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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-21-2005 Meeting f ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGENDA COMMITTEE ROOM - March 21, 2005 1:30P.M. I. Presentation from Ms. Virginia Todman regarding the rehabilitation project relative to Lyman and Dover Streets. (Referred from March 7 Administrative Services meeting) 2. Receive from ABED an itemized list of accountability of the $500,000 predevelopment grant monies to include where it was spent and who received the grant funding. (Referred from March 7 Administrative Services meeting) 3. Presentation by Bill Lee regarding voluntary employee benefits - portable universal life insurance. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) 4. Discuss filling vacant positions in the Finance Department. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) 5. Discuss security in the Municipal Building, all courts, Commission Chambers and the Law Enforcement Center. Report from the Marshal requested. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) _. 6. Discuss DBE position. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) 7. Approve Final Version of Year 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan and Year 2005 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPW A) funds. (Referred from March 15 Commission meeting) - 8. Adopt Resolution authorizing Submission Year 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan and Year 2005 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS funds. (Referred from March 15 Commission meeting) 9. Discuss CDGB funding of the Economic Ombudsman Initiative. (Referred from March 15 Commission meeting) 10. Approve new position of Assistant Director for Water Distribution & Wastewater Collection - Utilities. 11. Approve new positions in Utilities Department and Information Technology. - 12. Discuss the Augusta Housing and Economic Development Department. (Requested by Commissioner Williams) - I I I ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - March 21, 2005 1:30P.M. PRESENT: Hons. Hankerson, Chairman; Grantham, Co-Chairman; Cheek and Mays, members; Steve Smith, Marshal; David Persaud, Finance Director; Brenda Byrd- Pelaez, Human Resources Director; Yvonne Gentry, DBE Director; Max Hicks, Utilities Dept. Director; Tameka Allen, IT Director; Warren Smith, RED Director; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. Also Present: Hons. Beard and Williams, Commissioners. 5. Discuss security in the Municipal Building, aU courts, Commission Chambers and the Law Enforcement Center. Report from the Marshal requested. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) Mr. Smith presented a traffic report on the number of visitors that come into both the Municipal Building and the Law Enforcement Center. He noted that they constantly monitor the security at both buildings and that he would discuss other concerns in a legal session if the committee members would so desire. Mr. Grantham: I move that we receive this as information and invite the Marshal and the Sheriff to attend the legal session of our attorney at the next convenient meeting. Mr. Chairman: I second that. Motion adopted unanimously. 1. Presentation from Ms. Virginia Todman regarding the rehabilitation project relative to Lyman and Dover Streets. (Referred from March 7 Administrative Services meeting) The Clerk: Ms. Todman will not be with us today. Would you like to schedule her at the next meeting? Mr. Chairman: Yes, we can. 4. Discuss filling vacant positions in the Finance Department. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) Mr. Persaud: In addressing the budget reductions for 2005 two positions have had to be eliminated and coincidentaIly, two employees resigned within that time period. The work has to be so structured that you have proper intemal accounting control and that means one employee cannot have complete accounting control over one accounting cycle. They cannot pay the bills and reconcile the accounts. I am currently operating with the absence of two accountants and another employee wiIl be going on sick leave in ~~~;~:;-. about three to four months. That will leave us with three senior employees. If someone else leaves, the work will backlog. I Mr. Russell: We need to look at this closely and see if these positions need to be filled. I would like to wait until the end of March and take a look at the numbers and probably move forward with filling those positions. This is an area where we have to look at checks and balances, and we can consider advertising for those positions at that time. Mr. Mays: I move that we ask the Finance Director to prepare to advertise to fill these positions. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted with Mr. Cheek abstaining. 3. Presentation by Bill Lee regarding voluntary employee benefits - portable universal life insurance. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) At this time Mr. Lee appeared before the committee to discuss universal life insurance for all employees through payroll deductions. He stated that ifthey chose to leave city employment, they could take the insurance with them at the same cost. Ms. Pelaez: We would go out with a request for proposals for this if it is your decision to offer it to the employees. I Mr. Chairman: I talked with an employee recently about a plan that he had signed up for and I will get some more information on that and talk with you about it. Mr. Cheek: I would move that we have this go through the appropriate departments for review and then an RFPbe sent out. Mr. Mays: I second. Motion adopted unanimously. 6. Discuss DBE position. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) Mr. Chairman: I recently met with our DBE Director about where this department will be going and where her reporting responsibility lies. Ms. Gentry: We did discuss that and the path that was recommended was to go through Ms. Bonner's office, and she would distribute the information that needs to get out to everyone. My budget was established last week and I will be hiring an assistant in the near future. My office is in the Hatcher Building, which is only big enough to I 2 I I I accommodate me, and I will probably need to relocate to another office when I get an assistant. After further discussion, Mr. Cheek: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Mays: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 10. Approve new position of Assistant Director for Water Distribution & Wastewater Collection - Utilities. Mr. Hicks: This item addresses the need for the new Assistant Director. This item will put the employees under the water distribution and wastewater collection under this director. We had anticipated the need to create this position and you can see both. our current and proposed organizational structures. We also show a breakdown of the positions that will be included in this group, and the funds are already included in the 2005 budget. After a discussion, Mr. Williams asked ifhe could see the full plans for the department. Mr. Cheek: We have held work sessions for such purposes. I'm going to go ahead and make a motion to approve and get with the Clerk to schedule a work session for the briefings that were requested. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted with Mr. Mays abstaining. 11. Approve new positions in Utilities Department and Information Technology. Ms. Allen: We have discussed these positions with Mr. Hicks. There will not be a decentralization of IT positions; the people will report to Information Technology and would just have the responsibility to support the Utilities Department. The payment for their salaries would come from Utilities but they would report to IT. Mr. Cheek: I'm going to make a motion to approve this item as well. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted with Mr. Mays abstaining. 7. Approve Final Version of Year 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan and Year 2005 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships and Housing 3 Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPW A) funds. (Referred from March 15 Commission meeting) I 8. Adopt Resolution authorizing Submission Year.2005-2009 Consolidated Plan and Year 2005 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS funds. (Referred from March 15 Commission meeting) Mr. Chairman: There were some concerns and questions about whether the Citizens Advisory Board had the opportunity to review these items. There is a need to submit them if they are ready to be approved. There were some changes that needed to be made. Mr. Smith: We had a meeting with the Citizens Advisory Committee and went over the changes with them. We came up with a one page summary sheet and I will give them a chance to speak. Mr. Smith outlined the changes that had been made in the plan. He noted that each of the CHDOs would be allocated funding for their projects. They would need to provide information on what they would use the funds for in terms of the projects and how they will match the funds for HUD requirements. He noted that funds that are drawn down are attached to eligible activities. The Chairman asked for information of what qualifies a CHDO as a recipient of funding and what they must do to receive it. I Mr. Smith responded that this information will be provided in the contracts with them. -After additional discussion, Mr. Smith: We need to have some money set aside for land acquisition and demolition. We had $500,000 put aside for this and you had directed us to take that out and we put it back into the rehab program. Mr. Cheek: I'm asking if we could look at that and possibly reprogram this money and include it as part of the 2005-2009 consolidated plan. I would also like to see the Ombudsman initiative with some funding as well. Mr. Chairman: Do we want to move that money back over? Mr. Cheek: That would be my recommendation. Mr. Chairman: So we will need to vote to have the money there and then when we come up with the plan, the money will be there for us to use. Mr. Cheek: I'll so move. I 4 I I I Mr. Grantham: I second. After a lengthy discussion, the motion was adopted with Mr. Mays abstaining. 9. Discuss CDBG funding of the Economic Ombudsman Initiative. (Referred from March 15 Commission meeting) Mr. Cheek: I'll make a motion that the director come with a funding formula that gives us a little bit freer hand in the utilization of those positions that we approved with the identification of those funds. Mr. Chairman: Do we want to continue on a contractual basis that we have now or set up the office? Mr. Grantham: I think we should continue with what we have. Mr. Chairman: And this money would come from recaptured UDAG? Mr. Smith: Right. Mr. Grantham: I'll second that. Mr. Mays: Ifthere is a problem getting the money from that source, I would hope we could get the rnoney from another source. Mr. Chairman: Could you amend the motion that we find it from another source if this source is not available? Mr. Mays: I think that could be the first line one in there and authorize the Administrator if there is an alternative source and you can't shift the money right away, then we get it from some other source and ifit is legal to reimburse it, then it can be done that way. I'll offer that as an amendment. Mr. Cheek: I'll accept that. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: Do I have a motion to approve the final version of the 2005-2009 plan and also to approve the resolution for that plan? Mr. Cheek: I so move with the notion that we can always make amendments as the plan comes back. Mr. Mays: I second that motion. 5 ".~.... ,. Mr. Chairman: And if we could get the attorney to circulate the six signature letter to move it on forward. I Motion adopted with Mr. Mays abstaining. 2. Receive from AHED an itemized list of accountability of the $500,000 predevelopment grant monies to include where it was spent and who received the grant funding. (Referred from March 7 Administrative Services meeting) Mr. Smith presented a report on this item. Mr. Grantham: When was the grant written? Mr. Smith: The application was submitted on June 21,2002 and I understand that prior staff drafted the document and worked with the Mayor, the CHDOs and others to come up with the application. After a discussion of the expenditures, Mr. Cheek: A motion to receive this as information. Mr. Mays: Second. Motion adopted with Mr. Grantham out. I 12. Discuss the Augusta Housing and Economic Development Department. (Requested by Commissioner Williams) Mr. Mays: I move that we refer this to the next committee meeting. Mr. Cheek: Second. Motion adopted with Mr. Grantham out. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission nwm I 6