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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-14-2001 Called Meeting CALLED MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBERS February 14, 2001 Augusta Richmond County convened at 2:30 p.m., the Honorable Bob Young, Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. J. Brigham, Mays, Kuhlke, H. Brigham, Shepard, Cheek, Williams and Bridges, members of the Augusta Richmond County Commission. ABSENT: Hons. Beard and Colclough, members of the Augusta Richmond County Commission. Also Present: Jim Wall, Attorney; Walter Hornsby, Interim Administrator; and Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. The Invocation was given by the Reverend Williams. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Mr. Mayor: We are awaiting the arrival of a couple of other Commissioner who are not far behind, so the Chair will go ahead and declare a recess and then we’ll reconvene shortly. (Brief recess) Mr. Mayor: Our consultant on the hiring of the Administrator has been all over the Southeast because of weather and airline delays this morning. Mr. Dick Bennett has called from Augusta Regional Airport and he’s on his way to the building now, so we’ll be meeting with him shortly. We have one item to add to the agenda today. Madame Clerk: Clerk: ADDENDUM AGENDA: Legal Meeting ?? Discuss Judy Tyler decision. Mr. Mayor: Is there any objection to adding this item today? No objection has been heard so we’ll add this item. Madame Clerk, if we’ll go ahead with the order of business on the agenda, please. Clerk: 2 1. Approve Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) Phase IV Priority List. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hornsby, do you have something to report back to us today here? Mr. Hornsby: Yes, I do. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Hornsby: In the first place, I think I’d like to ask Mr. Acree to come forth and explain some of this he gave out to you as far as [inaudible], that he wanted to kind of clear up for you. Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Acree, the floor is yours. Mr. Acree: Gentlemen, the sheet I handed out is just a correction of one of the sheets I included in the handout I gave you the other day. I failed to carry a formula forward. It has not changed the overall cost of any of the projects that we provided the figures on. What it did is that it gave you an incorrect unfounded balance. That sheet replaces the attachment sheet page 2 in the handout I gave you the other day. Mr. Mayor: All right. Any questions about the information Mr. Acree has brought us? Mr. Hornsby? Mr. Hornsby: If you would, in the listing that you have [inaudible] similar to what you had before. But I’d like to explain the difference in the figures, what we tried to incorporate into this. If you go to page four, which is the Diamond Lakes Recreational Park Area, in that one it was suggested or [inaudible] that we would bring from year 2005 for Diamond Lakes $1,190,000 and put it into year four. This was done. The other changes as far the other suggestion was that -- that we need a decision on -- the other suggestion was that we would fund from first year of the golf course, which really we don’t have anything to do [inaudible], but that we would fund Valley Park, Apple Valley and Jones Pool, and those amounts were $100,000, $50,000 and $250,000 each and fund that in the first year. The decision needs to be made on that. Mr. Mayor: Where is that on the sheet, Mr. Hornsby? Mr. Hornsby: It’s not on that sheet. Mr. Mayor: Is that on a supplemental sheet you have for us? 3 Mr. Hornsby: As I indicated last time, on the Augusta Golf Course, in the year 2001, based on the recommendation that came forth from the study committee, there is not money for me to [inaudible] golf course [inaudible]. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hornsby, since we don’t have those items you just enumerated in writing in front of us, would you read those again so we can copy those down? Mr. Hornsby: Certainly. It’s [inaudible]. Mr. Mayor: Okay. And the amount? Mr. Hornsby: The dollar amount for [inaudible] Park was in the tune of $100,000. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Hornsby: [inaudible] Park is to the tune of $100,000. Jones Pool was to be funded [inaudible] amount of $50,000. Apple Valley was asked in the amount of $250,000. That’s over $400,000 [inaudible] from the first year funding of the golf course [inaudible]. Mr. Mayor: And those three projects you just enumerated to us would be in the first year if they are added by the Commission today? Mr. Hornsby: That’s correct. Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Hornsby. Mr. Hornsby: Now the other changes that you will find on here had to do with -- go page six. On page six there is some clarifications that I think will make it better understood of what we meant by those [inaudible] and the designations of the fire stations. There was one change. One change was on the items down in [inaudible], this is a station at [inaudible] and [inaudible] area, and that is to be funded in the second year rather than in the third year. Again, this is a request of Chief Mack. The idea being then that they have the property already and [inaudible] would not be as difficult to start a new station at that spot. The other change that we have, [inaudible] was that in the Willis Foreman area, we would move from year 2002 for $1,500,000 to $1,500,000 in 2003. We don’t have the property there and for that reason it was thought that we should try and attempt to [inaudible] by 2003 before we could really get moving on that one there [inaudible]. Now the other things that were changed were on line 3, and we have combined station [inaudible] Wrightsboro Road, combined stations [inaudible], that station is U.S. 1 and Willis Foreman Road, that is supposedly [inaudible] East Boundary and Broad. East Boundary and Broad Street area. And some of those numbers, I think they are redoing the numbers for the station 4 [inaudible]. And [inaudible] is [inaudible] Willis Foreman area. Willis Foreman Road area. In that general idea [inaudible] Highway 56 and Horseshoe Road [inaudible]. And the [inaudible] showing as 12 on your sheets, is the Hephzibah- McBean Road area. That’s $1,500,000 [inaudible]. Those didn’t change. It’s just to try to make it a little bit clearer [inaudible] Station 19, and it’s going to be on the Old Waynesboro Road [inaudible]. And you can delete [inaudible], delete remodeling Station 12. All right. Mr. Mayor: Are there any questions up to this point? Let’s see. Let’s start with Commissioner Williams and we’ll come around. Mr. Williams: Yes, sir. Thank you. Just for clarification I’d like to address Mr. Hornsby, before we revise this list, we did have $750,000 in the first year for the golf course. You talked about the money for [inaudible] and [inaudible]. The money is not there now because we [inaudible] and the money’s moved back. But it initially was there. Mr. Hornsby: That’s correct. And it initially was there. The reason it’s not there now is basically what it was suggested or recommended that a study go out and look at it and see what [inaudible] we [inaudible] most economical [inaudible] was to [inaudible] pay off those properties. [inaudible] normal payment [inaudible]. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Williams. Mr. Williams: Mr. Hornsby, I think what Commissioner Mays was asking then was to go out and look at it, not to go out and change it. It come back changed, after not bringing recommendations back, to say this was or this is or what it’s going to be or would have been. I mean it was changed already. That’s what the law. We have not voted on anything of that nature. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I remember two items. One is related to recreation, the other is back to the fire department here. One of the things that we discussed at the last meeting is the residents of South Richmond County are about to see their portion of their insurance, fire insurance, maxed out, I guess it’s a category ten. Waiting three years in essence basically tripled their fire insurance on -- you know, waiting three years just to find a piece of land -- I’m a resident of South Richmond County and there’s plenty of land in the [inaudible] Road, Willis Foreman Road, Highway 1 area. I would like to see us find some way to move that up to 2002 or 2001 in order to save those 8,000-10,000+ homeowners the additional $300-500 a year of fire insurance that they’re going to be have to pay because there is no fire department in that area. These are -- 5 Mr. Mayor: That’s Station 7 you’re talking about? Mr. Cheek: That would be Station 7. You have Pinnacle Place, Sand Ridge, Walton Acres, Walton Landing, Walton Meadows, Walton Hills, Fairington, Town and Country, you’ve got all of these homes, some of them in the thousands that don’t have a fire department nearby and we need to move that up at least one year, in order to reduce the impact on the budgets of these people when it comes to their fire insurance. So I’d like to see that change. Whereas in Station 8, we do already own the land, but they do have the benefit of having a nearby fire station. And so I would think that that was something we would take into consideration, and I’d like to see us flip-flop Station 8 with Station 7 just simply because the people out there are in need of savings. We have, and I remind everybody, I have more mobile homes in my district than anyone else, and rapid response to these areas could mean lives and a great deal of property, and getting that in sooner rather than later would be the right thing to do for this government. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Kuhlke? Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Hornsby, maybe you can answer this or maybe Mr. Beck. The three projects that you’re talking adding, Dowdy Park, Jordan Pool and Apple Valley -- were they on the list of the Citizens Advisory Committee that was voted on by the -- in the referendum? Mr. Hornsby: No, sir. Mr. Beck: No, sir, they weren’t. Mr. Kuhlke: So what we’re doing is adding to the list things that people didn’t vote on? Is that correct? Mr. Beck: That’s correct. If I could explain -- Mr. Kuhlke: Let me ask you this. From a priority standpoint, as far as the golf course paying off the cost, how did that rank? Mr. Beck: It was ranked by the Citizens board as number four. And if I could explain this, as far as those projects, they were on our capital improvement plan, with the exception of Apple Valley. Dowdy Park and Jones Pool were both on our overall plan but that plan was based on our entire park system and it was a $44 million capital improvement plan. What came back was about $14 million worth of monies that could be funded, so therefore the projects that were on the list was the referendum. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor? 6 Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Shepard next. Mr. Shepard: Walter, we now have at least two dueling spreadsheets, to use a phrase that I used a few years ago, and maybe there is a sub-spreadsheet to that. But th when we were here last, we had a spreadsheet that was printed on the 12 of February. That’s what we discussed the last time; is that right? That’s the one we had at the previous meeting? th Mr. Hornsby: Which was the 14. th Mr. Shepard: And now we’ve got a spreadsheet on the 14 and then this, I’m given to understand, has some additional suggested changes which are not on this spreadsheet. Mr. Hornsby: On the spreadsheet as well; correct. th Mr. Shepard: Well, they’re not on the spreadsheet -- they’re not on the 12 thth and they’re not on the 14. And some of these things are not on the 14, ones on the citizens committee list. I mean could we not -- to know what we’re really voting on, could we not gen up another spreadsheet at some subsequent time so that we can have all of these options clearly before us? I mean I’m having some problems trying to decide when we have two competing spreadsheets and then an off-record spreadsheet. I’m having some problems with that. And if we did that, if you gen up with another spreadsheet, I think that’s Al Slavens’ word, he gens up a spreadsheet -- we’re not delaying the receipt of this money. The money is already coming on it. We really need to do this by the first of March, really; isn’t that right? Mr. Hornsby: That’s correct, too. But I think it was our hope that we could [inaudible] down now because a lot of the organizations really -- you’ve got [inaudible] organizations looking for money the first of the year. They’re not [inaudible], they don’t know exactly where we are going. Mr. Shepard: My point is that collection began in January, they are with the State for two months, so the January collections don’t come -- Mr. Hornsby: Until the end of March. Receiving money. Mr. Wall: We won’t start receiving money, but we can’t start designing or planning any of these projects until y’all approve the list. Mr. Shepard: But I mean I don’t have much of a list is my point, Jim. And then we’ve been talking about -- I think a good question that Mr. Cheek asked was about the remainder of the courthouse monies and I think the Mayor’s proceeding with the innovation of the design/build/lease idea which we don’t really have fully before us yet either, do we, Bob? 7 Mr. Mayor: No. No numbers yet. Mr. Shepard: So I’m concerned I really don’t know what I’m voting on on these changes on the 2/14 spreadsheet. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams? Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve got a copy of the referendum or the resolution that was voted on and it refers to -- it do not designate specific --just the exact [inaudible] or programs that we going to vote, have on the list. But it did, it referenced to. And I understand about the changes. I understand that we all can add to, we can keep adding till we just add out this door. But it does not specify any particular, no other than, and if anybody want to see a copy I’ve got a copy of it here. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Cheek? Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As this discussion goes, I’m not sure of the final conclusion of today’s activities. In committee meetings the other day, I made a report in conjunction with Recreation and Parks Director Tom Beck on a joint project involving the city of Augusta and the Library Board, and what I’d like to do if it’s in order is to make a motion that we approve a resolution of support for exploring the possibilities of combining the Diamond Lakes Community Center and the South Augusta Library into one facility, to be reported back at a later date, detailing costs, cost savings, square footage, and so forth. But I would like to ask for that resolution of support from this Commission, if that is in order. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek, I’m going to have to rule that motion out of order. It’s not on the agenda and it’s not an item, a joint project is not an item on the SPLOST list, but what I would ask the Clerk to do is to put that on the agenda for the next Commission meeting, next week, so that we can take it up at that time. Clerk: [inaudible] Mr. Cheek: Yes. Clerk: Is that what you wanted? Mr. Cheek: Yes. Clerk: [inaudible] Mr. Mayor: Thank you for bringing that to us, Mr. Cheek. Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor? 8 Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Jerry Brigham? Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, as far as I’m concerned, when we start dealing with these projects and priorities we need to deal with those listed first, that we’ve already approved, the projects and priorities, before we start adding any additional projects or priorities. I think that we have an obligation to the voters that have already voted the sales tax and I think we all knew what the list was when we started. I understand that we will probably have some excess collection somewhere in this sales tax and then is when we need to deal with projects that were not already previously [inaudible]. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Anything further? Gentlemen, what’s your pleasure with respect to -- Mr. Shepard? Mr. Shepard : Mr. Mayor, in light of the fact that we don’t have a complete spreadsheet of anything, the revisions, I think we ought to know more of what we’re . I’d move that we voting on. We’ve got a committee that is dealing with courthouse continue the SPLOST prioritization until the first meeting in March. Mr. Mays: Second. Mr. Mayor: Motion and second. Any discussion on the motion? All in favor of the motion, please vote aye. Motion carries 8-0. Mr. Mayor: I see the next agenda item is now in the Chamber 2. Legal Meeting/Executive Session ?? Receive Administrator Search results. ?? Discuss Judy Tyler decision. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Dick Bennett has finally arrived, courtesy of a unique airline schedule today. The Chair would request an executive session so that we can receive an update on the search for our new city Administrator, and we had from the addendum agenda to discuss the Judy Tyler decision. Is there a motion? Mr. Mays: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Mr. Mayor: Any objection? There is no objection heard. We will move into executive session. 9 Motion carries 8-0. [LEGAL MEETING 3:24 - 5:00 P.M.] 3. Motion to approve authorization for Mayor to execute affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meetings Act. Mr. Mayor: If there any objection? None heard. I’ll sign it. Is there any other business to come before this Commission? [MEETING ADJOURNED] Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission CERTIFICATION: I, Lena J. Bonner, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Called Meeting of Augusta Richmond County Commission held on February 14, 2001. Clerk of Commission