissioner from the 4 you’ve got the floor, sir. Mr. Sias: Okay, thank you, not a problem. I had three main points here. One of them in my thinking on that was we could, that would give us an opportunity number one just get somebody young, number two get somebody fresh or we can get a seasoned vet. That’s why one to five years I think fits all of that. It doesn’t stop us from getting somebody with 15 years’ experience. It don’t stop us from getting somebody with ten but it also allows us to get somebody with four if we saw the desire to. So basically I just that will open it up a little bit wider. That’s all, thank you. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 10. Mr. Clarke: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I go back to when we were looking for a new Animal Services Director. The interim director put in her resume and application and she didn’t quite fill the years requirement by I forget how, a few months. And a request was made at that time that why don’t we change that so that she could be considered and oh no we couldn’t do that, couldn’t do that, couldn’t do that. Now all of a sudden we’re changing rules again in the middle of a process when the subcommittee that was charged with doing this come up with this and I think th like the Commissioner from the 9 it’s been approved, it’s got a second, let’s vote it up or down. Mr. Mayor: I don’t know whose phone that is but again if you will mute your devices. All thth right, I’m going to the Commissioner from the 5, the Commissioner from the 5, Commissioner Williams --- Mr. B. Williams: Can you hear me? Mr. Mayor: --- yes, sir. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, sir, I think that one to five would allow us to look at young folks but more so now the reason why I would say, is this a vote that the full Commission should be taking or should this be a vote amongst those who are on that committee, that’s my question. Should this be more something that those chairman people should be voting on rather than the full Commission? Mr. Mayor: Well, you brought it before the full Commission at this point and the subcommittee’s goal was to bring back a series of recommendations of which they did. And between bringing the recommendations back it was also and I didn’t see this in the notebook or in this documentation there were a series of other things. The Attorney and the H.R. Director were supposed to have made those modifications and brought that before the body. I didn’t see those 10 things. And the conversation was around moving forward with identifying a recruiter and moving st this process forward so that we would be concluded by July 31 for the whole process and that was also supposed to have been included in this item and I didn’t see any of those documents in th, the notebook. So to that end, Commissioner from the 5 this is a vote for the full Commission, absolutely. All right, any other questions? Madam Chairman, I come back to you. Madam Chair, you’re on. Ms. Davis: Mayor, that’s a good point. Do we need to include the other points that you mentioned in this motion? Mr. Mayor: That was the direction from the subcommittee. Ms. Davis: That’s right – The Clerk: You were going to discuss it today. Ms. Davis: We need to spell those out, ma’am or Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Yeah --- Ms. Davis: --- do we need to spell those out? Mr. Mayor: --- they were enumerated. They should be included in your motion. Ms. Davis: Right okay, okay good. th, Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 6 I see you wanted to say something. Go ahead. Mr. Hasan: I was trying to figure out, I’m sorry, Mr. Mayor, I was picking something off the floor so I missed the thing that you made mention of that Commissioner Davis said should be part of the motion. Can you repeat that if you don’t mind please? Mr. Mayor: Yeah, it was again, part of that conversation was to go ahead move forward with selecting a recruiter and have them proceed with a recruitment process and the rest of the st items that were in that list with the goal of having someone in place by July 31. Mr. Hasan: So are we going to vote according to what we had outlined because I think the recruitment process that goes through H.R., H.R. handles all of that --- Mr. Mayor: No --- Mr. Hasan: --- and the Attorney. Mr. Mayor: --- no, again it’s just simply selecting a recruiter. This needs, that needs to be done today. 11 Mr. Hasan: H.R. --- Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a series of things that need to be --- Mr. Hasan: --- but H.R. does that, Mr. Mayor, not us. That’s what we’re saying. The Clerk: Ms. Davis, I think in the subcommittee meeting the Chairman had asked the H.R. Director to proceed with that process after this job description went to the Attorney and the H.R. Director. Once the Commission approves it, then it will move forward to the H.R. Director and the Attorney for review to make sure it’s in compliance with federal, state and local law and at that point the Chair, Madam Chair asked the H.R. Director to proceed with the recruiter process obtaining a recruiter and to bring back to the Commission. Mr. Mayor: --- well, all of that was part of the directional last week so that when we came to this meeting we would have a draft in our hand of the job description as modified so that we could take action today and move forward, not that we would have another meeting. The Clerk: No, once this job description is approved today then it will move forward through the process. Mr. Mayor: And the process after today is to identify a recruiter whether that’s the Mercer Group or the Chaison Group and proceed with that. Now what’s another action that the Commission needed to take until such time that twelve or how many of those things were done. Mr. Hasan: That’s not true, Mr. Mayor, the H.R. Department takes that. The Clerk: Yeah, then they --- Mr. Mayor: We’re talking about two different things, Commissioner Hasan. We’re talking about two different things. Mr. Hasan: No, we’re not talking about two. You just mentioned two headhunters and we’re saying that we turn that over to the H.R. Department to take care of that actually not the Commission. Once we approve it that’s where it goes next to the H.R. Department to pursue a headhunter. Mr. Mayor: I fully understand that. That’s not what we’re debating right now. What we’re saying is that action needs to happen now and we need to move forward with that so that as we st said on last week that by July 31 we will have vetted and gone through the recruitment process and interview. That was the date that was talked about last week. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, that doesn’t change that, that doesn’t change that. We said who does the headhunter and that is, she can take the H.R. Department can immediately begin that process and that’s all I’m saying who does it. We may be saying the same thing but that’s (inaudible). 12 Mr. Mayor: Well, we are saying the same thing but let me be blunt about it. The Mayor’s not handling that process. Let me go ahead and take that away from you --- Mr. Hasan: I can’t (unintelligible). Mr. Mayor: --- the Mayor’s not handling that process, okay let me just go ahead and be blunt about it. All right, I’ve got two motions here, Madam Clerk. I’ve got a substitute from the th Commissioner from the 9 and a second. The Clerk: Yes, sir to approve as is, Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: (Inaudible). th Mr. Mayor: All right, hold on, Madam Clerk, pause. Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Okay, just to be clear. Now I heard the Chair, Madam Chair of the subcommittee said were those things supposed to be included in the motion and to my understanding that’s not, that’s not there and if it is then it should be in both the substitute motion and the primary motion. Mr. Mayor: And the main motion, that’s correct. Mr. Sias: So what are those things, let’s be clear again because that was just cause a lot of debate. There’s no need of voting and then argue about what the vote meant. So I’m just --- Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk. The Clerk: With that being said the motion, the substitute motion would be to approve the Administrator’s position job description as is, to proceed with the recruitment of a recruiter by the H.R. Director. Mr. Sias: --- okay, so that will be in the same part in the primary motion except to be one to five in the job description experience part. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: Thank you, ma’am, thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: All right, very well. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: Yes on the substitute. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. 13 Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Fennoy’s mike is muted. Mr. Fennoy: No. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy no, okay. Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: No. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Abstain. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams, Mr. Dennis Williams? Mr. Sias: He muted. Mr. D. Williams: No. The Clerk: No, okay, Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Motion Fails 5-4-1. The Clerk: The original motion to revise the job description experience to one to five years and to proceed with the recruitment of a recruiter by the H.R. Department Director. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, can you --- th Mr. Mayor: Yeah, hold on, Madam Clerk, hold on, the Commissioner from the 9. 14 Mr. M. Williams: --- thank you, Mr. Mayor. I mean this is really ridiculous what we’re doing here now. Why did we put a subcommittee together, we waited, put a subcommittee together all of the department heads, the Engineering, the Administrator committees all the committees come together came out with a good scenario. Now we want to change that in the middle of the stream from one to five? Why I mean --- Mr. Garrett: It’s all games, Marion, I mean you know that. Mr. M. Williams: --- (inaudible) --- Mr. Mayor: Okay, hold on, everybody hold on. Mr. M. Williams: --- I’m sick of the games. I mean who would want an Administrator to have one year in a government as old as ours (unintelligible) who in their right mind who would be an elected official will agree to have an Administrator to come in with one year experience. Who would do that? Now if ya’ll got a plan ya’ll need to take your plans somewhere. This is the government, man. This ain’t no time for that. You shouldn’t have ran for office if you didn’t want to make some (unintelligible) decisions. You should’ve kept your hiney in the schoolyard. th Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9, Commissioner, okay, all right let me talk about this here for a moment. I appreciate the leadership that Madam Chair Davis provided on last week with regards to the subcommittee work. I thought that was a good process. Moreover not only was it a good process but it had input from individuals who were not even committee chairmen who were there as well who were in support of the recommendations that came out of that effort who were in support of that. When you look at the City of Augusta, Georgia’s second largest city, a city of some 203 thousand people and continuing to grow with a operating budget of effectively $900 million dollars and here in the county community over a $26 billion dollar economy, I do not believe that’s prudent for us to put anyone in the role of Administrator of an organization like this under the premise of just one year’s experience. If what we’re after and hoping to achieve with making this recommendation or changing the original recommendation is to insure that we allow individuals who currently are in government who are in the role today to be able to interview then that’s a simple thing. That’s a simple thing. But to take the approach of where we relax what would generally be broad experience to fulfill a role like this I don’t think anyone whether you’re a current employee currently filling a role like that would even offer themselves for such for us to take such an approach like this. Again this is an organization that is almost a $900 million dollar operation. It is vitally important to have broad experience in a role like this and I’m going to say it again. In the event that our goal is to insure that individuals who are in local government today have an opportunity to apply for that that is a simple thing. I see no reason why anyone who is in that role for example there’s no reason why Interim Administrator Sims shouldn’t be allowed to apply and/or interview for this role. What came out of last week’s meeting was and I remember it vividly Chairwoman Davis said preferred three to five years’ experience as a City Administrator th or City Manager and the Commissioner from the 6 who supported that even though he’s not a voting member of the subcommittee went back and said what about Deputy Administrator or Deputy City Manager and those things were included in that conversation and in that discussion from a discussion standpoint. And so those things were raised about making sure that we gave folks opportunity that if you didn’t have direct experience as a City Administrator or as a City 15 Manager then you could have served in a deputy’s role. But again the keyword here is ‘preferred’ that was the keyword preferred and so that was not exclusionary under any circumstances to keep folks from who are here currently to be able to apply for that role up to and including in my mind Interim Administrator Sims. So, Commissioner, I’m hoping --- Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: --- I see your hand, everybody’s hand. I’m going to come to you, again we’re going to have a robust debate about it. So I just want to caution us on that. Don’t take the approach of where we dumb down the role because this is in fact a very significant role as it relates to our local government. And if I’m wrong in attributing that comment to the Commissioner from the th 6 then I’ll withdraw attributing it to him but that was certainly part of that conversation. I remember it vividly where we included those things in that conversation. All right, I’m going to th go to the Commissioner from the 6 --- Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor --- th, Mr. Mayor: --- and I’ll come back to you to the 4 okay? Mr. Hasan: --- well what I, Mr. Mayor, I did make the comment if my memory serves me correct I shouldn’t call the name but you just called the name. It wasn’t me. That was Commissioner Fennoy, he asked the question. I think throughout the discussion but throughout the discussion we eradicated the possibility of (unintelligible). We said we didn’t want that committee to come to, they were looking at that Commissioner we gave a couple of scenarios so we wanted to stick to the facts at hand and so that’s what we did. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Hasan: But I didn’t make no comment because you already made that. We did not do what you’re suggesting in the form the kind of latitude in looking at that. You were very specific to your point. The Chair did say preferably, I think the word is, but at the end of the day we ended up being very deliberate about three to five years. I think the real hang up there was whether it’s going to be a manager or whether it’s going to be an administrator and that’s what would become the great debate to come around that until you all was able to let my colleague Commissioner Marion Williams clearly understand it was just a title their roles in essence were the same but in the responsibility of government the manager would run the day to day operation of the manager doing things quite different from the administrator. So that’s what the conversation was. th Mr. Mayor: Okay very well, all right, I’m going to the Commissioner from the 4, I’m th coming to you on the 8 all right? Mr. Sias: Thank you. Somebody can have 20 years’ experience in a like role. We took that out; we took that absolutely out. So a person can have one year, two years, three years as a Director or Administrator or City Manager but they can also have 20 plus years of like experience. th That was stripped out as the Commissioner from the 6 just said; that was eradicated. There’s no such word as preferably. So you know I won’t address all what I consider those ignorant comments 16 but I’ll say is this is we have the ability to find some folks who can be young, fresh or old in this business but when you (inaudible) time with so many specific things you might not get what you’re looking for. And we’ve hired a lot of folks in this government that for lack of a better word had retired from somewhere else and came here for a little while and was gone again. We haven’t given ourselves the opportunity to grow with anybody. So I stand by what I said and I stand by my motion, thank you. Mr. Mayor: Yeah well, I don’t think anybody questioning your ability to stand by. I’m th going to the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Garrett: Thank you, sir. You know it’s really disheartening to know that a committee was put together last week to go through all of these nuances so we wouldn’t have to spend time here today doing this very exact same thing as was discussed. It’s very clear what is happening here. You know it’s much easier to control somebody that has one to five years’ experience. You know in my mind you should, it should be really simple. Itt should say three plus years not three to five because what if somebody has six years does that mean this process is going to choke them out? You know I just don’t understand why we keep doing this to ourselves. Here we are almost a year and a half into having an Interim Administrator and yet we’re still having a conversation about the process behind hiring somebody. I’ve been part of a lot of interviews during my tenure and never once has any of those other top positions required less than three years’ experience. So you know for us to dumb this down to one to five years or whatever you know I think it’s completely ridiculous. th Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Yep. Mr. M. Williams: --- I don’t know how to say this no more than I already said this now. The committee chairmen have been put together. We came out with this thing thinking that everything was good. Now all of a sudden people who are not on the committee done made a decision somewhere at some other time to change the requirements. Commissioner Sias was on the committee because he’s Administrative Services Chair but the others weren’t even on it but they’re going to go along with a vote to dumb down the situation where we need experienced people in this organization. Now if you get a painter to paint your house do you want somebody’s been painting for three to five years or somebody who started painting last year or if you want somebody to work on your car you want somebody with some experience and that’s what we were saying. We need somebody who understands our government, who understands government period, and be able to come in here and know. You get a young man or a young woman who’s fearful of their job because of these bully tactics that we use a lot of times on employees that they’re going to be doing what somebody else said. Now I ain’t playing no more games with ya’ll. I’ve got until December and we’re going to do it right until December cap and that’s all there is to it. It just don’t make sense for us to act like nobody sees what we’re doing, that people ain’t smart enough to know we’ve got a back door something or somebody. I ain’t doing that. Those days are gone; it’s over with. Now comment to yourself or comment to me because I can comment 17 back but I don’t give a ham sandwich about none of that. We’re going to do the right thing; ain’t nobody going to fall for that (unintelligible) trick you’re going to call together in caucus and try to change things around, man. Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Hold on, all right, I see your hand up all right I’m going back to the th. Commissioner from the 5 All right, you have the floor, sir. Mr. B. Williams: I want to make a motion that we send this back to the committee to decide, the Chairmen’s to decide. I don’t really think this should be an open meeting. I think it should be, decisions should be made in committee so that’s my motion. Mr. Mayor: Well, you’ve already got a substitute motion and that’s been debated and now th’s you’re back to the Commissioner from the 4 motion, so let’s take action on that. I appreciate your candor in what you said. And so to that end you had a subcommittee that worked very hard on this process and effectively whatever happens next may negate that or support your candor. So let’s go ahead and vote on this, Madam Clerk, and so --- Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Could you repeat the motion? Mr. Mayor: --- to vote on that, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: The motion is to revise the presented job description to read one to five years’ experience and proceed with the recruitment of a recruiter by the H.R. Director. Mr. Mayor: So, Madam Clerk --- The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- okay, I’ll come back to that in just a minute. I’ll come back to it in a minute because I don’t want us to get hung up on recruiting a recruiter because that’s just a matter of hiring a recruiter --- The Clerk: Or hiring one. Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, hiring a recruiter to proceed with the process so we can be completed st with it by July 31, we’ve been in this --- The Clerk: In the meeting the committee did ask questions to the H.R. Director regarding presenting possible recruiters to the Commission so that’s the only reason. That was discussed in the meeting as well. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, let me say one thing, Mr. Mayor. Can I say something? th Mr. Mayor: All right, recognize the Commissioner from the 6. 18 Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, the only thing I see for take her time is allow what Ms., what the Clerk just said I agree with what she just mentioned and if my colleagues will allow the H.R. Director to go ahead on and hire after she vet and she makes a decision and makes a decision and then move on and start the process to get us to those next (unintelligible) and not bring it back to the Commission. Let the H.R. do what she does and look and look at those perspective persons, entities and make that decision and go ahead and we keep the process moving. Mr. M. Williams: We can’t move the process, Mr. Mayor, until we get the first of all we’ve got to get this vote. Ain’t no (unintelligible) you can’t go ahead and direct the (unintelligible) for her to do something when we hadn’t even made the vote yet. Let’s approve the subcommittee’s recommendation and then get H.R. to follow up. That is true you don’t get the cart ahead of the horse. Mr. Mayor: All right, so let’s all right, we’re going to take action on this. The Chair st recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I was a part of that committee and the only thing that I didn’t agree with is the three to five years but everything else that the committee came up with you know I was okay with. You know we do I don’t think that the work that the subcommittee did was wasted. I mean it’s not unusual for us to discuss stuff on committee one Tuesday and then pull everything off the agenda at the regular committee meeting the following Tuesday. That’s how we operate. Now I remember and many of you all probably remember also that when the last president we had was running for office a senator from Chicago what they talked about was his lack of experience and as it turned out he did an outstanding job for this country. And then we come up he was replaced by someone else who lacked experience and every, I can see the difference. I don’t think everybody can but I can see the difference. So when you put experience or lack of experience you’re basically saying that when the interview come up whether I have confidence in this person to move this city forward regardless of whether he has one year or if he has 50 years. And I think that’s the problem that I have with the three to five years. Not that I’m trying to make that position available for anybody because regardless of how many years’ experience they have they’re going to have, need six votes in order to sit in the chair. So that’s the position that has been my position all along and I have not changed that position when it comes to experience. Mr. Mayor: Attorney Brown, I’m going to pose this question to you and again to the degree that the members of the Commission are voting what did not happen is we didn’t get a copy of the updated or revised job description that we were expecting or should have gotten. And I pose that to you. Ms. Rookard is not here but we should’ve gotten that so absent us just simply saying this is what we’re supposed to be voting on and for with these noted amendments were there any other changes that we have not had a chance to look at, I don’t know. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, the job description was attached to the agenda item in the book. Mr. Mayor: Okay. 19 The Clerk: The revised job description. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right, Madam Clerk, let’s do a roll call vote. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: No. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: No to the games. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Sias. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hasan --- Mr. Hasan: Yes. Mr. Mayor: --- Commissioner Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Did you hear me? Mr. Mayor: No, we didn’t. Mr. Hasan: I said yes. Mr. Mayor: Okay. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. 20 Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: No. Motion ties 5-5. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, we have a 5-5 tie. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, the Mayor votes No. Motion Fails 5-6. Mr. M. Williams: So, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to reinstate my motion again to approve the subcommittee findings, have the H.R. Director to follow suit as we previously stated. Mr. Frantom: Second. The Clerk: Who was that, Mr. --- Mr. Sias: You can’t reinstate a motion. Mr. M. Williams: I’m making another motion. I ain’t reinstating no motion, Mr. Mayor, where you been? Mr. Sias: This item is done, this item is done. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I made a substitute motion again. th, Mr. Mayor: No, Commissioner from the 6 let me get everybody to suspend. Everybody suspend. Mr. Hasan: (Unintelligible). Mr. Mayor: Everybody suspend. I mean you know my frustration in this conversation right now is that we’re turning this into a bush league conversation and we’re better than that. I mean I think we’re better than that. I mean it’s very bush league what we’re doing right now. And at the end of the day we want to give people opportunity and we want to make sure that we have the best persons representing the City of Augusta in any role and in any capacity. And so you know as much as we try to take the emotions out of this what we cannot do is sit in the huddle another week another day. We need to take action on this matter and we need to move it forward. 21 Mr. M. Williams: That’s right. Mr. Mayor: And so again to the degree that this is a matter that has lingered and persisted for the better part of a year we have to do something and we need to do it today. As I have said and again I’ll be very direct about this as I said on last week to several of you who spoke with me talked with me, our Interim Administrator, since he sits in that role, he absolutely should be given an opportunity to apply and/or interview. If that was what the goal was if that was the end game was to allow him to do that, that absolutely should happen. What shouldn’t happen is that we take this process and we diminish it and diminish the role of the Administrator. That shouldn’t happen, that absolutely should not happen. When you look at the fact that as I’ve said earlier the second largest city in the State of Georgia we’re one of the strongest economies in the State of Georgia. Our neighbor right across the street most recently hired someone to replace their former Administrator Todd Glover who’s now leading the municipal league of South Carolina. And for us to be at this place let’s take the politics and the gamesmanship out of it. Let’s do the right thing, move this process forward and interview all candidates who would apply and be brought forward to us by a recruiter and make the best decision for the City of Augusta. That’s what needs to happen. Attorney Brown, I’m going to come to you at this point. I don’t know if the best posture is for the Commission to reconsider it’s previous action which may be where we need to be but I’m going to defer to our Parliamentarian, Attorney Brown. Mr. Brown: Yes, sir. A reconsideration motion requires that there needs to be new evidence or reason to believe that something was not previously considered. At this point I don’t see any intervening evidence of that, however, since the Commission obviously is going to either reconsider it today or next week I think with the consent of the Commission if the Commission desires to continue to vote or rediscuss without objection I would see no problem with that. Mr. Mayor: I think it’s prudent upon all of us we need to move this process forward and we’ve been here long enough. And I would ask this body to for us to wisely move this process th forward, all right? I’m going to come to the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Well since, thank you, sir, there’s a process to move, there is a process to move this thing forward. The only thing that the subcommittee was looking at was modifying that process but the process is already there still viable and still legal and it can move forward from there. The action of the subcommittee was something that we added in a little bit different there as far as so if that did not pass which it did not either way then you have the process that’s been used. It’s still there. And my motion or my statement about was simple. It wasn’t all this charged up activity and all this don’t make sense and all this. The simple process wasn’t about games. You put forth a motion or you put forth an agenda item and you go from there and I don’t why we’ve got to have all this other curriculum to go with it and the simple thing is you vote it up or down. So we have a process that’s already in place and we can most certainly use that. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Okay well to the degree that there’s a process then again what was done by this body was to attempt to effectively put all of those in the same thing. If we’re going to move forward with the recruitment as it relates to an Administrator the job description has been amended. 22 We can take these things in a piece wise fashion but more than anything what needs to happen is that the recruitment process needs to move forward, okay? If we’re going to have folks to be interviewed then we need to let folks be interviewed and then we take that process and select the candidates from that pool, that’s what needs (inaudible). Mr. Sias: I just want to interrupt, I’m not being rude but nothing has changed not the description nor the description none of that was effectively changed and that’s the statement you just made. Mr. Mayor: That’s absolutely what I said. Mr. Sias: The existing process is still in place and the existing standards are still in place. Mr. Mayor: So at this point we need to move forward with H.R. pursuing a recruiter and we take the job description and move it forward. Mr. Hasan: We haven’t voted on that, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: You have voted on it. Mr. Hasan: I’d like to make a motion to reconsider our previous actions. Mr. B. Williams: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second to reconsider your previous action. Mr. Sias: Point of Order, Point or Order. Mr. Mayor: State your inquiry. Mr. Sias: Mayor, you actually elicited the Attorney into that discussion and the Attorney laid out some criteria and I don’t see where that criteria’s been met. Mr. Mayor: Well, again a motion to reconsider the Commission’s previous action is a standard process. It’s consistent with your commission rules as well as has been done on multiple occasions, on multiple occasions when there was either unreadiness or a concern about the action that was previously taken. Mr. Sias: All right my point is made, thank you. Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, we’re going to a roll call vote motion to reconsider the previous action. The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: No. 23 The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: I’m confused. Mr. Mayor: A motion to consider reconsider the previous action opens debate up about the work that we were just doing with the debated matter that was just on the floor. Mr. Fennoy: All right, I’ll go for that. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes, can you hear me? The Clerk: Was that yes? Mr. Hasan: Yes. The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Sias, he’s muted. Mr. Sias: You’re correct, abstain. The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. 24 Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Mr. Clarke votes No. Mr. Sias abstains. Motion Passes 8-1-1. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to put a motion on the floor with this going on today I do respect the body of work that the subcommittee has done. We cannot get anywhere. We want to try to get this done. I think we’re going to back up so I would put a motion that we respectfully vote it as the subcommittee approved it and with the H.R. Director getting a headhunter. Mr. M. Williams: Second. th. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner from the 6Madam Clerk, we’ve got a motion and a second. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: Would you please read the motion? The Clerk: Yes, sir. That is to approve the revised job description as submitted by the subcommittee and that the H.R. Director will proceed with hiring, procuring a recruiter. Mr. Clarke: Yes. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: No. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. The Clerk: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. 25 Mr. Sias: No. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams, Mr. Dennis Williams muted. Mr. D. Williams: One second, oh there you are, yes. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Mr. Fennoy and Mr. Sias vote No. Motion Passes 8-2. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Commissioners. Mr. D. Williams: Mr. Mayor --- nd Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2, yes, sir. Mr. D. Williams: --- Mr. Mayor, didn’t a little bit ago you were saying something when we talked about the experience being one to five years and you said that we had the word in there ‘preferred’ about the length of time in the copy of the job description that was in the booklet it says served one to five years so it’s not giving any preference. You know we said we preferred versus somebody being able to get in there seem like you said related field of study preferred. Okay it’s not saying one exact thing, it gives you a variety. So do we need to adjust the description to include that language? nd, Mr. Mayor: So, Commissioner from the 2 I’m going to one refer to the action that was just taken by the Commission in my naïve defense right now I don’t have my notebook and I read all that and that’s why I asked a moment ago Attorney Brown had you sent it. Madam Clerk clarified and said it was in your notebook so I missed that. My notebook’s at home right now but I raised the issue around preferred because that’s what I remember Chairwoman Davis stating when we were in the meeting on last week. Madam Clerk, next item. Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor --- th, Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 5 state your inquiry. Mr. B. Williams: --- all right just for clarification anybody can apply. We just prefer three to five. Anybody can apply, see that’s what I’m hearing otherwise we need to go ahead and do a 26 motion saying three to five because if you said preferred three to five then if I’ve got one at eight months or seven months or whatever then I can apply for that job. Mr. Mayor: Let me state again unequivocally there is a job description that was just adopted. I don’t have it in front of me. That’s my fault not anyone else’s so I don’t know what it says that’s in your notebook. What I do know is applications are going to be made by people to include folks who are currently in local government, okay? The job description simply says here’s what you’re looking for okay? It does not say I can’t apply and I shouldn’t apply. That’s the thing that again as I’ve said earlier concerned me okay? You can in fact apply. That job description as adopted by this body just a moment ago simply says here’s what we’re generally looking for. Madam Clerk, next item number five Item #5, Madam Clerk, Madam Clerk: The Clerk: Okay, I’m here. The Clerk: PUBLIC SERVICES 5. Discussion on RATP-Dev request for additional compensation for their employees and reimbursement of expenses related to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Mr. Mayor: I believe we’ve got some folks who are waiting to come in to talk about that issue I think. Ms. Dottery, Ms. Dottery? All right, we’re waiting on Ms. Dottery to come in. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, let me let me say something if you don’t mind. Mr. Mayor: All right, state your inquiry. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I want to revert back to what my colleague just asked about. I don’t think we need to mix apples and oranges about what we just approved around this --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah --- Mr. Hasan: --- administrator position. It is very clear what’s there and we shouldn’t you know pander for that what we got serves three to five years as Administrator and/or City Manager. And I think that’s I mean even your language I think you made the strongest approach today to do something different and so I think we should to some of my colleagues who are leaving here assuming we’re going to do something different. We voted on what’s in the book and that’s what we should be trying to heed for the most part. There are exceptions to all rules but we voted on in the book is what we need to all colleagues need to be mindful that’s first and foremost that’s our priority. Mr. Mayor: --- thank you, Ms. Dottery --- Ms. Dottery: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. 27 Mr. Mayor: --- all right we’re on Item #5 a discussion on RATP-Dev request for additional compensation. Ms. Dottery: Yes, sir, I apologize, the computer had kicked me out. Mr. Mayor: No problem. Ms. Dottery: The item before you is RATP-Dev has requested additional compensation th for their employees based on a hazard pay that the city approved on April the 6 and to go to May st. 1 This item and they’re also asking for COVID-19 expenses. On this item Transit has said that we disapproved that item and the reason being is because the hazard pay that you all awarded to ststthst the city was from as I stated April 1 through May 1, April 6 through May 1, however, they’re thth asking in their request to be paid from January the 20 through June 30. Mr. Mayor: Ms. Dottery --- Ms. Dottery: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- so they’re, I’m looking at a resolution online right now for operating an amendment to the operating agreement. Is there a dollar amount, that’s $5.00 dollars per hour? Ms. Dottery: Yes, that’s the $5.00 dollars per hour that you all voted to give to the employees in hazard. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I’m going to go to the Chairwoman of Public Services for a th comment. All right, she yields. All right, I’m going to the Commissioner from the 10. Mr. Clarke: Yes sir, bless you. Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I have a question for Ms. Dottery. Mr. Mayor: All right, Ms. Dottery. Mr. Clarke: Is it not true that the Transit divers and that team are on a dollar amount contract per year? Ms. Dottery: Yes, sir, they are. Mr. Clarke: Okay, then why can’t they take the money that they’re paid yearly on a contract, why can’t they pay their Transit workers out of the money that we pay them yearly on the contract? Ms. Dottery: Well, sir, they do pay them out of the monies that they receive from us but it’s because the Commission had approved the hazard pay and everyone was coming to work everyday so that’s why they felt like with this CARES ACT that we just got from the FTA and DOT that they would be entitled to reimbursement for their employees. So they wanted the same hazard pay that you all approved for the city but I still say because the request comes from January 28 thth 20 when the CARES ACT started until June 30 I don’t believe that’s allowable because that’s not what you all approved for us. Mr. Mayor: Okay, so all right everybody pause for a moment. I’m going to go in this order. thndthth I’m going to go 6, 2, 4 and the 9. Let me clarify, Ms. Dottery, this Commission included the Transit workers in the hazard pay okay? They were included in the hazard pay when we went through that process. Now just for clarification the resolution I believe that you brought before us is it attempting to go back to January 2020 until June 2030 because those are really the sticking points there. While the first COVID incident in America was 19 January this body was very direct about when hazard pay was implemented so at a minimum if we’re having a conversation today it needs to coincide with when the Augusta Commission voted and approved for hazard pay to be made available to city employees that included the Transit workers as well, not the January 2020 th to June 30 period of timeframe. That’s what I would offer. So I’m going to the Commissioner thndthth from the 6, the 2 and then the 4 and 9 go ahead, sir. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You gave some clarity in your opening part of that when you made mention and in our terms of reimbursement you’re saying that we included the Transit workers. Is that what I understood you to say? Can you hear me, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, that is correct, Commissioner. Mr. Hasan: Okay, okay, okay, okay well then and if that’s the case we have a different perspective on it. I agree with everything you just said for that window for that month that we compensate our people does that mean that week comes up because we’re inline to get anywhere about $6 million dollars as a result of that. And so we just amend the contract at that particular point if we included them because I think it would be unfair to include them and then not compensate them. Now obviously we can’t honor what they’re asking. It’s just wondered if we did that. But also they got an additional $5,000 dollars there where they bought supplies and stuff for sanitary reasons and stuff like that so what you just said I believe it and I’d like you to ask the Attorney. I think I can support if that’s the case in what you just said. Mr. Mayor: Okay, yes, sir --- Mr. Hasan: And another thing that’s around the issue that we included them those employees you know --- Mr. Mayor: --- yeah --- Mr. Hasan: --- should yeah. Mr. Mayor: --- absolutely. All right Attorney Brown --- Mr. Brown: Yes, sir. 29 Mr. Mayor: --- the question before us is and again the question is probably better for Administrator Sims and that is the matter of including the Transit workers in our hazard pay. That was a clear action that this body took, Administrator Sims. Mr. Sims: Commissioner, we did have (inaudible) proposal as far as --- Mr. Hasan: Can you speak up a little bit please? Mr. Sims: --- yes, can you hear me better now? Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir. Mr. Sims: (Inaudible) included in our Continuity Operational Plan as far as the request on RATP-Dev was outside of the timeframe to be approved for hazardous pay that is as you recognized (inaudible) Commission decision to approve hazardous pay for the Transit to align with the time that we had approved hazardous pay then that will be the decision of the Commission. (Unintelligible) outside of the time we had approved hazardous pay for our (inaudible). The $5,367.47 charges for cleaning and additional expenditures for COVID-19 Director Dottery recognized those are allowable expenditures (inaudible). Mr. D. Williams: That’s a contractor. nd Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner from the 2. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, Mr. Mayor. I was just looking on the MOU. They want us to pay all related labor costs and expenses. If they’re a private contractor I don’t see why we’re paying any of it. That’s it. So then we shouldn’t be, they said labor or anything regarding payroll withholding, any costs associated with that, their labor costs and expenses caused by the epidemic or whatever it is. That shouldn’t be our responsibility; they’re a business. We hired the business; that’s their responsibility not the city’s. Thank you. th Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 4 it’s on you, sir. Mr. Sias: Thank you. Just to make sure I’m clear. I support the supplies the amount of the $5,000 and also support the hazardous pay for the same period that the other employees received it. The question that I need a little clarification on is when we first talked about amending the schedule for the bus drivers. There was a question about we wouldn’t have to pay for it. So and that’s not my last point but I just wanted a clarification where it came from Ms. Dottery and them. What obligation did we incur that we should be able to pay them for under the COVID process? I know we did the free fares and then we was talking about the hours but we decided to leave the hours the same or whatever it was. So can I get a clarification on that point? Ms. Dottery: Yes, sir, Commissioner Sias, you all did agree on the free fares and that’s still in place at the moment. And as far as the reimbursement go from the COVID-19 the CARES ACT that we’re receiving as Commissioner Hasan mentioned the $6.4 we can get reimbursed for the fares themselves and we can reimbursed if any employees took time off due to COVID-19. 30 We did not have those issues arise because everyone was coming into work and putting the service on the street which they still are. So when it comes to an agreement this was a discussion with them on this amendment but the agreement was everyone came to work and still put the service out and in order to protect them to take care of them that’s when you all agreed with us that we would do the suspension of fares. Mr. Sias: So in line with that, Ms. Dottery, if I may, Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: --- is it your opinion that we owe them any other money besides during the COVID timeframe that when the employees were coming to work do you feel like we owe them anything for the actual employees salary? Ms. Dottery: No, I do not. Mr. Sias: And that was kind of what I was thinking. And so really there’s no salary issue for us to address because they all got paid but for the supplies and the fares those are the things that I think we decided we’re kind of clear we were eligible for reimbursement under COVID-19, I just wanted to clear that up. Ms. Dottery: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: Thank you very much, thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: All right thank you, Commissioner. All right, I’m going to the Commissioner th from the 9. Mr. Hasan: Commissioner Williams, we can’t hear you. Mr. Mayor: You can’t hear me? Mr. Hasan: Commissioner Williams. Mr. Sias: His mike is muted. Mr. Mayor: I don’t know what’s going on there. Commissioner Williams. Mr. Sias: His mike is muted. That’s what’s going on. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I know. Mr. M. Williams: How about now, Mr. Mayor? Can you hear me? Mr. Mayor: Okay, yes, we can hear you, you’ve got it. 31 Mr. M. Williams: Well, I know when we decided to give those monies to the people who are at risk and the bus drivers are maybe not our employees but their driving our busses. (Unintelligible) I’m going to say hundreds of people are riding the bus that don’t normally ride (unintelligible) in a position to get something or to do (unintelligible) bus stop so I think (inaudible) or we can during our timeframe to pay those drivers whatever ‘x’ amount of money it was that we ought to be able to get reimbursed back from. Now don’t I don’t believe in extended contracts or changing contracts but we’ve got to remember now we’re talking about human life. We ain’t talking about the City of Augusta, we loaded the bus down with all of their family, all of their children and nobody (unintelligible) maybe one but two out of 30/40 (unintelligible). So (inaudible) I’m in favor of trying to make sure that we (inaudible). I can’t hear nobody, I can’t hear nobody. Mr. Mayor: All right, we heard you, Commissioner, so all right we’re going to go to the st Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I support paying the Transit workers the additional, can you hear me, Mr. Mayor? Am I muted? Mr. Mayor: We hear you, keep talking, we hear you. Mr. Fennoy: Yeah, I agree and support paying the Transit drivers the additional $5.00 dollars an hour during the time that the regular that our city employees work but I also think that we ought to pay our sanitation workers the additional $5.00 dollars an hour because they to me fall under the same situation that the Transit workers fall under. They’re out here picking up our garbage every day putting themselves at risk. And I think if we’re going to pay the Transit drivers we need to pay the sanitation workers also. Mr. Mayor: All right, so here’s what I’d like to do. I appreciate that. We have a matter, a single subject matter that’s before us right now and we need to move this along. I don’t remember the effective dates of COVID pay for the City of Augusta employees. It may have been April 1 to April 30, that may have been that timeframe I don’t remember but --- th Mr. Sias: April 6 to 1 May. th Mr. Mayor: --- okay, thank you, sir. All right, so April 6 to 1 May all right that’s again you’ve got an amendment to the Management Operations Agreement of Page 1. The date shall be th effective from April 6 2020 until May 1 2020 for hazard pay. If we can get that in the form of a th motion we can move this thing forward. All right, the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Garrett: One quick question before we move forward with this. Aren’t these Transit workers contractors and not employees of Augusta? Mr. Mayor: They are contractors and when we adopted the hazard pay there were three Augusta employees who were included in that conversation. Because they are contractors they have come and said pursuant to the CARES ACT funding and I believe your Finance Director will 32 say the same because we’re getting those resources we certainly can move forward with this because it’s covered under Transit funds through the CARES ACT. Mr. Garrett: Can we get the Finance Director in on this conversation? Mr. Mayor: I’m sorry, sir, repeat that. Mr. Garrett: Can we get the Finance Director in on this conversation and let’s double check before we vote on this? Mr. Mayor: Well, sure. Administrator Sims, do you want to chime in on that? Mr. Sims: Yes, we can if you need the Finance Director to add some additional --- Mr. Mayor: All right, she’s on here already. Thank you, sir, Administrator Sims. We’ve had this discussion already once of where we said we had the Transit dollars each of you got a document to the tune of roughly about $8 million-dollars from a Transit standpoint and so we’ve had this conversation before as a reminder. Ms. Williams. Okay, she was there a minute ago. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I think it’s more of a legal question than anything. Can I say something while you’re waiting, I’m sorry. Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m ready for Ms. Williams, Director Williams. Ms. Williams: Yes, I’m here. th Mr. Mayor: The question the Commissioner from the 8 has raised is the issue of CARES ACT funding for hazard pay to address this issue. Mr. Garrett: As it refers to the contractors, Mayor, that is the question I have. Mr. Mayor: All right, so state your question, sir. Mr. Garrett: Is this even an issue we should be voting on and approving since they are contractors to the city? I mean I’m not sure why we’re voting on non-employees. Mr. Mayor: Is this an amendment to the contract? There’s a separator pay in the contract and you’re amending that and that takes Commission approval. Mr. Garrett: Director Williams? Mr. Mayor: I see your hands up there, Commissioners. Donna, go ahead please. Ms. Williams: Okay, if these are reimbursable under the CARES ACT they are reimbursable only under the section of the CARES ACT that specifically pertains to Transit and I will be 100% honest with you I have not taken a deep dive into that just yet. If Sharon has a higher 33 level of knowledge on that subject, I will certainly defer to her because I have not researched this specific question related to those that section of the CARES ACT and I apologize for that but I was not prepared. Mr. Garrett: Have our employees in Transit been paid? Ms. Williams: The three employees that are on our payroll have been paid Haz pay when they physically reported for work. Mr. Garrett: Thank you. th Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 6, yes, sir. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, yes, if you remember I was probably the one who led the charge I would say for lack of a better term to acknowledge they were not our employees and I thought the contract in hand covered everything for them in that regard. However, I did find out that each month they give us submit form for hours of work as a result of that we cut them a check from month to month but here’s where I’m looking at, here’s the way I’m looking at it now. As we know the CARES ACT is actually going to give us a little over $6 million-dollars for transportation and if you include this whole process around the employees and everything what we in essence are saying knowing that we would get reimbursed there’s some employees over there on the front lines and so knowing that the government is going to give us $6 million-dollars we’re going to give them the same thing we gave our employees. We don’t lose any money. I think it would almost be in many ways unfair to almost take the money around employees if we’re not going to give them money, just for that window. I’m not talking about the window the contract is actual just for those three weeks or four weeks or whatever that we actually pay our people to be consistent with that and so we know without a shadow of a doubt that we’re going to (unintelligible) them first. We talk about a lot of grants lately in this process and who’s going to get what. Well, this involves, this is guaranteed and all we’re saying is that hey they want to pay us for this own employees so we should be able to compensate them in light of that. And, Mr. Mayor, I think it’s a legal question where the action doesn’t put us in harm’s way but I think it’ll give us the leeway knowing that we definitely know for sure it’s going to be reimbursed they’ve guaranteed us a (inaudible). Mr. Mayor: I’m not even sure what the legal question is. There’s documentation that’s already been provided us. It says these are allowable under the CARES ACT. I mean we’ve already been down this road. There’s not much left for us to talk about other than to take action and vote on this and again it’s not a legal question. There’s documentation that’s substantially supports this action. I’m going to go to the Mayor Pro Tem. He’s raised his hand a couple of times, all right, he waives. All right, Attorney Brown, if you want to weight in you certainly can. Mr. Brown: I think we talked about this at the previous, at the, when the previous request came in regarding the schedule and we talked about gratuities. I think that argument has been removed. I think we’re free from the gratuities in that we have received the assurance that this is a permissible activity for the city to do. What we’re really doing is basically passing through federal 34 funds that the Feds have already indicated they’re willing to pay these workers through us so we could go forth with it but I do have concerns about the drafting of the attached amendment. Mr. Mayor: Attorney Brown, did you not see this before it showed up in the notebooks? Mr. Brown: Yes, I did. Mr. Mayor: Okay so what are your concerns if it’s in front of us at this point? I mean --- Mr. Brown: What was requested I will be recommending against. They had requested to go back to January. I do not believe that is appropriate and I do not believe --- Mr. Mayor: --- we said that? Mr. Brown: Pardon? th Mr. Mayor: We already handled that. We said that the dates are April the 6 through May st 1. Mr. Brown: I understand that. This document states that it is entered into in April 2020. That is not the case. I do believe that the document needs to cleaned up to do what you decide to do if not what’s in this document. Mr. Mayor: So we all agree on that. We’re, so Attorney Brown would you make an amendment to this so we can take action on it? Mr. Brown: I can’t type it up now because I don’t have it in Word. The other thing is when does the pay end? st Mr. Mayor: May 1 the same, pursuant to Commission action, this amendment under the th last under Item 5 this amendment shall be effective from April 6 2020 to May 1, 2020 which are the dates of the Commission action for hazard pay for city employees. Mr. Brown: That will also need to be (inaudible) this agreement. Mr. Mayor: I’m sorry, repeat that? Mr. Brown: That will also need to revised in this agreement because it carries it to June th 30. If the Commission makes a motion to approve with the adjustment then if the Commission is satisfied and produces an approval letter to that effect that could be done and submitted for signature. Mr. D. Williams: That is the discussion. Mr. Brown: Yes. 35 Mr. D. Williams: Mr. Mayor --- nd Mr. Mayor: I’m coming to you. The Commissioner from the 2. Mr. D. Williams: --- regarding Item #8 if we could receive this as information and instruct the --- Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, hold on, Commissioner, we have not taken action on Item #5 will still debating number five. Mr. D. Williams: --- well, I’m giving a recommendation for a motion. Mr. Mayor: You said Item #8. Mr. D. Williams: I apologize, number five. I’ve got my hand on the button anyway --- Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. D. Williams: --- recommend that we receive Item #5 as information with the instruction to the Attorney and Finance to come back with the exact totals that to the contract and then we will vote to pay one way or the other. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. B. Williams: I’ll second it. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. All right, thank you very much. We’ll receive as information with, Attorney Brown, you tracking? Mr. Brown: Yes. Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, sir. Madam Clerk, Item #7. The Clerk: So that was done without objection, just for the record. Okay. Item 7 --- Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor --- The Clerk: Okay, that was Item 7 --- nd Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the 2 with a motion to receive as information and the Commissioner from --- The Clerk: Okay, direct staff, Attorney Brown and Finance to come back with a recommendation. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am. 36 The Clerk: Okay. Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the thth 5 but we’re going to go to Item #7. All right, the Commissioner from the 5. Mr. B. Williams: --- I was --- Mr. Mayor: Well, we’ll receive it as information and I took the same approach that I do often on the floor to receive as information and we go to the next item. Mr. B. Williams: --- Mr. Mayor, I was just a little bit too fast. I knew you were going to number seven. I was just going to say motion to approve. While will we continue to haggle all day about somebody sitting on the sidewalk? Mr. Frantom: I’ll second it. The Clerk: Okay, is that a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor, to approve? Mr. Mayor: No, no, no, no, everybody suspend. Madam Clerk, again on Item #5 we’ll receive it as information. The staff is going to go back and come back to us with a recommendation, okay? Item #7, you haven’t read the caption yet. The Clerk: PUBLIC SERVICES 7. Discuss and approve allowing small businesses to expand their foot print into sidewalks/streets for next 60 days due to COVID restrictions. (Requested by Mayor Pro Tem Sean Frantom) th Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the 5. Mr. B. Williams: I want to make a motion to approve it. Mr. D. Williams: And I’ll second it. Mr. Mayor: All right, we have a motion and a second. Mr. Sias: And I have a question. Mr. Mayor: I’m coming to you, I’ve got you. All right, a motion and a second thnd Commissioner from the 5 with a motion the 2 with a second. All right, the Chair recognizes th the Commissioner from the 4, state your inquiry. Mr. Sias: Thank you, I support the idea of them being able to move out onto the sidewalk but I do have a concern about closing the side streets. I’m not sure we’re all aware of that. And 37 also Item 2 of this agenda item, small item, small whatever you want to call it, number two, I have concerns about number two. Totally in favor of number one but number two I have some issues with that part right there about street closure and are we saying what side streets and about off duty police and Traffic and Engineering, the Sheriff’s Department, all of that. Could we do it without number two and I want to suggest that to the Mayor Pro Tem for a response if you don’t mind. Mr. Mayor: All right, I appreciate you doing that. All right, I’m going to come to the Mayor Pro Tem who brought this information to us. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you. Mr. Mayor. So I brought this up to business owners downtown, vetted this and saw Aiken do it. We’ve seen other municipalities. Savannah talked about it today. Basically we need to expand the footprints of these businesses can survive the next 60 days and that’s the reason I brought it forward. Now as far as number two goes, it’s only Friday and Saturday and they basically have to submit to the Sheriff’s Office to approve or not approve it. And I don’t believe it’s very many streets, I mean we’re talking about between Broad and Ellis and maybe three streets is what I’ve heard. So I don’t see it that much of a nuisance and we’re only talking about 60 days I don’t really see why we wouldn’t want to support that just on basically the times of where we are and why not help these businesses. As you saw on the letter you know five of the major restaurant owners know about this. They were vetted by the DDA kind of looked at it and got this information with their board of directors. I think the DDA is ready to support it from the standpoint of prompting it publicly. I think this is just a good morale booster for downtown Augusta frankly. I don’t see why we would want to not put in the street closures because of what it would mean for those businesses for those two days. It just makes sense to me. Mr. Sias: Thank you for, thank you for that, Mayor Pro Tem. I’m not trying to stand in the way of this. I completely support number one. I have concerns about number two so and I’ll leave it at that, thank you. th Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 10, Commissioner from thth the 10. Okay, he waives. I’m going to come back to him Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ask Attorney Brown a question here around this issue. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Attorney Brown. Mr. Hasan: Attorney Brown --- Mr. Brown: Right here, sir, right here. Mr. Hasan: --- yes, sir, when you look at the caption on here when it says for the next 60- days due to COVID restrictions, does that present a problem around COVID restrictions? 38 Mr. Brown: Are you asking because you believe that the state of emergency may not last that long? Mr. Hasan: Yes, and most times when you do COVID you know those kinds of state of emergency you can only do 30 days and we talked about we know the Governor’s going to so I’m simply saying to satisfy this just move this out for the next 60 days. Don’t put no conditions on it. That’s my point, do we need to move that? Mr. Brown: Either way, either way, the ordinance the sidewalk ordinance has to be amended. As you see in number one of the person who, of the entities who wrote it which is DDA they recognize that, they’re requesting you to amend the sidewalk ordinance to allow that so we could get the sidewalk ordinance amended. We could do this anytime, it’s not just tied to COVID. However --- Mr. Hasan: Excuse me, Mr. Brown, but my question is based on we’ve been trying to stray from the law around COVID. Can we can we use the COVID here that we fall into those executive orders and things like that. I’m saying is it safer just to remove that and say for the next 60 days I understand the amendment of the sidewalk ordinance just remove the COVID restriction part of it th. and then worry about what June 13 That’s my question. Mr. Brown: Yes, you could remove that wording but when we effectively do it the wording would not be there anyway but for the purposes of your motion I do not see the word COVID as being a problem. Mr. Hasan: Okay --- Mr. Brown: Because the action that’s really, the true action you’re going to take will be the following meeting when you have the sidewalk ordinance before you and you amend the ordinance --- Mr. Hasan: --- okay. Mr. Brown: --- you don’t attach the COVID at that time which we would suggest like you were suggesting that the sidewalk ordinance will be amended but in that amendment there’s no need to reference COVID-19. Mr. Hasan: That’s all I wanted (unintelligible) to bring back an ordinance with COVID- 19, okay. Mr. Brown: But the other thing is too if I may, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Brown: --- regarding the closure of the streets I also think as well as Planning and Engineering need to be tasked to bring that back and to put forth the regulations and the guidance 39 of how that must be done and not leave it up to business owners to put their products out in the streets. There has to be guidelines for it. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: And they’ve reviewed this document. Mr. Mayor: All right, so the point in time, at the point in time that we bring this back then we’ll have that conversation. I do concur with you, Attorney Brown, you’re absolutely correct, th been included in that thought process. All right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 9 unless you’ve got something else, Attorney Brown. Mr. Brown: No, sir. th Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m not opposed either way but I just think we need to be careful when we’re doing what we’re trying to do here. We’re talking about extending, we’re talking about this virus this COVID-19 and we’re going to extend. We don’t have very much room on our sidewalks downtown or anywhere else. Downtown is a big issue for a sidewalk. But if we do this where some people have not taken advantage of the sidewalk space because there’s limited space now. When we started this we had to go back and look at how much walking distance, how much space Broad Street is even with this virus is thriving. Try to even see to find a parking space on Broad folks (unintelligible) and we’re going to extend the sidewalks out with the businesses then what are we going to do about the people walking through? We’ve been to create something now. It sounds good. I’m not opposed either way but I’m just saying we got to think about it and if we extend this, if we take our ordinance and revise it there’s other businesses who have not used the sidewalk are going to start using it. We’re not like a lot of cities. We’ve got to make our own, we’ve got to have some rules and regulations just because this COVID-19 is out we can’t take advantage of the rules. So I’m not opposed I’m just saying we’ve got to be careful. You don’t want to put people in harm’s way with people walking by because they extended it out. You’ve got a lot of people on Broad Street now so we’ve got to be careful with this one. That’s my two cents. Mr. Mayor: All right, do we have a, we’ve got a motion and a second --- The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- are there any amendments to the motion? Mr. M. Williams: What is the motion, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: All right is to approve, go ahead, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: To approve allowing small businesses to expand their footprints into sidewalks/streets for the next 60 days. 40 Mr. M. Williams: Question, Mr. Mayor. Is it approving small businesses wherever they are --- The Clerk: Downtown. Mr. M. Williams: --- or just downtown. Mr. Mayor: Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I mean I thought everywhere because I means we’ve got places that there’s restaurants and things that need the help and they’re not downtown so why I, I think everywhere that was just my thought. Mr. M. Williams: Well and I think you’re limited to downtown. I think you have to use anybody who’s outside the area want to extend it they have the same opportunity. Again if we can’t have for some and not for others so I’m not opposed to this. I just wanted to make sure we’re dotting our “I’s” but if you’re talking about the COVID virus and the restrictions we got you’re going to put people closer to other people now. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, if I could the Mayor Pro Tem did indicate all but his attachment specifically talked about downtown so do we change it to citywide, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, is that what you’re saying? Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, I don’t think that that’s prudent. I’m going to go back to something that the Attorney just stated a moment ago in terms of getting Planning and Engineering. I believe this needs to be actually to the central business district downtown. The Clerk: Yeah, it says Broad Street so that’s why --- Mr. Mayor: Change to the Central Business District. The Clerk: --- okay, that’s what the attachment said. Mr. M. Williams: Central Business District is just not Broad Street though. I mean if you look at Ellis Street and even Reynolds Street, not Reynolds, Jones Street now it’s beginning to grow so I think they need to be specified, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Again that’s why I’m saying Central Business District. I’m talking about those arterial streets as well Ellis, Jones where you have businesses that are there. All of them are not (unintelligible) situated on Broad Street on either side and so I think that’s appropriate. That’s why I’m using the catchall term Central Business District. And functionally everybody knows thth that that’s our downtown corridor effectively from 13 Street down to 6 Street. Mr. M. Williams: All right, they told me downtown consists of from Reynolds to Laney Walker. Now we done changed that now, Ms. Bonner, isn’t that true? 41 Mr. Mayor: That’s why I said Central Business District. Mr. M. Williams: Wait, Mr. Mayor, I’m not disagreeing. I’m in support of this but --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah --- Mr. M. Williams: --- we can’t have two definitions. Now that’s what the old definition was --- Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor, can we go ahead and vote? We’ve been on this for 20 minutes --- Mr. M. Williams: --- no, no, I’m asking a question. Mr. B. Williams: --- we’ve been on this 20 minutes. You need to cut him off. Mr. M. Williams: --- my question is you can’t, what is the specific business district was is th Reynolds Street all the way over to Laney Walker from 15 Street down to what? Now is that done changed? Mr. Mayor: No, that’s the Central Business District. That is correct, Commissioner from th the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Okay, well, I just wanted to make sure we understand what we’re doing, that’s all. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, all right, Madam Clerk, Central Business District. I think the attachment probably says that. We’ve got a motion and a second. The Clerk: Yes sir, Mr. Clarke. Mr. Garrett: He’s trying to get back in. If I.T. can let him back in the room that’d be helpful. Mr. Hasan: Are you sure about that? The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. 42 Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: Is Mr. Clarke back in? Mr. Clarke: Yes. Motion Passes 10-0. Mr. Hasan: Did he vote or did he just say he was back? The Clerk: I took it as both. Mr. Mayor: Let’s do this, let’s do this, Madam Clerk --- The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- all right, Mayor Pro Tem, state your inquiry. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’d like to move Agenda Item #8 in two weeks if it’s the will of the body. 43 Mr. Mayor: All right, let me go down the list and try to get us a place on several on those. Item #8, Item #9 --- Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, there may be an exception, we’ve got a timeline on that, Isn’t that time sensitive? The Clerk: And I think we have some folks here, are they still here? Mr. Mayor: On number eight? The Clerk: Number 9, sir. Mr. Mayor: Number 9, okay, all right, so all right, so we’ll hold on Number 8. All right Number 8, Number 20, Number 28, Number 29 and 31, 32 and 33. Mr. M. Williams: What are we going to do with those? nd Mr. Mayor: We’re going to move them to the June 2 meeting. All right, Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can we dispose of 29 and 31 just because it’s a time sensitive on those --- Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right so --- Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- handle those two. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, can I --- PUBLIC SERVICES 8. Discuss additional requirements/policies the Commission can implement to hold vacant and abandon lot owners more accountable for upkeep of their property. (Requested by Mayor Pro Tem Sean Frantom) FINANCE 20. Discuss the upcoming COLA for city employees. (Requested by Commissioner Ben Hasan) ENGINEERING SERVICES 28. Update from Environmental Services Department regarding the process for vacant lots grass cutting. (Requested by Commissioner Bill Fennoy) ADMINISTRATOR 32. Update of recruitment process for the Director of Augusta Recreation. (Deferred from the Commission May 5, 2020 Commission Meeting) It was the consensus of the Commission to refer these items to the June 2 Commission meeting without objection. 44 th Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, the Commissioner from the 9 and the Commissioner from the Mayor Pro Tem ya’ll work that out while we’re getting to what our whole list. I’m going to th go back, I’m going to go back to Items 26 and 27. I know the Commissioner from the 9 had some questions but the TIA project that had been funded in terms of the Downtown Roadway Improvements and this is simply entering into a master agreement. I think it’s appropriate for us to approve both 26 and 27 in accordance with TIA 1 so let’s not mix these together. Madam Clerk, nd my original list of 8, 20, 28, 32, 33 and if we could move those to the June 2 meeting, all right th, without objection. All right, the Commissioner from the 6 yes, sir. Mr. Hasan: I was just kind of responded to what my colleague just said about 29 and 31 - -- Mr. Mayor: Can you hold on that, Commissioner? Can you hold? I’ll come back to you. Mr. Hasan: --- okay. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I want to defer those to because they both had those items out there but nd those items, all right, can we move those to the 2 without, I don’t see any objection on those items, Madam Clerk. Mr. Hasan: Those two as well, Mr. Mayor, that’s was going to be my recommendation. Mr. Mayor: Well, I had those on my list first but we’re going to give them a chance to you know work it out amongst the two right there right quick if they want to move forward with those nd otherwise we’ll put them on the agenda item for June the 2, okay, so without objection. All right, on Item 26 and 27 can we take them as companion and vote to adopt those, Chairman of Engineering Services, Item 26 and 27 you said you had some questions. I’d try to walk through that. Again the background material is consistent in your notebook but these are TIA 1 projects and it will prudent for us to move this forward. All this is is preliminary work that needs to be done and Augusta’s funding that through our TIA funds. ENGINEERING SERVICES 26. Approve entering into a Master Agreement with CSX Transportation, Inc. stating that Augusta, GA will pay for the Preliminary Engineering and Review for the TIA funded Downtown Roadway Improvements Projects in accordance with the estimate $59,400.00. Also, approve the Agreement to be executed by the Augusta, GA Legal Counsel and the Mayor as requested by Augusta Engineering Department. 27. Approve entering into an Agreement with CSX Transportation, Inc. stating that Augusta, th GA will pay for the Preliminary Engineering and Review for the TIA funded 9 Street Improvements Project in accordance with the estimate $12,100.00. Also, approve the Agreement to be executed by the Augusta, GA Legal Counsel and the Mayor as requested by Augusta Engineering Department. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, as the Engineering Services Chairman I did have a couple of questions about 26 and 27 for sure. You know this Master Agreement with the CSX Transportation I don’t know what that agreement reads. I do know that it talked about $59,400.00 45 dollars here and they said I think it’s coming under the budget on one and I guess the budget was quite the same on 26, is that right? Mr. Mayor: Yes. Mr. M. Williams: Yes, in both of those on budget --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, on both of those, yes. Mr. M. Williams: --- under budget? Well, you know with the TIA Project (unintelligible) project I’m in support of it but when we’re doing work with the CSX Transportation facility that’s a major industry who has a lot funds. I want to make sure we’re not spending the funds they ought to be spending. Now Engineering handled that and I did talk to Malik about it. I didn’t have any questions. I’m not in favor. I’ll make a motion to approve it but I do know that you’ve got to keep your eyes on this type of situation here when you’re talking about an agreement with the CSX who have not been a friendly partner to Augusta for many years as far as spending money. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: But I want to approve it though but when I saw those figures and I thought I would ask those questions. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, all right, so we’ve got a motion to approve Items 26 and 27. Do I hear a second? Mr. Clarke: Second. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Madam Clerk? The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: Yes. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. 46 Mr. Garrett: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Motion Passes 10-0. th, Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, Mayor Pro Tem and the Commissioner from the 9 Items 29 and 31. APPOINTMENTS 29. Motion to approve the appointment of Ms. Patricia Daniels to the Richmond County Board of Tax Assessors to fill the expired term of Ms. Renee D’Antignac. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams) 31. Motion to approve the reappointment of Ms. Renee D’Antignac to the Richmond County Board of Tax Assessors. (Requested by Mayor Pro Tem Sean Frantom) Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, I had item I had the backup on this. I’m not opposed to reappointing anybody but we’ve got people in our community who’s been here for many years. We have people who have been serving on the board for many years and years and years and on top of that 15 to 20 years is a long time to be on those boards. Other people are qualified, other people have asked about serving on these boards so I know it’s the District 9 side that’s supposed to be making that appointment when the Mayor Pro Tem made that appointment I didn’t get a call to say well you know we think we ought to do this, we think we ought to do that. I had already asked the Clerk to put it on the agenda not knowing that he had caught himself on that board. He already mentioned something about putting something on the agenda. So I’m proposing to put Ms. Daniel as the replacement not because Ms. D'Antignac had done something wrong or not a good person but I just think it’s time to do what we’re supposed to do with these boards. District 47 9 supposed to caucus together and come up with a name. This lady lives in District 2 right around the corner from Commissioner Dennis Williams but a great person meets all the guidelines and I think it’s time for us to do what we’re supposed to do. You can’t have people on there for 15, 20, 25 years on one board --- Mr. Mayor: Okay --- Mr. M. Williams: --- the Commission’s got time limits so. Mr. Mayor: --- the Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Again I wasn’t trying to supersede any side honestly just being the liaison on the board I was asked by the Director to help get this appointed. It was supposed to be on the agenda a month ago something happened or something. And again this is a different board. These individuals go through significant training and just with the times with everything we have going on I think it’s the right move to reappoint people in this situation because of the training aspect and what these tax assessors what they go through and the good job that they do for us. So I would like to nominate Ms. Rene D’Antignac. Mr. Mayor: All right, so what I’d like to see us do is we’re going to push this off. Let’s push this off until the next meeting because we’re going to be at a stalemate. We’re going to be at a stalemate. Mr. M. Williams: Second. Mr. Fennoy: Let’s vote it up or down. Mr. B. Williams: I agree let’s vote it up or down. Mr. Fennoy: Let’s vote it up or down. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, we’ll take Item #29. Mr. Sias: I’ll second that motion from the Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor: Okay. The Clerk: Okay, Item 29 is Ms. Daniels. Mr. Mayor: All right --- Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’ve got a comment, Mr. Mayor, I’ve got a comment (inaudible) hand up. Mr. Mayor: --- all right, okay, I know, I’ve got your hand, Commissioner. All right, I thought we were going to try to get to a place of compromise. We didn’t get there. All right, so 48 th. we’re going to go from top to bottom here. I’m going to the Commissioner from the 6 He’s had his hand up for a period of time, go ahead, sir. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My position is like I said and I’ll say this for my colleague for the record. We need to mindful. The Tax Assessors is no different than any other board. When a term expires the person isn’t in carryover status. We’ve shared with them before but they insist on you know Ms. Renee D’Antignac is going to serve there. If she’ll never be moved she’ll stay there. She can be on somebody else’s watch if she don’t officially get appointed but they just won’t get that to try to tell us when we have to appoint somebody even though you point it out to them time and time again. The Department of Revenue said one thing but also they actually understand that we have a holdover status in our government when nobody else is appointed and they do recognize and respect that. That’s one part of it. My second part of it, Mr. Mayor, when I looked at the timeline that person has been here I honestly think 12 years, have I got disconnected? Mr. Mayor: No, you’re still there, go ahead. Mr. Hasan: Okay, I honestly think, Mr. Mayor, by 12 years it’s official. We’ve got one person that’s been there 24 years, another been there 20 years and stuff like that. I do know they get significant training but that training within the span of the first term they get it. There’s a continuing education but beyond that I think it’s a bit much and we’ve got other people who are qualified in the city. And so that we need to take that in mind because and this is next year you appointed. You’re talking about 28 years. They’re not that desperate and you have real qualified people who are quick studies who can take get educated real fast and take the criteria so I think 12 years is sufficient and we ought to in some sort of fashion adopt an official policy among ourselves on this particular board that after 12 years that’s their maximum. A person can be reappointed, removed before then but at the same time 12 years should be a max. Mr. Mayor: All right, let’s do this. All right we’ve got Item #29, do I have a motion for Item #29? Mr. M. Williams: So moved, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Hasan: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to vote on that one and then we’ll see where we end up at and go to the next one. All right, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Clarke. Ms. Davis: He’s muted. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Clarke, go ahead, Commissioner Clarke. 49 Mr. M. Williams: He’s talking in the back. Mr. Mayor: All right, he said yes. Mr. Clarke: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: No. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: No. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: No. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Motion Fails 3-7. Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, Item #31. The Clerk: The motion on that. 50 Mr. Mayor: Mayor Pro Tem? Mr. Mayor: Motion to approve, Ms. Renee D’Antignac. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, got a motion and a second, voting. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: Yes. Mr. Hasan: He said yes, Ms. Bonner. The Clerk: Okay, Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Sure. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: No. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am. 51 The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: No, ma’am. Put this back on the agenda for the next meeting though. Motion Passes 8-2. Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, Number 9. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 9. Department requests direction concerning the elevator repair or decommission plan at 401 Walton Way. Mr. Mayor: Administrator Sims. The Clerk: He’s out. Mr. Mayor: Okay. The Clerk: It’s Central Services. Ms. Douse, is she in the waiting room? Mr. Mayor: I don’t see Ms. Douse, okay, I do. All right, Ms. Douse is on her way in. She’s coming in. The Clerk: And did you get the request, Mr. Mayor, regarding the two others wanting to address the matter at the appropriate time? Mr. Mayor: Yeah, that’s it, is that Ms. Bowen? The Clerk: Ms. Bowen and Mr. Krump. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, we’re letting them in. If everyone could mute your devices, I’d greatly appreciate it. Mute your devices until called on. All right, okay all right, Ms. Douse, hold on a minute. Ms. Douse, go ahead, Ms. Douse. Ms. Douse: The seven elevators located at 401 Walton Way formerly known as the Sheriff’s Jail and Administrative Offices have been out of service since 2014. A recent inquiry from the State Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner has determined that these elevators need to either A - be brought into compliance or B – be decommissioned. I’ve included a couple of quotes, one from Premier Elevator who has most recently done work on the elevators for one of the film companies. Their quote includes decommissioning six of the seven elevators. They have provided an hourly rate for them to trouble shoot the seventh elevator which those costs are not yet determined however they are not anticipating those costs to be enormid. The second quote from Thyssenkrupp does not give us an apples to apples comparison simply because they gave us a minimum and they are requiring any asbestos or hazardous materials be removed from the facility 52 prior to them performing any work. Because you have most recently allowed filming in this facility I needed some direction on how you wanted to proceed as far as these elevators are concerned. The state has given us 90 days to make a decision and communicate back to them how we plan to proceed. Mr. Mayor: Ms. Douse, what’s your recommendation? Ms. Douse: I don’t have a recommendation, Mr. Mayor, simply because the Commission has already agreed to allow the film partners to utilize this facility so if we continue to do that then we must bring the elevators into compliance. th Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you very much, the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m not quite sure I agree wholeheartedly with the statement that Ms. Douse just made because the movies that have been made previously how many elevators was in use or was any others used at all? Ms. Douse: One elevator, one film company paid to have one of the elevators brought into service however that elevator was done so without the state’s inspection requirement. Mr. Hasan: Okay, so but my question and a total of how many movies have been made in there? You don’t have to be exact. Ms. Douse: Well, we have a listing of five productions that have used the facility in 2019. Mr. Hasan: And how many of them have used that elevator to your knowledge? Ms. Douse: Only one because the elevators were not in service. Mr. Hasan: So my point, Mr. Mayor, in saying what I said is that I only feel that one elevator would be sufficient and we can decommission the rest of them. That’s my point. I don’t think we have to make all of those up to code and spend that kind of money in there not when we hear that one elevator at this time could be, will be sufficient. But I would like one more question, Ms. Douse, and you may know this issue or not. If we happen to decommission those, can you put them back online or are they buried? Ms. Douse: I’m not certain, sir, and I want to go back and clarify I gave the option to decommission six and keep one in service and so if I misspoke I apologize for that but I did give that option to decommission six of the elevators and keep one in service. Mr. Hasan: Yeah, to your point that was in here. It was the statement you made that I was addressing. Okay so one elevator for me, Mr. Mayor, is sufficient and you can decommission the other six. That’s a motion I made. Mr. D. Williams: I’ll second that. 53 Mr. Mayor: Thank you very much. Okay, Commissioner, while you seconded that you had your hand up. Did you want to speak on this matter? Mr. D. Williams: No, I was getting clarification six and seven. Mr. Mayor: All right very well, okay. I’m going to the Mayor Pro Tem. I’ve got everybody else’s hands. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to hear from Mark and Jennifer just --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah --- Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- based on number one, utilization and number two, what do they think an impact would be if we made the recommendation that Commissioner Hasan and even if maybe they have a recommendation. Maybe they only need two or three so I’d love to hear from them if possible, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, I think that’s appropriate to do that at this time. All right, I’m going to go in this order. Ms. Bowen and Mr. Krump, okay? Ms. Bowen: All right, thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to talk to you about it. Do want to quickly clarify there have been two movies made in the Law Enforcement Center with the working elevator. The first was the Warner Brothers production who had the elevator repaired and then the next production came in after that was the Royal Mark Krump actually worked on both of those movies and both of those productions used the one elevator that is in service. Quickly I want to tell you that we have and actually prepared a sheet for you. I don’t know if you’ll be able to see it but we have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, eight perspective productions that are interested in Augusta and would use the jail in the rest of this calendar year 2020. So we definitely need the one. It would be ideal if we had two simply because if the one does go down we would want to use the other one. And also because we’d like to you know the decommissioning the way that I read both of those proposals actually does talk about cutting the cord if you will so that means that to answer one of your questions a few minutes ago it would mean that those elevators would not be able to be reinstated very easily and would be at another significant cost. Mark, do you want to unmute and --- Mr. Mayor: Mark, Mark, I’ll recognize him. Thanks Jenny, Mark? Mr. Krump: I’m getting terrible feedback. I don’t know if there’s somebody who has an open mike that is feeding this thing through but I --- Mr. Lewis: I think your YouTube if you still have YouTube open, you need to close YouTube. Mr. Krump: --- is that’s what’s going on, okay. Mr. Mayor: (Unintelligible). 54 Mr. Krump: Yeah, let me go to that maybe that’s what’s causing that --- Mr. Mayor: It is. Mr. Krump: --- okay, how about now because I have video. Mr. Mayor: Yes, you’re fine. Mr. Krump: Oh my God that was terrible. I mean I didn’t know what was going on, Hi guys. Okay, if you could reask the question. I was listening to two things at once and it was, yeah, I got completely lost. Mr. Mayor: The question before you, Mark, is about the use of elevators and potential productions at the 401 Walton Way jail facility. Mr. Krump: Okay, so one of the things we’ve been doing is actively marketing the jail facility because it’s a fantastic facility I’ve had a number of scripts. I can’t tell you exactly who and what stars and all of that stuff right now but I can tell you that as a result of the successful production you had on the last one I’ve been signed on as a line producer which means I’ll be managing the budget and the crew and everything for three more films. One of them is looking to start in late June, mid to late June. We would be looking to use the jail facility for that. And as I get these scripts I look through them and I see what do we have and where we can market (inaudible) put these things. That’s a nonunion show. Then I have two others that I’ve been signed on to which are union shows so they will be over that $3 to $5 million market bringing in a lot of money to the area and I’ve already been signed for those. I’m currently involved as a producer on two additional films. One is nonunion and one is a major union film with some A-listers that are also looking to come and every one of them as soon as possible and they’re all trying, clamoring for dates right now and we’re thinking they’re going to land sometime between obviously summer and spring to summer. Yeah, but just on those shows that I’m personally involved in I see the producer, line producer. There’s probably $15 million-dollars to $20 million dollars’ worth of movies that are looking to come here that I can tell you about. At least four of them that I know of in the scripts will cause us to utilize the Richmond County jail facility. st Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 1, I’m sorry, the th Commissioner from the 10. Mr. Clarke: Can you hear me? Mr. Mayor: Yeah, we can hear you now. Mr. Clarke: You know going in the vane of having extras for everything that we seem to do street sweepers, extra (inaudible) everything, I think if we’re going to move forward with using 401 we need to have more than one elevator in operation. I think we’d need to have at least two in operation based on the theory that if everybody uses we’ve got a standby in case one goes down. So I would make a motion to repair two and decommission the rest. 55 Mr. Garrett: Second. st Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 1, hold on, everybody hold on. Mr. Fennoy: Can you hear me now? Mr. Mayor: We can thank you, sir. Mr. Fennoy: Are (inaudible) parts of 401 to be used as a courthouse or juvenile court? Mr. Mayor: Repeat that question, sir? Mr. Fennoy: Are there plans, any plans for parts of 401 to be used as courthouse or for juvenile court? Mr. Mayor: I believe the answer to that is no. This body has taken action and the only reason it has not moved to demolition is this one year advance to allow a film to proceed to see what that would yield in terms of movie production in the City of Augusta. Mr. Fennoy: Okay. th Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, sir. The Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I heard the producer say we’ve got four I think four different movies coming but I want to know have you got anything in writing that he can give to the Commission that’s going to be binding. Potential is one thing but I just need to know was there something he got any contract he got in writing that we can move forward with doing two elevators or maybe one. But not having anything I think we need to have something you know that we know we won’t be investing in a building we’re going to tear down. Juvenile Court is still interested in that building. We went out on a limb for them supposed to do something in our sales tax whether it be at that facility or somewhere else. But my question would be to the film industry do you have anything in writing? Mr. Krump: Yes, so what I do have is I have the contracts that were done with the distribution companies that have me signed on as the line producer which means I will be bringing those films to Augusta. It’s not something those are not the kind of contracts obviously I can put forth in public but it is something that I can provide you in private, something that you could see it’s coming through. And these are I mean these are entertainment contracts that highly --- Mr. M. Williams: Well --- Mr. Krump: --- but I can give you, I can give you proof that indeed that you know I’ve been signed on to do this. 56 Mr. M. Williams: --- well and that’s my concern. I mean I want to support but at the same time I don’t want to invest in that building and then say you know what we don’t have that much coming. It might come and it may not come. If you’ve got something already set up that our Attorney can look at whether it be in Legal (inaudible) put it out on out in the public but I think we need to have something to base our decision on. Mr. Krump: Absolutely and I’d be happy to provide you with some of that to look at. Additionally I am a member of Location Mangers Guild International. I was part of a panelist, I was a panelist on this Zoom call today for over 150 location managers worldwide including Iceland, people shooting in New Zealand and as I sat on that panel and discussed things Augusta was on the forefront because we do not have some of the lockdown restrictions that major cities have. I was discussing with somebody from London actually and he was saying the problems they were having. And the general consensus is that productions are going to be able to take off much more in smaller cities and outlying areas than they are in the major cities so a lot of productions now are going to be looking to cities like Augusta for these productions to go because we have capability for parking and entire cast and crew close to our sets whereas downtown Atlanta you don’t. You have to shuttle people. You can’t shuttle people and stick you know a hundred people in shuttle vans because of COVID but if we can all park close then we don’t have that problem. So a lot of our rules and restrictions actually are pushing these larger productions back into outlying areas away and I’d like to say at least having been one of those panelists and promoting Augusta to the Location Managers Guild International as a whole that hopefully will yield more results even than what we already have. Mr. M. Williams: That’s kind of a two-edged sword because I’m hoping as an elected official that Augusta grows to be a thriving city and not a small town city --- Mr. Krump: Absolutely. Mr. M. Williams: --- that we’ve been for 2,000 years. I’m for you know we’re talking about building a new arena and all this other stuff but I get what you’re saying and I understand that but hopefully we won’t stay where we are that the construction and stuff going on now that we are on the verge of moving forward. But those are my questions, Mr. Mayor. I got those answers. Mr. Krump: We have with, with the space that we have and the productions coming in sound studios are following and sound stages follow I mean the growth is bound to happen as they start coming. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a, we’ve got I think there are two motions that are before us, Madam Clerk, if I remember correctly. There was an original motion and then we had someone else come back behind us and make another motion. Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor --- th, Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 4 yes, sir. 57 Mr. Sias: --- I’ve been (unintelligible) hand waving. I don’t know who told me you didn’t see it. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, you’re correct, that was all on me, sir. That was all on me. I’m fading over here --- Mr. Sias: You’ve been waving all the time. Mr. Mayor: --- ya’ll are working hard over there. Go ahead, sir. Mr. Sias: You’re the only get paid full time. Okay, here’s the question, here’s the question. You mentioned about the year (inaudible) and my question before you mentioned that was when does this year, wasn’t this the year we kind of stalled the demolition? When does that program to conclude that year? Ms. Douse can maybe answer that question. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I would rather yield to Ms. Douse or someone else who has a little bit more energy than I do right now. Mr. Sias: Ms. Douse, you’re muted. Ms. Douse: I don’t have that data in front of me, sir, when the Commission voted to extend the one-year option. Mr. Mayor: Let me go to, let’s go to our Clerk on that matter because she’s got all these. The Clerk: I do but I was not prepared to give you the answer now. Jennifer has the dates. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, very good. Ms. Bowen: Well, what you voted on was to allow us to have it through the end of 2020 and then you would reevaluate in December of this year whether or not you would continue it on in 2021. And you’ll remember that we when we were pleading our case to you we were also saying please be considerate of 2021 because that is when that movie by Warner Brothers will come out and there will be a lot of attention coming our way. So but you agreed to let us have it through the December of this year and to reevaluate it at the end of this year. And I certainly hope you’ll take COVID into consideration you know before we were shut down we had two productions that were ready to come and it’s going to take quite a bit to get rolling again. We’ve got some great you know opportunity in the production that Mark is working on right now that should start in June but certainly I hope you’ll think about those things as we move forward, but it looks promising. Mr. Sias: Thank you, ma’am, that answered my question. th Mr. Mayor: All right, sir, thank you. All right, Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Krump made mention I think it’s Krump right, Mark? 58 Mr. Mayor: Yes. Mr. Hasan: Yes, are you in town, Mark are you in town? Mr. Krump: Yes, actually I live here off Walton Way. Mr. Hasan: Okay well good do you mind tomorrow or something just walk in the Administrator’s office and brief and let him get a purview of the contracts that you have so we’ll have somebody that’s satisfied for Commissioner Marion Williams’ question. And with that, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to withdraw my motion and you can go on Commissioner Clarke’s motion and we choose Premier Elevator Company if he can attach that to his motion. Mr. Krump: I will be there and bring those contracts in. Mr. Mayor: (Unintelligible). Mr. Hasan: Yeah, because she wanted us to choose one of these companies as well so I was thinking Premier Elevator would be the one and have two elevators per Commissioner Clarke’s suggestion motion. Mr. Mayor: So --- Mr. Sias: I’m waiving my hand again. Mr. Mayor: --- hold on a minute before you do that. I see your hand over there, Commissioner. So let’s go to Ms. Douse though I mean you’ve got two references about elevator work but let’s make sure we’re following all our procurement matters rules as it relates to that. So do you want to speak to that, Ms. Douse? Ms. Douse: I do, so in order to proceed with either Premier or Thyssenkrupp which it sounds like you’re planning to go with Premier you would have to declare this work an emergency for the safety of the facility or I would have to bid it out. Mr. Hasan: Let me, Mr. Mayor, can I do a follow up on that? Mr. Mayor: Well, I would rather you didn’t. I hate when we get up here and we have these types of conversations. We should have had a posture before we got here but for us before we started making these types of decisions on the floor. All right, I’m going to the Commissioner th. from the 4 He had his hand up. Mr. Sias: Thank you. I’m going to make a substitute motion but it’s going to be really th along with what the Commissioner from the 10 said but it’s just a little bit (inaudible). I propose that we get a bid on the repair of two of those elevators because we at this point we’re don’t have any idea what the price is or what it’s going to cost us. So I move that we get an estimate to repair two elevators at the 401 Building, substitute motion. 59 Mr. Mayor: Can I get a second on that? Mr. Hasan: That was already on the floor, we already had that motion. Mr. Mayor: Well, you didn’t include those things in there. Mr. B. Williams: Second. Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Mayor: All right, okay, I’ve got a substitute with a proper second. The Clerk: Are you decommissioning the others? Is that just understood, Mr. Sias? Mr. Mayor: It was, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Okay, all right. Mr. Mayor: All right, voting. The Clerk: We’ve got two, okay all right. Mr. Mayor: Well, Commissioner Hasan withdrew his. The Clerk: Okay, all right, Mr. Clarke. Mr. Sias: He’s muted. Mr. Mayor: No, he’s not. Commissioner Clarke, he votes yes. The Clerk: Okay, Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Mayor: Oh my Lord, hold on Madam Clerk, Commissioner Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett. 60 Mr. Garrett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Motion Passes 10-0. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. All right, we’re going to take Items 15 and 16 as companion items. The Clerk: Is Ms. Douse ready? Mr. Mayor: All right, hold on a minute, we’ll, all right thank you, Ms. Douse and Jennifer and Mark thank ya’ll so much. Okay, they’re gone. All right, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 15. Move to restart holding commission/committee meeting in the commission chambers effective 1 June 2020 or earlier. (Requested by Commissioner Sammie Sias) 16. Move to restart the committee process effective May 26 or June 1. (Requested by Commissioner Sammie Sias) th Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. Since you put these as companion items I just move that we st approve June 1 to start to bring commission meetings to the chamber and start the committee process. 61 Mr. Clarke: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This will probably be approved but do we have the ability to have social distancing where we sit in the front row like we did in the beginning with myself and other individuals. Mr. Mayor: Well, I’ll add to that that’s certainly a very valid concern. It’s not just a matter of having the members of the Commission be able to safely socially distance but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done on the floor in terms of segregating the seats so that folks are six feet apart. We can’t effectively tell folks necessarily where they’re going to sit at but let me just say this that that is an important matter as well that’s consistent with again having to open the meetings up to the folks to the general public and as such we need to take all of those things into consideration. And I’ll submit this that we still haven’t seen a 14-day decline not just in Richmond County but more importantly in the State of Georgia as it relates to COVID-19 so that question’s out there. st Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’d also like to ask if the ability to call in starting on June 1 does not count against the two call in votes for those of us that may not be ready to go in the chambers. Do we have the ability to call in? Has GMA looked at that aspect as well? Mr. Mayor: Yeah, well, given what we know from a science standpoint I think the June st 1 date is a bit early. I would offer and alternative for strong consideration to be given, I see your th,th hand, the Commissioner from the 6 I see your hand. I’ve got you, sir and the 9 I’ve got you but I would encourage us to pause with coming back in. With all respect to the Commissioner from th the 4 who wants to get back after it but we need to make sure that the same things that we’ve done in our departments around sanitization and isolating spaces, chairs and floors and rooms happens across the entire commission chamber. And so I’d offer an alternative date which will be two weeks after that period of time, all right? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’d like to make a substitute motion --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah. th Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- substitute motion for June 16 to be the first time that we come in the commission chambers. Mr. Hasan: Second. thth Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 6 then the 9 in that order. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to ask my colleague we’ve got two motions on the floor but in the meantime can we continue until about a month out that we continue doing as we are currently doing the commission and the committee together as opposed to trying to be 62 in there every week so let’s try to keep it apart for at least another month then we can, can you add that to your motion as well? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes, I’ll add that to the motion. th Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We voted to allow the Planning and Zoning to go back into the meetings with the same scenario that we have. We’re meeting, are we saying two things again? Are we saying that the Planning and Zoning Board who sits in the same seats that we sit in to handle a similar situation with the public? I mean we’re sending out two messages. (Unintelligible) either way but we’re already expecting them to go back to work. th, Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I don’t believe that that’s the case, Commissioner from the 9 but what we approved as I understand it was for them to be able to do Zoom meetings with what’s taking place right now. They’re conducting Zoom meetings at this time, no different than what we’re doing. We gave them the approval to be able to do the virtual meetings. Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I didn’t know they were doing the Zoom meetings. th, Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, they are. All right, I’m going to go, all right so I’ve gotten the 6 th. th the 9 We’ve got a substitute. I’m going to go back to the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I won’t get into a long discussion on this. I don’t have a problem th with my colleague from the 6 who mentioned but I think that should be we only have we would th only have I believe one meeting coming after the 15 as far as the committee meeting so if he’s saying he wanted to do a month that brings that right back out right around the motion that the substitute that the Mayor Pro Tem made. But we’ve asked our employees to go back to work. I think it’s the same thing that applies to us as well so I think that’s only fair to everybody if we go back to work as well. And we didn’t say nobody they should not maintain social distancing; we said that, we’ve done that in the chamber before already. So I’ll support the Mayor Pro Tem. I think we’d be doing our employees disservice because we’re not at work, thank you. th Mr. Mayor: So I know that again this is this is a concern and Commissioner from the 9 has you know raised this particularly in terms of how we handle this conversation equitably. You know we’ve got, we’ve got all of these precautions that are being put in place to try to protect our employees especially at the department level and you know I offered the alternative date that would take us you know two weeks out from June 1. But if I look at the data and especially with what I most recently heard I heard, I got a call this morning from our public health officials about what would be referred to as an outbreak at one of our local long term care facilities just down the road. What I don’t want to see especially in light of where we are right now. Again with all deference th, to your concern, Commissioner from the 4 I know this is an important matter but our elderly population is coming in and out of this building right now as it relates to voting and all those things. What we don’t want to do is find ourselves in a place of where we have an outbreak because we’re congregating in the commission chambers and we’re really not ready for that yet. So I hear the th substitute takes us to the 16 but I would again out of an abundance of even more caution suggest 63 that we push that probably further back with the understanding that we’ll continue to monitor when th more data becomes available. All right, Commissioner, I’m going to come to you to the 4 I’m coming to you, sir. Go ahead. Mr. Sias: You know what, here’s what’s going to happen though, sir. Augusta’s going to be functioning and running and (unintelligible) going to be sitting in a standstill somewhere. People are out doing things, are working and doing their businesses and we can’t open the door to government for the folks who are making a lot of these decisions. I think it’s unfair to the employees and the public for us to keep dragging our feet about getting back to work. And I certainly can agree with what you’re saying about dragging it further and further out. Actually I have a lot of disagreement with what the Governor did but I’ll tell you what. There’s a lot of states across this country that’s following his example. I’m a diehard Democrat but I don’t have a problem with agreeing with something when it’s when I see where it’s the right thing. We need to get our businesses going, we (unintelligible) rules and things to protect folks, we’re asking them to do different things but they’re not going to sit around and wait for us and they’re going to be doing what they do anyway. I’m looking at these restaurants and a lot of them are already open for business now so as far as the Mayor Pro Tem said in his substitute, for me that’s it. We need to get to work, thank you. th Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: I hear my colleague but I want to remind (inaudible). Mr. Hasan: Can we vote this up or down? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: You can’t hear anything. Mr. M. Williams: (Unintelligible) Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, are you here? Mr. Mayor: I’m here. I’m looking, I’m watching, I’m trying to (unintelligible) the th Commissioner from the 9 but let me chime in right now because he’s saying to me his technology is not working. So let me mention a few things. The Clerk: He’s got it muted. Mr. M. Williams: --- it was in the paper the other day. I mean this thing is real --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah, so we can hear you, yes. Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, we hear you. Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Bonner, it’s not muted. 64 Mr. Mayor: No, we hear you. The Clerk: You’re unmuted now. Mr. M. Williams: Okay, we just had two cases and okay, Ms. Sullivan, had in Ms. Sullivan’s office over there the other day so I’m unmuted now, okay, thank ya’ll. Anyway we had two cases over there in Ms. Hattie Sullivan’s office (unintelligible) and that’s why we’ve got to be really, really careful about what we’re doing. She closed off for two more weeks, starting having people come in (unintelligible) that’s my comments, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right thank you, Commissioner M. Williams. I’m not sure what’s going on with your technology but let me offer the following as well. You raised a very valid point as it relates to what’s happening in the Clerk of Courts (inaudible). All right, it’s not just the consideration that we have of the members of the Commission who sit on the dais but you’ve got four people who sit less than six feet in front of each other with the Clerk of Commission, the Attorney, the Administrator, and the assistant who sit right in front of each other and measures need to be taken as it relates to them to be able to safely social distance as well. And so we’ve got a substitute that’s before us but I would encourage us to push that back out further until we get all these measures in place --- Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Call for the question. Mr. Mayor: --- yeah. Madam Clerk, we’ve got a substitute on the floor. We’ll vote. The Clerk: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: It broke up so much I’m not sure what the substitute motion is. The Clerk: That the Commission convene commission meetings in the chamber on June th 16 the commission and committee process. Mr. Clarke: No. The Clerk: Ms. Davis, Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Garrett, Mr. Hasan. 65 Mr. Hasan: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams, he’s muted. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Dennis Williams. Mr. Sias: He’s working on it. Mr. Mayor: All right, you’re live now, go ahead, sir. Mr. D. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Marion Williams, yes or no, okay. Ms. Davis and Mr. Garrett out. Motion Passes 6-2. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, Point of Order. Mr. Mayor: State your inquiry, go ahead, sir. Mr. M. Williams: The Attorney the Administrator and the Clerk need to still screen their,, they don’t need to be sitting in that position (unintelligible) they don’t need to be less than six feet from each other, no comment, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Again I just raised that concern. You know again I’m going to say this unequivocally. COVID-19 is neither black nor white, Republican or Democrat and at the end of the day it is a serious issue, it is a real issue and to suggest we’ve not been able to do the business of the people it’s just not true. We have meetings a week now and we’ve done the business of the people. So all these precautions need to be put in place and it means that day and we need to work together in order to make that happen so I’ll close my comments there. Mr. Fennoy: Are we through, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: I don’t think there’s any other business before us, Commissioner Hasan, what’d you say? 66 Mr. Hasan: No, sir, I was trying to make sure we were through before I leave. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, we are. Mr. Hasan: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, I think that’s all the business before us. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: What are we going to do with the Clerk? Mr. Mayor: Well, you’re going to keep her safe that’s what you’re going to do. We’re going to keep her safe even though she didn’t want me to come across her at all. The Clerk: You’re trying to act like I’m a dunce. Mr. M. Williams: How do we do that? Mr. Mayor: No, no, no, no. Mr. M. Williams: How do we do that? The Clerk: Treat me like a dunce. Mr. Mayor: No, absolutely not. I’m just trying to help, that’s all, just be helpful. Mr. B. Williams: We’re going to put Ms. Bonner in a plastic bubble, we’ve got to protect her. The Clerk: We’ve got three other folk we’ve got to look out for. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor --- st Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: --- it’s 6:30 on Tuesday and it seems like old time. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, we don’t want this to become the norm, absolutely not. This meeting is hereby adjourned, thank you. Mr. Fennoy: Okay. Mr. Mayor: Thank ya’ll. 67 Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mayor. \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] Lena Bonner Clerk of Commission CERTIFICATION: I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on May 19, 2020. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 68