HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting November 4, 2020
REGULAR MEETING VIRTUAL/TELECONFERENCE
NOVEMBER 4, 2020
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., November 4, 2020, the
Hon. Hardie Davis Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. B. Williams, Garrett, Sias, Fennoy, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, D.
Williams, Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to proceed, Madam Clerk. We’ll call the November 4
Regular Augusta Commission Meeting to order. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Our invocation after which we’ll ask Commissioner Brandon Garrett if he
would just lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Would you please stand.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9 would you lead us in our invocation? Madam
Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- I’ll tell you what I’d like to do before we go too far is deal with the matter
of the Addendum Agenda, Addendum Agenda first. We’ve got three items that are on there for
consideration, four items quite frankly. Item 1: Finance it’s a presentation from Blue Revolver and
then there’s a motion to approve a Justice Grant and Item #3 Public Safety is a modification to the
agenda item. I’ve got a call into the Chief. I’d like to take this off the agenda. I don’t believe it’s
ready for prime time. I’d like to have some more discussion about that and that is the issue of the
Local Emergency Operations Plan. I think there’s more work that needs to be done with regards
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to that and I’d like to move that to the November 17 Commission Meeting. And then
Administrative Services deletion from the agenda. If we could get consent for that without
objection I think we can move this meeting on forward without objection.
Mr. M. Williams: Consent to add to the agenda is that what you’re saying, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right and again with the exception Item #3 under Public Safety we’ll move
to November 17 at which point in time we’ll address it and then deleting that item #4
Administrative Services, all right, without objection, okay.
The Clerk: That would be Item #25 on the regular agenda that’s what we’re deleting ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes ---
The Clerk: Number 33 you’re asking that that be deferred ---
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Mr. Mayor: --- to the 17 of November, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: So those are done without objection?
Mr. Mayor: Without objection.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
25. For discussion: The Planning & Development Department request approval to name the
conference room on the third floor the ‘Charles Case Conference Room’ in memory of
Charles W. Case, Code Enforcement Inspector.
PUBLIC SAFETY
33. Motion to approve the update to the Augusta-Richmond County Local Emergency
Operations Plan and authorize the Mayor to sign the plan.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, can I get some clarification? Is that Item 25 in the regular
agenda?
Mr. Mayor: Item Number 25 in the regular agenda is being deleted, that’s correct, and then
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Item Number 33 is being moved to November 17, okay? All right, Madam Clerk, back to you.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
A. Update from Mr. Bob Young regarding recent meeting with state officials relative to
establishing a state veterans’ cemetery in Augusta.
Mr. Mayor: All right and that is we’ve got ---
The Clerk: Bob Young and Mr. Don Clark, I believe they’re ---
Mr. Mayor: --- right and I’m believing they’re public.
The Clerk: --- no, they should be, no, they’re coming in virtually.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so they’re not going to be the ones in the public room?
The Clerk: No, they’re virtual, no.
Mr. Lewis: I found them, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, you’ll find them ---
Mr. Lewis: --- they’re coming in now.
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Mr. Mayor: --- all right, I’m going to take the public back out, okay? So if we can get them
back out, Jeff, that’d be great, thank you. All right, we’ve got joining us today again Mr. Don
Clarke and Mr. Bob Young. Gentlemen, if you’ll proceed with your presentation. State for the
record your name, your address and you’ve got a little better than five minutes.
Mr. Young: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, it’s great to be back with you. My
name is Bob Young and I live at 2103 Summerhill Lane in Augusta, Georgia. Before I get into
the guts of this presentation I want to thank Commissioner Fennoy who really jumpstarted this
project about a year ago and Commissioner Williams who’s been kind of our right arm through
the whole process in dealing with the city. He’s given us invaluable insight and guidance. Also
I’d like to thank all the other local governments in this region along with our Legislative
Delegations and the veterans services organizations for their spirited support. Also I want to
recognize Rob Mauldin he may be with us here in the meeting here from 2KM Architects. He’s
been giving us invaluable technical assistance. His firm has built two cemeteries in the state
already and of course the energizer bunny of this whole thing, Don Clark, who’s our co-chairman.
I want to report to you today that last Thursday we had a meeting in Atlanta with Governor Kemp
to talk to him about the cemetery and make a formal request of him. The attachment that you have
lists the participants on Page 3. We had a rather large delegation but had to cut it back because of
social distancing requirements at the capital but we think the six people who were there represented
us well. In the meeting from the Governor’s office was Policy Advisor Tyler Adams, Budget
Staffer Cody Whitlock and Senior Policy Advisor Mark Hamilton. During the presentation the
Governor asked a lot of questions about the budgeting and process which we thought was quite
indicative of his interest in this project. And then Veterans Services Commissioner Mike Robey
told the Governor that the cemetery is needed, he said it was long overdue and as for the
Gracewood site that we recommended he remarked it is the right property and you’ll see the letter
that was written in support of our efforts from Commissioner Robey and his board in your backup
material in this packet is Page 24. After the meeting I had a brief exchange with Senator Jesse
Stone who indicated we probably could have an answer within the next 30 days at the earliest on
this. The argument was made that eventually the state is going to have to spend a lot of money out
at Gracewood as the site deteriorates through abandonment. There don’t seem to be any imminent
plans for redevelopment or repurposing that property and to have Commissioner Robey say that’s
the ideal site really helps our case. This is going to be it looks like about a $10 million-dollar
project and it will cost the state about $400,000 dollars a year to operate the cemetery once it gets
up. We’ve encouraged the Governor to put the money in a supplemental budget, Mayor as a former
Senator you’ll appreciate this so we can start to file an application with the VA this coming April
which is when the VA traditionally accepts applications. If it goes into the regular budget then the
earliest the state could file would be in April of 2022. Don Clark was leading the delegation up
there in Atlanta. Don, what would you like to add at this point?
Mr. Clark: Hey, everyone, great to see all your faces and everything. Don Clark. Always
happy to be a part in bringing good news like this to everyone. It was really great to be in the
midst in helping to lead this effort forward. The Governor was very like Bob had stated already
he was very enthusiastic, he presented a lot of questions, he was very engaged. The biggest thing
about it he also expressed a great deal of admiration and appreciation for the work that’s been done
to really kind of bring this presentation to him. So he was impressed by the amount of folks we
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had onboard in support of the project but also I think he definitely has a greater understanding of
the need of bringing a veterans cemetery to the area but also he knows I mean and it’s not a surprise
to the Governor he knows that the Augusta region is full of pride and admiration for their service
members but bringing such a need as this was really appreciated from him. But like Bob said a lot
of great information going forward. We’re looking to get some good feedback and an answer soon
so that we can discuss the next steps.
Mr. Young: Commissioner Williams, Dennis Williams, you were on the phone call. You
might have some thoughts you want to share with your colleagues.
Mr. D. Williams: Well, I just felt like the Governor appeared to be very positive and
accepted the project and understood the need of the project and how it will benefit our community
and I would say we have his support.
Mr. Young: Well, we’ll know in about four weeks whether we have the support. We
certainly hope we do. If there’s any information that the Mayor and the Commissioners would
like us to pass along to his policy team please if you’ll share that with me or with Don we’ll see
that it gets up to them as part of this decision making process. But, Mr. Mayor, that kind of wraps
up our update today. It’s good news. The state Veterans Service Board wants the cemetery here
and the Governor now has it on his desk to make a decision.
Mr. Mayor: That’s fantastic. I want to thank the team for your hard work on this effort and
the yeoman’s job that you’ve done. Again it’s certainly music to my ears that appropriations are
being considered from the supplemental budget that helps move this forward so I know how that
magic works. That’s a good thing. And again kudos to this group for helping to bring this forward.
It’s high time that we get this done for the City of Augusta and quite frankly for this region so that
63,000 plus veterans that we have in this region will have access to this in the event that they need
it at a critical time in their life. So if there are no questions, any questions from the members of
the Commission? All right, fantastic. Again thank you all for the great work that you’ve done on
this to this point.
Mr. Clark: Thank you.
Mr. Young: Thank you, gentlemen and lady.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. Okay, all right Madam Clerk, our posture right now is
the following. We’ve got one more delegation that’s before us and that’s Mr. Robert Lee.
Immediately after that we’re going to take up the matter of McGrath, we want to hear from the
consultants. They have a timeline and I’m going to engage them in their presentation. I think this
coincides very well with the issues that were raised during our Executive Session about the matter
of adopting the recommendations by the Commission so we’ll take that up at that time at the 3:30
hour. With that being said, Madam Clerk, back to you, Item Number B.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
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B. Mr. Robert W. Lee request discount on payment of taxes in light of H5A Exemption.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk, all right okay, Mr. Robert Lee, if you would state
for the record your name and address and you have five minutes for your presentation, sir.
Mr. Lee: Robert Lee, can you hear me, Robert Lee ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes, we can hear you.
Mr. Lee: --- okay, great.
Mr. Mayor: And your address?
Mr. Lee: 2216 Grand Boulevard.
Mr. Mayor: All right continue, sir.
Mr. Lee: Okay, I was asking I have an exemption on my document I’m trying to find out
is there any way that possibly I’ll get a little help with that. I’m a person I volunteer in the
neighborhood all the time, in the public I volunteer at the school, I volunteer at the centers and the
churches. I’m the person (inaudible) volunteered in the ’96 election. I was part of that and
(unintelligible). So I go around to different schools and centers and you know everywhere
donating my time. I even donated a (unintelligible) on behalf of the city and county to Bob Young.
I paid him (unintelligible) and I volunteered a few things as well. So I’m always doing things to
help the city but also you know amuse myself and the Mayor he knows me, he sees me out on a
few events that he’s a part of volunteering out there as well. I know most of the staff as well and I
talked to (inaudible) members of the staff as well. Also the insurance I thought I had on my home
it’s not on my home. I have a policy number and everything here but it’s (unintelligible). So I
thank God I didn’t die in the fire. My house burned down on (unintelligible) and the firemen, they
have continuously tried to (inaudible). So I talked to my insurance and my insurance told me yes
you have insurance but you have it at another (inaudible). I’m pretty much eating at different
places (inaudible), the Rescue Mission --
Mr. Mayor: So Mr. Lee ---
Mr. Lee: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: --- I want to ask you a question. Again I think this is a matter that’s more
appropriately handled at the Tax Commissioner level. It should’ve been addressed there before
being brought to us and there should’ve been more background. I don’t know, I don’t see
Commissioner Kendrick, I do see Commissioner Kendrick. I’m going to bring him, we’re going
to bring Commissioner Kendrick in and perhaps he can shed some light on this conversation
whether he can address this matter.
Mr. Lee: Thank you and I did see him on yesterday.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, well he can give us some background.
Mr. Lee: But he said he would talk to me on next week so next week I plan to get back
with him so we did have a meeting. I want to thank ya’ll for hearing me out. I’m going to say
God bless you all for your hard work and taking the time to listen to me (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, Mr. Lee.
Mr. Lee: Thank you, ya’ll have a blessed one.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, we’re going to try to get this other group in the room.
If everybody will just stand at ease for about five minutes. It’s not going to take that long but
we’re going to get the rest, this other group in the room, all right, stand at ease. Okay, everybody,
our team is working on getting the McGrath folks into the room, here’s our posture. We have an
agenda item, Madam Clerk, Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- that we’ll go ahead and let you read into the record and I believe that at the
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appropriate time the Commissioner from the 8 who requested this item we’ll let him speak and
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then the Commissioner from the 4 requested a motion on the floor okay, I think that’s Item #32
Madam Clerk okay go ahead.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
32. Presentation from McGrath Assessment Consultant with an update to the public on the
Augusta Fire Department Needs Assessment and discuss the future of the department’s
leadership moving forward. (Requested by Commissioner Brandon Garrett)
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. All right, I believe we have with us Mr. Tim
McGrath and we’ll also go ahead and bring into the room Ms. Rookard. Mr. McGrath, we’re ready
for your presentation and at the end of your presentation we’ll have questions from the members
of the Commission.
Mr. McGrath: Great. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you. I’ve
asked Dave (inaudible) to join us and he is online so he should be coming in in a few minutes. I
would like to, let me launch this for just a second I’m still getting some signs that I need to get rid
of here. Okay ---
Mr. Mayor: Tim, go ahead, sir.
Mr. McGrath: All right, I’m attempting to do a shared screen. What do you see now? Do
you see a Power Point or not ---
Mr. Mayor: Not yet. We’re working with you on that.
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Mr. McGrath: --- okay because I should be able to share that.
Mr. Mayor: Again if you’ll pay attention to the chat box. Our IT team may be giving you
some instructions.
Mr. McGrath: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Lewis: Mr. McGrath, you should have access to share. I know you sent us something
if I have it I can try to share myself, hang on a second.
Mr. McGrath: Okay, either way would be fine. I apologize, I am putting it on share and
it’s not coming up. Well, let me go ahead and begin and hopefully we can get the Power Point up.
If not, be able to certainly cover all the points. The project was an assessment of a labor
management issues with the Augusta Fire Department and that is what the task was and that is
what we took our time in doing this study was addressing those issues. Basically about our
organization do quickly we’ve been in business 20 years, we’re in 37 states and we have a little
over 400 municipal clients. We have very few, very few private sector at all but we do have a few.
The consulting team, thank you by the way. The consulting team consisted of myself, I’m the
CEO. I have 33 years of experience in the Fire Service starting as a volunteer and then ending up
as a Chief in two different states. The preponderance was in Ohio for 30 years where I was fighter
fighter/paramedic and worked up to the rank of Chief and then I won a union experience I was
three years in a large suburb outside of Milwaukee. Chief Barosik has 35 years in the fire service,
David created the largest consolidated department in the Midwest which is called the North Shore
if you want to Google it sometime David put that together and ended up leading that organization
and was also responsible for putting together the paramedic system for the County of Milwaukee
which is extremely large organization. And Dave’s been with our organization for a considerable
length of time due to his experience in the fire service and the things that he’s accomplished. In
order for me to go ahead and talk to the people that we wanted to talk to we took another consultant
Mike Stread and we asked Mike to do just the phone interviews with the fire folks and EMS folks
and but that extended into what you see up there, 18 other people so a total of 91 folks were
interviewed by someone. The preponderance of 73 by Mike and probably the others by Dave and
I but together we did that. Now a number of people asked us or gave us a list that said would you
please interview these people and we did our best to do that and so we (unintelligible) that we got
it. We had some problems initially getting to the organized labor because no one wanted to tell us
who it was but eventually I just kept calling fire stations until I got a hold of someone that said
who I should be talking to but I think that it’s extremely critical that we talk to as many stakeholders
as possible through this process. We the next thing we did was the documentation. There’s data.
The Chief provided us quite a bit of material about what he’s accomplished, what his views were,
what his vision was and he’s also, we went to the policy the administrative and operational which
by the way we were able to take off of your web page which was very well organized and that
helped. Then we have documents and letters. We did not keep the letters deliberately because we
told everyone that what we talked about would be in confidentiality so the letters that we received,
reviewed, assessed and then destroyed. Validation we heard a lot of things. What we attempted
to do was did we hear the same theme at least three times and if we did hear the theme three times
that might have some legitimacy. Let me give you an example. We were doing a job in Ohio and
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the union had had the folks come in the first four people that came in we introduced ourselves and
they said by the way we need a fourth station, first thing out of their mouth. The fifth person that
came in was a bit younger and we discussed a number of things about the units and I said to him
didn’t you forget to tell me something and he said oh yeah we need a fourth station. That you can
tell was pretty well organized. We did not see that but we saw a lot of common themes. We talked
to the city administration, we talked to the department administration and other city departments
particularly like Legal so we did our best to validate what we heard. The findings which is the
next slide these are the major findings and I’m sure you’ll want us to speak to each one but let me
go through them kind of quickly and that’s enforcement of the chain of command. In any
paramilitary organization or really in any organization it’s pretty essential that there’s an
organizational chart that shows people who they report to and what the process is and when that
system is allowed to be broken or gone around it becomes extremely problematic. So when an
employee can go to Commissioners directly or Commissioners can call employees directly
basically there’s no reason for those employees to follow any chain of command and the problem
and the fault of that lies across all of those folks and we put in the report how we really need to
address this. At worse if the Fire Department can’t resolve it that’s what you have a City
Administrator for and the City Administrator’s responsible for all aspects of the city. I know you
had an interim in there at the same point those folks should be going into that. And Dave, you’ll
agree with me we had so many individuals tell us oh here I have on the cellphone I have the cell
number of the Chief, of the Deputy Chief or the Captain and I just call them and we go around
what we heard. Really problematic. Emergency Medical Services kind of unique in the report
and I apologize for the thing you had a 64.1 that’s a national. You’re anywhere from 53 to 56.
The Chief provided us some information, the 56% which by the way is low. It is the 2020 figure
that was there. But Emergency Medical Services to be frankly honest with you is what the
preponderance of the fire service is doing today and with Paramedicine coming (inaudible) tip of
the iceberg. So I understand if firefighters say I don’t want to do EMS and get hired to put band-
aids on people. I want to fight fires. That’s nice but the situation is most communities can’t afford
to keep just that much resources for fighting fires that are diminishing. I did not say firefighting
suppression is not important. I’m just saying that the vast majority of departments, those 400
clients, about 70 to 75% of what they do is EMS and it continues to go up to about 4.5% a year. I
know you’re a right to work state and I understand the work to right state but so many times we
get (unintelligible). Well, we can’t answer that because we don’t talk, we don’t recognize the
union but the next thing out of their mouth is oh well we sit down with Labor Management issues,
so you are talking to that group. I’m not suggesting that recognizing them if you don’t wish to but
find some means of having organizational meetings between leadership and management and the
rank and file. And it’s essential because you just can’t have it both ways. You can’t tell me in one
breath we don’t recognize them and then in the other one say look (inaudible) can come in here
anytime they want or we go to them. H.R. assigned to the Fire Department. I have, my horse in
the race when I started this study was pretty simple. It was what’s best for the person that needs
help. That’s my horse in the race and what I found was there was considerable dysfunction in the
fire service in the Fire Department. I did not say they’re bad people because they’re not, but the
amount of turmoil, the amount of feelings and distrust is pretty exceptional. But the one person
who I really felt had their arms wrapped around this issue could stand on the balcony a little bit
and look down like we could and globally see it was the H.R. Director. And so we had a lot of
communication with the H.R. Director who helped us to get what we needed as we went through.
Now I don’t know the young lady, I’ve never met her but I will say she really was a person who
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seemed to be willing to weigh all aspects of everything. And we talked about you needing H.R.
in the Fire Department and that’s because quite frankly I don’t know that the Fire Department’s
policies are the city’s policies or if they are I’m not sure that the two of you can define what you
think they should be would even begin to recognize each one of your descriptions. So we think
what needs to occur is that you need to do a policy assessment by an H.R. person and then match
that H.R. person to what you find. Is it the benefits, is a compensation, is it legal, is it
communications, is it policy and put a person in the Fire Department in an office who does not
report to the Fire Chief or anyone but reports to the H.R. Director. And that person isn’t going to
be there forever. They’re going to be there until they can have access to the individuals can come
express their issues and they can find out is the policy being followed and I think that’s what
everybody wants. Mandatory overtime and we’ll go into this more I’m sure with your questions.
I understand why the Chief wants mandatory overtime. He doesn’t want to take a rig out of service.
I was a Chief. I didn’t want to take a rig out of service for several reasons. Number one, I spent a
long time showing that we needed it. Number two, every time I take a rig out of service it can be
interpreted that maybe I really don’t need that apparatus or that person now. So to do that you’re
requiring people to stay and work on short notices. And we heard so much difference I can only
say that this is a very contentious issue that how it’s distributed, who has to do it and things of that
nature there’s got to be a better way of setting up some type of list that you can rotate on the list
or you go down but it just doesn’t seem to be occurring. A blank turnover, had a real hard time
I’ve got a degree that’s says I’m supposed to do a lot of research and I had a real hard time finding
out what is actual national turnover for the fire service and I don’t have a strong enough source
but I would say it's probably about 8% but 15.4% in the fire service pretty significant, pretty
significant. So there’s got to be something going on. And when we’re interviewing people, when
I’m interviewing a Captain on a ZOOM meeting and the Captain says to me well I’m not in charge
today and I said who is? The Lieutenant. Then why are you there? What is your purpose, what
function do you serve as the supervisor over that station if you’re not going to make any decisions
and you pass it to the (unintelligible). So it doesn’t seem as if there’s any willingness to follow
this chain of command and to follow what the job description says I should do, really a significant
issue as we look at that. On the turnover or let’s go to the next one and that’s the salary
continuation. I think the Chief had some very legitimate concerns about that. 270 days, pretty
generous. We haven’t seen anyone higher but we’ve seen some that are that high most are a little
bit less but that’s your decision of what you want. The advantages you’re definitely saying to the
employee we care about you if something should happen. The disadvantage is very possibly
people can be taken advantage of it. We suggest you do light duty. Now there’s a lot of people
that do not like light duty but we have found that usually a person will come back to work a little
quicker after doing light duty. Now the Chief indicates that he implemented NFPA 1582 which
requires physicals, chest x-rays, cancer screening, hearing tests and a number of things. That’s
fantastic but if he has in fact implemented it right in there they indicate there needs to be a light
duty clause. So I don’t know if you’re implementing the whole policy or picking and choosing
the parts you want but if you’re going to do an NFPA 1582 you probably should do it in its entirety.
Leadership. I’ll be frankly honest with you. I think what a number of people had a desire of
including Commissioners that emailed me, including chief officers that emailed me including
organized labor that emailed me was should we keep the Chief or not. That’s not addressing the
issue. What’s addressing the issue is what is causing this dysfunction. Now the bottom line is it’s
up to the Chief to resolve it. He has to be willing to do that, he needs to be capable to do that and
he needs to have the support to do that and if in fact the decision makers i.e., the Commissioners
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believe that the individual can do that and has identified the problems then so be it. But if you
continue to go down the road you’re going now I’m not an attorney but I’m pretty sure you’re
going to need one. There was some serious, serious accusations made and individuals saying we
supplied letters, we filed complaints and nothing’s happened. This is where H.R. would come in
and say hey wait a minute this is legitimate, this is not legitimate. We think that as you look at we
talked about loss of respect. There is a significant amount of people in the organization that do
not have respect for the fire department leadership. Whether that’s warranted or not will be found
out by the person that follows and looks at all the policies and how they’re followed but once
you’ve lost respect it’s very difficult to continue to function as a leader. And we also found more
and more that as the generations change in the workforce the whole different leadership style is
needed and we talked about adaptive leadership and adaptive working with the individuals which
means multiple ways of looking at things as you do it. David, can you, I think you might be the
black screen there because I don’t see you but are you still on, no, I do not hear him. Okay ---
Mr. Mayor: Tim, David is still on, he’s here and we’ll give him a few minutes to chime in
and then we’re going to take some questions from the Commission, okay?
Mr. McGrath: Great, great thank you.
Mr. Mayor: David, go ahead.
Mr. Speaker: Okay here is an actual list that (inaudible) is the need for adaptive change
and to define the adaptive changes going back we all learn how to make decisions based on
something we’ve experienced or have a history in. Adaptive change is not one that generally most
of us have ever had to gamble at but it’s, but Tim gave a pretty good description. There could be
several pieces of information that you use to create the change. Adaptive change requires a lot of
trust and it requires a lot of support because it’s a new, it’s not a new process but it’s a will be a
new learned process going forward. So in defining the leadership and the loss of support within
the organization for the current leadership you have to think about the vision of where you want
to go, how you’re going to get there and who’s going to be able to drive the bus so to speak to get
the organization back on track. And that’s where my main focus in looking at how the organization
was structured and what they were doing and what people were saying and I think there is, Augusta
may suffer from experience that is limited to Augusta itself and not having a more global or
regional even southern adaptation to what is currently the trends and work real well with the
employees that are coming through. They’re different than we hired 35 years ago or 30 years ago
or 20 years ago; the employees are different. It doesn’t mean that our work in fire service is
different but how we have to handle them and how we have to lead them is different. I’m ready
for the questions, Tim.
Mr. Mayor: David, thank you. Tim, thank you. I’m going to go in this order as it relates to
questions. I’m going to pose the first one and then we’ll go directly to the author of this agenda
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item and ask the Commissioner from the 8 I just wanted to get clarification, Tim, you indicated
one of your last comments was that Commissioners emailed you, is that not true?
Mr. McGrath: Are you asking ---
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Mr. Mayor: I’m asking you indicated that Commissioners emailed you during the course
of this process.
Mr. McGrath: --- I was emailed by Commissioner asking what’s the outcome and could
we just talk about it and my response was no I need to talk to the whole Commission.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, very well. All right, Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, Mayor. I have a series of questions that I’d like to ask the McGrath
group if that is okay.
Mr. McGrath: Certainly.
Mr. Garrett: You know in the course of this assessment we read through the 40-plus pages
that you sent out and also through the spreadsheet on suggestions of how to address some of these
issues. I guess my first question with this is what did you find in regard to morale issues within
the Fire Department? I notice that wasn’t part of your Power Point but being a Commissioner that’s
one of the things we heard about quite a bit.
McGrath: We have heard from a number of individuals that morale is very low. The quote
was it’s never been lower. Now when you hear that from such a broad audience that we did it
throws up a lot of concerns because morale needs to be resolved on two sides. It’s not just one
person resolving the issue. But there was a number of vast preponderance I think I said something
like 75, it’s in the report, 70 of them said it’s as low as it’s ever been so, yeah, morale was definitely
an issue.
Mr. Barosik: It wasn’t, morale was responded to by always a follow up question, it was
never a lead question. It was never tell me about morale. But as the candidates spoke to us morale
was always brought up almost consistently through all the rank and file and including staff and
non-sworn.
Mr. Garrett: And in regards to morale being low, was this directly pointed at the leadership
or is this something within the policies of the Fire Department or what did you guys see?
Mr. McGrath: Certainly both but, it was very heavily centered toward the leadership of
the department.
Mr. Garrett: And the last question I want to, or the last question I want to ask you know
that last point that you made during your presentation was about you know the constant theme of
the respect for the leadership in the Fire Department. How important is it for there to be mutual
respect for leadership for a fire department to be effective and also to maintain the safety of the
citizens that they protect?
Mr. McGrath: When lack on the chain of command is allowed to be broken and it is,
there’s no consequences for anyone from a Commissioner down to the lowest firefighter if they
break the chain of command. If there’s no consequences, why should I change my behavior and
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what will begin to happen is that you’ll have a lot of subgroups that begin to determine what the
agenda (inaudible), what will be done and I would venture to guess that if we came into your
departments and sat down with each one of your stations it would not be one fire department. It
could be as many as twenty, I don’t know. But can tell you from doing this all over the country
that’s not uncommon to have three fire stations (inaudible) and you actually have three different
fire departments. So it’s a point of how are we going to break this chain and then from that chain
you know every, I believe that most adults, other than my children, understand the difference
between being heard and getting your way, okay? So most adults understand I might be heard and
I want to be heard but I might not get my way and we picked that up from a number of employees
also that just let us be heard, tell me what is you know what is the biggest thing is that we think
the Chief really would help them is if he would just hold what I call a state of the state address.
Here we are, here’s our challenges, here’s our vision because I don’t think many people have any
idea what the vision is to move forward. And so what is that vision? How are we going to get
there? How are we going to address these differences and that’s why I think you need the help of
a neutral person from your city and (inaudible) from there (unintelligible).
Mr. Speaker: One of the things I asked most commonly not just in this organization but
any one I go to what’s the mission statement for your organization. I’m not sure if I had one person
read me a line of it. And I had an officer in the group say it’s on the board somewhere but nobody
believes it. So that to me how is it that we’re showing up to work and not understanding what our
mission is and other than to answer the call when dispatched. You know there’s a greater mission
to the fire service and for it to be effective everyone really has to know what the purpose is and be
able to define it.
Mr. Garrett: And just one follow up to that. I know I said that was my last question but
you brought up the chain of command with the Commission and you know that issue’s been raised
in the past as well. And as a Commission I can speak to this because I know when I am notified
by firefighters or police officers or employees within our government they reach out to us because
they feel that when they do follow the chain of command, and this is specifically what I hear time
and time again in the Fire Department is that when they do bring up concerns, they submit emails
of their concerns, they write letters or they tell their next in line of what is going on, what supplies
they need or what policy has been given out that they don’t understand, they never get a response
or the issue’s just ignored and nothing is ever addressed. So that’s you know to me as a
Commissioner those are the concerns that I hear. It’s not that we go looking for the concerns. It’s
the people that reach out to us because they feel like they’re getting nowhere they’re getting
ignored so I think that we’re kind of that last option.
Mr. McGrath: You certainly articulated that pretty accurately from what we heard from
the employees. You know being a Commissioner is a very difficult and being a board member is
a very difficult position. First of all you’re dedicating a lot of time and effort to some very
challenging things and I respect that. Any citizen has a right to come up and talk to you at any
moment and you can’t ignore them so should you just ignore an employee? No. What you should
do is to say have you talked to your officer? Yes, nothing happened. Fine, give me the officer’s
name, I’ll give him a call and we’ll find out. And until they’re held responsible we had a number
of officers that told us I really don’t make many decisions I just ask the Chief. Again that’s a
pretty significant problem. So I understand it’s difficult for you and I understand when they come
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and they say were not getting answers because I don’t believe they are getting any answers. What
we need to go through then and that’s where that’s between you and them is the Administrator.
He calls the Fire Chief in and says what’s going on? Dave?
Mr. Barosik: Another example might be I asked (unintelligible) officers I said what, how
many decisions do you make that don’t require proper authority up the chain of command and they
said none. We can make no decisions and even if we do we get overridden. So my next follow
up question to that is then why do we need you? What do you do? I know you get paid more
money but if you make no decisions and you have to always ask the Chief, I don’t understand the
purpose. What’s your role? So that may mean a systemic problem of why things aren’t being
answered. I don’t know, it’s pretty tough to say.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so let me do a couple of things. I know there’s a lot of conversation, a
lot of questions still left to be asked. All right, I’m going to ask, and we’re going in this order I’m
thth
going to go to the Commissioner from the 10 and then the 9 and, Dave, if you could your audio’s
not the best right now I don’t know if you can move closer to the microphone or that the device
you have but your audio’s not that good. If there’s a way ---
Mr. Barosik: (Inaudible) any closer.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay that’s yeah, yeah, fantastic. All right, we’re going to go in this order.
thththth
Commissioner from the 9, the 10, the 9 and then the 5.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve only got two questions. Mr. McGrath, some
people have voiced a concern that ex-employees of the Fire Department participated in this survey
and this study. Do you find that you received a lot of insight as to why people did leave the
employment of the Fire Department or was that very helpful to you?
Mr. McGrath: Well, first of all we did speak to a few members that had left. Some of them
we were asked to speak to by the Fire Chief and some of them we were asked to speak to by the
Association. And one of the things we strive for was articulate the problem, but what’s the
solution? How do we resolve this because I think I said in the report they’re all nice people but if
I was to look at you as a group and say the problem is A, not B the people that agreed to, the best
report that ever came out the evidence would say it was terrible. What we’re saying is what did
we pick up? We picked up a common theme by those folks that had left and retired and surprisingly
and I won’t say from which sides the folks that we were asked to talk to actually were not very
complimentary to the person who gave us that name to call so I’d say we’re pretty honest and they
certainly didn’t hold back. Dave, I know that you talked to a couple.
Mr. Barosik: Certainly they I was, if I were going to give someone a list of people I wanted
to speak on my behalf, I think I would’ve scrutinized the list a little bit more. There was a
tremendous amount of honesty if that’s from that side. There was a lot of genuine feelings. I don’t
understand why some of them wanted to speak to us and I don’t understand why some of them
were asked to speak to me because I don’t believe they supported a position very strongly.
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Mr. Clarke: Okay thank you, now my next question is going to be not a popular question
but it’s something everybody is wondering about. The survey says that or the study indicated that
there were problems at the top and in the chain of command. In your professional opinion will the
Chief be able to make these changes occur? Will he able to adapt to the changes and will he be
able to regain the respect of leadership from the rank and file, in your honest opinion, sir?
Mr. McGrath: I think that if we focus on the individual, let’s focus on the Fire Chief and
say fine he needs to go or he needs to stay let’s not be dramatic but my opinion is sort of like
rearranging the chairs on the Titanic. You’re not addressing the issue. You’re not addressing the
fact that no one is following and carrying through. The people don’t hear and they don’t hear that.
Can a person change? Well, in order to change you know and a leopard doesn’t change his spots
but you’re not a leopard. You to have a vision, you have to have a willingness to buy into it by all
parties and move forward. I think the missing link here is get your H.R. person to go through the
policies and find out are the policies being followed. The policies that you created for the city are
they being followed or is the department generating their own polices and then varying from them
for some reason. That’s legitimate, validated information to help you make that decision. My
opinion I wouldn’t share it because I think there’s, I think you need to look deeper into this thing.
Get rid of the Fire Chief and you put a new one in. What’s that, the sixth or seventh one in the last
‘x’ number of years? I don’t think that resolves the issue. What I think resolves the issue is let’s
validate this. This one individual that claims that he’s been discriminated against if there’s any
legitimacy to that letter you’ve got issues and some pretty major ones. So I don’t know, I don’t
know the individual. He seemed actually when we talked to him he seemed pretty well, so I can
only answer your question by saying there’s a lot of dysfunction. The Commission should give a
very direct plan to the Chief. Here’s our expectations, here’s the resources we’re willing to commit
to do that and here is what we want to see in the next month, three months, five months or a week
or you know what? I just don’t think we should go there. But right now the five to five is pretty
dysfunctional. I mean we’ve had fomerr leaders tell us that that’s just a common knowledge in
order to stay I need for a change, I need six votes. That’s a problem, so that’s the best I can answer
your question.
Mr. Clarke: Okay and do you know what, sir, I appreciate the directness, the
professionalism with which you answered and Tim answered and I appreciate your insight and
your guidance. Thank you very much.
Mr. McGrath: Thank you.
ththst
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’m going to go again in this order, the 9, the 5 and the 1.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. McGrath, I always have to go back in history
when it comes to the City of Augusta. I wish you had interviewed all the elected officials as well
because they are a part of this scenario. I was a fireman in fact for four years I was a fireman in
the Augusta Fire Department here in Augusta before we consolidated. See we had two fire
departments and you probably know this history as well. We had a county fire department and a
city fire department. We merged those two together. It’s been, I’m not going to say chaos but it’s
been troublesome ever since then. Now the Fire Chief’s been questioned now he’s been here for
quite some time. When we had two other Fire Chiefs this was started the scenario and he was on
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the other side, never said a word about it, never complained. Now he’s at the leadership position
and the same dog that bit them is biting on him now. So I don’t know what the answer would be
but I do know that that six vote policy where we making the Fire Chief as an elected officer, elected
position where we dance around whatever it is. I believe if you’re right, you’re right. If you’re
wrong, you’re wrong but most of my colleagues and I disagree about whether you ought to
terminate. If you can’t terminate somebody for doing wrong or you can’t support them for doing
right then you ought not to be in a position to make no decisions. But the Fire Department has
always been a sacred cow so to speak, been all to itself. After we consolidated we moved firemen
into a location that had structure and the other firemen didn’t, we had training and it was mandatory
you do station work. Now we’ve got inmates cutting grass for the Fire Department, we’ve got the
Fire Department just kind of just coming in. It takes more than just being able to say I’m going to
be a fireman. You learn from the job in my opinion. You learn discipline, we learn ethics, you
learn skills from working around the fire station doing and you two have been firemen so you
ought to know about all this stuff. But I’m just concerned how we’re going to get it on point, how
are we going to get it changed. I don’t hear, I mean we did the survey and really I don’t understand
it. I hear you what you said but on one wants to make those tough decisions and say this is what I
need to do in the next two months, in the next three months, the next six months. No one wants to
say well you were right and you’re wrong. Everybody’s pointing fingers at everybody else. But
the buck stops with the top with the Commissioners from the Chief on down, the buck stops with
us and we have not done those things, we have not gave any direction ourselves so how do we
expect for them to give direction? So I just appreciate your time and your report was good. The
parts that I read that I do understand I thought there was going to be some direction mentioned that
we needed to do and we need to know and if we don’t do them it’s on us. But I hadn’t heard yet
what direct decision we need to have made or we need to make now to make the Chief or the Fire
Department get in line and do the mission of the Fire Department and that’s not just to save policy
but to save lives as well but I hadn’t heard what instruction we need to move forward because
evidently we don’t know.
Mr. McGrath: Let me share ---
Mr. Mayor: All right so, Tim, before you comment on that let me step in here. So we’re
about 35 minutes into the debate on this matter. It’s good conversation, I’m not going to cut debate
off on it. We’ve talked about fire forever and a day and we’ll take the time and go ahead and just
get it all out and have all the questions asked or at least attempted to be asked. So everybody
should just, this is one from the Bulldogs, just hunker down and just be ready to stay in the trenches
and keep the debate going and hopefully get some answers to some questions. To the
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Commissioner from the 9 let me say this right here the McGrath Group and their request from
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the Commissioner from the 6 who said let’s do a Needs Assessment, they provided a set of
recommendations. Those recommendations are in the public space, you’ve had a chance to review
them and we heard just hours ago from the H.R. Director who this group has applauded the H.R.
Director’s efforts for willingness to engage and quite frankly her leadership on these matters have
been implementing the recommendations already. So I think there are steps that are being taken
to at least address what was recommended by this independent group and to your point you want
to know what direction does the Commission need to take. All so and part of that is the
Commission never took a formal action on the adopting recommendations for implementation so
hold that one, we’re going to come back to that (inaudible) ---
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Mr. M. Williams: But Mr. McGrath ---
Mr. Mayor: --- part of the question that you’re asking.
Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. McGrath was sitting there answering and he was fixing to
respond until you filibuster like you always do, Mr. Mayor, and you trying to kill, the man was
responding you come in ---
Mr. Mayor: No.
Mr. M. Williams: --- let him respond to what I just stated.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so let me finish and I’m going to go back to Tim as I said a moment
ago but I want to put that back out there that that is part of as you said what is it we’re supposed
to be doing. The survey was very clear about what we’re supposed to be doing and ---
Mr. M. Williams: So why hadn’t we done it? Why hadn’t we done it, Mr. Mayor, if it’s
so clear why we hadn’t done it? Now the man was fixing to respond and you filibuster like you
always do and change the mindset of what’s going on. He was fixing to respond; please let him
respond.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right so I’m going to ask you, Commissioner Williams, to listen because
you’re answering your own question. If the survey is part of what needs to be done, if the survey
was part of what needs to be done, then that’s what’s being implemented right now. All right, Mr.
McGrath.
Mr. McGrath: Thank you. First of all, Mr. Commissioner, you’ve been in the fire service
and you know like I that once it’s in your blood it’s in your blood and you love it. If I could do it
over again you know I mean I have my doctorate I would still be a fireman. I believe the answer
is in that document but I don’t think the answer is best given by an outside consulting firm that
comes in, stands in the balcony and looks and says that’s it. He goes, they stay or whatever. I
think the legitimacy to make those decisions lies in our recommendation about the H.R. I don’t
have any investment in your H.R. person other than the fact that she really seems to have a grasp
on what’s going on. And if you, if she can put someone in there to say give me the foundation,
show me what policies there are. Are they city policies, are they (inaudible) changed, whatever,
you’ll have your answers. And that I think is important as we’ve given you the ability and the
recommendations within the report of where you can look and hopefully where maybe you should
look. And we can appreciate there’s different and strong feelings between elected officials. That’s
what makes government work and we appreciate that but the answer we think lies in there and we
think you have a fantastic tool for getting it.
thth
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 5, Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: Yes, sir ---
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Mr. Mayor: All right, fantastic.
Mr. B. Williams: --- I had about ten questions I wanted to ask but I just want to make a
statement. I think Mr. McGrath has told us what we need to do as we discussed earlier. We have
the assessment, we have the Human Resource person, we have the Administrator, we have the
Chief and his staff. As he said earlier Commissioners get in the way. I’m appalled at somebody
calling Mr. McGrath or emailing Mr. McGrath because you’re in the way. We need to stand back
out of the way and let the Human Resource person do her job, let the Administrator do his job, let
the Chief participate in what’s going on, let the fire folks participate in the assessment of the needs
and getting the things together that need to be done because then and only then can we move
forward. As Mr. Commissioner Hasan has said we can always do checkups along the way, two
weeks, a month, two months, three months somewhere down the line. I don’t know why we keep
putting this on the agenda and getting in the way when we can let the people who should be doing
their job do their job and then we can inspect what we expect somewhere down the line and if the
Chief is doing what he’s supposed to do then so be it. If not then we have another decision that
we can make but we need to get out of the way. Stop putting this on the agenda until the
appropriate time for it to be put on the agenda. Let me tell you something. As Mr. McGrath said
leopards don’t change their spots now they can wipe some of them off. Now what happens is that
either the Chief is going to do what he’s supposed to do or he’s not and then we can come back
and make a decision. So therefore we need to stop putting this on the agenda, discussing it in the
public, keep muddying up the water, keep dirtying up the wall and stop putting this on the agenda
until the appropriate time for it to be addressed. If the Chief is going out the door, we’ll put him
out the door at the appropriate time but right now we have the assessment that needs to be done.
We need to shut this down so we can move on. I don’t want to be online until 6:30; I’ve got a cat
to feed.
Mr. Garrett: Well, this is my agenda item just like you, you can put any agenda item ---
Mr. B. Williams: Sir, I’m not talking to you I was talking just like you talked earlier, I’m
talking now. I don’t want to offend you I don’t come after you I don’t say anything nasty, you’re
not the Administrator, you don’t need to be nasty.
st
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 1, Commissioner
st
from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, sir, am I muted, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: No, we hear you loud and clear.
Mr. Fennoy: One thing that you all mentioned is the fact that leopards can’t change their
spots and you know that statement holds true for the firemen also in that regardless of what Chief
you have, if you have firemen with the same attitude then it’s going, then you’re going to get the
same results that you’re getting. You started off by saying that you were given a list of people to
talk to. I mean was the list of people were they members of the Association or just regular firemen
or a combination of both?
17
Mr. McGrath: To answer that question the Administration gave us the list of people that
were in administration or other city departments. The organized labor gave us a list of people. I
think both sides thought that those people would support their perspective and we weren’t trying
to build a case of who’s right, who’s wrong. We were trying to say where is, where are these
issues where’s the breakdown. And again you can spend (inaudible) of time and money to find
out who’s more wrong and your first statement I couldn’t agree with you more and that is those
spots can be on either side for management but until you get some validated options like what is
going on and I’m validating because I have the expertise that I know how to evaluate it then the
answers will become pretty clear. And it’s very different you have (unintelligible) I mean if
nothing else if I took this tape and I ran it I’m not taping it but if I did it would show that we have
a very diverse strong feeling amongst you.
Mr. Fennoy: And my next question is it, did you find many members of the Association
in support of the Fire Chief?
Mr. McGrath: To some degree. What we really attempted to find out and I’ve learned this
a long time ago doing these studies is when you throw a problem at me I can listen to that problem,
I can make a judgement but I come back with a statement what do you have to do to fix it? What
do you have to do to fix it? (Inaudible) when I hear oh there is no help, there is no you know I
only have 18 days and 6 hours and 4 minutes until retirement, you have an issue and you can only
weigh so much on that. So I don’t think that the whole labor group is out to get the Chief and I
don’t think the Chief is out to get the labor group. I think that one of you is speaking French and
one of you is speaking German and you don’t understand each other.
Mr. Fennoy: And my last comment you talked about the turnover in the Fire Department.
Are you aware of the fact that about 20 miles south of Augusta east of Augusta we have the
Savannah River Site that has a fire department and 20 miles the other way we have Plant Vogtle
that has a fire department. And a lot of, well, not a lot but there are members of the fire department
that get their training and certification here in Richmond County and when there’s an opportunity
to go to Savannah River Site or go to Plant Vogtle they will leave in a heartbeat because they will
be making twice the money that they are making. And I don’t have a problem with that but I
would attribute that to some of the turnover that the, that our fire department is experiencing.
Mr. McGrath: You know respectfully there’s an answer to that. What are your exit
interviews by H.R. say? (inaudible) do you even have them? I don’t believe you do. But I think
H.R. will begin to require exit interviews by a neutral party who will say this is the reason and you
know what if they’re leaving for more money and it’s consistent then maybe you need to look at
compensation. But you’re right. They will leave but fire folks and again I’m painting with a wide
brush and when you do that you get paint where you shouldn’t but are usually very dedicated to
what they believe and they become very entrenched in the community and serving and there’s a
lot of pride. So sometimes that pride allows them to make that decision to stay or to go for more
money whatever the case may be, I respect that but again if you follow the report’s
recommendation you’ll have an exit interview from a mutual party that should pretty honest as to
why the person left.
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Mr. Fennoy: Okay and my last comment is that the letter that you referred to the person
that wrote that letter not one time had they filed a grievance with the H.R. nor at one time did they
do a, file a discrimination charge with our Compliance Department. Don’t you find that and I
don’t know the individual but just from that letter he seemed to be fairly intelligent person. But
do you find it strange that if he had all of these issues going on in the Fire Department that he
wouldn’t file a grievance with our H. R. Department or complaint with EEOC?
Mr. McGrath: Well, I can certainly see your point and we certainly weigh that when folks
talk to us but this individual number one told us he had brought it up to his superiors and that if he
brought it up anymore he was going to be fired. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I don’t know,
So I can’t say to you that you know that this person is absolutely right or absolutely wrong. But I
will tell you if that letter comes out and there’s any legitimacy to it you want someone to know
and you want to know maybe this individual is exaggerating and you know didn’t do anything but
due to the fact that he did tell superiors and that he was absolutely afraid if he said any more he'd
be fired and he loves the job.
Mr. Fennoy: Well, I believe if that individual had fears of being fired because of his
concern only thing he had to do was run to some of my colleagues on the Commission and they
would’ve addressed the issue for him.
Mr. McGrath: Well, that’s exactly what we’re trying not to do. That’s exactly what we
want H.R. to do.
Mr. Fennoy: I agree.
Mr. McGrath: Okay, you can be 100% right. I think that the point you’re making is could
this person be less than honest to us and by listening to them they seemed pretty legitimate but I
can’t answer that. You might be 100% right but you know what? You’ve got the talent right in
your own city to find out whether that’s right or not.
Mr. Fennoy: Thank you, sir.
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Mr. Mayor: Absolutely, all right, we’ve got the Commissioner from the 4 and then we’re
going to move to closing debate on this. I want to hear from Ms. Rookard and then we’ll close this
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matter out. Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir and you know and I think we can maybe wrap up not disagreeing
with you before we come back to Ms. Rookard. We heard from her today. But I want to say this
to the McGrath Group and Mr. McGrath and Mr. David that’s here today that I really appreciate
the work that you all have done and you brought a lot of items to light about issues within our Fire
Department and our city as well. So and for an example we’ve started on this study that you the
implementation plan that you have for us as a path forward but the Commission itself has not
adopted it and we’re going to do that today because if we don’t adopt it that this delegitimizes the
purpose and intent of the findings. So secondly, I think you all have been very respectful and very
kind to this body where it comes out to about the chain of command and I think you made it clear
that the chain is the higher point of the chain of command is. I’m also, that’s been over 28 years
19
in the United States Army and I clearly understand the needs and requirements of having an
effective chain of command. So and if we just simply take this spreadsheet and your report as a
whole and begin implementing no matter where it falls I think we can have a much better fire
department and then we have now. So with that being said I am going to make a motion that
the city that we adopt the findings of the McGrath Group concerning the needs and
assessments of our Augusta Fire Department and implement the changes and
recommendation that they made.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second. All right, Commissioner from the
th,
6 state your inquiry.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to say to the McGrath I think you’ve done a
excellent job in terms of stating your case while you make the recommendations that you did it
was very enlightening and then you blow life into what you have put on paper for us. I think
you’ve given us some perspective of how we can approach moving forward. I do think also from
my Commissioner including myself you believe, Mr. McGrath, these issues in your company you
believe that we haven’t an honest broker in all of this and then you had the pleasure of conversing
with that person who happens to be our H.R. I’m going to support the adoption of this document
but I want my I want the, I’m sorry I apologize, I want the H.R. Director to clearly understand this
is coming from me. This is, this is a kindly, brotherly observation of this to her and hopefully all
my colleagues can agree. Ms. Rookard, we have a lot of faith in you and we’re trusting that you
are going to be an independent source for these firefighters and that means no Commissioner, no
Attorney, no Mayor, no what did you say the Administrator, should help you make these decisions
you deal with their concerns directly. And I adopt this I’ll support this on another condition also
that but that is not said in your assessment here and what I had recommended, Mr. McGrath, to try
to get our Chief and our leadership team on the same page that they should sit down with them and
then begin to weigh in on the decisions and the direction and the Fire Department is going. He
doesn’t say that directly but that was my takeaway. And so to Ms. Rookard I hope that you will
stay the course on that because it is very important that if, to my Commission Bobby Williams’
comments much earlier, if the Chief is going to stand a chance of even attempting to change that’s
going to be part of this process. And I think (inaudible) we’re asking Ms. Rookard and everything
but we haven’t spoken to the Chief to see if he thinks he can change. This is important, this is
important. We’re about to accept it but we have yet to ask Chief James do he think that he can
make the necessary changes to stay in the position that he’s in to do this job because this talks
about adaptive leadership, it talks about a collaborative leadership. And so we have to realize if
he’s willing to make the necessary changes as well so that he can so the Fire Department gets back
on track. Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, Commissioner Hasan, and I’m going to pick it up from
there. I’m going to kindly and respectfully disagree with the better part of what you said towards
the end because what we’ve sat and heard for the better part of almost 45 maybe 50 minutes from
our consultants who operated independently and with a great deal of autonomy is the need for
hands off particularly from the elected officials and moreover that the process of administration
be allowed to be handled in a manner that is reflective of best practices as they talk about the work
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that they’ve done in some 400-plus other cities across America. To that end I’ll highlight just a
few things and that is with regards to again the idea of there should be no Commissioner, no Mayor,
no elected officials, no Administrator. Let us not forget that Administrator Rookard reports
directly to the Administrator. Let us not forget that in one of the examples that Mr. McGrath used
was the issue of for example given an officers name and they then give that name to a
Commissioner and the Commissioner says hey I’m going to call the chain of command from the
Fire Department and say you need to at least just hear or listen to that concern. What was missing
from that is if a Commissioner hears from a firefighter, a lower ranking individual, he or she should
not pick up the phone and call the chain of command. He or she should take the phone and call
the Administrator and say Mr. Administrator, Madam Administrator, I’m aware of an issue that
has taken place in Fire and I need you to address it because I heard from this particular individual.
And so to that end I raise those concerns because without question we talk about the chain of
command not being followed and what has been highlighted by both Tim and Dave is this illusive
issue of people following the chain of command whether it be firefighters directly with their
immediate chain of command, whether it be from the Lieutenants or the Captains to the Fire Chief
and more importantly individuals whether there be lower ranking individuals or not call an elected
official directly. And so if we’re going to get after the recommendations that have been posed of
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which you agree we should adopt these as this Commissioner from the 4 has indicated we should
adopt them. What we heard today again some two and a half hours ago in Executive Session is
that Ms. Rookard has been working diligently with Fire, Administration and leadership and staff
to implement these recommendations even in advance of the Commission taking any formal action
on them and I applaud her and the team for doing such. And so we have our incoming
Administrator who will need to be apprised of these matters and certainly be given all opportunities
to weigh in and provide a level of leadership in helping Ms. Rookard navigate to the right place as
it relates to policies and procedures to address these issues and at the same time get an opportunity
to engage the Fire Chief and have an assessment of his own independently and with some level of
objectivity. I might also add that we have an item even on the discussion for Friday in our budget
conversation and that is the issue of taking a $127,000 dollars, $126,700 dollars to be exact from
Travel and Training. When you talk about people being able to engage in adaptive leadership you
have to make investments in people. You have to make investments in providing people in
leadership rolls to go and get that level of training and that’s something that we have not done
historically in the City of Augusta. And so to that end I would encourage the Commission to adopt
these recommendations, have full implementation of them and as we said in Executive Session
with Ms. Rookard report back to us at a time certain where additional work and progress has been
made and then on a ongoing basis come back to the Commission, Madam Clerk ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I need to respond ---
Mr. Mayor: --- well, I need for you to take this vote first.
Mr. Hasan: No, no, no, no ---
Mr. Mayor: We’ve done talked for 45 minutes, almost 50 on this, and I’m not debating
you you’ve agreed that this matter is important to us so, Madam Clerk, I want to go ahead and vote
---
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Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: --- voting.
Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, let me go ahead debate what you’re saying here ---
Mr. Mayor: I don’t need to debate what I’m saying here. You said you agreed to this right
here that the recommendations are things that need to be put in place so we need to have the chain
of command followed across all levels and we just need to get that done.
Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, this is why we’ve got the problems because once again once
again any time you’re trying to deal with something around the Chief you all get protective. All I
said when I was saying about what I was saying is Ms. Rookard needs to be able to able to make
an honest assessment without us tampering with her. Let her make an honest assessment and tell
what she hears and not feel retribution. Those are my sentiments that’s why I meant when I said
what I said. So for you ---
Mr. Mayor: That’s good. I’m glad you’re saying that, I’m glad you’re saying that,
Commissioner Hasan.. Ms. Rookard shouldn’t have to worry about that.
Mr. Hasan: --- (inaudible) assume what I’m saying.
Mr. Sias: Then don’t please.
Mr. Mayor: Let’s go ahead and vote (unintelligible). She never has to worry about that
from the Mayor’s Office.
Mr. Hasan: (unintelligible) respectful of you> You are the main one that, to handle the
Chief. Not being respectful to go ahead and vote you are the main one that ---
Mr. Sias: How long are you going to keep talking man?
Mr. Hasan: (unintelligible)
Mr. Sias: How long are you going to keep talking?
Mr. Hasan: That’s why the Fire Department has these problems because of you and the
Chief.
Mr. Sias: Oh yeah, right.
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. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan, Mr. Hasan, Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams.
Mr. B. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams, Mr. Dennis Williams Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
Mr. Sias: Dennis, you’re muted.
Mr. M. Williams: Rules of procedure, rules of procedure. Ms. Bonner, the question has
been called. You have to vote on the question. You just can’t take a vote and the Mayor knows
that and I know you know it. Now if you ain’t going to play by the rules, let’s go by the rules.
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Mr. Mayor: I’m not sure what the Commissioner from the 9 is talking about. We had a
motion and a second and we said voting, I’m not sure what he’s talking about.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m saying Commissioner Hasan addressed the issues and then say go
ahead and vote. You can’t go ahead and take a vote the body. We’ve got the same opportunities
you have, Mr. Mayor. You can’t just take and charge like you want to. You do that all the time
(inaudible)
Mr. Mayor: So, Commissioner Marion Williams, you’re as off base today as you were
yesterday and there was a motion and a second and all we said is voting. The debate has happened;
we’ve let everybody talk.
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Mr. M. Williams: There was some unreadiness. Commissioner Hasan, he voiced an
unreadiness now. Get the Attorney, get the Attorney in the room. He voiced some unreadiness
and (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, can you tell us what that vote count was please?
The Clerk: Well, I didn’t finish it, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, who were we waiting on?
Mr. M. Williams: You’re not going to finish it because the Attorney needs to address it.
Mr. Hasan voiced unreadiness; you just can’t take a doggone vote, man ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hasan expressed his vote on that, okay?
The Clerk: Was he muted? I mean he didn’t hear, I hear a reply from him. I don’t know if
he was muted and Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Listen, I’m not muted now, Ms. Bonner. I’m telling you now that the
vote has got to go on with unreadiness or not Commissioner Hasan raised an issue, he raised a
concern and he’s got a right to do that. If you don’t know the rules ya’ll better go back and get
your rule book.
Mr. Mayor: He didn’t raise an issue whether or not we were voting or not. That’s not what
he raised, Commission Marion Williams, that’s not what Commissioner Hasan was talking about.
Mr. M. Williams: Commissioner Hasan, when you got ready to take the vote he said he
was unready he ---
Mr. Mayor: That’s not what he’s saying.
Mr. M. Williams: --- he raised a concern, he raised a concern, and you’re wrong, Mr.
Mayor, you’re wrong now.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan, are you participating in this vote?
Mr. Hasan: Ms. Bonner, just for the sake of it I support it but I have no confidence in what
we’re doing today because once again we’re trying to give protection to somebody that we ought
to be asking so he can make the changes.
The Clerk: Is this a no vote, sir, or are you ---
Mr. Hasan: I put a no vote, Ms. Bonner.
The Clerk: --- okay. Mr. Marion Williams.
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Mr. M. Williams: I’m not voting, Ms. Bonner, because the rules were not followed, the
rules were not followed. I’m protesting that, that’s why the rules are on the agenda today because
the Mayor do what the ham sandwich he wants to do whenever he wants to do it and I am sick of
that.
Mr. Mayor: Who else, Madam Clerk, has not voted?
The Clerk: Everybody has voted, that motion carries with Mr. Hasan and Mr. Marion
Williams not voting.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. Sias: Excuse me ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, let me get a moment of Personal Privilege.
Mr. Sias: --- excuse me.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, hold on a minute, hold on a minute. All right, Mr. McGrath.
Mr. McGrath: Excuse me, Mayor, would you be, if there are no more questions pertaining
to the report that David and I, excuse ourselves from your discussion.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, we’re going to let you do that now, we’re at that point now where that
matter has been debated. You can excuse yourselves now.
Mr. McGrath: Thank you very much and thank you for the opportunity in speaking with
you.
Mr. Mayor: No, thank you all.
Mr. Hasan: A point of Personal Privilege Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to come to you in just a second, Commissioner Hasan.
Ms. Rookard: Excuse me, Mayor, does that apply to me as well?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Ms. Rookard, thank you.
Ms. Rookard: Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 6 state your inquiry.
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Mr. Hasan: Yes, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a statement here. I’d like for Ms. Bonner to
reach out to Augusta University Health Systems and see that we have a COVID testing agreement
with them. Ms. Bonner, I appreciate you checking that out for me.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, all right, Madam Clerk, we’re going to go back to the agenda.
The Clerk: Okay, our Consent Agenda consists of Items 1 and 2, Items 1 and 2.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. We have a lot of items on our agenda today and no item is what
I want to say is less important than any other so with that in mind I want to make a request to
consent some of these items. It’s not a demand, it’s a request. And I’d like to start with requesting
that we consent Item 9, Item 11, Item 13 through Item 24, Item 13 through Item 24, thank you, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: Give me a minute, Mr. Mayor, 13 through 24---
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I need a minute too. I’ll come back to you in just a second.
Mr. M. Williams: --- I’m not going to agree to all that.
nd
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I’ll come back to you, Commissioner from the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, Mr. Mayor, I like to consent Item Number 27, Number 28, Number
29, 30, 31, 33, 35 ---
The Clerk: 33 has already been deleted.
Mr. D. Williams: Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to mark it. Okay then item we’ve got 35, correct?
The Clerk: No, you’re saying 35?
Mr. D. Williams: 35, yes Ma’am and Item 36.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got a problem with 35.
The Clerk: Okay, you’re okay with 36?
Mr. M. Williams: 36, let me look at that one.
Mr. Mayor: Did he say 34?
Mr. D. Williams: No.
The Clerk: No.
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Mr. Mayor: 36 ---
The Clerk: Well, Commissioner Williams is contemplating that one. He said he’s looking
it over.
Mr. M. Williams: I don’t have a problem with 36.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay.
The Clerk: Commissioner Williams, Dennis Williams, would you consider adding to your
consent items Public Safety on our Addendum Agenda is for the acceptance of two grant awards
in the amount of $330,000 dollars for Juvenile Court, all local match have been confirmed and
verified by Finance, sir.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am ---
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. D. Williams: --- that’s routine stuff.
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Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, can you suspend for a moment? Commissioner from the 6 --
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ---
Mr. Mayor: --- hold on, hold on, I have a question coming to you from me.
Mr. Hasan: --- okay, go ahead.
Mr. Mayor: Item Number 34, does it have anything to do with what you asked The Clerk?
Mr. Hasan: No, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right very well all right proceed go ahead, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, sir. Item 6 is already added to the Consent Agenda.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, all right, Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I’d like to consent Item Number 37 I think we’ve done this every year
for the Rescue Mission, Item Number 38 ---
Mr. Clarke: 38, no.
Mr. Fennoy: --- Item Number 39, Item Number 40, Item Number 41 and Item Number 42.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, Item Number 44 and Number 45.
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The Clerk: You’re recommending those to the Consent Agenda, are you saying?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, I am. Okay, Madam Clerk, just so we can get our ducks in a row we’re
going to go down that list again and just make sure everybody’s on the same page.
The Clerk: All right, we’ll start with Item Number 6 ---
Mr. Mayor: Number 6, yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: --- Item Number 9, Item 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 ---
Mr. Sias: No, ma’am, 16 wasn’t on there.
The Clerk: --- I beg your pardon, no, you’re right 16 ---
Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: --- 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, did you include 23?
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
The Clerk: Okay, with the deletion of Item 25, 27, 28, 29, 20, 31, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43,
44 and 45 and Item Number 2 on the Addendum Agenda.
Mr. Sias: Madam Clerk, excuse me, sir, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, hold on just a second, Commissioner, hold on one second. All right,
Madam Clerk, are you completed?
The Clerk: Yeah ---
Mr. Mayor: All right.
The Clerk: --- I think 36 Commissioner Marion Williams said, oh he was okay with that.
Mr. Mayor: He was okay with it, right? He was okay with it.
The Clerk: 36?
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Mr. Mayor: Yes, all right Commission from the 4 state your inquiry.
Mr. Sias: That was it, thank you.
thth,
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, all right, Commissioner from the 5, Commissioner from the 5 all
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right he waives, Commissioner from the 1.
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Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve.
Mr. Clarke: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC SERVICES
1. Motion to approve proposed amendments to Augusta, Georgia Code, Title 6, Chapter 4,
Masseurs and Masseuses, Massage Parlors and/or Health Spas to include deleting the
regulatory fee, clarifying the application fee, and throughout the code replacing License and
Inspection Department with Planning and Development Department and Augusta-
Richmond County with Augusta, Georgia. (Approved by the Commission on October 20,
2020 – second reading)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
2. Motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on October 20, 2020.
PUBLIC SERVICES
6. Motion to approve the 2021 Cooperative Sub-Grant Agreement with the CSRA Regional
Commission – Area Agency on Aging for Senior Nutrition Services for Augusta, Georgia.
9. Motion to approve the Exit Lane Security Equipment Sole Source Purchase.
11. Motion to approve a Resolution to enter Contract with Bateman Community Living, LLC
d.b.a. Trio Community Meals.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
13. Motion to approve the purchase of one (1) Riding Greens Mower for $26,494.00 each
from Tri-State Pump Control, Inc. of Liberty, SC for the Parks and Recreation Department-
Municipal Golf Course. Bid Item 20-160.
14. Motion to approve the purchase of two (2) Backhoe Loaders for $74,172.00 each, totaling
$148,344.00 from Low Country Machinery of Pooler, GA for the Utilities Department,
Construction Division. Bid Item 20-186A.
15. Discuss the Augusta Commission’s Rules of Procedures. (Requested by Commissioner
Marion Williams)
16. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to amend two (2) construction contracts between (HCD) and J. Lovett Homes &
Construction, LLC for workforce single family housing units located at 400 McQueen Court
(lot #10) and 406 McQueen Court (lot #11).
17. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide additional HOME funds to Collaborative Development Corporation, Inc.
for 1229 Perry Avenue.
18. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide funding to assist one (1) low to moderate income homebuyer with down-
payment assistance to purchase a home.
19. Motion to approve eleven (11) Emergency Rehabilitation projects.
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20. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to enter into a contractual agreement with Wesley Estates to construct six (6) single-
family units.
21. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide HOME funding to assist three (3) low-to-moderate income homebuyers
with gap financing, down payment and closing cost to purchase homes through the
Homebuyer Subsidy Program.
22. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide additional HOME funds to J. Lovett Homes and Construction, LLC for
(3) three affordable housing units on McQueen Court.
23. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to execute the Wells Fargo amendment specific to the transfer of delinquent loans.
24. Motion to approve submission by Housing and Community Development Department
(HCD) of a Substantial Amendment Request for the Reallocation of $699, 920.68 in CDBG
funds and $193,000.00 in HOPWA funds to the FY2019 Annual Action Plan, as required by
the City of Augusta’s HUD-approved Citizen Participation Plan.
25. For Discussion. The Planning & Development Department request approval to name the
conference room on the third floor the ‘Charles Case Conference Room’, in memory of
Charles W. Case, Code Enforcement Inspector.
PUBLIC SAFETY
27. Motion to approve a policy allowing the outgoing commissioners and mayors to purchase
their perspective cell phone and/or iPad after their last day in office. (Requested by
Commissioner Mary Davis)
28. Motion to approve a request from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to approve
funding to support the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Region #5
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE) team in the amount of
$30,000.00.
29. Motion to approve the allocation of funding for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
(RCSO) in the amount of $38,750.00 to implement the Department of Homeland (DHS) State
Homeland Security Grant Program.
30. Motion to accept an award in the amount of $52,000.00 from the Department of
Homeland Security for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Bomb K-9 Unit. Monies will
assist RCSO in sustaining the Bomb K-9.
31. Motion to approve the allocation of funding for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
(RCSO) in the amount of $45,657.00 to implement the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG).
33. Motion to approve the update to the Augusta-Richmond County Local Emergency
Operations Plan and authorize the Mayor to sign the plan.
36. Motion to approve and accept a grant for the continuation of the Victims of Crime Act
(VOCA) Grant with funding from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council of Georgia to
provide services to crime victims from October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021, and
authorize the Mayor to execute the necessary documents.
FINANCE
37. Motion to approve a request from Mr. Patrick Feistel for the abatement of the taxes for
the Garden City Rescue Mission in downtown Augusta, Georgia.
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ENGINEERING SERVICES
39. Motion to approve to Supplement Construction to Superior Construction Company
Southeast, LLC in the amount of $158,201.98 for Transportation Investment Act (TIA)
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Project, 5 Street Bridge over Savannah River Repair and Restoration Projects, subject to
bonds as requested by AED. Bid 19-291.
40. Motion to approve award of Sediment Dredging and Disposal Construction Services
Two-Phase Contract (Phase 1 (Lake Dredging and Disposal Site Construction) and Phase 3
2 (Disposal Site Capping)) to Waterfront Property Services, LLC Waterfront Property
Services, LLC dba Gator Dredging subject to Value Engineering as requested by the AED.
Also Approve and Authorize executing Phase 1 contract not to exceed in the amount of
$4,905,500.00. Award is contingent upon receipt of signed contract. Requested by AED. RFP
20-224.
41. Motion to approve and authorize Augusta Engineering Department (AED) to submit,
accept and receive Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Financial Assistance
from GDOT FY2021 Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (FY2021 LMIG) for Road
& Drainage Improvements & maintenance projects (Listed under Financial Impact Section)
as requested by AED.
42. Motion to approve request for funding the final lease payment totaling $272,016.28 to
Caterpillar Financial Services for two motor graders used in AED Maintenance operations
and complete the lease term closeout process.
ADDENDUM
47. Motion to approve acceptance of grant awards from the Office of Justice programs (OJP)
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for Richmond County Anti-Gang Programs for Youth in
the amount of $230,000.00 2) Criminal Justice Coordinating Council grant award to
Richmond County Juvenile Court the 2019 VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant
Program in the amount of $100,000.00 effective October 1, 2020.
The Clerk: Is that Mr. Fennoy and Mr. Sias, sir?
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Fennoy and the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Fennoy: That’s a rarity.
Mr. Sias: I decided not to fight over that one.
The Clerk: I thought I heard you.
Mr. Sias: I did but I’ll yield on that that’s okay, I humbly yield.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: We’re all on the same team, One Augusta, One Augusta.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
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Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett, Mr. Garret, 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. Garrett Out.
Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 6, 9, 11, 13-25, 27-31, 33, 36, 37, 39, 40-42, 47\]
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, we’ll go from top to bottom.
The Clerk: We’ll start on our Public Services portion ---
Mr. Mayor: You know what, Madam Clerk, let’s do this since we’ve got a presenter. Let’s
hear from Blue Revolver. I know that they hopefully still have some energy in the tank ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, you’ve got three businesses (inaudible) ---
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The Clerk: Yeah, we have the alcohol petitions ---
Mr. Hasan: --- let’s get them out of the way, we can come back to them.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, I’m okay with that.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: You’re welcome.
The Clerk: I see Ms. Carla Delaney is in the Chamber.
Mr. Mayor: She’s there, we see her, Ms. Delaney, please proceed.
PUBLIC SERVICES
3. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 20-41: request by Dae Young Lee
for a retail package Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with JC Package
Store located at 2501 Peach Orchard Rd. District 2. Super District 9.
Ms. Delaney: All right, good afternoon. Today we bring before you alcohol petitions for
Dae Young Lee for a retail package Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with
the JC Package Store located at 2501 Peach Orchard Road, District 2 Super District 9. Planning
and Development has reviewed the application along with the Sheriff’s Office and we recommend
approval. Now I’ll have the applicant come forward. Please provide your name and your home
address.
Mr. Mayor: Application A.N. 20-41, okay.
Ms. Lee: 141 Coach Lane, Martinez, GA 30907.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Mr. Mayor: All right, let’s take them all together like we’ve done in the past. All right, I
appreciate that. Let’s get the next one.
Ms. Delaney: The next application has the same applicant just two different locations.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
PUBLIC SERVICES
4. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 20-43: A request by Yusufali Lorgat
for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Super Express #5
located at 3341 Deans Bridge Rd. District 5. Super District 9.
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Ms. Delaney: Alcohol Application A.N. 20-43 request by Mr. Lorgat for a retail package
Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Super Express #5 located at 3341 Deans Bridge
Road in District 5. Super District 9. Planning and Development has reviewed the application along
with the Sheriff’s Office and recommend approval. This applicant is also responsible Item #5.
PUBLIC SERVICES
5. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N.20-42: request by Yusufali Lorgat
for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Super Express #7
located at 1901 Gordon Highway. District 5. Super District 9.
Ms. Delaney: Planning and Development has reviewed the application along with the
Sheriff’s Office and we recommend approval and the applicant is here. Please come forward and
state your full name and your home address.
Mr. Lorgat: Yusufali Lorgat and my home address is 311 Silver Creek Run, Lawrenceville,
GA 30044.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. All right, we have a question. Commissioner from the
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9.
Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, I’d like to know how what’s the distance of these two locations.
Mr. Mayor, they all seem to be in Super District 9 areas but what, and I’m not opposed to it just
want to know what the distance of these locations Deans Bridge Road and Gordon Highway.
Mr. Delaney: For the Deans Bridge Road location if you think about Barton Chapel
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intersection and IGA I mean you go up about a 10 of a mile on the left there’s a gas station. And
then in regards to the Gordon Highway if you’re on Gordon Highway and you’re going on
Highland Avenue towards Daniel Field Airport it’s at that intersection and it’s on the left.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, okay I know where they are I just had a problem with so many
that’s all.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, did you ask Ms. Delaney if there are any objectors to these
applications?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Delaney, are there any objectors?
Ms. DeLaney: We have no one present and have not received any calls or emails in regards
to either of the petitions.
The Clerk: We have a motion by Mr. Sias, no second, sir.,
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
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The Clerk: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis, Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett, Mr. Hasan, Mr. Hasan out. 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.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Garrett and Mr. Hasan out.
Motion Passes 7-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Are you wanting to go to Item Number 1 on the Consent Agenda now, I mean
the Addendum Agenda?
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
The Clerk: I think Jeff has them in the waiting room, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Jeff, if you’ll bring in the Blue Revolver team.
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Mr. Lewis: I don’t see them anymore. They were in here earlier. I did get an email from
Ms. Brooke saying that she would return when the item came up.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right.
Mr. Lewis: I don’t see her now but I don’t see the other gentleman Michael that was also
in here.
The Clerk: Well, do you want to go 7 or 8 while he gets them on?
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, if we can go to 7 and 8, Madam Clerk, and let’s take 7 and 8 together
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Commissioner from the 9 if you don’t mind since they’re the same subject matter. And, Madam
Clerk, if we could get a contact so that we can reach out to the Blue Revolver folks.
The Clerk: It has their email address ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: --- Mr. Lewis has those email addresses.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
7. Report/update from Director of Recreation Department regarding missing funds from
McDuffie Woods Community Center. (Deferred from the October 20, 2020 meeting.
8. Report from Recreation Department regarding the implementation of electronic tracking
software for keeping track of recreation parks and facility rentals, logging deposits and
payments. (Deferred from the October 20, 2020 meeting)
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to get I know we’ve got Administrator Sims, I think
we’re trying to get Mr. McDowell. We’ll bring him on in as well so that he can speak to this.
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Commissioner from the 9 when Mr. McDowell comes in the floor is yours, sir. It’s on you,
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Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had this item put on the agenda the second
time but there’s been some issues with McDuffie Woods Community Center with funds missing
over a period of time not only funds missing there’s some other inappropriate activities handled
over there and I wanted somebody to bring me a report back as to what we have done to resolve
that. And I was hoping Mr. McDowell would have some information to share with the
Commission as to what we need to do and what’s been done. Now I hate to put it all out here
today. Hopefully he’s got some of this information already and we don’t have to expose all of that
but there’s been some serious issues going on with McDuffie Woods and renting the facilities, the
use of the facilities during the COVID-19 to explicit stuff that I don’t want to put out here right
now but please can Mr. McDowell help me out understand what we’re doing and what we’re doing
to resolve that.
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Mr. McDowell: Yes, good evening, Commissioner and to the rest of the Commissioners
and Mayor. We’ve had several conversations around said subject matter as it relates to issues and
concerns that were raised over at one of our facilities McDuffie Woods. Most of these are centered
around personnel matters so we’re limited as to what we can say. I will say we investigated some
of those claims, we looked into implementing some other measures that can help mitigate some of
the concerns that you raised and others have raised as it related to some thefts that predate my
tenure but we’re looking into them. I know you mentioned about a system that we have in place.
We do have an active net system that’s for our rentals. That’s how we track deposits as it relates
to rental deposits as well as how we also track any type of refunds that we have to do but like any
system it’s only as good as the data that’s entered into that system. We’ll continue to expound on
the capabilities of active net. We’re looking at possibly as a goal going towards a cashless system
for everything. It’s pretty much done electronically so we’re working towards that so we can
minimize the interactions with cash passing through employees’ hands. We’re also looking at
centralizing all of our rentals to have one rental coordinator so we won’t have to accept rentals and
cash at all of our sites with just one main office where if anyone wanted to do some rentals they
could definitely come to that one individual versus multiple individuals. As well as doing as much
of this online as possible virtually if possible in terms of technology utilizing technology if you
can rent a hotel or a flight surely we can have our rental facilities available to the same degree. So
we’re putting things in place. I’m aware of things that happened that predates me. We’re looking
into them, we’ll continue to look into them. My plans are early next year is to look at how moving
some staff around. We have some staff members that have been at certain facilities for a number
of years and some of them we’re going to look at kind of moving some folks around so we can
definitely see some of our areas that are more problematic and then begin to hold people
accountable likewise.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. McDowell, I’m glad to hear about some of those changes you’re
doing but just like the water bill everybody pays a water bill but we pay it at a central location but
with all our facilities that can be rented through different ways we have no way of checking
balances as to when it was rented, how much was done, receipts been missing. This ain’t
something new now. You may not have been in that leadership position as a director but you’ve
been involved in the Rec for quite some time. So there have been some ongoing situations like
this for a long time in the Rec Department similar to what we talked about earlier about the
mismanagement and what we expect but that still don’t address all these issues. And you
mentioned personnel. I guess I need to talk to the Attorney to find out should I bring up these other
issues that have been brought to light. We’ve got management that’s been out there for quite some
time that’s been coverng up in my opinion a lot of this stuff and it needs to come to a stop. It needs
to come to a stop right away.
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Mr. Mayor: So Commissioner from the 9 again that’s one of those personnel questions
that appears you want to raise and we have a process for that but let me commend you on bringing
these issues forward and really highlighting low-hanging fruit opportunities and I am confident
that Mr. McDowell is going to work on this but in Item #8 that software will allow you to centralize
the renting of facilities, the tracking of our assets and resources. And so this I think puts Augusta
in a better position long term where you’ve got a one-stop shop of centralization of how you handle
those things and that means that from a resource standpoint where you’ve got the transfer of funds
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whether it be credit or cash or whatever that you can do that and if we’re really forward thinking
we can do what they’re doing at Augusta National and go completely contactless and use you
know all the electronic technology so that you don’t have anybody with money in their hands and
your question about where the money’s at. So I applaud you for bringing this forward and having
these conversations because they are in fact necessary and Director McDowell. I’m going to the
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Mayor Pro Tem now Commissioner from the 9 if you’re okay with that.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m good, Mr. Mayor, but you have to realize I mean we as a body have
to realize that when you’ve got cash money and people that’s a great temptation. I’m not accusing
anybody of anything but we have lost a lot of funds through our rental process. It just got away
from us because there’s no way to check it, there’s no checks and balances and if you’ve got
monies in rentals there ought to be a way to check and balance but I just think Mr. McDowell is
on it now and we need to follow his lead.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My question has kind of actually been
answered but I agree with the sentiments that you just said about the one-stop shop. I think that
this is something that we not only need to look at Parks and Rec but other departments and see
where we might have some loopholes where things aren’t streamlined like they should be
electronically. So, yes, I’m fully supportive. I appreciate Director McDowell’s feedback and what
we have going on here so thank you for that.
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Mr. Mayor: Fantastic, all right, Commissioner from the 9 if you’re satisfied we can move
on. We’ll receive this as information without objection.
Mr. M. Williams: So moved.
Mr. Mayor: All right, very good. All right, Madam Clerk, next item.
Mr. Lewis: Mayor Michael from Blue Revolver ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay, hold on a minute, Blue Revolver they’re here, sir?
Mr. Lewis: --- yes.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, fantastic. All right, Madam Clerk, we’ll go to the Blue Revolver issue.
The Clerk: That’s our Addendum Agenda Item #1.
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
The Clerk:
ADDENDUM
38
46. Consider a proposal from Ms. Brooke Wexler and Michael Zarebinski of Blue Revolver
Inc. relative to setting up a holiday light installation for the enjoyment of the residents of
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Augusta on Broad Street between 10 and 11 Streets.
Mr. Mayor: All right, he’s coming online, Mr. Zarebinski ---
Mr. Lewis: Michael, if you could turn off your You Tube because it’s feeding back.
Mr. Zarebinski: (Inaudible) I just turned off the You Tube.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, fantastic. Michael, thank you for joining us. We I think have an
electronic copy of your presentation but if you have something else you’d like to share with us we
want to give you sufficient enough time seven minutes for your presentation and ask any questions.
I’m excited about it already, thank you go ahead, sir.
Mr. Zarebinski: Great, so just real quick we’re an agency that produces events for big
events nationwide and outside of the country. This particular (unintelligible) is focused on towns,
small towns around the USA so bringing Christmas cheers kind of giving back to the community.
The idea is to not go to major towns that (inaudible) normally go to just go to smaller towns. And
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the thought here is to take over Broad Street between 10 and 11 dress up some of the trees and
light poles with Christmas lights and ornaments and bring in some of the locals of our clients.
Since this is a public, my client should remain confidential. It is a large streaming service that is
known worldwide and in the USA so it’s really anybody is using it.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, thank you. I’m excited I mean I’m trying to figure out
exactly, we’ve got Christmas lights as well that we’re doing on Broad Street. Christmas is a
beautiful time and we’ve got a beautiful downtown. We’ve got a lot of vegetation in fact too much
in my opinion but where would that lighting system be set up at and how would it look?
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Mr. Zarebinski: We’re looking between 10 and 11 Street both sides of the road and the
median. Like we mentioned in the presentation we will work with you guys directly just because
we don’t know what your existing plan is. So we wouldn’t try to take over we would just sort of
try to add additional lights and then there’s (unintelligible) trees on both sides I think it’s north and
west, north and south back of the street there are light poles right in the middle of the median that
we would want to dress up with garland and Christmas lights. And then our clients local would
be made in the style of Christmas decorations so things like a Santa Claus or candy cane which is
made out of wire and that is lit up with Christmas lights and we would want to hang that on the
poles.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I think that’s sounds real good. I’m in support; I’d just like
to I guess make a motion to approve this and ask when would that get started and how that would
coincide with what we’re already doing.
Mr. Mayor: I’ll second that and ---
39
The Clerk: Let me have a third.
Mr. Fennoy: I’ll second that.
The Clerk: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, I think that the key piece now moving forward is making sure that
we establish that right-of-way easement that Director Malik talked about. He’s all set to go ahead
and move forward with that and they can begin this good work as we track towards Christmas. I
think that now’s an excellent time for us to do everything we can to create a sense of hope for the
future outside of COVID and everything else that’s going on and this certainly is a way to do that
during that very important season of Thanksgiving and Christmas so I appreciate you making that
motion, Commissioner.
Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, Mr. Mayor, but I’m just excited because at Christmas time lighting
is very important to a lot of people not just kids but to a lot of people. If we enhance this right this
may draw an additional visitors to downtown even though we’re just doing one block with our
other lighting that depends on the magnitude that we do it with it may be another drawing card we
need for the City of Augusta even in this COVID-19 situation.
Mr. Mayor: Absolutely, fantastic.
The Clerk: So ---
st
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, Madam Clerk, let me get the Commissioner from the 1 and
then I’ll come back to you.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, and I just want to know whether they have considered Broad Street
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between 8 and 9 to sort of compliment the Commons area.
Mr. Mayor: Michael?
Mr. Zarebinski: We (unintelligible) because I am not you know obviously I’ve never been
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to Augusta so the 10 and 11 is just a thought. If you guys think there’s a better street we can go
into definitely are open to suggestions. We just want to basically to explain, we just want to work
with you and tell us what would work best. We take a look at it if it works. We will outfit it as
well and then sort of figure out details. So there is going to be a lot of technical little stuff that we
have to figure out and I assume there is somebody in the City of Augusta that can help me just
work through all the kinks that I work alongside of you and figure out how to do it safely.
thth
Mr. Fennoy: So, Mr. Mayor, I don’t have a problem with 10 and 11 Street and I will
vote for that but I also think that that we maybe need to be a little flexible and when they come
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here and they look at the location between 8 and James Brown Boulevard if they want to move
in that direction as opposed to because we’re only talking about a block difference and look at
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what’s going to be going on at The Commons area if they want to reconsider and do that then that
might be a great idea.
Mr. Mayor: Why don’t we do this in light in what you’re sharing what the Commissioner
from the 9th is sharing? Why don’t we move to approve and allow Michael and his team our Rec
and Parks team as they already are having early conversations and identify the best locations to
implement Christmas lighting in the City of Augusta that is inviting and welcoming for folks near
and far. Why don’t we do that.
Mr. Fennoy: I can go for that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, the addendum to that would be Dr. Malik and Mr. John Ussery
they’re the initial ones that have been working with the group. And if this motion will include the
necessary encroachment permits and the hold harmless agreement that Dr. Malik stated that would
need to be done.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, that motion includes that.
The Clerk: Okay and that would be with Dr. Malik and Mr. Ussery.
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
The Clerk: And Ms. Douse is also helping coordinate the installation along with our
Christmas decorations that are now going up.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, so the motion to the Commissioner from the 9 is motion to
approve the proposal from Blue Revolver working with the City of Augusta’s staff to include
all parties and with the adoption of the hold harmless agreement and the right-of-way
easement, all right?
The Clerk: Okay, that’s Mr. Marion Williams and Mr. Bill Fennoy.
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
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The Clerk: Ms. Davis, Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett, 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.
Ms. Davis and Mr. Garrett out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Michael, thank you so much. We look forward to working with you here in
the next several days. You will hear from a member of the Augusta team here in the next day with
specifics about how to proceed.
Mr. Zarebinski: Great, thank you all you have a good day.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- Item Number 12.
The Clerk: We’re skipping ---
Mr. Mayor: No, Number 10, I’m sorry, Number 10.
42
The Clerk: Okay.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
10. Discuss the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority’s new arena project.
(Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had this put on the agenda last we had voted
to proceed. I don’t understand how my colleagues not understand how can we accept $200-plus
million to build a James Brown Arena in the same location with one, no parking, I say no parking
but no parking deck ain’t going to be shared riding with the facility. Now I’m in support of James
Brown and I think you know that as well as anybody. I just think that we are fixing to make a grave
mistake to build a capacity seat of 10,000 seat capacity when we’ve got an 8,000 seat capacity and
we said we can’t fill that up. Well, if you can’t fill up the 8,000 how are we going to fill up the
ten and if you tear that building down and build another building back $200-plus million then we’ll
be two years without a facility at all. And the next thing is that there is no after event to go to why
would someone drive to Augusta go to an event then turn around and drive back home? Congested
it’s going to be because it’s downtown right in the middle of everything. I just think we’re making
a grave mistake trying to build a facility back in the same spot. Now I was told at the meeting that
we’re going to build a deck behind the Bell Auditorium and that people could come out on the
deck that goes into the new arena. My question is what are we going to look at on the new deck?
There’s the senior high rise building across the street in front of the Bell Auditorium then there’s
a church on the left side in front of the Bell Auditorium so there’s no view, I’m wondering has the
Commission really thought about this facility and what we plan to do. Now I know they’re
planning to build it back in the same location. I had an issue with that but if that’s where the body
wants to build it we should be at least building across the street and not in the same location. We
have no place to graduate our seniors. Somebody up on the School Board came and said what are
we going to use to graduate our seniors in the two-year time that the building is being torn down
and reconstructed. So my question is have we gave any consideration to any of that?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, restate your question.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I don’t mind doing that. My question was we taking $200-plus
million and build a facility in the same spot where the previous arena sits. For two years we won’t
have anything. We will not have a parking deck, we talked about shared rides. Are we going to
shuttle people? Who will come to James Brown Arena or any arena and have to get dressed up
and then be shuttled from one spot to another one to get to their automobile? If someone loses their
keys or lose their purse or lose anything significant and the bus got to wait on that particular person
to shuttle them back and forth. My question is have we thought this out thoroughly enough to
understand that building that back in that spot that’s something that’s already been approved why
are we not building across the street? Why are we allowing them to spend $200-plus million
43
dollars to build a facility which is an 8,000-seat capacity and we’re going to build a 10,000? The
argument here is we can’t fulfill the eight. How are we going to fulfill the ten?
Mr. Mayor: Well, I’m certainly not the right person to speak to this. This probably
would’ve been an appropriate time to bring a member of the Coliseum Authority. I’m not sure if
you requested anyone from the Authority to come and present before this body but we find
ourselves at a unique time in our city’s history of where there’s a desire to build a modern
multipurpose facility of which I support. I think that you know to the degree that this is our
location, we are supporting it, we’re behind it and we need to look for every opportunity we can
to make this a signature facility for not just Augusta but the entire region that people will travel to.
As it relates to you know where people can graduate students from high school on the other side
of COVID you know we’ve got a facility that’s just right here on the back of the river called the
Augusta Marriot and Convention Center and that space that we tend to have big events whether
it’s the AFCEA event that happens every year where we’ve got some 4,500 people from across
the globe who come because of the military whether it’s you know other signature events. I believe
Augusta University has held their graduation there before or had events of similar magnitude. I
know the investiture of President Keel was there as well so I think we’ve got a number of facilities
that we can use to stand up and host graduations. We’ve just got to be creative. I mean our
counterparts over in Columbia County they just had graduation at the Lady A Center out on the
lawn out there. So I think we have fabulous facilities. I mean if push came to shove I’m confident
that we could walk people across the graduation stage at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and
Training Center on Nathan J. Deal Campus and downtown Augusta at the Riverwalk which would
be phenomenal as well and then they could go up on the Riverwalk, take pictures overlooking you
know our beautiful water space. So I’ve got some creative ideas. I don’t have a single answer. I
think this was a good opportunity to bring Coliseum Authority folks to the conversation and I
encourage you to do that maybe in the next meeting or something like that.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, you may have solved the graduation problem but let me ask
you a simple question ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: --- and I’m in support of growth, I’m in support of economic dollars but
I’m reasonable to understand I’ve never driven to any location to go to an event and then leave
that event to get back to my car and drive straight back home. If I travel to Atlanta, Savannah or
any other place to go to an event I’m looking for something else to do as well if it’s nothing but to
get a bite to eat. Now I said this and I put a lot of profit in the Waffle House, the Waffle House is
the only place you can eat in Augusta after 9:00 so when you talk about economic dollars we’ve
got to look at the whole economic picture and not just spending the taxpayers’ dollars saying $200-
plus million. I think the James Brown Arena is a great venture another economic boost but no
one’s going to drive to Augusta and see the show if James Brown came back to life and everybody
wants to see that. But once he gets through singing you’ve got to get in your automobile and drive
straight back home because there’s no place to go in the City of Augusta that you can partake of
because everything is shut down. I have been physically at the Outback Restaurant during the
prime time the Augusta National is going on and people were being turned around at 9:45 so it
doesn’t make sense now if you’re talking about economic dollars and development you need we
44
need to understand the whole picture not just part of the picture. So I wanted to put it on the agenda
because I tried to say this last time when I was cut off and that’s why I asked The Clerk to put it
back on the agenda. I tried to bring the same argument then that’s not going to stop it but I think
the general public needs to know what we’re doing and then when it gets there and we can’t do
anything with it we done spent $200-plus million dollars. Savannah’s building something similar
I was told but there’s things to do in Savannah. There’s nothing to do in Augusta unless we get
economic friendly and then change some things.
Mr. Mayor: All right, all right, so I look forward to having more conversation with you
about it and again if we can bring the Coliseum Authority folks to the table it might be helpful as
we go forward. All right, Madam Clerk, we’ll receive that without objection as information, and
next item.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
12. Report from Code Enforcement regarding the large accumulation of wooden crates on
the State Farmer’s Market Property. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to bring Rob Sherman in on this conversation. I think
he’s ready.
The Clerk: And I think Mr. Mayor he has some pictures ---
Mr. Mayor: He’s got some slides and pictures for us yeah.
Mr. M. Williams: Then it’s okay, he don’t look to good.
Mr. D. Williams: Yeah, I look pretty fine but this is stupid here.
Mr. M. Williams: You don’t look too good. I thought you might be having some problems
or something.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the, all right, we’ve got Rob coming in. I
thought that was Rob ---
Mr. M. Williams: Well, let me go ahead while he’s coming, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah go ahead, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: On Laney Walker, one of our main thoroughfares, they’re going in and
out from Augusta to South Carolina the old Farmer’s Market area there next to the old Tag Office
there’s I don’t know how many hundreds of crates that’s stacked up there that really make our
neighborhood look bad. Now it’s in an area where the state owns this facility but we’re asking Joe
Q. Citizen to clean up and make sure he keeps his property right but then we allow stuff like this
on one side of town we’re only allowing it on one side of town. The trains tracks across there that
45
don’t block it and then you got a sore eye like this to look. Now this is not the first time I had it
on the agenda but if you accumulate those crates or that wood pilings and stacked up there that
high I mean security ought to be putting it behind a fence so when you jump up where you can’t
see them. They ought to be moved. So that’s why I got it on the agenda, that’s why I asked to
have some photographs so my colleagues who don’t come on that side of town who don’t think
it’s important can see not me just telling them about it but they can see the significant impact
negative it’s making on our community. And if we let that go we don’t them we can’t stop nobody
else. If it’s fair, it’s fair.
th,
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 9 let me ask you this. What action would you like
to see taken on this property?
Mr. M. Williams: I’d like to see the stuff removed, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to see it moved
from being an eyesore in this community that we don’t have to deal with it. Some things we can’t
do anything about but we can do something about this. This is the city’s property that we allow
the state to be on and they’re trashing it. We wouldn’t allow a private citizen to do it and we
shouldn’t allow anybody else to do it.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I agree with that. All right, I was waiting on Rob Sherman. I’m not
sure where he’s at maybe, okay, hold on a minute. I’ve got, all right somebody had his YouTube
playing we’ve got Rob in here now. Somebody’s got YouTube playing if they could turn that off.
The Clerk: Ask Chief James to cut his.
Mr. Mayor: All right, if you’ve got YouTube playing please mute it please? All right
Administrator Sims you had your hand up I think you were telling me they’re here?
Mr. Sims: That’s correct, Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you so much. All right we’ve got them there now. Jeff, if you
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could put up the slides I think we’ve got some pictures that the Commissioner from the 9 wants
us to take a look at. All right, I’m going to ask everybody if you can let’s move expeditiously time
now if 5:36 I want to run the clock and address these issues as expeditiously as possible going
forward okay?
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, okay.
Mr. Sherman: Mr. Mayor, would you like for me to talk while you’re seeing the slides?
Mr. Mayor: That would be fine.
Mr. Sherman: Okay, so we had a call about this property. This is the Farmer’s Market,
it’s about at the area where the you could get car tags years ago. It’s a pallet company; it’s they
do have a business license. It’s zoned properly for this use. They renovate, rehab used pallets and
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they build new pallets. Code Enforcement went over there as far as our codes that we enforce they
were not in violation. The Fire Department found that they were in violation of nine of their codes.
They wrote a letter indicating which what codes they’re in violation of and they gave them 30-
days to bring it into compliance. It has to do with the height of the stacks, the proximity of the
stacks to one another etc., so we expect for the issues to be addressed and taken care of within 30
days.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got a question, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Commissioner.
Mr. M. Williams: Rob, who took these photographs?
Mr. Sherman: These photographs were taken by Becky Greer in our office.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, okay and that’s good. Not one of these photographs shows on
the outside passing Laney Walker how devastating this is. This looks all neat, this looks all taken
care of and put inside but there’s not one on Laney Walker that shows the negative connotation
that it spreads out in this community. I’ve got an issue with that; she should’ve took the whole
thing.
Mr. Sherman: This is along Laney Walker and it is a bad picture with the way you’re
describing it and that is exactly what was addressed. The stacks had to be neat, they can’t be
touching one another. They have to be spaced apart. So as I was saying there were nine issues
that the Fire Department addressed with them and it is to get it back in order the way it has been
in the past.
Mr. M. Williams: Well, those are not the pictures that you get from the outside passing by.
That’s inside the facility and I see the devastation with that. But on the outside it makes the
neighborhood look even worse traveling up and down that road so I take an issue when you ask
for the pictures it should have all the pictures not just the one that they stacked. You can’t even
see a blue container from the street when you go by, not one. All you see is the dilapidated crates
that have been stacked on top of each other from the outside.
Mr. Sherman: I believe there’s some pictures included that do show the mess. I mean as
you can see right there those are stacked way too high.
Mr. M. Williams: It’s not about the height. The height is wrong I get that, Rob, but the
devastation when you look at it, man, I mean listen, I asked for the pictures because I thought we
could show but when you go inside and take the pictures of the height and I don’t think the Fire
Department is complaining about the height. It’s a fire hazard and I never even thought about that
but I can imagine it being a fire hazard with all of the material they’ve got there that’s made of
wood. But it’s just not right for them to be able to get by with the negative connotation that it
sends out when you pass that street and look over there and they’re about to fall in, about to fall
down they’re not stacked in no kind of way and I’m going back by there this afternoon and take
my own pictures.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, so what I’ve heard is that there are no code violations pursuant to
the Planning Department but there were violations as raised by the Fire Department. Chief James,
would you speak to that and give us an update on where we are with regards to that?
Chief James: Yes, sir, the inspection that we took place as Commissioner Marion Williams
just stated there is not an issue with the height. The pallets can actually be stacked as long as
they’re less than 20 feet tall they can but they do have to be 15 feet apart and his columns were not
15 feet apart so that was a violation as far as the pallets go. So we had two violations on the pallets
and the other violations were stuff in the building considered the fire extinguisher, the emergency
lights, removing some extension cords, those were the things that the inside the building itself.
But as far as the pallets go they have to be less than 20 feet tall and they have to be 15 feet apart
each column and that’s what we wrote them up we gave them 30 days to make those corrections.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m going by, Mr. Mayor, this afternoon to take some pictures from the
outside and hopefully they done straightened up the outside of it but I’ll have this back on the
agenda again if it’s not in compliance with the outside; it makes the city look bad. And I didn’t
just pick them out. Coming along there we need to hold everybody to the same rules. You keep
coming up One Augusta there’s several Augusta’s around here depending on what side of town
you’re on and when it’s going to be Augusta and when it’s not. If it’s going to be Augusta it needs
to be Augusta all the way.
Mr. Mayor: I agree with you 100% which is why I keep saying we’ve got a lot of work to
do and it’s going to take us all pulling in the same direction to make it happen. All right ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor ---
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Mr. Mayor: --- okay, Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: --- yes, Mr. Mayor, I don’t know who this falls up under but this is just a
consideration Commissioner Williams’ point. Is it possible to suggest and then maybe look
inappropriate but to put some kind of screen on that green screen or something on there so it won’t
look so bad from the public? That may be inappropriate but I’m just asking it could make it look
worse, I’m just asking the question.
Mr. Mayor: That sounds good to me.
Mr. Sherman: Commissioner, we can do that. We can meet with them and ask them to put
up the screening say the green screening that you see on some chain link fences ---
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir.
Mr. Sherman: --- to somewhat hide it from view.
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Mr. Hasan: At least on the Laney Walker side. It don’t have to be all of it but on the Laney
Walker side at least at a minimum or a start.
Mr. Sherman: We can do that.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah and if we’re going to do it I say do it around the whole property; let’s
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not piecemeal it. I think the Commissioner from the 9 has raised a global concern so if we’re
going to address it let’s address it in a holistic manner. Thank you for that, Commissioner. All
right, that’s how we’ll proceed. We’re going to lose a quorum here in just a minute. We’ll receive
that as information without objection and I will gladly entertain a motion to approve the remaining
items that are on the agenda.
Mr. Clarke: I have a problem with 38.
Mr. Mayor: All right, with the exception of 38, motion to approve all remaining items.
Mr. Clarke: Motion to approve.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right voting, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Mr. Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: Yes.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis, Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Frantom ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Fennoy?
Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, yes and yes.
The Clerk: --- Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Sias?
Mr. Sias: Yeah, let me unmute, yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Bobby Williams.
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Mr. Mayor: He had to go feed his cat.
Mr. Fennoy: He’s out feeding his cat.
The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams, I think you lost your quorum.
Mr. Mayor: No, he’s there, Commissioner Marion Williams is there.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m here, Ms. Bonner.
The Clerk: How are you voting?
Mr. M. Williams: Item 15 back on the agenda now I’m not going to approve that.
Mr. Mayor: We just received that as information.
Mr. M. Williams: What, Item 15?
Mr. Mayor: Hold on a minute.
The Clerk: No, he wants it back on the agenda he says.
Mr. Mayor: Oh, okay, that’s fine, you can put it back on there, absolutely.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m glad you let me do that.
Mr. Sias: What items was this vote aimed at? Can you name them right quick?
Mr. Mayor: Everything except 38 and 15.
Mr. Sias: That ain’t the way I want to hear it there.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: All right, it was Item #20 well it included an update which you didn’t receive
on Item 26 ---
Mr. Sias: Okay, that’s what I thought okay, keep going.
The Clerk: --- Item #34 and 35, 38 no, it didn’t include 38 ---
Mr. Mayor: Right.
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The Clerk: --- and 43 which was an update you didn’t get so.
Mr. Sias: Thank you.
FINANCE
38. Motion to approve ratifying $25,000 funding to assist Greater Augusta Interfaith
Coalition’s Total Census Count Initiative from the 2020 Contingency Fund. (Requested by
Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
(It was the consensus of the Commission that this item be referred to the next Commission
meeting)
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Mr. Mayor: All right and as the Commissioner from the 9 just (inaudible) if you want to
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Commissioner from the 4 you can put it on the agenda for November 17 unless you need my
approval.
Mr. Lewis: Mr. Mayor, is Chief James, are we done with Chief James?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, we’re done with Chief James.
Mr. Lewis: All right, I’ll let him go.
Mr. Mayor: I think we’re done with everybody.
Mr. Fennoy: I know I am.
Mr. Mayor: All right, yeah, I think we’re done. All right, Madam Clerk, we have lost our
quorum and this meeting is adjourned.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
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 Regular Meeting of the Augusta Richmond County Commission held on
November 4, 2020.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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