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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCalled Commission Meeting May 25, 2021 CALLED MEETING VIRTUAL/TELECONFERENCE May 25, 2021 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 11:00 a. m. Tuesday, May 25, 2021, the Honorable Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. B. Williams, Garrett, Sias, Johnson, Frantom, Scott, McKnight, D. Williams, Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor: All right, good morning, everybody. We are here for our special called meeting and also executive session. The Chair recognizes Attorney Brown. 1. LEGAL MEETING A. Pending and potential litigation B. Real estate C. Personnel Mr. Brown: Good morning, Mayor and Commissioners. We request a motion to go into executive session for the discussion of litigation, personnel and real estate. Mr. Sias: So move. Ms. Scott: Second. The Clerk: That’s Commissioner Sias and Commissioner Scott. Mr. Mayor: Yes. Voting. Mr. Frantom out. Motion carries 9-0. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right, we’re going to transition to closed session. \[EXECUTIVE SESSION\] Mr. B. Williams: Ms. Bonner. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. B. Williams: Is everything in order? The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, we need to close the meeting, correct? 1 The Clerk: We have an affidavit, closed meeting affidavit needs to be addressed first and then the three motions that have been outlined. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, can I get a motion to close the meeting? 2. Motion to authorize execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act. Mr. D. Williams: So move. Ms. Scott: Second. The Clerk: Okay, that’s Mr. Dennis Williams and Ms. Scott. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. Mr. Sias: That’s for the affidavit, right? The Clerk: Yes, sir, for the affidavit. Are we voting now, sir? Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. Mr. Frantom out. Motion carries 9-0. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, Mr. Attorney. Mr. Brown: I don’t have a motion. I believe the Administrator has one. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, Mr. Administrator. Mr. Donald: Yes, that motion is a motion to create, add the Deputy Director of HR to the HR Department funded effective July 1 of 2021 at $38,820 from Contingency for the balance of the year. Mr. Hasan: So move. Ms. Scott: Second. The Clerk: That would be Mr. Hasan and Ms. Scott. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, voting when you get ready, Ms. Bonner. Mr. Frantom and Mr. Sias out. Motion carries 8-0. 2 Mr. B. Williams: Next I think Mr. Sias had a motion, correct? The Clerk: Yes, sir, he did. Mr. B. Williams: Jeff, can you get Mr. Sias? Mr. Lewis: Yes, sir. I think he just dropped off so I think he’ll be joining back shortly. Mr. Hasan: You can go to the next one, Commissioner. Mr. Garrett. Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Garrett. Mr. Garrett: Yes, I’d like to make a motion to appoint Brooks Stayer as our Environmental Services Department Director and task Administration to negotiate salary and start date. Mr. Hasan: So move. Ms. McKnight: Second. The Clerk: Okay, that was Mr. Garrett and Mr. Hasan, Ms. McKnight. Mr. Garrett: I think everybody just voted. Mr. B. Williams: When you get ready, Ms. Bonner. Mr. Frantom and Mr. Sias out. Motion carries 8-0. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, Mr. Sias is on the phone. He says he’s having difficulty dialing in so I will put him on hold. Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Can you all hear him? Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Sias. Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Sias, you have a motion? Mr. Sias: What are we voting on, Ms. Bonner? The Clerk: Fire Chief, sir. 3 Mr. Sias: Okay, I’m ready, what’s the motion? The Clerk: Well, we’re waiting for you to give us the motion. Mr. Sias: All right, I’m ready then. The Clerk: Okay. Mr. Sias: All right, I move that we select Mr. Antonio Burden and that we authorize the Administrator to negotiate a salary, start date and any other requirements that the Administrator knows to effect this contract and I want to make sure that’s okay with the Administrator. Mr. Donald: (inaudible) but I don’t believe the Fire has a contract. It’s more so their start date, compensation and other benefits. Mr. Sias: That will be it then, Mr. Sias, to move what I said contract and add what the Administrator said (inaudible). Mr. B. Williams: Hang on a second, hang on a second. Attorney Brown, you had your hand up. Mr. Brown: No, the Administrator corrected it. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, do we have a second? Mr. D. Williams: Second. The Clerk: Okay, Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. B. Williams: Hang on a second, hang on a second. Mr. Dennis Williams seconded it. The Clerk: Okay. Mr. B. Williams: Okay, Ms. McKnight. Mr. McKnight: Yes, sir, I was waiting on Commissioner Clarke. Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Clarke. Mr. Clarke: Yes, I have a substitute motion. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, sir. Mr. Clarke: I make a motion to start the process over -- 4 Mr. B. Williams: Okay. Mr. Clarke: -- with us interviewing the 11 finalists that was chosen for the interviews. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, sir. Mr. Garrett: Second. Ms. McKnight: Second. Mr. B. Williams: We’ve got a second from either Mr. Garrett or Ms. McKnight. Ms. McKnight: McKnight. The Clerk: Okay, so that would be Mr. Clarke and Ms. McKnight. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: That’s to start the process over with Commission to interview the 11 finalist candidates for the Fire Chief. Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. Mr. Clarke: For Fire Chief. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, are you ready for voting? Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am. Let’s vote on the substitute. Mr. Hasan, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Scott, Mr. Sias, Mr. B. Williams and Mr. D. Williams vote No. Motion fails 3-6. Mr. B. Williams: Let’s do the original motion, Ms. Bonner. The Clerk: The original motion, Mr. Sias, Mr. Dennis Williams, is to hire Mr. Antonio Burden with salary and compensation being handled through the Administrator. Mr. Brown: As the Fire Chief, Ms. Bonner? The Clerk: As Fire Chief. Mr. Brown: Also please note for the record that Commissioner Sias is on Zoom. Mr. Sias: I’m back on Zoom. The Clerk: Okay, all right. 5 Mr. Frantom, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Garrett and Ms. McKnight vote No. Motion carries 6-3. Mr. B. Williams: Is there any more business? The Clerk: No, sir, that’s it. Mr. B. Williams: All right, let’s take a three-minute break. When you get your folks together, let’s get started. Mr. Sias: Three minutes? Mr. B. Williams: How many you want? You want four or five? Mr. Sias: Five, make sure we’re straight. Mr. B. Williams: All right, let’s go with five minutes. \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] Lena J. 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 Called Meeting of the Augusta Richmond County Commission held on May 25, 2021. ________________________ Clerk of Commission 6