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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-08-2002 Meeting I ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - July 8, 2002 1:00 P.M. PRESENT: Hons. Bob Young, Mayor; Beard, Chairman; Kuhlke, Co-Chairman; Hankerson and Cheek, members; Jim Wall, Attorney; George Kolb, Administrator; Walter Hornsby, Deputy Administrator; Brenda Byrd-Pelaez, Human Resources Director; E. W. Reece, Tax Assessor; James Steele and Norman Michael, Housing & Neighborhood Development Dept.; Donna Williams, Finance Dept.; Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Co=ission. Also Present: Stacey Eidson of The Metropolitan Spirit, George Eskola ofWJBF Television, Heidi Williams of The Augusta Chronicle, other members of the news media and Hons. Mays, Williams, Boyles and Bridges, Co=issioners. The Deputy Clerk: We have a request for three additions to the agenda. Mr. Kuhlke: I so move to add. Mr. Cheek: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I 1. Presentation by Ms. Ophelia Y.Wigfall regarding unfair treatment by the Housing Rehab Program. Ms. Wigfall of 1503 Mill Street made a presentation to the Committee outlining the problems and delays with the proposed renovations to her home by the Housing & Neighborhood Development Department. Mr. Steele stated that Ms. Wigfall did not initially meet the income requirements for the program, but eventually was declared disabled and she secured the necessary Social Security benefits. She was qualified for a deferred payment loan in January of 2002 and an initial inspection was conducted and a title search done. It was determined that back taxes were owed and in May of this year those taxes were paid. He stated that a further inspection of her property was not done after that but is pending. Mr. Chairman: Do we have the funds to do the project? Mr. Steele: Not at this time. We are looking at any projects on the CDBG side that have not been allocated or spent to see if there are additional funds available. The program has basically been stopped because of the lack of funding. Mr. Chairman: I think the people should be notified if action is not going to be taken. I Mr. Kuhlke: I'd like to make a motion that we accept the information from Housing & Neighborhood Development and that we ask Mr. Steele as he fmds additional funds to get back with Ms. Wigfall and see if they can come up with an appropriate schedule for funding. I Mr. Cheek: Second. Mr. Hankerson: I'd like to know where she is on the priority list. Mr. Kuhlke: When he gets back together with her, assuming that they find some funding at that point, he'll let her know where she is. Her taxes were not paid until May and my concern is who you would bump if she is now considered. Mr. Hankerson: Back taxes should have been a number one consideration when her application was taken and she should have been told at that time that the application could not be taken because the taxes weren't paid. Mr. Steele: She is in the next scheduled group. We hope to meet this week and find the money to cover the work. After further discussion, Mr. Hankerson: I'd like to make a substitute motion that Ms. Wigfall will be placed as priority one as soon as the funding can be found. Mr. Chairman: I'll second that. I Vote on substitute motion carries unanimously with Mr. Cheek out of the room. The Committee next heard a presentation by Rev. Martin regarding the contracts for a grant they had received in April of 2002. He stated that they had not yet received the contract and were therefore not able to draw down any money. - - -.--.-- ~ --~-_._~-~-_.--_. Mr. Steele stated that Rev. Martin had not yet received a contract for the year 2002 funds and that they were currently working on those contracts. He noted that this year there was a finding from HUD that their contracts had many deficiencies and in May he was provided with a copy of a "good" contract. He stated that he is presently working with that contract from HUD as a base to develop a template and met with Antioch and Laney Walker and told them that they would give them the status on the preparation of the contracts by the 15th of July with the hopes of having them in place by August 1. He noted that each contract is individualized to the specific situation and that drafts have been submitted to the Administrator and should be in place by the first of August. After further discussion, Mr. Cheek: I move that we receive this as information and set August 9 as a date when the contract will be received. Mr. Chairman: I'll second that. I 2 I Motion adopted unanimously. 3. Presentation by Laney Walker Development Corporation to discuss the contract for the Galleria, Phase II, the grant awarded to L WDC and the contract for Housing Section of BUD to continue development of additional properties. (Deferred from Administrative Services Committee June 21, 2002.) Mr. Michael presented a summary of the expenditures for this project. Rev. Bennings also presented a listing of their expenditures for the project for the Committee's review which included an initial request for $250,000 for 15 parcels for the Armstrong Galleria and a second request to purchase five additional properties at a cost of $170,000 for a total of $420,000. After further discussion, Mr. Chairman: I think we need for the Administrator to meet with Mr. Michael, Ms. Maness, and Rev. Bennings to reconcile these differences in the figures and bring back a full report to us at the next co=ittee meeting. Mr. Cheek: I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Hankerson: Second. I After additional discussion, Mr. Michael: I wasn't asked to report on the $250,000; I was asked to do a report on the $170,000. I would have to get information on the $250,000. After further discussion, the motion was put and adopted unanimously. 2. Authorize the Public Works and Engineering Department to hire the ~----- Assistant- Gounty Engineer at a- salary- of $55;006-and to-provide-relocation costs in aD amount not to exceed $1,000. These costs reflect position requirements and competitive Compensation for similar job levels. Mr. Cheek: I move to approve. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Mr. Williams: How can it be more expensive for one employee to move than another? I Mr. Wall: I think there has been only one other employee below the top management level that we've paid relocation expenses. I think we've got to look at some kind of policy down to what level in the organization are we going to pay relocation expenses and it may be on some type of sliding scale. This needs to be defined. We've done it for directors but not for others below that level. 3 Mr. Chairman: Let's approve this and then let them come up with a policy. I Mr. Hankerson: I'll make the substitute motion that we approve this one, but we will not approve any more until a policy is written other than the ones where we've given this to department heads. Mr. Cheek: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 4. Consider reconsideration of previous request to rewrite, reclassify and realign positions in GIS mapping section to reflect changes in nature of job brought about by updated technology and computer assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) system. 5. Consider reconsideration of previous request to upgrade Records Clerk II, S/G 38 to Records Clerk II, S/G 40; upgrade Records Clerk I, S/G 39 to Records Clerk I S/G 41; upgrade Account Clerk II, S/G 39 to Accounting Clerk II, SIC 40; upgrade Accounting Clerk I, S/G 40 to Accounting Clerk I, SIC 41. Mr. Kuhlke: I move approval ofItems 4 and 5. I Mr. Cheek: I'll second that for discussion. I am concerned about Item 5 in that we've sent off our information to the Carl Vinson Institute and we haven't received their report yet. After further discussion, the motion failed with Mr. Cheek and the Chairman voting No. ~~.-------- -.- _.__._---~---- 6. Approve retirement of John Bennett under the 1977 Pension Plan. 7. Approve retirement of Vera Jones under the 1977 Pension Plan. Mr. Cheek: I so move. Mr. Hankerson: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Addendum Item 1. Approve updated organization chart for the City of Augusta. (Requested by the Administrator) Mr. Hornsby: The main changes in here are as follows: The Print Shop is moving from Public Works Facilities Maintenance and being placed under Purchasing. I 4 I I I The Risk Management function, except for the portion involving Personnel, is being moved from Human Resources and placed under Finance. Trees and Landscape is being placed under Public Works rather than being a stand-alone department. Mr. Kuhlke: I'd like to move that we approve this and send it on to Commission. Mr. Cheek: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Addendum Item 2. Consider a Commission vacation. Mr. Kolb: I just wanted you to consider taking a break in the month of August if you'd like to do that. Mr. Kuhlke: My only concern would be that so much work would build up and there would be so much to do afterwards. Mr. Mays: Also you have a lot of work with outside people such as those who need alcohol licenses and groups that need to be taken care of. We also have the budget time coming up. Mr. Hankerson: I make a motion that we receive it as information and with gratitude and continue to work through the summer. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There bring no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Nancy W. Morawski Deputy Clerk of Co=ission nwm 5 ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGENDA . COMMITTEE ROOM - July 8, 2002 1:00 P.M. I. Presentation by Ms. Ophelia Y.Wigfall regarding unfair treatment by the Housing Rehab Program. 2. Authorize the Public Works and Engineering Department to hire the Assistant County Engineer at a salary of$55,000 and to provide relocation costs in an amount not to exceed $1,000. These costs reflect position requirements and competitive Compensation for similar job levels. 3. Presentation by Laney Walker Development Corporation to discuss the contract for the Galleria, Phase II, the grant awarded to L WDC and the contract for Housing Section of HUD to continue development of additional properties. (Deferred from Administrative Services Co=ittee June 21,2002.) 4. Consider reconsideration of previous request to rewrite, reclassify and realign positions in GIS mapping section to reflect changes in nature of job brought about by updated technology and computer assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) system. 5. Consider reconsideration of previous request to upgrade Records Clerk II, S/G 38 to Records Clerk II, S/G 40; upgrade Records Clerk I, S/G to 39 Records Clerk I S/G 4 I; upgrade Account Clerk II, S/G 39 to Accounting Clerk II, S/G 40; upgrade Accounting Clerk I, S/G 40 to Accounting Clerk 1, S/G 41. 6. Approve retirement of John Bennett under the 1977 Pension Plan. 7. Approve retirement of Vera Jones under the 1977 Pension Plan. ADDENDUM ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGENDA July 8, 2002 I:OOP. M. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: I. Approve updated organization chart for the City of Augusta. (Requested by the Administrator) 2. Commission Vacation. (Requested by the Administrator)