The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About07-12-2000 Called Meeting THE AUGUSTA COMMISSION MINUTES CALLED MEETING July 12, 2000 Commission Chambers The meeting convened at 4:25 p.m., with the Honorable Bob Young, Mayor, presiding. Present were Commissioners Beard, Bridges, H. Brigham, J. Brigham, Cheek, Colclough, Mays and Williams. Absent were Commissioners Kuhlke and Shepard. Also present were Ms. Bonner, Clerk of Commission; Mr. Oliver, Administrator; and Mr. Wall, Attorney. Mr. Mayor: What we’d like to do is take up Item 3 on the agenda today. This is the emergency money from the Governor’s office. Mr. Speaker, if you’d care to address us on this, please, and tell us exactly what we need to do today. Item 3: Other business: Approve criteria for flood aid. Mr. Speaker: Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, before you is a copy of the individual assistance program which was drafted by my office. It’s a rehash of what was sent out from the Governor’s office, and you have a copy of that enclosed in that packet. Basically what I’ve done is take a look at what the Governor has sent down, and based on the event that happened on June 20, 2000 on Tuesday night, with the flooding throughout the entire Augusta-Richmond County area, the Governor has sent down $105,000 worth of discretionary funds to address the immediate needs of the people here in Augusta. I want to emphasize it’s for the entire county of Augusta- Richmond County, to address those things. What I need from the Commissioners is basically your approval on this individual assistant program. I invite your attention to paragraph two of the eligibility criteria and those items underneath this, in terms of the factors that we’re going to address, in terms of the distribution of this $105,000.. That’s spelled out. I talked to [inaudible], and it looks like we will receive that money in approximately a week-and-a-half to two weeks, to get the money down. Our plan right now, if the Commission approves these factors, is design an application form, which I plan to distribute on the website, get out to the media, put out in the different neighborhoods that flood. We know which neighborhoods flood. Meet with those folks, hand the applications out, for approximately two weeks receive those applications. The people that want to apply for some of this money. Once we get all the applications in, we will have to verify the applications, screen the applications, and decide how to distribute this money. So what I need is basically your approval on these factors and the eligibility criteria. Mr. Mayor: We brought this here today because our next meeting is not until Thursday of next week, and we need to get the applications in, and in order for people 2 to apply, they need to know what the criteria is to be eligible, so that’s why we’ve rushed this in here today. Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a motion we approve this. Mr. Bridges: Second. Mr. Mayor: Motion and second. Discussion? Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Jerry Brigham? Mr. J. Brigham: My only concern is, is two weeks going to be long enough on the applications? Mr. Speaker: I think two weeks is long enough. Even though the grant application is longer. We can take a look at exceptions. Hard case exceptions. But we still have people out there now that are displaced in their homes. Mr. J. Brigham: I understand that. Mr. Speaker: The sooner we do this, the better off we off, because people desperately need money, right now. Some people are in need of money. I think two weeks is long enough if we do a mass media campaign. TV, radio. We go out and canvass the different neighborhoods and hand out these applications and get these applications back in two weeks, I think that’s enough time. Mr. Oliver: And my suggestion would be to obtain all of the information and the data, let Mr. Speaker determine the eligible cost. If the eligible expenses exceed the $105,000 then we pro rate that amount over what we got in for eligible expenses. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Beard? Mr. Beard: Mr. Mayor, I do see the need of doing this as quick as possible. The only thing that I would like to add to this is I sure hope this is marketed well and that people are aware of what’s going on, and I know what you’ve said about the media and other areas. But a lot of times, even the website or the media, we do not reach all people, and I’m sure hoping, and I’m sure you will, make a concerted effort to get to all the people that have been affected by this flood area. Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion, gentlemen? Mr. Bridges? 3 Mr. Bridges: Dave, do we know yet all the areas that were damaged by flood? Don’t we have that information that we could target those neighborhoods specifically with a mail out in that regard? Mr. Speaker: I have a general knowledge of what areas are affected. It’s common knowledge. There’s five areas that flood throughout the county that are affected by any type of [inaudible] and we’re going to target those areas, concentrate on those main areas, do a media blitz, and I offer to go down to those neighborhoods, to meet with them any time, on weekends and night, 24 hours a day, explain the process, the criteria, the eligibility criteria, and go over the application form. That’s what I plan to do in the next two weeks. Mr. Mayor: We can also review the 911 logs from the night of the flooding, too, because that would have the addresses printed out on it, so that would be one way to back it up, where the phone calls came from. Mr. Speaker: The thing that we need to concentrate on basically is those people that are currently displaced, number one, and cannot be moved back in. Number two, those people that have been displaced that received water inside their living space and have no insurance. Then look at those people that have been displaced that have insurance. Those are the three primary areas, with the most needs. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, my concern is that we do address those that have been displaced, not only during this flooding action, but those that have been displaced since 1990 many times and have since given up hope of any help. The Hollywood subdivision and some of the other areas have people who have been run out of their homes by flooding and had nowhere to turn, so I just want to make sure we do reach those folks. They’ve been probably paying temporary housing by definition for a long time. Mr. Oliver: These funds would only be applicable according to the decree from FEMA for the last flooding event, not for flooding events prior to this year. Mr. Mayor: This is emergency relief for June 20 exclusively. Mr. Cheek: Okay. Mr. Mayor: The other program that Dave is working on, the mitigation program where the homes are purchased, he’s working to develop the inventory, and that would include those people who have been flooded out in other events. 4 Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, my concern is that folks that have been long-suffering through this, this particular funding -- these people are in great need, there are life safety issues, they have great needs for assistance and help, but I want to make sure that the people who have done without for so long in this city are at least given a fair shake and we do not just concentrate our relief efforts in one general area. Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. This money, this $105,000 will be spread out city- wide. We take claims from Highland Avenue to Hephzibah and everywhere in between. Yes, sir, Mr. Colclough? Mr. Colclough: I just want to ask, are you going to be at the meeting today? Mr. Speaker: Yes, sir. Mr. Colclough: And you can market this plan at that time. Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion? We have a motion to approve on the floor. All in favor of the motion, please vote aye. Motion carries 8-0. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madame Clerk. Let’s move ahead with the order of the day. Item 1, please. Clerk: Item 1: Discuss proposed list of Phase IV Sales Tax Projects. Mr. Oliver: As you’re aware, some time ago the Mayor and Commission appointed a 21-member citizen committee for the purpose of hearing and evaluating and ranking and making a recommendation to you of the projects that should be considered as part of Special Purpose Local Option Phase IV Sales Tax. That committee was comprised of two members appointed by each Commissioner, one member appointed by the Mayor. That committee has completed their work. They spent a significant amount of time in doing that, and in addition to that, there were four public meetings that were held to receive input from citizens regarding the recommendations that they are making to you. Many of you attended some or all of those meetings. What we’re here today to do is to discuss this list. It’s incumbent upon us to come up with a final list by roughly the first week in August, so that this can be placed on the September 19 referendum for consideration by the voters of Augusta-Richmond County. What I would like to do today is to discuss the methodology that was used by them in the development of the list and then to go down the individual list and determine if there are additional projects that you would like to receive information on. We have some additional information if you would like to have that. The committee developed criteria for evaluating the projects. Their criteria were need, 40 points. In other words, the more critical the need, the higher the number of points. If it was viewed to be something that would just be nice in the 5 community, it got less in the way of the number of points. The number of citizens benefited. All the other criteria being equal, the more citizens that a particular project would benefit got a higher score. Operating cost was a consideration in this in that things that were going to be intensive and have an overall impact upon our operating budget did not receive as high a score as those projects that did not have an ongoing operating cost. The leveraging of funds. For example, if a project would bring in additional Federal, State, or local funds, it would get a higher criteria due to the fact that you could leverage those funds and it was not all coming from sales tax. And the final criteria was economic development. If it added jobs, industry, promoted the community, and those types of issues, it was awarded ten points for a total of 100 points. They went through and ranked all these projects based upon that. All of the departments presented their lists. From the Fire Department, Public Works, Parks & Recreation. They presented their lists, and the lists by the individual departments were ranked by the department from what they believed to be the highest ranked project to the project that they felt was the lowest ranked, and while they felt it was a vital project, they also realized that all of it was not able to be funded. I would add that, for example, Mr. Beck in Parks & Recreation requested $40 million. Public Works requested about $180 million. So the list was obviously quite comprehensive. The departments ranked their project again based upon the criteria that was established by the sales tax committee, and I would say this, while they may disagree with the amount of money that they received from the sales tax committee, the sales tax committee relied largely upon staff for determining what the needs of the community were. In other words, if Public Works was given $68 million, for example -- I think they were given $58 million -- the sales tax committee relied largely upon the Public Works staff to determine how that money could be best used within the community. And I know recent events have raised some questions in certain areas about what things can and should be included, and the decision will ultimately be yours as to what things should be on the ballot. With that, I would like to start going down the individual list. We do have a binder from Public Works that rates all the projects in Public Works. I think it’s from 1 through 102, and we will be happy to pass those binders out. There may be information you would like. It provides all their needs. I would note again that their total request was about $179 million and they received about $58 million. With that, I’d like to -- we have also broken down and will pass out a list of what we call funded drainage projects as proposed by the citizens committee, and then what we have determined to be the unfounded part in tier II and tier III. So with that -- Mr. Bridges: That’s not in this package, is it? Mr. Oliver: No, sir. We’ll pass those things out now. The first item on the Animal Control list that we have for your consideration is the shelter. There’s currently ¾ of a million dollars in Phase III for the shelter. We currently are in design on that at this point. We believe to build this facility in the appropriate manner than an additional million dollars is going to be required to set up and do the things that we would like to do. 6 There was a request made for a feasibility study and to produce design concept drawings. I would note that there is no funding. That would be done either through private contributions, other revenue sources, or subsequent phase of the sales tax for Augusta Performance Arts Center an for $100,000. Board of Health The made a request for $2 million. The citizens committee elected to fund them at a $1 million level, feeling that the state government could come up with some money to promote that facility. The Board of Health has asked to do some relocation of their facilities. Canal Authority The asked for several million dollars. The committee recommended $2 million. One of the strengths of this proposal again was the leveraging. As I understand it, with the federal leveraging they can get roughly one federal dollar for every dollar of local money. Development Authority The requested money, and this is a million dollars that would be used for infrastructure improvements to entice business to relocate or enhance their existing business activities within our community. Again, it would have to be for capital projects and infrastructure improvements only. Extension Service The requested money to relocate and improve existing facilities at 4-H Camp, including a road for $41,000 and that was recommended. Planning & Zoning The next item, requested money for comprehensive plan, and this would be a portion of that. Mr. Wall and I talked about that and he is going Transit to do some research on this item and the one that relates to to determine eligibility under sales tax. There is potentially a question as it relates to that. Trees & Landscape requested money, $398,000. They awarded $500,000. Part of that money would be used to replace trees that are dying or reached their maturity and to replant those trees, as well as to automate the irrigation system to make it less manually intensive, as well as to provide a more prudent use of water. Fire Department On the next page, we have the . The total allocation they recommended to the Fire Department was $24 million. And I’m going to categorize these by categories. Pay off existing leases. There was some equipment that was leased by the Fire Department. In order to make their fleet, bring their fleet to a more acceptable level, this would pay off those leases and essentially take that out of the operating budget and put it in a capital budget and expand their dollars. There’s construction of a number of fire stations. I would note that these are general locations. There are no specific locations at this point that have been decided other than the one piece of property that you all purchased for downtown for a consolidation of a fire station project, and these just give a frame of reference. There are three projects, three fire stations that the fire station location study requires on the 7 south side that are needed to meet the needs of the south side. There is additional equipment in here, as is shown. In addition to that, there is renovation of some of our existing fire stations to bring them into compliance and to meet the needs of the community. Historic Augusta Inc. requested $153,280 for replacement of the sidewalk and installation of underground utilities at the Woodrow Wilson house. All this money that has gone into that project at this point has been from private sources and contributions. Library The . They have recommended $1,625,000 be placed into the South Augusta Branch. I would note on that that we have not time phased these yet. We will. But until a list is adopted, to time phase it between years, while we have done it, it will require some change, but they have recommended that that particular project be in the early years of the sales tax project, of the sales tax. We would also note that we are going to make provisions in the sales tax offering, because of the amount of money that is required on some of these projects, that we can do some temporary borrowing if warranted and permitted under law. To do some of these projects earlier rather than later, which we think would be in our best interest. They have proposed $7,375,000 for a new Main Branch library. The Library Board and Library staff believe that’s about half of what would be required to do that project. They felt that private contributions and other financial sources should be called upon to raise the additional funds to complete that project. And then $1,000,000 for materials. Specifically books, furnishings, things like that to furnish these two new facilities. And that again is something that Mr. Wall is going to look more closely at. Museum The requested $1 million, which the citizens committee again considered in a positive manner, for the construction of a center and exhibits for the preservation and study of CSRA history. Again, a million dollars. New Hope Community Center . $100,000. Again that has to be capital. Has to be used for capital. It cannot be used for operating. Imperial Theatre They are recommending $1,264,000 for the . That is the breakdown that they’ve given to us for that particular project. Public Works . This is the largest single portion of the sales tax and I’m sure the Public Works staff is in Phase I of the sales tax, the money could only be used for Public Works projects and I’m sure the Public Works staff wishes it was still that way. The first line item is $4,650,000 for miscellaneous grading and drainage performed by county forces. These are essentially things that come up. These are the smaller jobs that come up that need to be done over about the next five years. This and the road resurfacing is something that I think over the next five to ten years this community needs to have an eye toward covering that out of the operating expenses. It’s an eligible sales tax expense. However, it is something that reoccurs 8 every year. The second item is for resurfacing, using county forces, as well as the third item. We then go into the various projects. They range from specific road projects to drainage projects, and I’m just going to call your attention to some significant ones. St. Sebastian Way/Greene Street/Fifteenth Street. We currently have about $17 million, $18 million combination of last sales tax, federal, state money for that project, which is going to provide a fly-over off of Riverwatch onto Fifteenth Street, and then a fly-over back so that you will miss the train. We believe that actually to complete that project, it will take about $3.5 million more. Wheeless Road detention facility, about $3.3 million. Hollywood subdivision wetland area, about $2.6 million. Lake Aumond dam improvements, about half a million dollars. There is a new roof that is required at 401 Walton Way for about $400,000. There is a lot of signalization improvements that are required across the community. That whole system needs to be upgraded so that we have automated it and it’s computerized, and that’s provided for. Augusta Canal basin, Phase I, $2.3 million. East Boundary street and drainage improvements, $1.3 million. Rifle Range Road is listed. Wheeler Road. Walton Way, Skinner Mill Road to Columbia County line, $2.7 million. Again, we’re going to be matching some state funds. Windsor Spring, Section IV, Willis Foreman to Tobacco, $678,000. Windsor Spring, Section V, State Route 88 in Hephzibah to Tobacco Road, again the same amount. Wrightsboro Road widening, Phase I, Barton Chapel to Marks Church Road, $3.1 million. Then we have resurfacing, $8.5 million. And the citizens committee is recommending $7 million be assigned to paving various dirt roads. That probably will not take care of all the dirt roads, but it will be fairly close. We would note, however, that based on our current criteria the right-of-way needs to be donated. There is no funding in there at this point for condemnation of right-of-way. Utilities Department The projects that are in here and on the next Commission you will be asked to approve the Utilities list, so the bond projects, these are complementary projects to the Public Works projects and are projects that are required as it relates to road construction. It may include the relocation of lines, expansion of lines, and they are complements and requirements of the Public Work side. Information Technology , $2 million. Again, there are some items in this that Mr. Wall wants to look more carefully at. It includes upgrading to Windows and Office 2000, telephone system upgrade, GIS upgrade. I think we have come a long way in the GIS area and I think some of the things that we have done recently within the last couple of months have shown that. That is a very important system to this community, and -- Mr. Mayor: That can be a revenue producer, too, can’t it? Mr. Oliver: If Mr. Wall would let me charge for it, I agree with you. But under Georgia law, as I understand it, what we can charge is limited to some cost. The other one is a document imaging system. We have some document imaging that 9 we’ve started in the Clerk of Superior Court’s area. We would like to take that document imaging to other areas of this community because we believe that it eliminates some storage and it provides better access and retrieval to documents. Augusta Mini Theater They are recommending half a million dollars to the . Springfield Village Park $750,000 to . Recreation & Parks Department In , they are recommending $2.1 million to Diamond Lakes Regional Park. Brookfield, $1.2 million. Sand Hills Park, a little over $1 million. The Augusta Golf Course, $1.6 million, and that is something, Mr. Mayor, I think you were interested in, to ensure that the certificates of participation that were issued were paid off. This would pay off those certificates of participation. McBean Community Center, a little over $1 million. I won’t go down each and every line item. New Judicial Center/Improvements The final line item is the . This is roughly what we envision at this point to be half of the cost of those improvements. They felt that that would be an appropriate thing to do. At this point, if there are any questions -- Mr. Mayor: Mr. Oliver, just a moment. You left off the Fore Augusta First Tee project. Fore Augusta Mr. Oliver: Oh, I’m sorry. Okay. asked for money and the citizens committee recommended $1 million for them. We have each of the departments here and I think most or all of the organizations are represented that either requested or received a recommendation for money. And if there are any specific questions as it relates to projects that are on this list, we’d like to answer those questions that you may have, and then after that’s complete, to determine what additional things you might like information on or to be considered so we can bring that back to you. Our goal is to provide you the information because you’re the people that ultimately have to prioritize this list and determine what is in the best interests of the citizens that you represent. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Oliver, for that presentation. Let’s set just a couple of ground rules here today so we can move along in an expeditious manner. What the Chair will entertain first will be questions relative to the list that was presented by Mr. Oliver, which involves the County departments and the outside agencies, and if you have any specific question about any specific project, we’ll have the person involved respond to that. And then what we’ll do is after we go through that, we’ll come back and we’ll let you add to the list if you’d like to add to it. But we don’t want to get into the situation today like we do with the budget and try to add 10 and pull out and we get all jumbled up. What we’d like to do is let you add to the list today and let the people, Mr. Oliver’s office and the others go back and cost those things out and bring us back what it’s going to cost to add things to the list, and then we’ll at that time start looking at where we make some tradeoffs and do some pulling. Mr. Bridges, your hand was up first. Mr. Bridges: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have a general question in regard to this, Randy. We’ve got $140 million that we’re budgeting here for projects. What do we expect to get from the present sales tax over the five year period? Mr. Oliver: We have not time valued the money yet in that these are all in present day dollars. And we have to time value the money. We plan on time valuing the money. For the benefit of everyone here, what that means is that these are the costs in 2000 dollars, and obviously the cost of building in 2005 is going to be higher than it costs to build in 2000. Mr. Bridges: What I’m saying is as far as collecting the money, how much do we expect to collect? Mr. Oliver: $150 million is our general estimate for that. Mr. Bridges: The one we’re under right now? Mr. Oliver: We’re collecting currently about $30 million a year. We think that the economy is very strong at this point and sales have not -- I don’t think the full impact of that has been realized and the difficulty that you get into on a projection like this is that if the economy starts to fall off a little bit, the first place that it’s going to fall off is in your sales tax. But at this point, we are budgeting for Tier I right at about $150 million. Mr. Bridges: That’s my concern with this, and I’m concerned that the internet tax is going to -- we’re going to lose more of that, and yet what we’re budgeting here is basically what we’d expect to get for the last five years. Is that realistic? Mr. Oliver: What we need to do is to make these projects in such a way that if the economy took a steep turn downward, I could see sales tax falling off to $20 million a year frankly. And I think we need to plan these projects in such a way that the projects that are less critical are done in the out years, and the more critical ones done in the early years. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Oliver: But that is a total guess that a number of the communities are going through. What the economy is going to do is always a factor. But in addition 11 to that, what effect internet sales are going to have and a moratorium by the federal government on internet sales has been extended. Mr. Bridges: I’ve got a specific project, Mr. Mayor, I’d like some information, if I could. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, go ahead. Mr. Bridges: The drainage between Highway 56 -- and we discussed this this morning -- Highway 56 and Old Waynesboro. In Sales Tax III we did the other side of Old Waynesboro and did some drainage. Is that in the book here? That specifically? Would we have time to do an estimation on that because I was basically thinking that would get some of the drainage projects in Phase III Sales Tax and we didn’t. I was hoping -- Highway 56 and Old Waynesboro Road up to Bobby Jones, that little triangle there. You’re probably talking 200 houses, something like that. Mr. Oliver: We can come up with a figure. Mr. Bridges: Yes, if you could. Mr. Mayor: We’ll just go around the table. Commissioner Williams, any questions on these items? Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, I’d just like to -- the last thing we talked about was in Recreation and the park that’s being addressed here, I’m concerned about District 2. I don’t find anything that those people in that are, hardly any of those parks, where any of this money is going. If we could, I’d like to have Mr. Beck or somebody to address that, where we are, and why we’re not considered. Mr. Mayor: Was there any specific neighborhood or park you had in mind, Mr. Williams? Mr. Williams: Specifically Savannah Place. Mr. Mayor: Savannah Place? Mr. Beck? Mr. Beck: Commissioner Williams, as was mentioned by Mr. Oliver earlier, our capital improvement plan did call for $43 million worth of needs over the next five years, so all of our parks were addressed in our capital improvement plan. Specifically, Savannah Place was not on the list for the final $10 million, which represents 20 percent of what our capital improvement plan actually was. Some of the areas we did take into consideration that were possibly fundable through CDBG and areas that would be eligible for CDBG, some of that was taken into consideration by not being on the actual SPLOST list. But Savannah Place was on our original list and did not make the final 22 parks. In relation to District 2, we do have -- there are 12 actually three projects in District 2 on the $10 million list. Elliott Park, the second is Fleming Park tennis center, and the third is Bernie Ward Community Center. Those three are on the list in District 2. Mr. Mayor: Was Savannah Place park on your original list? Mr. Beck: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: But it just didn’t make the cut for $10 million? Mr. Beck: No, sir. Mr. Mayor: Could you share with Commissioner what you had on your list for that park and what the estimate was on it? Mr. Beck: The actual estimate -- I’m not sure what information was actually provided to you. I do have a summarized list of all of the parks. And again, this information was sent down as far as our total list, but I do have a summarized list should you -- Mr. Mayor: We don’t have that, Tom. If you could share that. Mr. Williams: Also, Mr. Mayor, if I can, I’d like to [inaudible] about Savannah Place, which is a somewhat difficult piece of property out there, being an old landfill and in dire need of some attention in a lot of different areas. We have gotten pipes that’s been out of the ground and the field is sort of cut up. I say cut up, meaning that gates and stuff are not really open to the whole entire [inaudible], like I thought the average park would be. But if I can, I’d just like to have some consideration where we come back again with something for that area and to be able to address that park and do some things that would enhance it. Those who have not visited it may look at it -- it’s kind of a [inaudible] area out there. We’re appreciative of what has been done. I think that Mr. Beck did a good job out there. There are some things ongoing out there, I know, that are taking place. But there’s a lot of work in that area to be done. That center is probably used as much as any center that we’ve got in the area. And being in that respect, we need to try to put a little effort if we can to do some things. Mr. Beck: Commissioner Williams, if I could specifically mention what was in our capital plan was $158,000 in improvements, which does include fencing improvement, demolition and installation of new shelters, new comfort station within the park, constructing an additional walking track, and additional landscaping in the park. That was part of that capitol list. Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Beck. I appreciate that. We’re not getting into that now, but I’d like to, if any way possible, when we come back and revisit, I think 13 there’s a great need for something to be done in Savannah Place as far as recreation, and I guess while I’m talking, Mr. Mayor, I looked through and checked, I had my yellow marker with me, District 2 has not been considered in a lot of areas and we’ll be able to sit down, I guess, and be able to come up with some things, bring back to the table, to include an area which has long been forgotten, and we probably got the biggest problems in District 2 of all the districts and the biggest problems, we’ve got more trouble there, things that happen, and addressing a long time, and if we keep leaving those things, if we keep neglecting those things, then it’s certainly going to get worse. And we need to look at some of the things. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, do you have some specific issues you’d like to put on the table and have the staff cost out? They may be buried in some book somewhere and they may have been costed out. We can come back to you. Mr. Williams: If you come back, I’ve got some drainage problems and stuff over there that I want to get into. I’ve got some things on my list. Mr. Mayor: We’d like to go ahead and get those to the staff as quickly as possible to get them costed out. Mr. Oliver, since there was the interest in the Savannah Place park, why don’t you -- Mr. Oliver: I’ve got it on the list. What I plan to do is once we get your input, we will put out a memo back providing the information as it relates to the costs and the things that you all think that are important that are not currently on the list. Mr. Mayor: All right. Let’s go to Mr. Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have several questions in several of these categories. First, in Animal Control, is the $1 million allocated there and recommended, does it cover the complete construction cost of the animal control center? Mr. Oliver: At this point, what we envision that it will be. We won’t know that for sure, however, until the design is complete. But based upon similar construction estimates and costs, we believe that will be sufficient to build a first class facility with veterinary capabilities. Mr. Cheek: The Board of Health, the same question. Is that going to cover the cost of a new south Augusta health department? Mr. Oliver: No, it will not. Mr. Cheek: What’s the estimated cost? 14 Mr. Oliver: $2 million was the estimated cost. The citizens committee made a conscious recommendation that they wanted to fund a million. They knew the cost was $2 million. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek, would you like to change, have them put $2 million in there? Mr. Cheek: I have grave concerns about the budgeting in this list in that we’re going to have to do a lot of things to get a lot of things on the slate, primarily the judicial center. So yes, I’d like to go ahead and see us fully fund some of these things and not have to do that. Mr. Oliver: The Board of Health, you’re suggesting we fully fund it? Mr. Cheek: Fully fund it, $2 million. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Cheek: Okay, the Canal Authority. The question I have there is it contains information on working on the head gates, master plan. Are we renovating park space in Columbia County? Mr. Oliver: No, none of our money is used for that. I believe Mr. Dayton Sherrouse can speak to that. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Sherrouse is here. Mr. Oliver: None of our funds can be used in Columbia County. Mr. Cheek: That’s been one of these gray kind of places where that area is located primarily in Columbia County as a finger of Richmond County. Mr. Sherrouse: I’m Dayton Sherrouse. We have a master plan of the head gates and it’s about $3 million and they’re including the Columbia County [inaudible] of the head gates in their referendum for funding up there. Mr. Cheek: Are they going to match our contribution? Mr. Sherrouse: Well, what we would do, if we get under our federal legislation, we’re eligible for a million, so we could use part of our federal legislation and get a match for it from them. Like we’ve done up there on some other projects. We would not use Augusta or Richmond County sales tax dollars to match federal dollars up there. They’d have to come from Columbia County. 15 Mr. Cheek: Okay. Are we going to finally, with the $2 million, build some bike trails, riverside bike trails and all like we’ve promised the folks for nine years? Mr. Sherrouse: Right. The master plan envisions walkways and bikeways on the public land between the canal and the river as they’re funded by the federal level. Our plan is to use the sales tax dollars to match those dollar for dollar. Mr. Oliver: I would note for the benefit of the Commissioners that on the outside agencies, that prior to them being distributed any funding, a contract will be required between this government and that agency, and Mr. Cheek, I would suggest that that contract provide for exactly what you want done with that money. So that it does not get arbitrarily redistributed into another area. Mr. Cheek: Thank you. On the Fire Department, on Station 14, in discussions with the citizens of Blythe and their city council, does this include relocating the station at Highway 88, Station 14, or is it going to stay in the same place? Mr. Speaker: Could you repeat that question? Mr. Cheek: Station 14 is at Blythe next to their community center, and they’re interested in maintaining it at that location, and just wondering if this $1.5 million includes moving that station and purchase of land or anything. Mr. Speaker: No, sir, we hadn’t included Station 14 as far as relocation. That’s not included. It will be some time in the future, but we haven’t discussed that. We had a fire location study done in this city here and they didn’t recommend anything for that. Mr. Oliver: One of the things you have to remember on these station locations is that what you want to try to do when you locate a station is, it would be like in a room, you wouldn’t want to locate a fire station in a corner. And the reason you wouldn’t is because that would be the farthest point to any adjacent part of the room. What you would want to do is to locate the fire station in the exact center of the room so you could get to each point in the room as quickly as possible. And so what I guess I’m saying is you don’t want to locate a fire station on the county line, for example, because then all of your efforts are coming one way. But the exact locations of the stations on any of these stations have not at this point been determined. That would be something that would be subsequently decided by the Mayor and Commission. Mr. Speaker: That information is also in that binder. The third page there. That will tell you also about the location of the stations. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek, any other questions? 16 Mr. Cheek: Yes, sir, I’ve got a couple more. Thank you very much. On the Public Works end of it, given the concerns we’ve had with drainage and so forth, I have several questions. The Hollywood subdivision wetland area, does that include purchase of the homes and converting that neighborhood into a genuine wetland? Mr. Oliver: Currently we have, we’re working with the Corps of Engineers on a grant in that particular area, and there’s a study being done. And those homes within the area of that grant for that retention basis would clearly be purchased. Mr. Cheek: On the Augusta Canal basin Phase I or Phase II, does this include money to repair the areas above the pumping station, review and repair some of those areas, where the levee wall is particularly worn? Mr. Goins: Yes, sir. That includes any [inaudible] that might be necessary in the canal, particularly [inaudible] for Reed Creek, Rae’s Creek, or Rock Creek. Mr. Cheek: How about -- might concern is that I didn’t see it specifically noted to repair the levee wall between the canal and the river above the pumping station where there’s some erosion problems. Mr. Goins: I believe you’re speaking about the spillway that was started by the WPA program years ago? Mr. Cheek: No, sir. Mr. Oliver: I think he’s speaking, Drew, to the study that was done as a combined effort between the Fire Department and the dive team, which identified certain areas that had deficiencies that needed to be repaired. Mr. Goins: This [inaudible] will be given strong consideration. Mr. Oliver: We’ll identify that. Mr. Cheek: This area, Drew, for your information, hasn’t been inspected in 40 years and we found some things that you might find interesting. Mr. Mayor: Would you like him to run some numbers on that? Mr. Oliver: We’ll run some numbers on that. Mr. Cheek: Also, I don’t see something that I would like to add. Are we adding, Mr. Mayor, at this time? Mr. Mayor: Yes, this is the time to add. Not take off. But add. 17 Mr. Cheek: I don’t see -- the Butler Creek project was rated pretty low, but we’re going in and fixing to redo the trunk line for the sewer in the area between, behind Meadowbrook Drive, and while we’re in there, that would be probably a good time to tackle some of this channelization. I’d like to have that added. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Oliver: That cost was estimated for that total project and I need to know whether you propose to add the total project. I think it’s $7.3 million. Mr. Cheek: We’re going to go in and do an awful lot of work along that entire trunk, so now is the time maybe we can cut some costs on that. Mr. Oliver: So your intent is to add the entire project? Mr. Cheek: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: $7.3 million. Mr. Cheek: [inaudible] flood problem in Richmond County. Windows 2000. This is Information Technology. Question on that. Are we -- is Windows 2000 currently debugged enough to turn over all working systems to that? Mr. Speaker: Currently no, but in the year 2001 it will be. Mr. Cheek: Under GIS monies, is that enough money to cover the improvements needed in GIS? Mr. Speaker: Yes. That actually includes a new fly over [inaudible]. Mr. Oliver: We need the new fly over. We should have done the new fly over really this year, but we just couldn’t afford it. Mr. Cheek: Thank you, sir. And lastly but not least, Recreation & Parks, I remember the last sales tax very well when the citizens of Augusta ranked that as number one in their concerns. Been neglected for years. I’m very concerned we don’t go back into basically a caretaker status, fixing a few things here and there, that we continue upon the course that we have, where we’re building first class facilities for the citizens of Augusta and represent Augusta’s true prominence for the Southeast. Mr. Beck, I notice we don’t have money appropriated for the gymnasium, community center. Was that cut? Mr. Beck: Yes, sir. The initial capital list called for $11 million to complete the master plan at Diamond Lakes Regional Park and it was cut back to $2.1 million, so the community center is not there. 18 Mr. Cheek: Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Peach State Classic was just played over in South Carolina this week. Mr. Beck: That’s getting ready to start I believe this weekend. Mr. Cheek: That’s a nationally prominent conference called the Peach State Classic being played in the Palmetto State, because we don’t have a facility to house that. Is that correct? Mr. Beck: That’s correct. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Oliver, I’d like to see -- I’m not sure of the total cost, but I’d like to see this facility built. Mr. Oliver: So you’re interested in just building the gymnasium and the required parking to support that gymnasium? Mr. Cheek: Gymnasium, community center, do it per the master plan. Mr. Oliver: For just that particular element? Mr. Cheek: Diamond Lakes, yes. Mr. Beck: The total master plan completion -- of course, we had $7 million in Phase III of the sales tax, which built the initial park in Phase I, to complete the park, it’s costed out at $11,532,000 to complete the total master plan of the park, which includes the community center. Mr. Cheek: I’d like to have that added, please. Mr. Oliver: What’s the cost of just the community center and the ancillary parking? Do you know, Tom? Mr. Beck: $5 million plus A&E and contingency. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I have one more question. Thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: This is for Teresa. I’ve run into some problems, and we’ve talked about Patrick Avenue, that drainage problem, Pinnacle Place drainage problem. Is there adequate monies in here to cover those projects and get that drainage resolve or are we going to have to wait another five years if we don’t address it now? 19 Ms. Smith: Those projects are not identified in Phase IV. There was a project identified in Phase III, however we are in the process of doing a preliminary analysis of what projects we have funding shortfalls, and that is one that has been identified as having significant funding shortfalls. Mr. Oliver: So you’re interested in Pinnacle Place and what’s the other one? Mr. Cheek: Pinnacle Place and Patrick Avenue. This was the Boykin Road, Plantation Road drainage project. The history on this one is the citizens quit calling and so they said the problem must have gone away. They basically descoped the project before Teresa or any of the other folks that we have now got here. So the citizens still are getting flooded. Mr. Oliver: We can come up with some numbers of those projects. Mr. Cheek: Yes, sir, if we can add those I’d appreciate it. And I guess one other thing. Mr. Mayor: All right. You’ll get your turn, Mr. Beard. Mr. Cheek: I’m taking Commissioner Mays’ wind a little bit today. Mr. Mayor: I don’t believe so. Mr. Cheek: Finally, the judicial center. I just for the life of me don’t see how we can half or quarter fund a project. I’d certainly like to see it removed and those monies transferred to other needy projects. Mr. Mayor: We’re not removing today. We’re just adding today. Mr. Cheek: I’ll be ready when you are. Mr. Mayor: The record will so note. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Mr. Beard. Mr. Beard: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I always get a kick out of Commissioner Cheek. He really brings it on. I just have a couple of things here that I’d like to talk about briefly. I notice, Randy, that in some of these you mentioned that some of this was speculation on the part of the state, if they were going to fund this, a number of these projects that are listed here. I’m kind of concerned about why are we listing projects that may or may not be funded by the state or we cannot complete. If that’s the way I understood this, and I would like to know the rationale for this. Mr. Oliver: This was the rationale of the citizens committee. This was not my rationale. 20 Mr. Beard: I’m not saying it was yours. I’m just saying maybe you can explain. Mr. Oliver: Frankly, as related to the Health Department, I think they had a philosophical feeling that the state ought to come up with some money since it was housed in state facilities on the Health Department. As related to the Library, the main branch library, they felt very strongly that private contributions could be raised to cover the other half of the cost of that structure. And state. And then the final one was the judicial center, and to be honest, I can’t totally answer what their methodology was and how they arrived at that number, because they went round and round and round and there was some discussion about including none of it, all of it, some of it, and they come up with the $20 million figure. And those were the essentially the major projects that were what I call partially funded. There were some others. For example, the feasibility study for the performing arts center, they funded half of that, $100,000, feeling that the other $100,000 ought to be raised from the private sector. But those are the three major ones. Mr. Beard: My thoughts are that what is going to happen here, we’ve got a five year interim here and this money -- will it be held until someone decides to match this money so that those projects can complete? Or, and I know it will be up to the Commission, do we want to divert this to, as Commissioner Cheek mentioned a few minutes ago, converting this to areas that could be completed? That’s just a thought that is being thrown out. Mr. Oliver: The answer is, it depends upon what the Commission desires to do, because what we would do in the case of the Library would be to propose the funding for a new main branch library in year five roughly, to give them an opportunity to raise those funds. Now has been the case on two of Mr. Beck’s projects, specifically the Aquatics Center and Diamond Lakes, there was an insufficient amount of money to do those projects and there is some flexibility provided to reallocate funds, particularly if a project is subsequently deemed to be not feasible or not practical. Mr. Beard: My other concern would be -- I’m concerned about the infrastructure -- we’re talking about ANIC and other organizations really working in the “inner city” area and have already designated an area they’re going to work in. I’m concerned about the infrastructure there, the sidewalks and other things that are needed there, and I don’t see -- and maybe it’s in Public Works or maybe somewhere else -- I don’t see any money here allocated for any infrastructure of the upgrading that we’re going to do in the next couple of years. Mr. Oliver: My suggestion would be, and I think you’re exactly right, one of the things that we’ve been hard pressed to get is what specific area those upgrades are going to occur in, and I think it’s always better in a list like this to define, be more 21 project specific and if that’s something that you’re extremely interested in, I would suggest that you delineate street locations and we determine costs to do those types of things. Mr. Beard: I would like to see some figures implemented on this for -- we know the area that we’re going to be probably working in. We’ve already designated that. ANIC has already designated that. Plus going across the Laney-Walker area, and I’m saying we probably need about $1 million, but those are just my figures. It could be looked into and come up with some figures that would be necessary. Mr. Oliver: Well, to come up with a figure, and to be somewhat an accurate figure, what we’re going to just need are the streets so we can determine how many linear feet streets are, and if you could give us some streets we’ll be glad to do that. Mr. Mayor: Let me ask a question, if I may. Has Walt Hunley turned his report in yet, Mr. Beard? That may help in defining some of this. Mr. Beard: It may. I’m not sure. Mr. Mayor: Not sure? Okay. Why don’t we work on that? I’ll check with Mr. DeVaney’s office to see if Mr. Hunley’s report is in and then in the meantime, why don’t we sit down and look at the map and try to pick out some streets and some neighborhoods? Would that be helpful? Mr. Beard: I think that would, because I would like to see something, and if it’s not there, then I’d like to see some additional funds given to that area. The other item on the -- the Augusta performing arts center. What are we talking about there? Mr. Oliver: I think the Mayor may be able to speak to that better than anyone because that request came through his office, but my understanding is that that essentially is a feasibility study and conceptual drawings as to whether that would be feasible and something that the community could support and afford. Mr. Mayor: The performing arts center is something that has been recommended in all the master plans that have been for downtown. And indeed, for the performing arts in Augusta, we don’t have a theater setting, performance hall that seats about 2,000 people, and that’s what you need in a community this size. It’s something that the arts community has tried for years to draw some attention to. What we’d like to do is get the planning money from the sales tax so that we can, as Mr. Oliver said, do that feasibility study to see what kind of theater, what size theater would be supported in this community, produce some design concepts, so that we can take this out to the private sector, and do an aggressive fund raising program to complete such a theater here in Augusta. I think you’ll find that most communities that have thriving downtowns have a performing arts theater as an integral part of it. 22 Mr. Beard: I don’t have a problem with it. I just wanted to know -- Mr. Mayor: No brick and mortar. Strictly planning. Mr. Oliver: I don’t think we want to exactly couch it that way. I think we want to couch this potentially as Phase I, but that’s something we can work on. Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. Mr. Oliver: If it’s something the Commission wants to consider. Mr. Beard: And the other item I would like to discuss is the New Hope Community Center. I’d like to ask Mr. Oliver, this is just for capital? Mr. Oliver: It can only be used for capital. Mr. Beard: I want to know are there plans for this and what amount and so forth? I’d just like to know what we’re doing there. Mr. Fryer: This particular building is the building out back, the nursery that has been there for a number of years. Right now the particular nursery really is an endangerment because we find our children in there, late hours at night, and of course it can be hazardous, so what we’re looking to do is turning it into an industrial workshop where these kids will be educated and also learn a vocation. And I think that in this vocation, learning how to make things, how to build, certainly will be an advantage for them. For even in a lot of your schools right now there are not the vocational courses. But this particular site, the only thing we’re looking for is to do some work on the building. We are taking care of whatever teachers and whatever that comes to that. The only thing we’re looking for is assistance in that manner. Mr. Beard: So the $100,000 is going to be sufficient to do that? Mr. Fryer: We have requested more, but they didn’t give it to us. We had estimated around -- Mr. Mayor: How much? Mr. Fryer: We had asked for $200,000 but they cut it. Mr. Beard: So if you don’t get the $200,000, what happens here? Mr. Fryer: What we would do is, we would just see what we can do with it if we don’t get any more. We have to try to use what they give us and see how far we can go and then we come back and do what we can. 23 Mr. Mayor: Did you have a question? Mr. Williams: My question was answered when Rev. Fryer said they requested $200,000. If I may, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to get Mr. Oliver -- Mr. Cheek has said we are half funding projects and we put up something halfway and not be able to complete it, then we have not done anything. It just putting good money after bad. I think we ought to add that other $100,000 in that, at least put it on the record so we can kind of negotiate and see what we can come up with. If we can give those to do that project, I would like to have that added to it. Mr. Oliver: I’ll put that down, Commissioner Williams. I think that the citizens committee felt that one some of these projects, that it ought to be couched on a match situation, where Rev. Fryer would raise a dollar for every dollar you all contributed, up to the $100,000. I think the concern that they expressed was that there was a lot of sales tax money going into some projects, but very little in the way of private contributions. But that’s obviously a decision that you, this body needs to make. Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Oliver, just put it on there and we’ll hash it out at the fight. Mr. Beard: The other item I have, there’s a couple of them. Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Beard. Mr. Beard: Public Works. I see East Boundary drain and street improvements. What are we talking about there because I think that I’ve seen that on a lot of information, but I don’t know what we’re talking about there. A lot of information, but I don’t know what we’re talking about there. Ms. Smith: What we’re proposing to do out on East Boundary is primarily to work with the ditches that are on each side of the road. The drainage is inadequate out there, and to pipe those ditches, to resurface the street, and put in curb, gutter and sidewalks from Broad Street down to Laney-Walker. Mr. Beard: Wasn’t this on one of the sales tax before? Ms. Smith: It doesn’t show up in any records that I have of having been an approved project in the sales tax. If it was [inaudible] and removed, I would have that information in my current booklet. Mr. Beard: Commissioner Mays, didn’t y’all do that before? Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor? 24 Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mays. Mr. Mays: If I might, not to break into your great rolling order, but in this circumstance, I might be able to help Teresa a little bit by the time limited she came on board, and even in the case with Drew. East Boundary, east Augusta, all of it on the east side has popped up, as you say, a lot. The project specifically that we are talking about now is one that has always got caught in the boundary line balance when you had two governments of who was going to put it on, who was going to do it, who wasn’t going to do it, and I think the most successful one that we’ve had, and Drew can correct me, when we stopped, but we didn’t get over to East Boundary, when we were talking about the bottle neck there at East Boundary and Lane-Walker Boulevard. In the middle there. The street part. Some of that was over to First and Second Street. And I want to expand it a little bit because we’ve been in there a little bit, and every time I see where the Second Street deal comes back up, it’s been a lot in that area and the question I would have is probably the same one that is on your mind. East Boundary definitely has not been done. That needs to be done. It has not been done. But on some of it, are we dealing with repeat work, particularly on those streets that are east of Magnolia Cemetery. Because they’ve been dug into almost as much times as some roads have been asphalted. And it ought to be that at some point of time in our lifetime that it can get done. Where the water moves, at least over to where you get it out of the way. But while she’s up, Mr. Beard, since it’s in District 1, I think what we also need to ask is whether or not there is anything on the book in reference to continuation in East Augusta in reference to Phase III of a proposed project of drainage there. Because I can remember having to fight, Mr. Mayor, with some folks, not any in this room, who wanted to arrange the order of the D.O.T., and thank goodness the last Commissioner wouldn’t let it be rearranged, because we spent other state money down there. But there was supposed to be in three stages in East Augusta and we’ve done I would say probably one-and-a-half to two, and there’s a part where you are talking about on the northern side of Sand Bar Ferry Road, and also the parts near your old school that were included in the original Phase III portion, and I think that maybe needs to be looked at or to see whether or not there is anything on the table to do that. And that was prior to consolidation. Also prior to Teresa coming. But I think it’s something we’re going to run into with D.O.T. when we start going back on East Augusta as to when are we going to finish it. Because, Mr. Mayor, that question came up with the Commissioner and when he tried to rearrange the project, he made us go back in as he should have, and I was sorry we had to go al the way to Atlanta to make him rearrange it, that we go back in and finish out the Phase I and Phase II parts of East Augusta, but Lee is absolutely correct. It’s surfaced a lot but it’s not just East Boundary. We also need to talk about whether Phase III is going to pop up, and if not, when? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Beard, if you’ll continue. Mr. Beard: What I was going to get into was that second -- and you mentioned a little bit about that second phase down there. They call it the Second 25 Street project. Maybe Drew is familiar with that. I’m not that clear on it. But I do understand that you still have a lot of overflow there, you had that a couple of weeks go when the heavy rain was, and I’m wondering -- we’re talking about going in there and doing the drainage. Is all of this included? And I’m talking about there at East Boundary and Laney- Walker. Because that place is still flooded. And I understand it’s being flooded simply because there is no outlet, all the water come back west instead of going east to the river. Coming back west when there is a heavy rain there. Is there anything in this that we are going to address this to either one of you? Ms. Smith: It’s not in the East Boundary project. Now if I’m not mistaken, there is not anything in Phase IV that specifically addresses what he’s asking about. Mr. Goins: The Second Street outfall project -- Mr. Beard: That’s what I’m talking about. Mr. Goins: There are certain elements in the Second Street outfall that will come over and do some drainage improvements in East Boundary. But the East Boundary project that you see in Phase IV complements some of the drainage features that are going to be accomplished in the Second Street outfall project. Mr. Beard: But that was supposed to have been done, right? The Second Street project, that was something that was in one of the other -- Mr. Goins: That’s in Phase III, and that was just awarded at the last Commission meeting. That work -- we’re having the contract signed and that work is going to get underway in Phase III. The East Boundary project is recommended in Phase IV. Mr. Beard: Okay. So this will alleviate that drainage problem that the people are having now with that water backing up there at Laney-Walker and East Boundary? Mr. Goins: Alleviate is a strong word when you’re talking about drainage. It will help the drainage in there but we try not to use the word that it will permanently fix the drainage problem. Mr. Beards: Okay. Mr. Mays can handle that when he gets there. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, I’ll pick it up. Ms. Smith: The Second Street project, I’d be more than happy to talk to either of you or both of you gentlemen about what it is that that project encompasses so we 26 can get some clarification as to whether or not it’s going to resolve the issue that you’re concerned about. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Teresa. The Chair has a few items he’d like to go over while we’re in the middle of the room here. Mr. Beard: I’m not -- Mr. Mayor: Oh, you’re not through? Mr. Beard: I was just getting off the -- Mr. Mayor: I’m sorry, I thought Mr. Mays finished your presentation for you. Mr. Beard: I’ve got one more. Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Beard. Please go ahead. Mr. Beard: We are saying paving various dirt roads. And Mr. Oliver mentioned that this is going to be about 99 percent of our dirt roads? Mr. Oliver: Assuming that the right-of-way is given to us. Mr. Goins: That’s our policy. Mr. Oliver: That’s consistent with the policy and they would be taken in the order that the list was approved, on a priority list. But that’s our policy. No money in here for the condemnation of right-of-way for paving of dirt roads. Mr. Beard: Okay. Now in this, and this is just a general question in Public Works, what type priority are we using here or do we set that at some point in time, all of these items? Ms. Smith: The list in general? Mr. Beard: The list in general. Is there some type of priority? Mr. Oliver: They provided us with a priority list based on the projects that they had. Mr. Beard: It’s in the book? Mr. Oliver: It’s in there. As I say, until we get a list of projects that you all agree up, putting precise priorities on it is not possible. 27 Mr. Beard: But you will? Mr. Oliver: We will. Ms. Smith: The booklet does have -- each of the projects has a number on it, that book represents and the numbers represent the corresponding priority number that Public Work assigned to the numbers. I would like to point out at this time, however, that when you take a look at the information in the book, that this was what was prepared for March 16. There have been some minor changes in some of the cost estimates, so if you look at what you have on Tiers I, II, and III, and there are discrepancies as far as what’s in here, there is accurate information, so you may need to disregard the cost estimates that are actually on the pictures that are in the book. Mr. Beard: Okay. That’s all I have for Public Works. I do have one thing for Utilities. Max, these items that you have here, and I assume this is what -- I guess my concern here is we’re talking about specialty sewers. I don’t see anything here west of Wrightsboro Road into Belair. Mr. Oliver: These only relate -- these are utilities projects that are only associated with road projects. So if there is not a road project being done, the list that takes care of the system expansions and the unpocketed sewer or pocketed sewers is in the bond issue. We have not funded any of the sewer projects other than those related to the roads and things that go with that in the sales tax because of financial limitations. Mr. Beard: When do we get into that? Mr. Oliver: We discussed that when we did the bond utility projects, and that’s going to be coming back to you at the next Commission meeting for adoption. Mr. Beard: Okay. Mr. Oliver: Modification, whatever you all decide. Mr. Beard: That was brought up at that meeting also. Mr. Oliver: That list, frankly, I don’t recall exactly who was at the meeting, but there was very little discussion about additions to that list. In fact, we didn’t have any at all, and our plan at this point is to present the list. Again, what I would suggest is that you take a look at that list, and if there is something that needs to be added to that list, that you bring that forward at that point. But this list does not provide for utility projects outside of those related to work projects. 28 Mr. Beard: Okay. This is my last one. It’s just a general question. What about those projects that were on previous -- on previous [inaudible], second, third, not been completed? Do we pick up on those or are those just forgotten about? Mr. Oliver: I think that those questions can be better answered by whatever department you’re specifically speaking toward. I mean obviously when Parks & Recs did Phase III projects, I think that they had good intentions and high hopes of having nice projects, but that the costs were greater than they envisioned because they didn’t have a complete picture at that point in time, and as a result of that, as Commissioner Cheek indicated, Phase III in that Parks & Rec plan provided for construction of a gymnasium. Funding was not available for that obviously in Phase III, and as a result of that --- Mr. Beard: But you had some funds allocated for that. What happened to those funds? Mr. Oliver: Mr. Beck spent all those funds on other things. But on that project, in fact, I think he transferred about a million dollars from other projects to that project just to do what he completed down there. But my suggestion would be if you have a question as it relates to specific projects within a functional area, we can address those, the particular department responsible can tell you what the status is. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Beard. The Chair would like to address just a few issues and then we’ll move along. Probably, well we spent a lot of time, if you look at the list, fixing problems we have in the community, and one of the best ways we can anticipate our problems is with good planning. The items for the Planning and Zoning Commission to do a growth management study for the county is $100,000, but the actual cost is more like $300,000, and I would hate to see us shortchange that. Mr. Oliver: I think Mr. Wall is telling me, and I don’t know if he’s prepared to answer that question. I think he’s got some legal questions as to whether funding of a growth management study is eligible under sales tax. Mr. Wall: It would not be. Mr. Mayor: It would not be? How did it get on the list? Mr. Oliver: Because we weren’t smart enough. Mr. Mayor: Why would it not be an eligible item, Mr. Wall? Could you explain? Mr. Wall: You have a defined list of projects that are allowed under your sales and use tax. And basically, it’s roads, streets and bridge purposes. Now realize that that includes the landscaping and beautification, side walks, bicycle paths, etc. Then 29 you deal with buildings. And to some extent you deal with capital equipment used in buildings. You deal with cultural facilities, recreational facilities, historic facilities. It’s not poor planning, not poor development of actual planning. Mr. Mayor: Well, we’ll revisit that then. Mr. Patty had a briefing for us last year on this and certainly I think the need for a growth management for our city should be a top priority. A couple of other issues, Mr. Oliver, if you’d add these to the list. We have an issue at Heroes Overlook on the Riverwalk where the Historical Society puts on plaques for military heroes, and the wall on which the plaques are placed is filled up, so we have no place to honor any additional heroes at Heroes Overlook. And Mr. Drew Goins, he has provided that to you. If you would put that on the table. Mr. Oliver: The cost of that is $56,500 for the benefit of the Commission. Mr. Mayor: That’s for a second wall at the Heroes Overlook. Mr. Oliver: And it’s currently on Tier III. Mr. Mayor: Another issue is with -- I’m sorry Mr. Shepard is not here to press this along, too. This is our downtown street scape improvement program. There is no money at all in the sales tax for this. A couple of streets I was particularly interested in, because I just walked them recently, and one was the median on Greene Street, where the sidewalk is all cracked and falling apart, and I think Mr. Goins also gave you a number on that, Mr. Oliver. Mr. Oliver: $2,483,000. Mr. Mayor: To rehab Greene Street. Since we’re going to do the tree rehab program, we ought to go ahead and do the sidewalk while we’re at it. Another street is Monument Street, which is the gateway to this building from Broad Street. It looks like the back alley or service road, and we need to do something to beautify that. Mr. Oliver: And that we have not costed as yet. Mr. Mayor: Right. There’s a cost for that, an estimate of $192,000. Mr. Glenn Bennett is here from Main Street Augusta. Glenn, if you’d pass out the project list you have for the street scapes for downtown. We’re making significant investments down here and we should have the downtown area looking as attractive as it can. Mr. Oliver: Is that in addition to the three that you’ve already mentioned? That Mr. Bennett is passing out? Mr. Mayor: Only Monument Street is included in here. Greene Street is not. 30 Mr. Oliver: Okay. But I had put the downtown street scapes that Mr. Goins gave me of $2,483,000. Mr. Mayor: Let me talk about the list for Main Street, and Mr. Bennett may want to give us some supplemental comments on it. They originally asked for $7.1 million. That includes Monument Street but not Greene Street. We do need to do something downtown. I don’t think there is any doubt about that, as we develop more pedestrian traffic we’ve got to make our streets more pedestrian friendly, particularly as we prepare to open up the Common and open up more of the Broad Street area. What I would like to see us do, Mr. Oliver, if you could work with the Main Street people and see if we can pare this down a bit and come back with a matching program where we leverage the sales tax money with a special property tax for that district and offer it to the merchants downtown, and if they want to participate, fine. If they don’t, then we don’t do the project. Mr. Oliver: 50/50 special assessment matching district? Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Oliver: That’s what you’re proposing? Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. I don’t think we can fund the whole $7.1 million, but I think we can come up with something. What concerns me primarily is that we’re going to open up the Augusta Common to Broad Street and it’s just going to open up to Broad Street and we need to address that. Glenn, do you have some comments? Mr. Bennett: I just want to say that one of the things we talked about in the beginning, Mr. Mayor, was to do a demonstration project of the street scape along the 800 block in conjunction with the Common. We met with Drew, and I have been working very closely with Mr. Goins on this, these numbers reflect meetings with him and some visual surveys and some cost estimates that we did. You can see here, Phase I was originally Broad Street. Phase II was all of the cross streets from basically the improvements that were done along the Riverwalk , Reynolds to Telfair. What we did, obviously we went for the whole thing and didn’t fare very well, and have since gotten with the Downtown Development Authority and come back and we are asking for reconsideration for $2.1 million to basically do Phase I on Broad Street. Mr. Oliver: And what’s the feeling -- have you surveyed your membership on a match situation? Mr. Bennett: Informally, yes, sir. And not very positive. But obviously if it [inaudible], I’ll do what we have to. I met with the Mayor yesterday and frankly feel like if we could get a little bit of momentum coming from the public sector we would have a better chance. But at this point, there hasn’t been a formal survey or poll done. 31 Mr. Mayor: I think the point is if the merchants downtown don’t want it, then you’ve got the $2.1 million to reprogram somewhere else. Mr. Bennett: I would like to add that we are in the process of applying for a transportation grant from the federal, state D.O.T. That would be $1 million strictly for the aesthetic enhancement aspects of this project. That might be a couple of years off, but we’re fairing pretty well so far. Mr. Mayor: All right. And the final item that the Chair would like to bring up today. Teresa, this goes to the Tier I, II and III lists which you put out with respect to drainage projects. I think all of us, our interest has been renewed in drainage in Augusta-Richmond County in the last couple of weeks. I think we have an obligation to protect the homes of the citizens of Augusta-Richmond County, and Teresa, what I would like you to do is revisit your list of drainage projects in view of the flooding we th had on the 20 and the flooding in 1998, and see if there are some of these projects in Tier II and Tier III that we need to prioritize and move up into Tier I. Mr. Oliver: Teresa already has those numbers. Mr. Mayor: Let’s get it to the Commission then. Mr. Oliver: You all are going to have to determine whether a drainage project, for example, is more important than four-laning a highway, and there are a lot of things you need to weigh based upon the amount of traffic and the number of homes impacted and those are policy decisions that you’re going to have to adopt. But Teresa can pass out that information today and we will give it to you again in the packet. But I think those are decisions that are not made easily. Ms. Smith: What you’re speaking of, Randy, was a part of what I passed out when I gave them the booklets that identify which drainage projects were for which Tiers. Mr. Mayor: But these are your original priorities. In view of the flooding on th the 20, do you need to revisit some of these? Ms. Smith: I think what Mr. Oliver was saying was when we did the prioritizing, it was overall and it pitted drainage against traffic against everything that was a part of Public Works. And his statement, as I attempt to follow up on it, was that the policy decision would have to be made as far as whether at this point you wanted to have drainage related issues over traffic. Mr. Mayor: What I’m asking you to do today is make a -- Ms. Smith: Recommendation. 32 Mr. Mayor: Judgment. Mr. Oliver: Based on the criteria previously adopted, the list that we have given you is our recommendation. Now if you use different criteria which need to be formalized and given to us, that may change the priorities. But based upon the criteria that the citizens committee came up with -- Mr. Mayor: I understand that, Mr. Oliver. But what I am saying today is based on homes that were flooded in 1998 and homes that were flooded on June 20 of this year, do we need to revisit the priority list for drainage projects in this city? And if we do, let’s do it now. We have criteria set by the citizens committee, but we’ve also had criteria set by the good Lord and the rain that He poured into this city, and let’s make sure that both of them are in sync. And if we need to change a priority on a project, now is the time to do it, not next month. Mr. Oliver: That’s something that needs to be done by you all, and the reason I say that is on a traffic improvement project you may have had one or two or three fatalities and 20 accidents at an intersection and the improvements may eliminate those fatalities and accidents and somebody as a policy decision needs to weigh the benefit of reducing fatalities and accidents against the people that have had those flooding problems and those are criteria that are going to have to be established by the Commission. Mr. Mayor: Let me say it one more time, Mr. Oliver, because I don’t disagree with you. But I think as far as these drainage projects, which I have three pages of, all of us do, will you stand in front of the people of Augusta-Richmond County today th and say after the flooding on the 20 that these are still your priorities for drainage projects? Not road projects, but drainage projects. Mr. Oliver: Based upon the criteria that was developed by the committee, we will give you the list. Mr. Mayor: I want your opinion. I want your opinion. Mr. Oliver: That’s not a fair question. Mr. Mayor: I’m asking professional engineers is this priority list valid today th in view of the flooding we had on the 20? If it is not, let’s reorder our priorities with respect to drainage projects. Mr. Oliver: As it relates to the correlation between drainage projects on that list, I will let Teresa answer that. As it relates to the criteria that was established, based upon the criteria, we believe that the list is a solid one. 33 Mr. Mayor: Teresa, would you like to respond? As far as I see it, this is your opportunity, well, we need to move something from Tier II up to Tier I, and that’s all I’m asking today. Maybe you’ve got some on Tier III. Commissioner Cheek already moved something from Tier III up onto the table, and I’m asking -- this is your chance to move something forward, based on the experience with flooding here. Ms. Smith: I understand what you’re saying. You’re not asking me to take anything from Tier I, but if there is anything on Tier II that needs to be added -- Mr. Mayor: Or Tier III, yes, ma’am. Ms. Smith: Or Tier III, identify those. Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am. Ms. Smith: We can certainly take a look at that. I would like to point out, though, that everything that is listed on Tier II was included and identified as being critical projects to be done within Augusta-Richmond County with the original $98 million that was -- $92 million that was identified as being critical. Mr. Mayor: You’re saying all these projects on the second page, Tier II, are identified as critical projects? Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: For this community? Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: And you say critical with respect to protection of life and safety? Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: And property? Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: Well, the Chair would ask that we put Tier II projects on the table. $11.7 million. All right. And now we move over to Mr. Colclough. Mr. Colclough: Okay. This is going back in the Recreation area. For three years I have been with Richmond County, and when LDR did their survey, we had talked about putting a pavilion out at the lock and dam. I’ve been trying to get this on the sales tax list ever since we started talking about sales tax, and it hasn’t showed up yet, even when the citizens advisory committee was meeting, I was assured it would 34 be there somewhere. It showed up nowhere. Today I would like to add it. I don’t have the numbers for you, but I do have a rough draft of the presentation of that facility out there. I’ll give it to you and you can work up the numbers on. Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] Mr. Colclough: You have the numbers? Mr. Beck: It is the $43 million plan and it is at $5.874 million. Mr. Colclough: I would like to add that to sales tax. Mr. Oliver: Now the one question I’ve got, I know the Mayor was trying to get this answer and I don’t know whether he was able to, it was originally proposed that this was going to be covered in the state money, in the $30 million for economic development. Mr. Mayor: We were not able to get an answer today, but we hope to get it tomorrow. Mr. Colclough: Wherever we get the money from, whether it’s sales tax or state fund money. That’s what I’d like to add to the sales tax. Mr. Mayor: We’ll put that on the table then. Anything else, Mr. Colclough? Mr. Colclough: That’s about all I have. Mr. Mayor: Anything in your district? That was Mr. Beard’s district. Mr. Colclough: Mr. Cheek added the Butler Creek project for me. Mr. Mayor: Very good. Mr. Jerry Brigham. Mr. J. Brigham: I hope y’all have got some money left. Mr. Oliver, I’m concerned about a couple of things. One, go back to what Mr. Cheek said. We are half-funding the Health Department, half funding the Library, half funding the Judicial Center. I don’t see how we can do any of these projects without completely funding them. And that’s going to be my first request that we add. Second thing, that I don’t see, is I don’t see a jail pod and I hadn’t talked to Mr. Wall lately, but I have talked to him recently, and I’m concerned about some figures that I’ve heard, and I think we need to add a jail pod to the funding. Mr. Oliver: The Sheriff’s Department requested two jail pods. 35 Mr. J. Brigham: I think the Sheriff’s Department is probably much more knowledgeable than I am in this area. I would not be opposed to seeing two jail pods. But that has not been addressed anywhere. I have no idea what the cost estimates are. Mr. Oliver: We have those cost estimates. Mr. J. Brigham: I figured you did. The other thing I wanted to talk about was drainage. Now that we’ve got Rae’s Creek completely drain proofed and we don’t have any problems on it, since I only see half a million dollars in Tier I projects, I would like to know why that we cannot accelerate some -- I’m not going to sit here and call out projects on Tier II and the Tier III list, but they’ve got to be accelerated. They’re not there. The other thing that I did not see, and I do want to ask Teresa about, is we did some engineering funding out of Phase III, reprioritization of Phase III sales tax for Willow Creek, and I don’t see any funding. I didn’t see that project listed on either Tier II or Tier III. Ms. Smith: The Rae’s Creek -- Mr. J. Brigham: Talking about Willow Creek and the pond. Ms. Smith: The pond? Mr. J. Brigham: Yes. Ms. Smith: I am hoping to start work on that project next year. Mr. J. Brigham: Is there current funding for that? All I remember is engineering money. Ms. Smith: Oh, I’m sorry. You’re talking about -- Mr. J. Brigham: I’m talking [inaudible] improvements to the east of Berckman Road, to the west of the Augusta National. Ms. Smith: Yes, yes. We do have funds. Construction funds for that project in Phase III. Only the engineering was approved. Mr. J. Brigham: I thought we only had money for the engineering in Phase III, and it was $250,000, is what I’m remembering. I might be wrong. Ms. Smith: Rae’s Creek, Section III, from Berckman Road to the Augusta National, construction estimate $350,000. We have a total programmed at $440,000 and are expected to go to construction in winter of 2001. 36 Mr. J. Brigham: I hope we do better on the estimate than we did on another project. Ms. Smith: I believe that we did. Those are pretty close to my final numbers. Mr. J. Brigham: I am still concerned about up creek on Rae’s Creek. There is no -- like I said, the only funding I see on Phase II is for, I assume it’s for Aumond pond, for the dredging of Aumond pond? Ms. Smith: No, sir, that actually is for some improvements to be made to the spillway. Mr. J. Brigham: To the spillway? Ms. Smith: To the spillway itself. The other work for Rae’s Creek from Jackson Road down to Walton Way is on the Tier III. Mr. J. Brigham: But the only other thing that I saw in Tier I was Rifle Range Road at Belair, that could possibly be [inaudible]. I know that we need the $3.1 million for the retention pond at Crane Creek. Ms. Smith: That’s on Tier II. Mr. J. Brigham: I know it’s on Tier II. The Mayor has added it. But if you look at Tier III, probably 80 percent of Tier III is Rae’s Creek, with the exception if you take out Phinizy Swamp. Ms. Smith: Actually, I just spoke with Mr. Cheeks, the county engineer, who is the person who most interacts as far as drainage related issues are concerned. And on the Tier III list, he has indicated that our most prominent issues would be 53, which would be the Ravenwood drainage improvement project. Project 81 and 82, which are both Rae’s Creek projects. And he has 56, but I think 56 is one of those Phinizy Swamp that’s included with the Corps work, and it probably going to be one of the latter ones to be done. Mr. J. Brigham: I would also be concerned about Ravenel drainage project, which is 91 on your list. Ms. Smith: Ravenel Road? Mr. J. Brigham: Yes. We’re not talking about undeveloped areas, we’re talking about very much a developed area. Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. 37 Mr. J. Brigham: And I would like to bring those items forward. The other thing is I am very concerned about -- and I’m glad to see it in here and I don’t want to see it cut -- is the Davis Road traffic improvements. Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. J. Brigham: That is one of our major thoroughfares and has one of the highest rates of accidents between Davis Road and Walton Way. The Target shopping center. With the Scott Nixon interchange which the state is finally doing something about. The other thing the Mayor has already handled is basically our downtown street scape. I do think that we need to look at some economic development area. The other one that I didn’t ask but I would like to add is the perimeter route for Bush Field. I think we need to have at least a look at it to see if there is a possibility of finding funding for that. And I turn it over to Mr. Mays, which I’m sure he’s got plenty more money than I -- Mr. Oliver: If I may ask one clarification question, because I know the Mayor and what he added to the list, wanted to ask that the citizens downtown match 50/50 on street scape improvements. There was a request by one or two other Commissioners that said they didn’t want to partially fund anything. Is the consensus that that doesn’t constitute partial funding? Mr. Mayor: I think the consensus is that if the downtown merchants don’t want to match it, there’s not going to be a street scape, at least with sales tax money. That’s the intent. Mr. Oliver: As long as there’s a consensus of six. Mr. Mayor: That’s the intent. Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: I’d like to say just from my perspective half funding that project would be just as bad as half funding some of the others. Mr. Oliver: That’s an issue -- I’ll put it down and y’all can deal with it at a later date. Mr. Mayor: All right. Before we move on to the next speaker, in the way of an update, Mr. Brigham, for Crane Creek. I spoke with Sen. Lester, who has been in touch with the state highway Commissioner, and Sen. Cheeks has also been working on this. The new highway Commissioner is fully aware of the need for that Crane Creek detention pond to protect Interstate 20. We should have a report from the state D.O.T. within two weeks on their potential participation in this project, and we may have to come up with some matching money for it, but it looks like it’s something, at least today, that may happen sooner than later. 38 Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I think that we’re talking about the matching [inaudible] right now. The only thing is I would hope that we, when Public Works prepares our list of improvements to talk to the Commissioner, and when we talk to him either this fall or during the session, I think that project needs to be of very high prominence on the list. Mr. Mayor: We’re going to change the order just a little bit and save the best for last, so we’ll go to Mr. Henry Brigham next. Mr. H. Brigham: Thank you very much, Mayor. Several of the items that we talked about have been discussed, but since Miss Teresa is on the hot seat, I’d like to go back to south Augusta for just a little while. Barton Chapel Road, several years go, and Mr. Mays may want to comment on this, was funded, and also the area between Glenn Hills Drive and back to Highway 1. Now they have a high school, an elementary school, Mr. Mays’ new church is being built on there. And they are fixing to put a new stadium out there for the school, and the traffic is terrific. And I was wanting to know where is that on the list? Because at one time it was in the Barton Chapel list. And the previous Commissioner for that district out there did not make a trip to Atlanta with us and it got cut out, and that’s exactly what happened. Cause it was on the list to be done. But we’d like to know where it is, and if not, we’d like to put it on the table. Ms. Smith: You said Barton Chapel Road? Mr. H. Brigham: Right. Is it in that Barton Chapel -- Ms. Smith: Between Gordon Highway and Wrightsboro Road? Mr. H. Brigham: Yes, Glenn Hills Drive. Ms. Smith: Okay, Glenn Hills Drive. Glenn Hills Drive is on the list. However, it is number 47 and is in Tier II. Mr. Oliver: What is the amount for Glenn Hills Drive? Ms. Smith: $1.27 million. However, it does not have a complete [inaudible] that Commissioner Brigham is speaking of. It stops at [inaudible]. It doesn’t go on through. Mr. H. Brigham: Even with $1.8 million, it stops? Ms. Smith: $1.3 million. Mr. H. Brigham: $1.3 million? Stops? Mr. Mayor: You want to add that? 39 Mr. H. Brigham: Yes. Since we are talking about making some changes and doing half funding, I’d like a little more explanation on the Library situation. I see Mr. Leech is out here, and maybe he can give us an idea if he has the other money for it. Mr. Leech: The proposal fully funds the south Augusta branch. This would be the new money in addition to the $700,000 that was set aside in Phase III of the sales tax. The Main Library proposal, according to a formula that we used that is used by the state for library construction brought us to about the $14 million level. The Board has established already a Library Foundation so that we can begin soliciting funding for both an endowment and a capital campaign. I think the Board feels fairly confident that with the sales tax support for half the funding, that that would provide a good strong impetus for some public, some private funding for the Library and there is still some strong sentiment to revive a library construction program at the state level. Public libraries have just been moved to the Board of Regents as a department overseeing libraries, and the Board of Regents has a very good, strong track record within the budget process at the state level. And there is a very active program on the part of the state library office to revive the construction program for libraries. So I think the Board is confident that we could raise the additional money, given the four years lead time that is proposed in this time line. Richard Johnson, the Board Chair is here, too. He may want to speak to that, but this is the feeling I have from the Board. Mr. H. Brigham: Do you want to add anything to that, Mr. Johnson? Because I’m kind of -- Mr. Johnson: I reinforce what Mr. Leech said. But at the same time, we are not refusing full funding. Mr. H. Brigham: I understand. Mr. Oliver: But you may end up with zero, too. Mr. Johnson: I think we can all attest to the importance of having a library facility here in Augusta. I look at the development, what we’re doing here, in the infrastructure of Augusta, Georgia. The library is a factor there I think we should fully consider. I reinforce Mr. Leech where we feel very strongly that if we are granted only half funding, that we could achieve that objective goal. At the same time, as you know, that’s not actuary. That’s a variable. If any consideration is, that again, we would like to be in consideration of full funding, as well. Mr. H. Brigham: The next item that I have here is one that we’ve asked for several years. I’m going to ask about Kissingbower Road, as far as drainage. Is that in any of this, Mr. Hicks? 40 Mr. Hicks: Are you talking about the sanitary sewer line? Mr. H. Brigham: Yes, sir. Mr. Hicks: Sanitary sewer lines for Kissingbower are in the bond project. They are not in here, but they are in the first phase of the bond project. To take it all the way from Wrightsboro Road on down to Gordon Highway. Mr. Oliver: [inaudible] approve next week. Mr. Hicks: That’s in the bond project. Mr. H. Brigham: All right. Got three people saying yes on that. Mr. Hicks: It is. Mr. H. Brigham: All right. Mr. Mayor: Why don’t we say this, if it doesn’t make the cut at the bond issue, we put it on the table for the sales tax? Mr. H. Brigham: Right. Mr. Wall: There are some problems with putting just straight water projects and straight sewer projects on a sales tax. Mr. H. Brigham: That’s all. Save the best for last, Mr. Mays. Mr. Mayor: Wait a minute. Don’t yield back to Mr. Mays yet. Just a moment. Mr. Beard wanted to add a couple of items. We’ll get to you in a moment, Mr. Mays. Mr. Beard: Yes, we have in drainage in Tier III, at Belair Hills, Phase I and Phase II. I would like to add that to Phase I. And that rationale behind this is ever since ’90, ever since, we have been seeing this part, and those people have been promised out there and they’ve been promised and promised through the years, and they have never received anything. And I don’t know how it got to Tier III, but I think it should be moved up, the suggestion to move up to Tier I. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Bridges? Mr. Bridges: I’d like to add number 90, Nowell Drive drainage improvement from Tier III into the funding, please. 41 Mr. Mayor: And Mr. Henry Brigham? Mr. H. Brigham: I’d like to put one more item. It’s on here. The judicial building. About $20 million. And if anybody can shed some light on this for the next couple of weeks, how we are going to do the other or what should we do or is it better to take it off now and put it in some other funding? I don’t know much about finance, but could we have a little information on that, please? Mr. Oliver: I can give you that detail anytime you would like. I don’t know that you necessarily want it today but I’ll leave it up to the discretion of the body. Mr. H. Brigham: I’d like it for the public, cause all of us are going to have to get back together sometime and make some decisions. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Brigham, I think that’s quite appropriate. You want to know how the thing is going to be paid for and where the money is going to go, right? Mr. H. Brigham: Yes. Mr. Mayor: Full funding. Mr. Oliver, you want to take a moment to respond to that? Mr. Oliver: There are essentially three ways that a judicial complex could be funded. One way would be to fund the total amount within the sales tax. Based on what has been recommended to date and a couple of alternatives that have been considered by the Mayor and Commission, the decision was made to go forward with a new judicial center located in the downtown area. We anticipate that that building or that structure will cost somewhere between $36 million and $40 million. The funding for that could be fully funded out of sales tax. Obviously that would reduce the ability to do other projects. The two other options that would be available to the Commission, either in part or in whole, meaning that if part of it was funded out of sales tax, the remaining balance or the full amount would either be funded through a general obligation bond, which would require the approval of voters, which is what Columbia County elected to do for their government complex, and they are currently underway with that particular project. The third option would be to do as was done on some other projects in Augusta-Richmond County, which is a certificate of participation. A certificate of participation is very close again to a general obligation bond, with the exception that the certificate of participation does not require voter approval. Mr. Mayor: Does that answer your question, Mr. Brigham? Okay. Mr. Williams? Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, you going to come back when you finish? 42 Mr. Mayor: Did you want to add something? I’ll give you a moment to add something, and then I’m going to let our closers step up to the plate. Mr. Williams: I just wanted to make sure that the stuff that I mentioned did get on the record to be added. We talked about some things in Recreation. But also I mentioned about some things in drainage and curbing and that type area over in Daniel Heights, off of Gordon Highway, in front of Horne’s. That area back in that area. Wilkinson Garden area. Mr. Oliver: Wilkinson Garden? Mr. Williams: Wilkinson Garden. Tubman Home Road. From Tubman Home Road to the Gordon Highway. Mr. Oliver: And that is what? Curb and gutter? Mr. Williams: Curb and gutter, drainage in that area there. There is absolutely nothing. Those people have been neglected for a long, long time. I’d certainly like to see that added to the list. Those few things and New Hope, and that’s it. Mr. Oliver: We have those. Mr. Mayor: All right. Save the best for last. Commissioner Willie Mays, you are recognized. Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, I think you did a pretty good job letting these fellows load up on you. They saved me a lot of trouble. Most of what -- the add ons that have already been put in, I won’t be redundant on this. I think you and I, and probably Mr. Kuhlke, since he’s got an at-large district, we’re going to have the biggest job of putting on referee shirts and trying to weed down some of this, because he’s got four districts, I’ve got four directly, and you’ve got all of them. So we’ll all have to end up playing that role. But to pick it back a little bit on one new Commissioner, Mr. Williams, his comments, and first I start with Public Works. Ms. Smith, as well as Mr. Hicks, you mentioned a minute ago on sanitary sewer, an extension on Kissingbower Road. It’s not that far in terms of where Commissioner Williams is talking about in reference to some of his stuff going in there. I think we need to seriously look at, just observation, of where we are doing one form of work and then are being asked to do another. But all of it involves digging and tearing up. And I think that may be, as we move forward, something that we want to seriously look at, that we’re not tearing up neighborhoods twice, end up doing the same thing, even though they may be different types of projects. That if we can, since some of these are in tiers, that we can coordinate them, even if it means a month or two differences of where those two areas of Public Works can work together on. Because you’ve got some flat lands over in there and you’ve got some extension of 43 Kissingbower. The other thing Ulmer mentioned in reference to the Old Waynesboro Road, 56 drainage. If I can get the two of them’s attention for just a minute, cause I’m trying to get y’all some money. Gentlemen, if I can get y’all’s attention for just a minute, you’re going to need me to try to help get y’all some money. I’ve been listening to y'all for the last two hours. You’re talking about 56 and Old Waynesboro Road where the water is draining there in that triangle. What I’d like for you to add on in there, just as a look in, the Mayor didn’t mention it, but we have had a bad PR relationship, I think, as it relates to Apple Valley, and what got dumped on those people in terms of the first sales tax, with water that probably wasn’t big enough to fill a bathtub up, that was dumped on those houses. I think in looking at -- and I think it’s good to look at the Old Waynesboro Road situation -- but I think you need to tie in Apple Valley as you look at that, because you’re talking about more water and you’re talking about on the other side of 520. You have got to look at that whole deal together, because that water is going to be coming that way. And I think looking at one without looking at the other one is going to be totally useless. The other thing I want to throw in there is getting back to Lee’s deal. I am going to cover all my different Commissioners, even the ones I ain’t representing directly. But east Augusta. I’m going to separate that from East Boundary. All fairness to the folk we’ve got involved right now in Public Works, some of these occurred during the old city and old county days. But east Augusta’s projects need to be re-looked at. On the history of them and I realize some records in Richmond County disappear, fade, and in some cases, they don’t even mean anything. But we’ve got to make them mean something if we are going to ask the folks to vote on things. Now east Augusta was labeled as a part I, II, III phase, Mr. Mayor. In its early going, when the county government had it. We need to make sure where we are on that phase. Now I see where we’ve got the Second Street project, we’ve got the East Boundary project, and then we’ve got over here in the third tier, on project 56/Phinizy Swamp basin. And what happened, I’ll be honest with you, I inherited that but I always question why they ended up starting in the middle of east Augusta from the very beginning, and then they had to go back and go to the front part of it. Well, the last part of it, and we’ve added on those other homes, next to I520, down at the bottom of it, on Sand Bar Ferry Road, that’s additional water [inaudible]. We need to know where the original Phase III project stands. And that’s prior to y’all coming in there. But you need to trace that history because the former Commission, as well as Commissioner Lester and others were concerned that we make sure with the amount of money that the state invested on the Phinizy Swamp area, and in east Augusta, that those projects be continued. I think we are going to damage some PR there even though it’s a new Commissioner, that if we pull away and we are not through with where we are doing those projects, so you need to look a little bit into that history and see where that stopped at. I don’t say back off the Second Street, I don’t say back off East Boundary, but if Phase III is not complete and if you’ve got those areas down there where water is still running flat like it is over by Wilkinson Garden, the only thing you’re going to do is when you open up the Second Street water, you open up the East Boundary situation, it’s going to throw it back right smack in the middle of [inaudible] subdivision and over on the other side of Sand Bar Ferry Road and those 44 houses. That’s all that it’s going to do. So I just want to make those observances in there. District 4, Commissioner Cheek covered part of that. Butler Creek basin situation. We’re going to be dealing with that in a few minutes. One thing I would comment on. Recreation on the item that’s already brought up, and I just want to pick it up and deal with Diamond Lakes. I know some of us say that’s a lot of money. But we stopped that gymnasium center, quite frankly, because it was going to be cheesy, it wasn’t going to be done right, and there were those of us who said, hey, let’s stop it. But the promise was that we return to it and we do it right. I don’t we can stop on it twice. You have three district Commissioners and I realize there have been changes, been four, six added, but [inaudible], but there were promises made when the three Commissioners put that triangle of major funding together, towards a regional park and it’s for all citizens of Richmond County. Backed off some of the projects that may have occurred in neighborhoods for the sake of trying to do something in a consolidated way. And I don’t think we can leave that situation out there hanging. It may not go to $8 million, but if we are going to build a gym, let’s build the gym right. And the only other comment I’d say, Mr. Mayor, is we’ve got some other contributors. Be it the state, which we can’t tell in a certain way, but I think as we move things up to Tier I, and this is why I say investigate the history on some of this stuff, we get better participation out of the state if they already put a lot of money into certain area. They are more apt to go back in there and add on to those on drainage and road stuff, rather than if you create new, and if you come back to them a year later and say we’re back in east Augusta, they tell you wait a minute, y’all were in east Augusta in Phase II, when you going to finish? And I’ve seen that happen. So we need to make sure that do a basic history on some of these and give our folk a little help in that planning of those. And that’s where I’m at on it, Mr. Mayor, and I took up less of that time than the fellows said I was going to take, and I am ready to go out here. I’m going to get my Reeboks out and I think we may have to run out from Butler Creek, so all this damn voting, just be reading for that seven o’clock meeting and don’t call in sick between now and the next 35 minutes cause we are going to need everybody’s attention on what we are doing out there. And you Commissioners that may not ever vote out there, you’re invited out there, too. Mr. Mayor: Any other Commissioners like to make a comment? Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: Just one comment. I did not add or mention the Spirit Creek channelization project. That is something I think maybe should be considered, too, because as we add additional drainage projects and increase that run off velocity, that is going to create additional rises in those creeks like we have over in Commissioner Brigham’s district, and those houses that aren’t flooding now, just as they did on Rae’s Creek several years ago that weren’t flooding, as we add additional inflow to those same two creeks, Butler Creek and Spirit Creek, we’re going to have flooding there. So we need to look at channelizing those projects now instead of waiting until after the flooding occurs like we are on Rae’s Creek. 45 Ms. Smith: Are you looking at Little Spirit Creek or both the Little Spirit Creek and the overall Spirit Creek? Mr. Cheek: We need to look at the upper branch of that, the one that’s most likely to be developed. Ms. Smith: Upper branches? Mr. Cheek: Upper branches. The northernmost. Mr. Mayor: All right. Anyone else? Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mays? Yes, sir, go ahead. Mr. Mays: On Rocky Creek, Ms. Smith, and I may have my creeks mixed up, but the recent look at what we had on the flooding that went through on that Colony Park situation, is that one of those on Tier III that’s covered in Rocky or - you know, I know that’s only talking about one road in there, but that water goes crazy down through there. Ms. Smith: I honestly am not sure which tributary that specifically is that goes through it. [inaudible] Mr. Hicks: [inaudible] Ms. Smith: He’s looking at the location map. Mr. Mays: While they’re looking, Mr. Mayor, that’s one of those situations where over the years the county ahs put in enough bridges to build on to Brooklyn down through there, and at some point we either need to do -- that’s one of those that needs to be done right eventually, and we put the right amount of money there, cause they are just going to keep going back and put in bridges and bridges and bridges and bridges, and this water is jumping that little thing like [inaudible] Rae’s Creek and Crane Creek. You’ve got it going now where it turned over even to the part where it gets over into the [inaudible] situation, running over trailers and floating them away. Downstream. I don’t know where it’s coming from but that one needs to be somewhere in there [inaudible]. It’s just costing us a lot of reoccurring money. Ms. Smith: [inaudible] is tributary number 6, which would be project number 85. Mr. Mayor: What’s the cost on that? 46 Ms. Smith: $2.5 million. Mr. Mayor: Any other items, gentlemen? Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, on that one, it may get cut out, but I want to move that one into the picture, cause that’s some crazy water going through there. Mr. Oliver: Let me ask this, to try to summarize this. We’re going to put this together. I know that the [inaudible] conference is coming up, the Commission meeting is next Thursday. We are going to very quickly be approaching a time deadline on this. Would you all want to or be available to say meet next Friday with the information we’re putting together for you, about three o’clock? Is that a convenient time or would you prefer some other time? Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, you’ve got two Commissioners out of town. I don’t want to speak for either one of them. I know how important it is to both of them. Mr. Mayor: Well, let’s go ahead and schedule it, cause we can always cancel it and reschedule it. Mr. Oliver: Let’s do that. I think Commissioner Kuhlke, I’m certain he’s going to be back by then. Mr. Mayor: He’ll be here next week. Ms. Smith: A point of information, and I am speaking partially for Mr. Hicks at this point, but there are, of the projects that have been considered being moved up into Tier I, there are some sewer and water costs that are associated with those. I know that the Administrator’s office does have those costs for the associated sewer and water costs, but I wanted to bring out and make you guys aware that what we have been doing on the Public Works project and the Utility project was if we were going to go in and tear up the street, we’re trying to make sure that if there was anything they had planned to do, that it be done at the same time, and those are not in the dollar figures that we -- Mr. Oliver: But we need to make sure that those dollar figures are in there. We’ve done an excellent job of coordinating between, as Mr. Mays has suggested, between Utilities and Public Works. Mr. Mayor: I want to thank the department heads for being here. Are there any department heads who wanted to add anything at all today? Are there any representatives from the outside agencies who wanted to say anything to the Commission today? 47 Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, I wanted to ask [inaudible] Mr. Henry Brigham [inaudible] the Library [inaudible]? Mr. Oliver: I think that it was previously mentioned by Commissioners that there be no projects partially funded. The sentiment was that it either be fully funded or not funded at all, and you’ve asked me to do that in my list. Mr. Mayor: So the library has been moved up for full funding. Mr. Mays: I just wanted to make sure it was there for discussion. Mr. Mayor: If there is no further discussion, we’ll entertain a motion to adjourn. [MEETING ADJOURNED] Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission