HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting June 24, 2020
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
JUNE 24, 2020
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., June 24, 2020, the Hon.
Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. B. Williams, Garrett, Sias, Fennoy, M. Williams, Davis, D. Williams,
Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
ABSENT: Hon. Frantom, Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ll call this meeting back to order. Actually before we call to
order our full Commission Meeting I want to remind everyone that what happens in your place of
dwelling of wherever you’re meeting at wherever you’re meeting at it being live streamed to the
general public, to the world and I would ask you all to be conscious of what’s in your background
and who’s in your background because it is a conversation for the public and it’s a visual for the
public so please be mindful of the following, okay? All right, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Yes, sir, at this time we’ll have our invocation and would you like me to do it
Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: I would love for you to do it, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Okay. The invocation was given by Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission.
Would you please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, Mr. Bobby Williams, would you lead us?
Mr. Clarke: Yes, ma’am. Mr. Mayor ---
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. Clarke: --- hey wherever you can fit it in I’d like to do a brief consideration for the
landfill money the $550,000 that we discussed, wherever you can fit it in and I want to do a
reconsideration for the landfill money.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I appreciate that. All right, we’re going to come back, we’re going to
come back to you okay on that matter. All right, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Yes, sir. Our Consent Agenda consists of Item #1, Item #1.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, Madam Clerk. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 4 State your inquiry.
Mr. Sias: Thank you. I want to, under the Administrative part of our agenda I want to
request some items for consent: Item 11, Item 13, Item 14, Item 15, Item 16, Item 17, Item 18,
Item 19, Item 20, Item 21 and Item 22 and Item 25.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, without objection. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner
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from the 9.
Mr. Clarke: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Hold on, okay, hold on, all right hold on one second, Commissioner from the
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10 hold on. All right, the Commissioner from the 9 I’m going to come back to you just hold,
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okay? All right, Commissioner from the 10 state your inquiry.
Mr. Clarke: Okay, I have problems with 14, 15, 17, 19 ---
The Clerk: I’m sorry, we didn’t get that last one, sir, you were breaking up.
Mr. Clarke: Okay, 14, 15, 17, 19.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 10 your issues and/or concerns so these
are routine purchases. The appropriation budget has already been adopted for purchasing of
vehicles as part of our normal fleet transition.
Mr. Clarke: I understand.
Mr. Mayor: And so I would ask you to give strong consideration to letting these items
move forward on the Consent Agenda as they’re part of our normal fleet transition.
Mr. Clarke: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Again, this is my ask of you.
Mr. Clarke: Okay, as long as it’s noted that I vote no.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah and you’ll, okay, Madam Clerk, if you’ll make note of that. All right,
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Commissioner from the 9 I’m going to recognize you. You’ve got to unmute, if you will unmute,
yes, sir. Okay, you’re good now, Commissioner, go ahead.
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Mr. M. Williams: Commissioner from the 10 made a couple of observations about some
of those cars. Even though we approved this budget, Mr. Mayor, he may have some issues with
still those items. Just because we approved the budget that doesn’t mean that, and I don’t want to
speak for him, I question a lot of that myself. I’ve got some issues with them. I’m not going to
hold them up but I do have an issue with Number 25. I think it needs some discussion. And I agree
with my colleague I want to 24 and 25 I need some clarity on ---
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, 24 was not included in the request to consent, it wasn’t included so 24
and 25 so you’ve got an issue with 25. All right, the vehicles again, they’re routine purchases that
are part of our normal fleet transition, old vehicles new vehicles, okay, that’s all that is. So let’s
debate Items 24 and 25. 24 was not on the request for consent. 25 was so we’ll take 25 off of
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consent and we’ll debate that matter. I think that’s certainly appropriate, we’ll debate that matter,
okay?
Mr. M. Williams: I mean my colleague from District 10 had those questions and as an
elected official ---
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, he did.
Mr. M. Williams: --- he has those rights even though the budget was approved, he had that
authority, Mr. Mayor, to question anything he has on those particular issues. So I’m just, I mean
I’m not going to sit here and go through it with you. I’ve got enough on my plate today that if I
don’t get it done today it will go back on the agenda every week until. Now if we don’t have time
to discuss this stuff today you need to let it be known now but we’re going to have some
conversation about these issues ---
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
Mr. M. Williams: --- we’ve been rubberstamping for years. And my colleague talked
about these items with these cars. We couldn’t get nobody local to bid on them before now people
are local bidding on them that throws a red flag up to me. What happened that they changed? We
were getting them from Atlanta, now we’re getting stuff right here in Augusta. something must of
went sour or south or something so but that’s his right to do that.
Mr. Mayor: So ---
Mr. M. Williams: I don’t want to go into none of them. If we don’t want to talk ---
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, very good.
Mr. M. Williams: --- that’s fine.
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Mr. Mayor: --- okay, very good, thank you. All right, Commissioner from the 3.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mayor. I was going to ask the rest of the Commission and the
Mayor if we could consider also consenting Number 8, Number 10, Number 29, 33 and 35 through
38 that would be 35, 36, 37 and 38.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got some issues, Mary, with well, I’ve got some conversation I want
to do with 36 and 37 I think.
Ms. Davis: Okay.
Mr. M. Williams: Not, I want to support it but there’s a couple of ---
Ms. Davis: Okay.
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Mr. M. Williams: --- places I think we need to talk about some issues with some streetlights
that we’re paying and not getting the service for so I want to I don’t want to just ---
Ms. Davis: No problem.
Mr. M. Williams: --- have some dialogue.
Mr. Mayor: So Number 36 and 37 we’ll debate.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, thank you. Item #38, I’d like to consent that item as well again working
in partnership with GDOT those are improvements that have long been needed.
The Clerk: That was on the Commissioner Mary Davis asked for ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I missed that, Madam Clerk, thank you. All right, going to the
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Commissioner from the 2, Commissioner from the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, if everyone would agree I would like to consent Item 26 under
Public Safety.
Mr. Mayor: All right, without objection. All right, #9 we’ll take ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’m sorry, I was muted, I apologize. 26 I do have questions about.
Mr. D. Williams: Twenty-six?
Mr. Mayor: Never mind, Madam Clerk, all right, we’ve got questions about Number 26.
The Clerk: You’re adding Number 9 to the Consent?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
Mr. Hasan: No, I have a question about Number 9 too, Mr. Mayor.
The Clerk: And that’s a companion. It’s, that item is on the Addendum Agenda the revised
MOU I just want to bring that to your attention, a revision of Number 9 is on the Addendum
Agenda.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, let’s give a recap of what has been requested to be
added to the Consent Agenda at this time.
The Clerk: Yes, sir. Item #8, Item #10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29, 33, 35,
38.
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Mr. Hasan: I thought 16 was on there as well.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, 16 was on there as well, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: I think, okay, Mr. Clarke said he’d, okay.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, he said it but if wants to register a no vote on those items.
The Clerk: Yes.
Mr. D. Williams: And Item 38?
Mr. Mayor: 38 is on here as well.
Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m coming to you. Just hold on, just hold on, sir, just for a moment.
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All right, Commissioner from the 5 state your inquiry.
Mr. B. Williams: Can we put 31 and 32 on there?
Mr. Mayor: Sure, it sounds good to me. 31 just as a matter of record is this is GEFA ---
The Clerk: It’s a loan COVID-19, yeah.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, this is right utilities. They’re doing this across the entire State of
Georgia where there are deferred modifications on bond loans so that one’s a good one. 32 is the
same. It’s just a minor change order, $72,000 dollar change order, so that’s appropriate as well.
Mr. B. Williams: And look at 34 I don’t we called 34.
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Ms. Davis: The Commissioner from the 3 did, she called Number 34.
Mr. B. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Item Number 30 was left off but Engineering Services Chair if you don’t have
a problem with that can we consent that one?
Mr. M. Williams: Item 30?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: I need to talk about that one, Mr. Mayor. They have some issues that
are ongoing.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, that’s fine. All right, that’s fine. Madam Clerk, Number 28
let’s add that to the Consent Agenda. This is our annual encumbrance carryover. We do this each
year and this is again consistent with what we’ve done in 2018, 17 and 16. Okay, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Okay, do you want a recap of the Consent Agenda or are you ready to receive
your motion?
Mr. Garrett: Recap please.
The Clerk: Okay. Item #8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29, 31, 32,
33, 34, 35 and 38.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Mr. Hasan: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular and Special Called Meetings held on June
16, 2020.
PUBLIC SERVICES
8. A motion to adopt the Public Transit Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) as drafted for Augusta
Transit Department by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
10. Motion to approve the Input Foam Based Testing System for the Augusta Regional
Airport Fire Department.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
11. Motion to approve Resolution In Support of locating the National Rhythm & Blues Hall
of Fame in Augusta, Georgia.
13. Approve the plaque as presented for A.L. Williams Park requested by Larry Millard.
14. Motion to approve the purchase of four Cargo Vans for various department at a total of
$121,252.84. Gerald Jones Ford and Allan Vigil Ford – Bid Item 20-153.
15. Motion to approve the purchase of one replacement Landscape Truck from CSRA
Fleetcare Inc. of Augusta for $49,185.00 for the Recreation and Parks Department-Trees and
Landscape Division. Bid Item 19-213.
16. Motion to approve the purchase of one Mobile Sprayer from Tri-State Pump and
Control, Inc. for $46,395.00 for the Recreation and Parks Department-Municipal Golf
Course. Bid Item 20-159.
17. Motion to approve the purchase of one Ford F250 from Gerald Jones for $28,213.56 for
the Recreation and Parks Department. Bid Item 20-149.
18. Motion to approve a five-year Building Automation System service agreement for
Charles B. Webster Detention Center in the amount of $46,226.33 by Trane, Inc., as the
original equipment manufacturer.
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19. Approve the purchase of four Ford Escapes for the Planning and Development
Department Business License Division at a cost of $85,388.00 from Allan Vigil Ford. Bid Item
19-275
20. Approve the purchase of one (1) Riding Greens Mower for $26,494.00 from Tri-State
Pump and Control, Inc. of Liberty, SC for the Parks and Recreation Department-Municipal
Golf Course. Bid Item 20-160
21. Receive as information an emergency procurement in the amount of $513,700.00 to
Coleman Mechanical Services of Harlem, GA to upgrade the HVAC system at the Augusta
Animal Services Facility.
22. Discontinue the feasibility study for converting the Lake Olmstead Stadium, under
contract to Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. (JLL)
FINANCE
28. Motion to approve funding of operating, capital, encumbrance carryover.
ENGINEERING SERVICES
29. Adoption of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and the Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
as revised by Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) 19-04-6591P, effective September 25, 2020.
31. Approve GEFA Loan Payment Deferral Modification; Authorize Mayor and General
Counsel to execute appropriate documents.
32. Motion to approve Hydraulic Modeling Update Change Order.
33. Approve the deeds of dedication, maintenance agreements, and road resolutions
submitted by the Engineering and Augusta Utilities Departments for Manchester
Subdivision, Section Eight-B.
34. Approve and authorize Augusta Utilities Department (AUD) to enter into an MOU with
the Briar Creek Soil and Water Conservation District (BCSWCD), a contract with Georgia
EPD (GAEPD), and accept awarded grant from GAEPD)
35. Approve Supplemental Construction Contract with Reeves Construction Co. in the
amount of $946,321.00 for cover additional costs of Resurfacing Barnes Road, Steven Road,
Neptune Drive, Windsor Court, Faircrest Drive, and section of Pepperidge Drive. Requested
by AED. Bid: 19-265.
38. Approve and authorize Augusta Engineering Department (AED) to accept and receive
Richmond County Board of Education (RCBOE) and Georgia Department of
Transportation (GDOT) Financial Assistance for Harper Franklin Ave./Jimmie Dyess Pkwy
Intersection Efficiency and Safety Improvements Project. Also authorized Augusta Mayor
and Augusta Legal to sign and submit associated required documents. sted by Administrator
& AED
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Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. Commissioner from the 6 with
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the motion Commissioner from the 4 with a second, voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
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Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Sias: You’re muted, Commissioner.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom, Mr. Garrett.
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.
Mr. Frantom out.
Mr. Clarke votes No. \[Items 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19\]
Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 1, 8, 10, 11, 13, 20-22, 28, 29, 31-34, 35, 38\]
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
ADDENDUM
39. Consider approving a Facility Encroachment Agreement CSX908777.
40. Approve the deeds of dedication, maintenance agreements, and road resolution
submitted by the Engineering and Augusta Utilities Departments for McCoys Creek
Subdivision, Section 5 (Reconfiguration of Lots 76-79 and Roadway Extension).
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Mr. Mayor: --- I missed this. On the Addendum Agenda do we have consent to add these
items? All right, without objection. All right, Madam Clerk, let’s consent if we may Item 1 and
Item 2 from the Addendum Agenda with the understanding that nine is just revision information
for the Item #9 on the Regular Agenda so if we could ---
Mr. Sias: Pardon my interruption but can we get a review of the addendum?
Mr. Mayor: Yes ---
The Clerk: I sent those out earlier but, Item 1 is to consider approving a Facility
Encroachment Agreement with the CSX Railroad. Commissioner Davis requested that item. Item
number two is to approve deeds of dedication, maintenance agreements and road resolutions
submitted by Engineering and Augusta Utilities regarding McCoys Creek Subdivision
reconfiguration of lots and roadway extension.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Madam Clerk. I wasn’t putting that on you; that was on me. I just
need to hear it.
The Clerk: Okay, all right.
Mr. Sias: You did your part.
The Clerk: Thank you, sir. Okay, Mr. Mayor, are you going to have receive a motion ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes ---
The Clerk: --- for this?
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Mr. Mayor: --- Commissioner from the 3 is prepared to make that motion.
Ms. Davis: Move to approve Item 1 and 2 on the Addendum Agenda, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Clarke: Second.
The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
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The Clerk: Mr. Frantom, 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.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- let’s go to Item #9 from the Revision Information Addendum Agenda.
Let’s do that first and then we’ll come back to a couple of things. I want to dispose of that so we’re
getting that out of the way.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
9. Motion to approve a Memorandum of Understanding to allow the Greater Augusta Arts
Council to execute and manage a Temporary Sculpture Festival.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My concern about this is that I looked at it and saw it
on the agenda yesterday. I was trying to find out where we actually approved this at any time
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previously. And actually in my researching in finding the minutes in April of last year we actually
sent this back to committee and we never talked about a $100,000 dollars of funding this. This is
the first time I’ve even seen that. Maybe somebody else has other minutes to say something
different but we’ve never said that. And my concern is we I was thinking initially they were talking
about the $100,000 dollars out of the million dollars for the Gateway Structure but what I found
out inside of the Recreation Department there was $100,000 dollars in capital outlay for this
particular project. And so my concern is several. Number one the gateway we have yet to kind of
get it to where it needs to be. That’s a million dollar fact to this. Now we’re talking about a Broad
Street Temporary Festival to the tune of $100,000 dollars and that’s just to start now. If you read
what they’re saying they’re going to be coming back on an annual basis to try to continue that
money for the festival purposes and we have yet to get the Gateway off the ground. So my concern
is that we’re not just at this place just yet. Not only that also it looks like this may start in ’22.
Well in ’22 on Broad Street is when they will start building on Broad to start doing restructuring
or remodeling Broad Street for lack of a better term and that’s going to be over a two-year period
that that’s going to be happening. So I just think right now, Mr. Mayor, we need to kind of wait
this out so we get a full throated discussion about the merit of it and at least get our gateway
structures on path first. Right now I just don’t think we can afford to continue put another $100,000
dollars for that. You also have the Convention and Visitors Bureau. I do receive (unintelligible)
from Jennifer but they got a couple hundred thousand dollars. Now they’re not going to do a James
Brown festival with that money. They take that money and put it over here and we do that but you
can’t do all those things downtown. You just can’t do them.
Mr. Mayor: So, Commissioner, we appreciate that. My question to you is what’s your
pleasure regarding that.
Mr. Hasan: I make a motion to deny at this particular time.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ll second that, Mr. Mayor, with a little conversation.
Mr. Mayor: That’s fine. All right, Madam Clerk, we’ve got a motion and a second to
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deny. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: I was under the impression when I looked at this and I’m trying to figure
out how did we decide on this kind of stuff the festival when we’ve been talking about some stuff
and doing some things how did this even come up to this point anyway? I mean and I’m not
against sculptures or anything like that but you know to name a festival and to get started with one
we have not done the things that we’ve been talking about on the table. How do we get around
the other things and get over to here? So I don’t think we’re at that point yet either. I think we
need to be mindful of what we’re doing. I don’t want to belong in this situation but at the same
time I can’t support it right now. We hadn’t done any of the things we’ve been talking about for
the last 8 years for sure when we talk about festivals and attractions but now somebody’s going to
give us a sculpture festival and we’re going to ready to go on and move it? Question, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: I’m not sure I have a full answer for that, Commissioner. I’m going to defer
here in just a second. Administrator Sims, do you want to comment on that, sir?
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Mr. Sims: Mayor, we do have staff that are available to kind of talk about this matter.
Interim Deputy Administrator McDowell is available to talk about this matter.
Mr. Mayor: All right, well, let’s get him in there we’ll do that now.
Mr. Garrett: Can we get Brenda Durant in as well?
Mr. Mayor: I don’t see her in our waiting room. Is she here? All right, yeah, we’ll get her
in here as well. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got Ms. Durant and Mr. McDowell coming in, all right
fantastic. All right, Deputy Administrator McDowell, if you’ll lead off . If you’re running
YouTube in the background please dial down. Okay, Ms. Durant, Mr. McDowell, if you’ve got
YouTube or some other (unintelligible) running in the background please turn the volume down
completely or close that. Otherwise we’re going to get an echo. All right, Mr. McDowell.
Mr. McDowell: Yes, Mr. Mayor. This particular agenda item, this was something that the
department in concert with the Arts Council had been working on for the betterment of two years
in 2018. There were several conversations and presentations made before the Commission in
regards to this festival and other projects that the Arts Council will be doing for the City of
Augusta. And we were approached, I say we Parks and Recreation Department was approached
about the Arts Council are in position now to move forward with this particular festival and so the
only thing that was outstanding was to get this agreement with the city in place. From Parks and
Recreation’s standpoint we are just the conduit in terms of the funds as a pass through. This is
totally an Arts Council project. We will have some oversight and we will have some participation
in terms of bringing those things back before the Commission but in terms of the MOU, which has
been vetted by our Legal team, this agenda item is more or less is approving that MOU and
allowing the Arts Council to move forward with the impression and understanding that the City of
Augusta would be allocating $100,000 dollars towards those efforts.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, ask them about future efforts.
Ms. Durant: Were you addressing me? This is Brenda Durant with the Greater Augusta
Arts Council.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to go back to the Commissioner from the 9 Ms. Durant,
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just pause and then I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 8We’ll come back to the
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Commissioner from the 6 going in that order.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, Commissioner from the 9 you still have the floor. All right
hold on everybody, he’s muted. Can you unmute?
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Mr. M. Williams: How about this, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, I’ve got you, go ahead.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, I’m sorry about that. Again I’m not opposed but I’m just a
little bit confused as to how we got to this point and ready to move forward with this. The
conversation about Economic Development has been in my mindset ever since I’ve been here. I
know we’ve talked about some things that’s going to happen in Augusta we’d like to see happen
but when did the conversation get to the Commission to weigh in and to know exactly what
facilitated it. The Arts Council has been doing a good job with a lot of stuff, it’s not about them,
but it’s about being inclusive, it’s about making sure that the full Commission understands and
knows where we are and at that point I’m not there yet, so that’s $100,000 dollars. I had no idea
that we were even talking about doing that at this point.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, Mayor, I want to make a motion to approve.
Mr. M. Williams: You mean a substitute motion.
Ms. Davis: And I’ll second the substitute motion to approve, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 6 back to you.
Mr. Hasan: Yeah, Mr. Mayor, like I was saying I mean when you say $100,000 dollars
you also agreeing that every year we’re going to continue to fund this. Also I’d like to ask talking
about, let me ask Ms. Durant a couple of questions, Mr. Mayor. She’s in the room?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Ms. Durant, unmute please. All right, she’s here. Go ahead,
Commissioner, state your inquiry.
Mr. Hasan: Ms. Durant exactly when your program, when will this start the festival start?
Ms. Durant: We expect to do a call out as soon as we get the signed MOU and we could
start an install of the ten sculptures first quarter of next year.
Mr. Hasan: I was told ’22 so ’22 is not accurate?
Ms. Durant: That is not accurate.
Mr. Hasan: Did we ever approve this or are you trying to get it approved today for the first
time?
Ms. Durant: This was in the Recreation and Parks budget that was approved two years
ago. It’s just taken us a while to get everything through Legal and work out the MOU and that just
happened this week or two weeks ago to get this on the agenda.
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Mr. Hasan: So officially the Commission never officially approved this project.
Ms. Durant: We had discussed this project. I don’t know that it needed, I mean my
understanding is when we have something in our budget and the Arts Council has been approved
when the budget passes. If that’s not the case someone else will have to step in and talk about that.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, because in April of last year when it came before us it was sent back to
committee for discussion so it was never officially approved based on the minutes and things that
I’ve acquired. And I think right now for where we are and the place that we’re in, I’ll stick with
my motion on the Commission right now.
Ms. Durant: Then I just want to make sure that everyone understands what a sculpture
festival is. I think it was described in the materials but I’ll be happy to run through that briefly if
there’s any questions.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Durant, if you would please talk about what that is and give background.
I want to draw everybody’s attention to the MOU that’s being presented just for brevity and Ms.
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Durant if you’ll go ahead and proceed then I’m going to the Commissioner from the 10.
Ms. Durant: So I’m sorry, a sculpture festival is a installation of ten basically borrowed or
rented sculptures. Sculpturers a lot of times have extra sculptures that they’ve created in their
garage or in their studio. They’re not giants. And so there should be ten spots located on The
Common leading towards Riverwalk up on the Riverwalk and two spots on Broad Street. And it
stays up for two years so the budget is a two-year budget so we would not be coming back and
asking the city for more money in ’21 because it’s covered it’s up for 18 months and then we take
it down and do the call again if funded for the next sculpturer. It’s called a festival but really it
just enlightens downtown (unintelligible) see it. We have a walking tour. We got a grant for that
would allow people to put it on their phone and visit it. And then there’s money in the budget for
a purchase so it would start the city sculpture collection. And so it really is a win, win for the city.
Swannee is the nearest city that has a regular Sculpture Festival and they’ve built a great sculpture
trail, a great collection in their city through this and it’s very easy. In fact I think we’re calling it
a Sculpture Walk but we called it a Sculpture Festival in the initial request and (unintelligible) and
we build events around it because people come down to see it, the community votes on their
favorites. It really builds a lot of vibrance in the community but also helps with tourism and adds
to the list of things to do when you come to Augusta because it would be up for 18 months.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Traveling around going to the different cities and we
see such beautiful sculptures that they have in their cities and it does bring vibrance to the area, it
really does. I just wish when we approved this that we could also have the bars to stay open on
Sunday so that those people could appreciate it too but thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Garrett: I’ll second that.
14
Mr. M. Williams: Question, Mr. Mayor and (inaudible).
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Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Yes, sir, thank you. I think I was struck by something Ms. Durant said and I kind
of mentioned that. Sometimes we have these things that are approved and it takes us budget wise
it takes us so long to get to it we think it’s something new by the time it gets there. So I want to, I
had serious thoughts and concerns on this but I’m going to support this because I hope it can turn
out to be an excellent project but in the price tag is $100,000 and that can go towards doing some
things in the City of Augusta and my only, my real request is to Recreation and Parks and the
Administrator’s Office that they keep us updated all the way through. And somehow or another
we’ve got to get these things executed a little bit faster than what we are doing because it gets old
and forgotten and then when it pops up issues come up with it. Thank you.
th.
Mr. Mayor: All right, sir, thank you, Commissioner from the 10 I’m sorry, Commissioner
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from the 9 back to you.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, sir, Mr. Mayor. There are many different types of sculptures
so that’s another question in my mind who decided what the sculptures is about, what it looks or I
mean has any of that been vetted with anybody or it’s just going to be sculptures that what?
Question.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Durant.
Ms. Durant: We have not put out a call for the sculptures yet. Without an MOU we did
not take any action forward so the next, the first thing we’ll do we’ll put out a regional call.
Included in the call is extra points for people who live in our area in the CSRA. So we don’t know
what they’ll look like yet. The Public Arts Panel will be determining the top ten and we’ll be
presenting that to the Commission the way we always do.
Mr. M. Williams: Good information. I didn’t know that, Brenda, how that process was
going to work because there’s a lot of different sculptures.
Ms. Durant: Well, with ten hopefully we will have some that will please all of the people
some of the time.
Mr. M. Williams: You’ll be doing good if you do that.
Ms. Durant: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, we’ve got a substitute motion to approve this matter.
thrd
Commissioner from the 8 made the substitute with a second from the Commissioner from the 3,
let’s vote.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
15
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: No.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams.
Mr. B. Williams: No, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
Mr. Hasan and Mr. B. Williams vote No.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 7-2.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ms. Durant, look forward to hear more from you.
Mr. McDowell, thank you. Okay that takes care of the Addendum Agenda, Madam Clerk, and
let’s proceed with our Public Services portion of the agenda.
The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Mayor, could you ask IT team to please, the petitioners are waiting.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re ready, okay.
16
The Clerk: Ms. Walton.
Mr. Mayor: She’s here. We’re waiting on her audio, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’re ready, Ms. Walton, good afternoon.
Ms. Walton: Good afternoon.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Ms. Walton, can you proceed presenting the petitioners the Alcohol Petitions,
number one, Ms. Walton, I’m sorry, number two.
PUBLIC SERVICES
2. New Ownership Application: A.N. 20-19: A request by Madhusudhan Gowrishetty for a
retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Texaco Food Mart located
at 4150 Windsor Spring RD. District 6. Super District 10.
Ms. Walton: This application has been approved by the Sheriff’s Office and Planning and
Development.
Mr. Speaker: My name is Madhusudhan Gowrishetty. My home address is 2913 Apt. B
Tobacco Road, Hephzibah, Georgia 30815.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Gowrishetty. All right, are there any questions from the
Commission? All right, there be none. Thank you.
Mr. Gowrishetty: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, let’s do this if we can. We’re going to let Ms. Walton
come and present the next one. We’ll go through those lists and then we’ll (unintelligible) if we
can do that.
The Clerk: Could we ask her if there were any objectors to any of these?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Walton, are there any objectors to any of these?
Ms. Walton: There are no objectors, no objectors.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right okay, so if we could go through and get the Number 3, Madam
Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
17
Mr. Mayor: --- and then we’re going to come back and vote on all of them at once, okay?
The Clerk: Okay.
PUBLIC SERVICES
3. New Ownership Application: A.N. 20-20: A request by Heiu N. Phan for a retail package
Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Super Express #2 located at 1502 Central
Ave. District 1. Super District 9.
Mr. Phan: Hi, my name is Heiu Phan, home address is 319 Osprey Point in North Augusta,
SC 29841, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right, Number 4.
PUBLIC SERVICES
4. New Ownership Application: A.N. 20-17: A request by Trupti P. Amin for a retail package
Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Ram 2504, LLC located at 3104
Wrightsboro Rd. District 2. Super District 9.
Ms. Amin: My name is Trupti Amin, home address 307 Peach Orchard Lane, Grovetown
Georgia 30813, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you.
PUBLIC SERVICES
5. New Application: A.N. 20-18: A request by Eric Jackson for a consumption on premise
Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with 40 and Up Night Light, LLC
located at 127 Laney Walker Blvd. Ext. There will be Dance. District 1. Super District 9.
Mr. Jackson: My name is Eric Jackson. I live at 3702 Rome Way, Augusta, Georgia 30906.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, thank you, sir. Ms. Walton, all right so let’s suspend we’re going
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to take action on 2, 3, 4 and 5. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4 for a motion.
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. B. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, Madam Clerk, that’s Items 2, 3, 4 and 5 to approve, voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
18
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
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.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, Item Number 6.
The Clerk: Ms. Walton, Number 6.
PUBLIC SERVICES
6. Discussion: A request by Latasha L. Speights for a Massage Operator License to be used
in connection with T’s Wellnest located at 3511 Walton Way Ext. District 3. Super District
10.
Ms. Walton: This application has been approved by the Sheriff’s Office and Planning and
Development.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair will entertain a motion to approve.
19
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. M. Williams: The applicant’s not here, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Hasan: (Unintelligible) name or nothing, Mr. Mayor, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, hold on. All right, Ms. Speights ---
Ms. Speights: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, if you’ll state for the record your name and address and where
you’re located.
Ms. Speights: 413 Keesaw Glen, Grovetown, GA 30813.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right any questions for the ---
Mr. Hasan: Name, Mr. Mayor, she didn’t give her name.
Mr. M. Williams: She don’t appear before us. She just, I mean what happened to the
camera? I heard somebody but I didn’t see anybody.
Mr. Mayor: She’s right there, Commissioner.
Mr. M. Williams: Not on my screen.
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. M. Williams: I got you.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay well, so I’m going to take a point of personal privilege. Someone get
this man an android device and get rid of the IPhone.
Mr. Garrett: I’ll second that, too.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, she’s here, Commissioner, so you’ve got to trust us on that one.
Mr. Garrett: Can you scroll over, swipe over, Marion, it might be on another screen.
Mr. M. Williams: It might be on another screen because it ain’t on this one.
Mr. Mayor: Okay give him an Android device, IT, if you’re listening give him an Android
device, okay?
20
Mr. M. Williams: I don’t need no more devices. I’ve got everything I need right here.
Mr. Mayor: All right okay, Ms. Speights, thank you.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, she still didn’t give her name.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Latasha Speights. All right, we’ve got a motion and a second to approve,
voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
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: I assume Yes, Ms. Bonner. I didn’t see nobody.
21
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk: I’ll vouch for her, I saw her.
Mr. M. Williams: All right.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- you know I’ve got a few jokes today so I’m going to put one out there.
Maybe he needs to let a German Shepherd see her.
Mr. M. Williams: He’s a seeing eye dog.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, let’s do this. Let’s drop down to Number 25, let’s
drop down to 25.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
25. Award the contract to replace the roof on the Jamestown Community Center to Blount’s
Complete Home Services in the amount of $100,000. Bid Item 20-183.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 9 had questions.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’m not opposed to putting a roof on Jamestown but my
question is on Jamestown a $100,000 dollars for a roof to be replaced? Then there must not be
anything up there at all now. Is there something else that I’m missing from purchasing or anybody
can explain that. I need somebody to help me understand how we think that it cost $100,000
dollars for Jamestown. We’re not talking about the Arena, we’re talking about Jamestown
Community Center, right?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, I believe you’re correct, we are talking about Jamestown
Community Center. So again I see the terms to award the contract that’s in the caption. I would
believe this was handled through the normal procurement methods so again I don’t have anybody
from Procurement that I see in the waiting room but I’m sure it was handled through the normal
procurement methods.
Mr. M. Williams: Well ---
Mr. Mayor: Administrator Sims, can you add some additional information to that, sir, or
one of your deputies?
22
Mr. Sims: Yes, sir, Commissioner. This matter was handled through our normal
procurement process. It was handled through an ITB which is Invitation to Bid. ITB 20-183 was
used through the Procurement Department in accordance with our regulations and the
documentation is included in our books. As far as the ITB it also includes the mandatory pre-bid,
the sign in sheet as well as information from our Central Services Director.
Mr. M. Williams: I need to hear from somebody from Procurement, Mr. Mayor. I’m not
saying it didn’t go through our Procurement but I need, I just think that price for a roof for that
facility is out of line so I need to hear something from somebody else.
Mr. Mayor: I believe that the Administrator certainly well knows the process and having
worked (inaudible) with Procurement can address this matter as he did. And it went through our
normal process and if the Procurement Department has approved this bid item and the Commission
now needs to adopt it I think he's answered those questions. We can get somebody else in the
room if it’s absolutely necessary but I’m confident that he’s responded (inaudible).
Mr. M. Williams: I can’t support it myself, Mr. Mayor. Now if Procurement said you know
it’s been vetted and the Administrator says you know he understands that I just disagree with it
and I can’t support it but that’s just my one vote.
Mr. Mayor: I understand. I appreciate that. I’m going to come to the Commissioner from
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the 8 and then we’re going to let each and everyone to determine for themselves how they want
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to deal with this matter, Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: Yes, sir. I tend to agree with Commissioner Williams that $100,000 dollars
for the roof on this facility seems quite steep. You know for that amount I think you could put
four roofs on that place, it’s not that big. You know I have some serious concerns and I do have a
question for the Administrator if that’s okay.
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
Mr. Garrett: Administrator Sims, how many bids were taken during this process?
Mr. Sims: According to our document there were four but I actually have our Central
Services Director who handles all of our facilities waiting in the queue to talk more about this but
our documentation is included in our books.
Mr. Garrett: I understand the documentation was there but I asked you the question so
that’s all I asked was how many bids were taken.
Mr. Sims: And I hope I answered your question, Commissioner.
Mr. Garrett: You did, thank you, sir.
23
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got Ms. Douse here and she can add any additional
th.
information that you may need, Commissioner from the 8 If you’ve got additional questions
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otherwise I’m going to the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, Ms. Douse. I was just talking with the Administrator about the
steep price point for this roof. Do you have any more insight into why this roof is so expensive
for this small of a facility?
Ms. Douse: Sure. I would like to note that this facility was built in several distinct phases
which unfortunately means that there are several different roof lines along with different materials
and such which is one reason why the roof line that we are proposing will be consistent and all of
the entire facility will have similar symmetry as far as the roof is concerned. The recent roofing
assessment that was completed did recognize this facility as needing to be replaced. We have
about 15 facilities that were listed as needing to be replaced in red and this one of the facilities
listed. Of the individuals that did attend our mandatory pre-bid of those four only one submitted a
bid in the amount of $100,000 dollars. We did estimate this project to be $95,000 dollars so we
were pleased that the $100,000 dollar bid did come within range.
Mr. Garrett: So we didn’t really get four bids. We really only had one.
Ms. Douse: That’s correct. We had four attendees to our mandatory conference and only
one actually submitted a bid package but again it is within our budget of what we estimated this
project to cost.
Mr. Garrett: All right, thank you, ma’am.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner. All right, the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m a little bit confused because on the pre-bid sheet
there’s eight spaces signed in and then you have four bids listed on the bid sheet but only one out
of the four made a bid.
Ms. Douse: So of the eight individuals noted to be in attendance during our pre-bid
conference four of those eight are internal representatives, two represent the Procurement
Department, one is my Project Manager Rick Acree that represents Central Services and the fourth
represents the Compliance Department. The other four are required vendors that have to be in
attendance in the event they would like to bid on this project. So of those four only one returned
a completed application that was deemed compliant.
Mr. Clarke: Okay, just one more question if I can ask please. Then on the bid sheet that
was sent out why didn’t, why wasn’t the other four that shown on that why wasn’t there some
explanation of no bid, no bid or whatever instead of just leaving it all blank?
Ms. Douse: Practice has shown and I don’t want to speak for the Procurement Department
although practice has shown blank indicates no application was submitted.
24
Mr. Clarke: Okay, thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Douse, it seems like if there was only one bid and then we can’t say
there really was a bid. There has to be somebody bidding not against but at the same time in order
to be competitive. If we only have, if we single source or we need to give it because it’s
government now it could be you know if we say we’ve got the one bidder we couldn’t find anybody
else to bid on this project to know or to compare what your estimate was. Your estimate was 95
and the bid came in at 100. That’s a coincidence I’m sure because it’s that close. But if that’s the
case it looked like if there was somebody else in business who would’ve seen and bid it along the
same lines. I don’t know why there’s not but one bid and probably neither do you but I think as a
government we ought to make sure that there’s at least a comfortable bid before we award. I mean
something just don’t seem right to me for a building that size. And I understand the history of the
building, I understand about the number of roofs there may be roof lines that may be there. They
wasn’t put there professionally at one point and probably needs to be changed now but I’m sure
other roofing companies would’ve saw the need and saw the, even they bidded even higher and
maybe lost the bid but to have no bids at all bothers me but one. Now I can’t, I don’t understand
that but I think before we award $100,000 dollars for a building that size or a facility that size
somebody needs to come back and say you know it’s going to be $150/200,000 and $100,000
dollars is the best bid but to have no bid I see a problem with that.
Mr. Mayor: All right, again I appreciate staff for bringing this information. Administrator
Sims, thank you for communicating what has taken place. I want to entertain a motion on this
matter at this time, I’ll entertain a motion on this matter.
Mr. B. Williams: Motion to approve.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: Motion to approve.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’ve got a motion and a second to approve, voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: No.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
25
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: No.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Mayor: He’s muted, Commissioner Hasan, you’re muted.
The Clerk: Yes, he’s said yes. 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: No.
Mr. Clarke, Mr. Garrett and Mr. M. Williams vote No.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 6-3.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, can you give me a recap of what items are still left to
be debated on?
The Clerk: I believe we’re at Item number 12. I think there were questions regarding 23
and 24, 27, 30 and I believe that’s it.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so Item 12, Item 7 and then 23 and 24. Okay, all right, okay, we’re
going to go through this one more time.
Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor ---
rd
Mr. Mayor: Hold on just one second, Commissioner from the 3 ---
Ms. Davis: --- okay.
26
Mr. Mayor: --- I’m trying to get my scratch paper in a row here. Okay, Madam Clerk, as
I have it Item 7, 12, 24 ---
The Clerk: And 26, sir, I’m sorry, I think Commissioner Hasan ---
Mr. Mayor: --- 24, 26, 27, 30, 36 and 37.
The Clerk: --- yes, were there some questions regarding 23?
Mr. Mayor: No, I don’t think there were questions around 23. Was that not, I thought that
was included on our Consent Agenda.
The Clerk: No, sir, 23 and 24 were not.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, very well. Okay, so let’s do this right here. Item number let’s
go Item Number 7 and 12.
The Clerk: 7 and 12?
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
7. Approve changing the name of the Augusta Common Park to “Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud
Arbery and George Floyd Memorial Park” to include an appropriate marker. (Requested
by Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
st
Mr. Mayor: All right Commissioner from the 1 I’m going to give him an opportunity to
let him speak to this matter but I think we’ve got another method of how we want to try to attack
st
this, Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, can you hear me?
Mr. Mayor: And we’d like to see you too if you don’t mind.
Mr. Fennoy: Beg pardon?
Mr. Mayor: I said we’d like to see you too if you don’t mind.
Mr. Fennoy: Is that better?
Mr. Mayor: Continue, go ahead, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor and fellow Commissioners everybody by now knows the story of
Floyd, Taylor and Arbery. They have had a worldwide impact on this particular cause. You have
companies like Aunt Jemima that’s changing the face of molasses, Mrs. Butterworth and Cream
of Wheat and Uncle Bens. They’re changing the faces on their packages, programs like Cops and
27
Live P.D. are being placed off or taken off the air. All over the world people are acknowledging
the fact that black lives matter and I think that’s it’s only fitting and appropriate that we in Augusta
embrace the movement and acknowledge and remember the people who got the movement started
and I would like to see The Commons named in their honor. You know I’ve been told that neither
of these people were from Augusta but Martin Luther King wasn’t from Augusta, Bobby Jones
wasn’t from Augusta, J.C. Calhoun wasn’t from Augusta so you don’t really, I don’t believe you
really have to be from Augusta to recognize and honor people that have an impact on the world.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you for that. I’m going to go in this order. Commissioner from
thth
the 4 and then the 6, okay?
st,
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. To my colleague from the 1 Commissioner Fennoy, I really
appreciate the words that you brought to this. I just want to ask you one thing. Due to the
complexity of it being three individuals would you consider something like a, like a plaque type
monument or something very similar to what’s on Laney Walker Boulevard something to that
effect to be placed on The Commons versus giving it a long complicated renaming of The Common
itself? I just want to know if you’d be willing to consider something to that effect.
Mr. Fennoy: May I answer, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Sias: He stepped away so please.
Mr. Fennoy: The only problem with that, Commissioner Sias, is that we have so many
African Americans that have lost their lives. You have Trevon Martin, you have Eric Garner, you
have Michael Brown and even though I feel like they should be acknowledged in some kind of
way but the incidents that have taken place over the past couple of months is really what brought
the worldwide movement.
Mr. Sias: And I don’t disagree with you Commissioner that’s why I was saying maybe if
you could consider something like that plaque and particularly with the George Floyd incident that
being the fight that sparked the worldwide reaction and brought a lot of things to the light. So I
commend you for what you’re thinking. I was just hoping maybe we could find a, I don’t want to
call it less complicated but a lesser of a burden than renaming using three different names and we
could put a very substantial marker similar like I said similar to similar what is it Laney Walker a
consideration. That’s an idea I wanted to seek your consideration on.
Mr. Fennoy: Well, I’m open to that idea, Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. Mayor, is he back yet? Okay.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I know my colleague Commissioner Fennoy is you
know quite often he brings these issues up about you know being socially conscious in this
government about naming people for different reasons (unintelligible) of that. But also I’d like to
consider because there are still a lot of people are concerned because of persons that we either
28
proposing right now are not originally not from Augusta and to his point he acknowledged that to
show where that should not be relevant. However, I’d like to make a motion to name The
Commons after Vernon Forrest who is from Augusta. He was a welter-weight champ in multiple
divisions the WBC, the IBF Green Magazine and Times between 2002 and 2003. He was a super
welter-weight title holder twice between 2007 and 2009. As we know in Atlanta, Georgia he was
killed so he is from Augusta, he acknowledges that. I knew him when he stayed in Allen Homes
then he moved up on Broad Street up the Harrisburg area. Eventually he was living in Atlanta so
he is an Augusta native and I’d like to make a motion to name it after Vernon Forrest.
Mr. Fennoy: I’ll second that motion, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. All right, Commissioner from the
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8.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, Mayor. You know as this discussion goes forward and we’re
talking about renaming things for people that are or are not from Augusta you know in the light of
the movement that has taken place now, in light of unity, in light of bringing people together, I
don’t think there is a more or a better name than The Augusta Commons. I mean it is The Commons
because it’s a common place for everybody to meet. I would hope that we would not take to
naming things for people during this time as a reaction to the things that are happening. You know
if new parks are built in the future you know that’s a great time for this conversation but you know
The Augusta Commons is a great name, it’s a common name because it is the common place for
Augustans to be able to come and meet. So I’d like to make a substitute motion that we keep
the name Augusta Commons in place.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ll second that.
Mr. Mayor: I’ve got a motion and, we’ve got a substitute motion and a second. Let’s go
ahead and vote on these matters. Madam Clerk, we’re going to take the substitute motion first.
The Clerk: To maintain the name of The Augusta Commons.
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: No.
29
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: No.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: No.
The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams.
Mr. B. Williams: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Hasan and Mr. Sias vote No.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 6-3.
nd
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, sir, I’d like to make a substitute motion.
Mr. Mayor: That motion has moved, Commissioner, it’s already been voted on at this time.
We’re getting ready to move to our next item.
Mr. D. Williams: Well, I wanted to make an additional suggestion that would be more I
think favorable to the group.
Mr. Mayor: Well, that time has passed ---
Mr. D. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, that time has passed. Okay, so in light of all of this conversation
nd,
around what’s going on across the globe I spoke with the Commissioner from the 2 the
st
Commissioner from the 1 on Friday when we celebrated Juneteenth Day that there is a lot of
discussion going on across the nation. I was contacted by national media about the naming of Fort
30
Gordon. I’ve been involved in several conversations about as many of you have the issues around
monuments in our city. And so we drafted, we drafted an Executive Order creating a task force
on monuments, streets and landmarks that would be tasked with going and having a series of
meetings in the public to come back with findings and recommendations that would be then
presented to the Commission in 60 days around this matter so that the general populace would be
talked about this - five members appointed from the Commission and six appointed by the Mayor
to this task force. And so I just had some general conversations with those individuals this past
Friday to talk about that matter because I think it is relevant. We do need to engage in a very
thoughtful and earnest discussion about that in our city as opposed to just letting it happen around
us which is what we typically do. And so I’m hoping that the members of the Commission would
be thinking about who those participants could be from a community perspective who are willing
to engage in that earnest but thoughtful dialogue around monuments, street names and/or
landmarks that we have in our city. As opposed to again you know I don’t know how many of
you have gotten copies but they sent a petition here to the office who changed that (unintelligible)
some 2,500 plus signatures on it about obviously the Confederate Monument that we’re all familiar
with on Broad Street. There’s the obelisk, a whole host of things and so I don’t think we
necessarily need to make a kneejerk response but we do need to be engaged in this broader
conversation and have some discussion about it so I just wanted to share that with you all. All
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right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 10, state your inquiry.
Mr. Clarke: Mr. Mayor, I think the Task Force is an excellent idea. I think that the
members of the community can be engaged in their thoughts, put they thoughts out there. It
wouldn’t be a kneejerk reaction from anyone and I think with us seeing the way that the citizens
and the city of Augusta, Georgia has presented to the world the unity that we find within ourselves
and within our community, I think that we can reach reasonable conclusions on these things and I
think we can do it in a genteel and peaceful manner and show the rest of the world once again that
Augusta can come together and do these things. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner, I appreciate that. I couldn’t agree with you more.
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All right Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I think what you’re proposing is a great idea but I think that the
City of Augusta has already shown the world what it’s not willing to do.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, thank you, thank you for that. Madam Clerk, Number 12.
Madam Clerk, before we go to Number 12 let me mention this and remind everyone that the GMA
2020 Annual Convention will in fact take place on next week but it will be a Virtual Convention.
thnd.
That convention begins June 29 to July 2 There will be five days, four days, five three or four
th
days of meetings. On Monday June the 29 at 1:30 there will be a lesson on leadership from
featured keynote speaker John Maxwell. He will be providing insight from his book Leadership,
Eleven Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace. In light of what’s happening and has
happened around COVID-19 I would encourage all of our members of the Commission to avail
themselves. Registration is free, it has opened and now will be the time to go online and register
thnd
for the annual convention that will again take place June 29 through July 2. And in terms of
the task force around those five individuals if you could have that information to me through the
31
Clerk by Friday your five recommendations of individuals that will be fantastic, you’ll submit
those names. All right, Madam Clerk, Number 12. Madam Clerk, you’re muted.
The Clerk: Apologies.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
12. Abolish the Augusta Land Bank Authority. (Requested by Commissioner Marion
Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I want to first of all express to this Commission
that the reason I put this on here because it’s a very, very serious issue that’s taking place with our
Land Bank or the lack of things taking place with our Land Bank along with our Code
Enforcement, along with the Marshal’s Department and also the Sheriff’s Department. I am truly
disappointed. I asked the Clerk to email the Sheriff’s Department to have them to come over and
at least enlighten them as to what the community’s dealing with and I was very disturbed about
the response I got. Now they was willing to come to this meeting to talk about monitoring the
alarm companies that’s in Augusta and how many alarms they answer to but the needs of the
overgrown vegetation, the drug sales that’s taking place in the front yards of the community, the
Sheriff’s Lieutenant or Sergeant or whatever Clayton’s rank is wouldn’t even reply. Neither would
the Marshal’s Department. They said they agreed with Clayton and they wasn’t coming. So my
first order of business, Mr. Mayor, I want to Clerk to reiterate and tell me when do we improve or
increase the Marshal’s budget to help with patrolling and keeping the community abreast of the
overgrown vegetation and all the other things associated with that? Ms. Bonner, can you help me
understand that?
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, yes, go ahead.
The Clerk: --- the Commission over several years have funded the Marshal’s Department
to take care of those type code enforcement issues. I think of late last year or maybe even this
year’s budget there were monies, additional monies and personnel funded to address those matters.
I have not been able to get the detail listing but over the course of several years the Commission
has invested money in the Marshal’s Office for those particular services.
Mr. M. Williams: So, Mr. Mayor, in reply to that is when I asked the Clerk to email the
Sheriff’s Department and also the Marshal’s Department to get them to come in, they replied that
they didn’t want sit down in any meeting to talk about their strategy, I don’t need to know their
strategy. I’m not a Marshal, I’m not a Sheriff. I don’t want their strategy shared with me. But in
the 16 years I’ve been down here it hadn’t got very much better so I’m very disappointed not just
in them not showing up but the disrespect, the disrespect that I feel like they’re doing to this body
as elected officials. Now when they want monies, when they need money they got no problem
32
coming but when there’s services that the people demand in this city and in the inner city especially
there’s a lot of ways of putting your knee on people’s neck. Now we talk about changing the name
of The Common there’s a lot of ways of putting your knee on people’s neck besides putting them
on the ground. Now I’m very upset about this because in some areas we don’t have this problem.
I had Code Enforcement to go down there to look at it, asked them to take pictures, to bring video
there’s some unbearable situations. The stench is so bad, Mr. Mayor, you can’t even walk the
street on Perry Avenue. The drug dealers sitting in the front yard every day, every day properties
there that didn’t have water in the homes. I don’t get paid that kind of money. That’s not my job.
They ride up and down the street with their starched uniform on looking like they never sweated a
day in their life but they can’t come to a meeting to talk. I’m sick of that, Mr. Mayor, now had
that been before the election now we probably could’ve got some response but the election’s over
now. They ain’t worrying about getting reelected; they’re back in office. And I’m tired of playing
games. Just like they disrespected me as an elected official I’m doing the same thing back to them,
Mr. Mayor. I really don’t give a ham sandwich what they think but you’ve got drug activity on the
street and people are begging I’m talking about this lady in tears about how many times she done
called Code Enforcement, done called the Sheriff’s Department, called the Marshal. Stuff in the
people’s front yard, Mr. Mayor, not in the back yard in the front yard. The Land Bank, I’m getting
to the Land Bank that’s what this whole agenda item is about the Land Bank has probably been
sitting for 15 years and they get it and they keep it like that for another three or four years. The
neighborhood has got consumed about the overgrown vegetation. They feel like nobody cares.
The few people that’s trying to make a living and trying to stay there is suffering every day from
loud music to everything. It don’t take no rocket scientist to stop this. These ain’t no Columbians
flying no drugs in. These are wannabes on the street. These are the rookies that are trying to get
started and we sit back and don’t even address it. You can’t even stand to walk down the street;
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the stench is so bad, houses on the corner 11 and Perry Avenue the grass and the kudzu done
grown over the property completely. You can’t even see the house. The house has been burnt half
way down but you can’t even tell it, Mr. Mayor. So we need to change the rules with the Land
Bank, we need to take the money back from the Marshal’s Office, we need to create our own
agency to handle the situation. We gave the Code Enforcement badges but they can’t write no
tickets. What are they doing with badges then Mr. Mayor? I’m fed up waiting on folks to answer
when they get ready to answer. They disrespect this elected body not just me this whole body
when they don’t show up. I ain’t asking them about they way they’re going to do it. These people
are suffering every day. If you call 311 you call any of the information they’re going to tell you
how many times they’ve been calling about the situation just on that one block; they don’t even
show up. So I want to ban the Land Bank. My motion is to ban the Land Bank and at least set
another set of rules in place so if you buy a piece of property you’ve got to do something with it.
The Land Bank can’t hold no property and sit there in the state it was in before and we expect Joe
Q. Citizen to clean up his property. That don’t make good sense, Mr. Mayor. We’re holding our
own selves back; we’re the ones that are holding ourselves back because we’re not enforcing it.
So we don’t need a Marshal’s Department, we really don’t need a Sheriff’s Department the way
the drug activities going on and if you want to go down there I’m willing to meet you right now
we’ll go down there and look at it and see if you can stand the stench that’s coming out walking
the street down there. You will need a mask if you go down there but it don’t make good sense
though. Mr. Mayor, I’m really disturbed about this now when people won’t even come to your
meeting to talk to you about the problems that people are calling you about. I didn’t just jump in
here. I ran for this seat and I care about the neighborhood, I care about the people.
33
Mr. Mayor: Yeah so, Commissioner, again you’re spot on in terms of raising this issue.
On last week at our meeting and I inquired just a minute ago with Madam Clerk we’re going to try
to get to a place. But we talked about this issue along with the issues around vacant lot clearing
and we said we were going to put together a small group to address this issue and attack it
wholeheartedly. And I was going to send something out and I didn’t, I didn’t send it but because
I didn’t have all of the names, I couldn’t remember all of that and I didn’t want to send something
out premature. But we said we were going to put together a little small task force of members of
thth
the Commission, I think you were part of that. The Commissioner from the 8 and the 10 because
included in this discussion with the issues around cutting out in the Hephzibah area and so we need
to address this and attack it at one time and not be piecemealing on how we try to solve these
issues. So you’re spot on ---
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: --- I was not included in your email communications until the end where the
Sheriff forwarded it to me so I wasn’t aware of what you have just expressed to us in terms of you
trying to pull together a meeting. But the Sheriff forwarded it to me after a series of meetings with
the Marshal, emails with the Marshal and then so you’re spot on.
Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. Mayor, the Marshal and everybody else showed up for a grand
showing a year maybe a year and a half ago. We went in some areas and cleaned up, everybody
brought their lawnmowers the weed eaters even brought their German Shepherds with them. Mr.
Mayor, they did everything one time had not been back no more. One showing everybody got out
there working up and down in the back alleys and everywhere else moving the debris with
equipment from the landfill and nobody has showed up anymore because we don’t care about
certain areas of this government, we don’t care about the inner city. All we look at is the outskirts
of this city. But the people in the inner city are taxpayers too. You’re talking about people who
can’t breathe, people that got their knee on their necks. That’s another form of putting your knee
on peoples’ necks when you care less about them. And you can talk not you but anybody can talk
out their mouth but their actions don’t say that. Their commitment don’t say that. And I got a
problem we’ve got elected officials who ran for public office and then don’t do their job. Got all
kind of excuses. We go into other folks back yards but we don’t address stuff in people’s front
yard in some places. My motion is to dissolve the Land Bank Authority, Mr. Mayor, and I know
that way it's not going but that’s my motion.
Mr. Clarke: I’ll second that.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second to dissolve the Land Bank
th
Authority. All right, Madam Clerk. All right, Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, Mayor. I’d like to make a substitute motion that before we
dissolve the Land Bank that by next meeting we have a total list of all the property and when
the property was purchased by the Land Bank.
Mr. M. Williams: And a copy of the rules that go along with the Land Bank.
34
Mr. Garrett: I’ll agree to that.
Mr. M. Williams: Playing with people’s lives, man, like it’s nothing.
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The Clerk: That would be on the July 21 meeting, Mr. Garrett?
Mr. Hasan: Yes, I’ll second that, Mr. Garrett. Did you get a second?
The Clerk: No, sir, I didn’t but ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay, I’ll second it.
st
The Clerk: --- Mr. Garrett, you wanted this on the July 21 meeting?
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Mr. Garrett: Are we not meeting on the 16?
st
The Clerk: No, sir. Our next meeting will be July 21.
st
Mr. Garrett: Then the 21.
The Clerk: Okay. Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Is this on the substitute motion?
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
Mr. Clarke: I vote yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am.
35
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: No.
Mr. M. Williams votes No.
Mr. Fennoy and Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 7-1.
Mr. Clarke: Mr. Mayor, question please?
Mr. Mayor: All right, state your inquiry, Commissioner.
Mr. Clarke: Okay, will the list of properties from the Land Bank be emailed to us prior to
that meeting please?
Mr. Mayor: It will be.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, sir, I appreciate it.
Mr. Mayor: And the rules that have been requested as well.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, sir.
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Mr. Mayor: So let me say the Commissioner from the 6 is the Commission liaison to the
Land Bank and we’re putting him on deck as well in advance so he can talk about the operations
th,
at the Land Bank and what’s going on over there. All right, Commissioner from the 5 state your
inquiry.
Mr. B. Williams: I agree with everything that’s been done so far but what I think looking
at the email trail from Commissioner Marion Williams’ emails. What I think the official said was
that they would sit down in a meeting and talk. So I think somebody needs to put together a
meeting with the police department as well as the Marshal’s Department and have a meeting with
them. They didn’t want to come to the public forum because they didn’t think that they would be
able to get things done that needed to be done and it wouldn’t be talked about the way it needs to
be talked about. So I think if someone would set up a meeting and inform Commissioner Marion
Williams I’m pretty sure they’ll be glad Commissioner Clayton responded, Peebles responded that
they would sit down in a meeting so if somebody could put together a meeting and call a couple
36
of boards I mean a Commissioner they’ll be glad, I’m pretty sure they’ll be glad to talk about what
needs to be done over there as well as Code Enforcement.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, can I ---
Mr. B. Williams: --- so I ---
Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on.
Mr. B. Williams: --- so I think we still need to address what Commissioner Marion
Williams is saying so I believe we can get them in a meeting.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I agree with you 100% and I think that needs to happen before the July
th
21 meeting. All right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 6 and then I want to close
th,
out with you, Commissioner from the 9 okay?
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think there’s two different what Commissioner
Bobby Williams said I think we need to do that. There are two different responses there that
should’ve happened. I can understand based on what Commissioner Williams asking of the
Sheriff’s Department and what he was identifying. I kind of get that because the Sheriff’s been
trying what they do trying to do it incognito. I give them that but when you’re talking about the
Marshal’s Office I don’t think the Marshal has the luxury, I know it’s an elected official trust me
I do know that but they don’t have the luxury of that because this is part of that everyday
responsibility in terms of code enforcement. And I think it was not the only one. I think you’re
talking about Rob Sherman (inaudible) and all those particulars were asked. So the Sheriff’s
response is I need to sit down with you and have a private conversation with you. I kind of get that
even if my colleague don’t I kind of understand that one. The Marshal’s response I think is a little
different. I think they can come and talk about anything about code enforcement and I think Rob
Sherman and all of that. So I don’t think the same responses (inaudible).
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Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to close out with the Commissioner from the 9,
th
Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I thank my colleague for the suggestion but I didn’t ask the
Sheriff or the Marshal to give me any details as to what they or how they’re going anything. But
what I asked them was they didn’t have to come they could’ve sent one of their Corporals,
Sergeants they could’ve sent the jailer out. They (unintelligible) it didn’t matter to me. I wanted
somebody to come in and share with what the neighborhood is thinking and what they’re dealing
with. Not how they was going to do it or when they was going to do it. Now I see the Marshal
who never breaks a sweat if you see one of them Marshals their uniform is not creased and starched
to the max. I need to take a picture of that because I ain’t never seen one yet that had been waiving
even working a special on the outside with our equipment and all of the blight stuff that we’ve got
going around this city that we could stop. We really got enough manpower and enough initiative
to do it but we ain’t doing our job. Now we’ve given them their monies to do that; it don’t take
much to clean up now. It don’t take much to clean up with folks out of compliance. That’s the
same thing with Code Enforcement. You’ve got a house that’s owned by somebody; they ought
37
to be made to find the owner. Not the people who live there but the owner who owns that property.
If the renter is listing that property the owner should be held responsible. So we may have to talk
among ourselves with the elected officials who are outside our agency to talk about how we can
enforce something, Mr. Mayor. We can’t let this (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: That’s the thing that I said we were attempting to try to do last week at the
meeting. And so we’ve got this motion to adopt it now and this week let’s start working on this
issue.
Mr. M. Williams: But when they wouldn’t even send nobody over when two or three
people come over to talk about the alarms that rally ticked me off. I don’t want to get in their
business; I don’t want to know how they do it. That’s their business. As an elected official over
half of this city I want my constituency problems taken care of with overgrown property, rats and
abandoned cars and all this other junk and the stench that’s on the street. When drug dealers sit
there and the lady said every day they’re sitting in front of her yard and nobody in stopping them.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, we got it we got it ---
Mr. M. Williams: No, you ain’t got it.
Mr. Mayor: --- we’re going to join you in this fight, we’re going to join you in this fight.
Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay, that takes us to ---
The Clerk: 23 and 24.
Mr. Mayor: --- that takes us to Items 23 and 24 and let’s do this if we can ---
The Clerk: We have 23, 24, 36, 37 left. We have four items left.
Mr. Mayor: --- we have 27, 30 ---
Mr. Hasan: You’ve got 26 as well.
The Clerk: --- 26, yes, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, all right.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, you can approve 26. I pulled it. I’m ready to approve it. My
motion is to approve it.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so a motion to approve Number 26.
38
Mr. Garrett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, let me, let’s see if we can add let’s see if we can add 30 to that ---
Mr. Hasan: 24?
th,
Mr. Mayor: --- hold on a minute. Commissioner from the 9 can we add Number 30? I
want to try and get a consent order on here 26 and Number 30.
Mr. Hasan: What about 24, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: I’m coming back to it, I’m coming back to it.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m not ready to vote for those now. Let me tell you about, there’s some
complaints on Item (inaudible) but I’m going to let them go because I think I can deal with that
later and bring it back to this body. 24 I still got a couple of questions, I mean I’m not opposed to
that. I just I just want to know what HCD is doing if we approve this process. What would that
allow them to do?
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so let’s do this. Let me walk through this right here. I’d like to consent
---
Mr. Garrett: Can we add 27 too?
Mr. Mayor: --- okay, yes, I’m going to go down the list. I’d like to consent Item Number
23, 23 does not include Fleming Park and I’d like to have an offline conversation about that but it
does not include Fleming Park. There needs to be an update brought to us on that Fleming Park,
Administrator Sims, so we’ll just file that one away, Administrator Sims.
Mr. Sims: Yes, sir, I’m tracking.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, sir. All right 23, Number 26 ---
Mr. Garrett: 27.
Mr. Sias: Run that list again real quick?
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, we’re working on it. Everybody just hold, just hold. All right, so
th
23, 26, 27, 30 and if the Commissioner from the 9 no objection, 36 and 37.
Mr. Garrett: How about 27?
Mr. Mayor: I already added that, sir.
Mr. Garrett: Okay.
39
th,
Mr. Mayor: All right 36 and 37, Commissioner from the 9 are the streetlight
conversations.
Mr. M. Williams: All right, I’m going to do that, Mr. Mayor, but I have to have a comment.
Mr. Mayor: All right, go ahead.
Mr. M. Williams: My comment is that there’s some streetlight issues that we have let the
trees and the vegetation grow so much that we’ve got people paying for streetlights in certain areas
there is no lights. So if we’re going to be paying for streetlights then this government ought to
make sure that the streetlights are being visible on the street versus the trees that we allow in certain
areas. Now I’m all over the city. In South Augusta there’s some areas that they got trees that it’s
dark as midnight with the lights on so I’m going to let these go now but I’m bringing those issues
back.
Mr. Mayor: Okay good because I would love to know what those locations are so we can
send crews out there immediately to go ahead and do those cuttings. This is consistent with the
thth
conversation that the Commissioner from the 8 and the 10 raised on last week regarding items
out there in Hephzibah so we need to package all of that and have folks go out and address it right
away.
Mr. M. Williams: All right (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: These are this is part of normal operations that this government should be
doing on a daily basis and we shouldn’t struggle with this. Again we keep talking about a city of
202,000 plus people and growing, the second largest city in the State of Georgia. We’re one of
the fastest growing economies. We shouldn’t be struggling with these issues. This is all economic
growth and development so I’m tracking. All right, Madam Clerk, what we’ve got at this point
then is we’ve got a motion to approve Items 23, 26, 27 ---
The Clerk: 37 and 38.
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
23. Motion to approve Johnson, Laschober & Associates, P.C. as the contractor to evaluate
and propose upgrades to various Augusta Recreation facilities external lighting for $120,750
through bid #20-131.
PUBLIC SAFETY
26. Motion to approve the purchase of cubicle extensions for the Solicitor’s Office in the
amount of $26,572.93.
FINANCE
27. Presentation of proposed 2021 budget planning calendar for approval.
ENGINEERING SERVICES
37. Approve the installation of 20 street lights in the Governors Place development with an
annual cost of $6,480. Also approve the creation of a new special service district for the 175
40
lots within Governors Place. Funding is available in Street Lighting budget account
#2760416105312310.
38. Approve and authorize Augusta Engineering Department (AED) to accept and receive
Richmond County Board of Education (RCBOE) and Georgia Department of
Transportation (GDOT) Financial Assistance for Harper Franklin Ave./Jimmie Dyess Pkwy
Intersection Efficiency and Safety Improvements Project. Also authorized Augusta Mayor
and Augusta Legal to sign and submit associated required documents. sted by Administrator
& AED
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
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.
Mr. Frantom out.
41
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, that takes us to Item #24.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
24. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
Brokerage Services Agreement to extend Sherman & Hemstreet’s Professional Service
Agreement for a period of one (1) year, and enable HCD to solicit the services of another
Real Estate Brokerage Company to provide Real Estate Sales and Marketing Services in the
Laney Walker Bethlehem area.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk. I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the
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9 but before I do that I do want to ask the Commission to be prepared to take up another matter.
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The Commissioner from the 5 is going to make a motion in just a moment a motion to reconsider
a matter in just a moment, okay? And in light of that when we get prepared to do that we’re going
to need everybody to be in place. It shouldn’t take us any more than another five to seven minutes
th,
to take care of all of these matters. All right, Commissioner from the 9 you’re recognized.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, why can’t we do this on a month to month basis versus a
year is my question. Why can’t this be like other contractors and do a month to month versus
giving them a year? Now it don’t take a year to do what you got to do here so why can’t it be on
a month to month situation? I can make that into a motion if you want me to.
Mr. Mayor: Well, I’m not the right one to answer that but I’m going to get Director
Welcher in here and let him respond to that, hold on just a second he’s coming. All right, Director
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Welcher, the question before us from the Commissioner from the 9 is the matter regarding Item
#24. This is a motion to extend an agreement with Sherman and Hemstreet for a period of one
year and enable HCD to solicit services from another (inaudible). All right, can you speak to this
matter?
Mr. Welcher: Yes, sir and members of the Commission, your approval today allows for
HCD to be able to move forward and solicit and hire two dedicated brokerage companies that will
enable to market our current and future listings based on our 48 houses actually currently to date.
We have approximately 17 properties on the street with an additional projected amount of about
24 properties as well. Because of the number of development areas that we’re currently working
in with the seven because of the number of housing units that we have on the ground and projected
which is 20 plus because also to keep pace and not overload any single brokerage company
understanding that they’re not just working in the Laney Walker area to create jobs and to also
give another agency an opportunity is the reason for the agenda item request.
Mr. M. Williams: My question was, Mr. Welcher, why can’t we use the process of a month
to month until we find somebody rather than a year? That’s a simple question, yes or no. All the
explanations sound good I just need (inaudible) can we use month to month until we find somebody
whether it be six months, twelve months or one month? Can we do that?
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Mr. Welcher: If that be your desire, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: That’s my motion to use a month to month process not to belabor this
or hold anybody else up but until we find somebody we don’t have to go a whole year. If it takes
six months, it takes six months. If it takes a year, it takes a year (inaudible). That’s my motion.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9 okay. Was there a second with that?
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- I’m coming to you, I’m coming to you.
The Clerk: Who seconded, Mr. Mayor? I’m sorry.
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Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, the Commissioner from the 9 made the motion with a second
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from the Commissioner from the 6. I’m going to ask them if they would consider amending that
motion to be six months instead of month to month.
Mr. M. Williams: Six months, okay, yeah, I can deal with that, Mr. Mayor. That
would be easier.
Mr. Mayor: I’ll second it.
st,
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, Commissioner from the 1 state your inquiry.
Mr. Fennoy: This question is for Mr. Welcher. What would be, would there be any
advantages of doing or disadvantages of doing a month to month or six months or a yearly
contract?
Mr. Welcher: I think the longer the term the longer the dedication, the more dedication
potentially you may have but I think from our perspective if you look back into the agreement we
are meeting with our realtors on a monthly basis. There are dedicated agents that are dedicated
specifically to the Laney Walker project. So the whole purpose of meeting monthly is to be sure
that we’re following up and we’re tracking in regards to you know the number of listings, where
are they marketing, the number of hits and those types of things so to be honest with you we look
at it on a month to month anyway. And understand if you into the agreement we have the latitude
if it’s not to our liking, if we’re not getting what we feel like we should be getting, we have the
ability to be able to provide a termination notice within 30 to 60-days anyway so this is not
hindering our operations in any way.
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Mr. Fennoy: And my second question is that if we do, if we agree to a six-month contract,
where would that put us six months from now? The same thing all over again?
Mr. Welcher: Well, I guess one question I would have, there are two parts to the motion.
Are we saying extend Sherman and Hemstreet for six months as well as allow me to be able to
solicit through Procurement for another brokerage company? I’m not sure ---
Mr. Mayor: Director Welcher, that’s absolutely what their motion is that you’ve got six
months to complete this process as opposed to one year.
Mr. Welcher: Okay, so to answer your question, Commissioner Fennoy, I believe you
know in working through Procurement we’ll start immediately with the solicitation to recruit an
additional brokerage company so we’ll have another brokerage company in line within that six
month timeframe.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, let me respond to that what he just said.
th,
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, sir, Commissioner from the 6 you’re recognized.
Mr. Hasan: That’s not what your motion’s saying. We’re not looking for an additional
broker this and another broker potentially not an additional broker, now that’s not what the motion
is.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, so I’m going to again as the Commissioner from the 6 indicated
the motion is clear. Six months to look for a broker while extending Sherman and Hemstreet
during that period of time. All right, Madam Clerk, voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am.
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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.
Mr. Frantom Out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, let’s do this right here for just a moment. I want to take a, in
st
the spirit of the Commissioner from the 1 a Point of Personal Privilege and recognize and I’ll ask
the Administrator to chime in at the appropriate time only because I’m looking at it now, the email
that’s in front of me. On last week I think we received notice from Ms. Allen that one our own
Ms. Tameka Allen received the Georgia Government Management Information Systems
Outstanding Professional Award. GMIS is a professional association of Georgia technology
leaders who are dedicated to providing best practice solutions for technology and issues and its
technology leaders from across the entire State of Georgia. This award recognizes a person of the
organization that’s a technology trendsetter not only in their local government but in the broader
technology community. And so we want to acknowledge Ms. Allen today and her team as she
always does she refers this back to her team who helps her do the work that she does for the city
and quite frankly for the community. And so we do want to take a moment to applaud her efforts
and her team in being recognized for this very prestigious award which is a statewide award. All
right, Administrator Sims, I’ll defer to you now, sir.
Mr. Sims: Yes, Mayor. That is correct last Thursday we received notification that Ms.
Allen received this award from GMIS Outstanding Professional Award. Again what you stated
we would like to just recognize her efforts of continuing to make Augusta proud with her hard
work and dedication to the IT field as well as her team, her IT team, for contributing to her success.
So again congratulations, Ms. Allen.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, Administrator Sims. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 5 for a motion. This matter is an extremely important one that was
discussed earlier that we didn’t get across the finish line and so the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 5.
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Mr. B. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. What I would like because I understand they really
need the money out there at the Landfill that we agree to consider the $500,000 dollars that are
needed to help keep out landfill in compliance.
Mr. Sias: Second.
The Clerk: Add and approve, right?
Mr. Mayor: All right, this is motion to reconsider ---
The Clerk: That was in the legal meeting. That wasn’t in this meeting.
Mr. Mayor: --- Madam Clerk, I can’t hear you.
The Clerk: That was in a Special Called Meeting.
Mr. Mayor: That was in a Special Called Meeting so where’s my Attorney, Attorney
Brown, we’re adding this as an agenda item effectively.
The Clerk: And I’ll read you the motion. Would you want that, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
The Clerk:
ADDENDUM
41. Motion to add and approve authorizing the Director of Environmental Services along
with the Engineering and Deputy Administrator to allocate up to $550,000 for needed
professional services during the projected 120-days transitional period for keeping the
facility in compliance with tis operations and regulatory permit requirements. Also authorize
to supplement the SCS Engineers ISM LLC current contract with Augusta for providing
selected services at the facility during projected transitional period.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: No.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
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Mr. Garrett: No.
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.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams, Mr. Marion Williams out?
Mr. Mayor: He’s out.
Mr. Clarke and Mr. Garrett vote No.
Mr. Frantom and Mr. M. Williams out.
Motion Fails 7-2.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, we did not have unanimous consent to add it.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. B. Williams: I’ll try again.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, I don’t think there’s any additional business before
us.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor.
st.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 State your
inquiry.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, could you call a Special Called Meeting one day next week with
that being our only thing that we will talk about?
Mr. Mayor: That’s certainly possible.
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Mr. Fennoy: Okay.
nd.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 2 State your inquiry.
Mr. Garrett: Dennis?
Mr. D. Williams: Say again?
Mr. Mayor: All right, you’ve got your finger up or no?
Mr. D. Williams: Who me?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, you.
Mr. D. Williams: No, that’s not me.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, very well. All right, Madam Clerk, I don’t believe there’s any
additional business before us. If not, this meeting stands adjourned.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
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
June 24, 2020.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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