HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-05-2001 Regular Meeting
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBERS
June 5, 2001
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:08 p.m., Tuesday, June 5,
2001, the Honorable Bob Young, Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Colclough, J. Brigham, Mays, Kuhlke, H. Brigham, Shepard,
Beard, Cheek, Williams and Bridges, members of Augusta Richmond County
Commission.
Also Present: Jim Wall, Attorney; George Kolb, Administrator; and Lena
Bonner, Clerk of Commission.
The Invocation was given by the Reverend Rivers.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Mr. Mayor: We’d like to welcome our visitors today, and I think the Clerk has an
announcement about one of the Commissioners.
Clerk: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission. Commissioner Mays is
tied up with a funeral service he had at one, and he just wanted you all to know that he’s
en route and he should be here probably in the next 30 or 35 minutes.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Are there any additions to the agenda, Madame Clerk?
Clerk: No, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Let’s move ahead with our proclamations, then.
PROCLAMATION: (Requested by Commissioner Henry Brigham)
Ms. Bertha Sutton
Clerk: Ms. Bertha Sutton, would you please join the Mayor at the podium here?
In recognition of Ms. Bertha F. Sutton:
Whereas, Ms. Bertha Sutton has served our community as an educator for more
than 35 years and is retiring from the Richmond County Board of Education; and
Whereas, Ms. Bertha Sutton has unselfishly given so much of her time to promote
excellence in every Richmond County school that she has served; and
Whereas, Ms. Sutton is an exceptional example of how people can bring about
positive change when they directly involve themselves and believe in people who share
the same vision; and
Whereas, Ms. Sutton actively served throughout the Augusta community in the
following organizations: Richmond County Association of Educators, Leadership
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Augusta graduate, Georgia Association of Educators, Georgia Middle School
Association, National Educators Association; and
Whereas, Ms. Sutton has achieved many professional milestones to include:
Richmond County Association Leadership Award, Richmond County Association of
Georgia Educators Award, Milton Foundation National Educator Award;
Now therefore, I, Bob Young, Mayor of the City of Augusta, do hereby proclaim
June 5, 2001 to be Bertha F. Sutton Day and request all citizens recognize more than 35
years of outstanding leadership in educational service given by Ms. Sutton.
In witness thereof, I have unto set my hand and caused the seal of Augusta,
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Georgia to be affixed this 5 day of June, 2001.
Mr. Mayor: Congratulations.
(A round of applause is given.}
Clerk:
RECOGNITION:
Mr. Jim Wall, Esq. election as the 2001 president of the Association of County
Commissioners of Georgia’s County Attorneys Section
Mr. Mayor: Do you want to make a speech?
Mr. Wall: No.
Mr. Mayor: We congratulate you [inaudible] peers and [inaudible] of Georgia.
Mr. Wall: Thank you.
(A round of applause is given)
Clerk:
PRESENTATIONS:
Shepeard Community Blood Center
"Battle of the Badges" blood drive competition between Richmond County Sheriff’s
and Fire Departments
Dr. Dube: Mayor Bob Young, City Commissioners, I’m Dr. Dube from the
Shepeard Blood Center. Our Sheriff’s Department and the Fire Department have made
some very significant contributions to our blood program. With me is Robin Steinhirkle
from the Blood Center, and she is going to make the awards.
Ms. Steinhirkle: First I’d like to recognize Captain Linda McDonald of the Fire
Department and Lt. Leon Garvin with the Sheriff’s office for their recruitment in helping
us put this blood drive together. We’d like to say that when we have a blood drive
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competition, there are no losers because we’re getting blood and we’re giving life. But it
just happens that one side gives more blood than the other, and this year the plaque goes
to the Sheriff’s office.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Next is our employee of the month. As soon as the Clerk gets back,
we’ll have the reading of the award.
Clerk:
Employee of the Month Award:
Mr. Brian Richards, Augusta Utilities Department
Clerk: Mr. Richards? [reading] Dear Mayor Young, the Employee of the Month
Selection Committee has selected Mr. Brian Richards with the Augusta Utilities
Department in the Water and Sewer Construction and Maintenance Division as April’s
Employee of the Month. Mr. Richards has worked for the City of Augusta for 20 years.
Mr. Richards is a supervisor who plans, directs and coordinates water and sewer
construction and maintenance. He was nominated by his supervisor, Mr. Max Hicks,
who gave the following reasons for his nomination: Brian is an extremely dedicated
employee. He has not taken a vacation day since December, 1999. He works nights,
weekends and holidays with no compensation. He has diligently worked on the Rae’s
Creek sewer problem so that no problems will be experienced during Masters Week.,
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the most important time for Augusta to look its best. The Committee felt that based on
Mr. Hicks’ recommendation and Mr. Richards’ attributes, he should be awarded
Employee of the Month. Mr. Hicks further stated Brian has developed a plan to handle
the sanitation sewage in the Rae’s Creek line at the Augusta National and the Augusta
Country Club. He has coordinated this with the Augusta National and the Augusta
Country Club personnel, and both groups are very pleased with Brian and the Utilities
personnel involved. The Committee feels he should be recommended for his efforts. The
Committee would appreciate you joining us in awarding Mr. Brian Richards Employee of
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the Month for April at our June 5 meeting. Thank you.
(A round of applause is given.)
Clerk:
Mayor’s Community Service Awards:
Richmond County High School Students
Mr. Mayor: [inaudible] is here from Doctors Hospital. This is the third year that
we’ve done this in partnership with Doctors Hospital. We’ve given out a $250 cash
scholarship to one senior out of each one of the public high schools in Augusta and given
about $9,000, same as what we’re doing here today. This is another way that we can give
back to the community and recognize young people for the community service they
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perform to make Augusta a better place. [inaudible], is there anything you’d like to say
before we give out the checks?
Mr. Speaker: Thank you for the opportunity to fund the awards [inaudible].
Mr. Mayor: I think we’ve got most of these students here, so I’m going to call out
their names. If you’ll come up here, we’ll present you with a plaque and a facsimile of
the check. The real check will be given to you next week. Raymond [inaudible].
Congratulations.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Next is Emily Herrington.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Danielle Davis.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Next is Adrian Thompson.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Then Daniel Boreson.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: I see my Finance Chairman leaning over here trying to get these
checks. Next is Natasha Ann [inaudible].
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Cynthia Daniel.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Next is [inaudible] Collier.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: And last, but certainly not least, is Reginald Gilmore.
(A round of applause is given.)
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you so much. And congratulations to all of the students and
their parents, for they certainly couldn’t have done what they did without the support of
their parents at home. Appreciate it. Thank you very much.
Clerk: Item 57.
Mr. Mayor: We have some people here for this item, so we want to go ahead and
take it up.
Clerk:
PLANNING:
57. Z-01-31 – Request from the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to approve a petition from Wesley Lowe, on behalf of Kun Lee
Yong, requesting a change of zoning from Zone B1 (Neighborhood Business)
to Zone B2 (General Business) affecting property located at the southeast
corner of the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Fifteenth
Avenue. District 2 (2158 & 2160 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) (Deferred
from the May 15 Commission meeting)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Patty?
Mr. Patty: Mr. Lowe did not appear at the last meeting. I don’t know whether he
got crossed signals at our meeting or not, but there was no objection at our meeting. The
property is surrounded by B2 uses and B2 zoning. Staff and the Commission did not see
any reason not to approve it, and there was no opposition at our meeting.
Mr. Mayor: Is the petitioner here today? The petitioner is here? Is there
anything you’d like to say? Come up to the microphone.
Mr. Lowe: There was some lack of communication. I was not at the last meeting.
There were some questions Rev. Fryer and some of the neighborhood association had.
We cleared that up and we’ve come to an agreement. I, at this point, speak with Mr.
Glenn [inaudible], I don’t think there are going to be any problems in trying to get that
location rezoned with them.
Mr. Mayor: All right. Rev. Fryer, I know you had an interest in this. Did you
want to put something on the record today?
Rev. Fryer: Yes, I’d just like for --
Mr. Mayor: Give us your name and address for the record, please.
Rev. Fryer: Thank you very much. I’m sorry. Rev. Larry Fryer, 1115 Sixth
Avenue. The Turpin Hill Neighborhood Association did meet, the executive body, and
discuss the concerns about the site that he wanted to have, and that particular meeting,
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and learning that it was for a car lot, the organization did agree to support that with no
opposition.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Are there any opponents here today? Mr. Henry?
Mr. H. Brigham: Mr. Chairman, if I’m in order, I’d like to move for
approval.
Mr. Kuhlke: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and second to approve. Any discussion? Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Yes, Mr. Mayor. This is in my District and the Turpin Hill
Neighborhood Association did meet and talk with the petitioner. On last week we
discussed the point that if this business resulted back from a car lot to something else,
once it’s zoned, once it’s zone that then you can come in with a package store or anything
else of that nature. And I’ve got no problems in supporting it if there’s a stipulation says
that if it does not continue to be a car lot, if it does change hands, it would revert back to
the present zoning that it is now. I have no problem with the zoning the way it is as a car
lot, but once you know, we open this up and if we don’t put that stipulation in there, it
may revert next year into something else and it’s legally open and ready to put
something. We had a lot of trouble on that corner for many, many years with old places
there, and I’m certainly not in support of doing anything if that’s not going to be a
stipulation. I think, George, we have certain areas where we can put that stipulation in; is
that right?
Mr. Patty: Yes, sir. We’ve done conditional zoning in the past in situations like
this and I think if the petitioner would agree to it, what you’d want to do is stipulation
that it would permit all uses allowed in the B1 zone plus the car lot from the B2 zone.
Mr. Lowe: I’ll accept that.
Mr. Mayor: You’ll accept that stipulation?
Mr. Lowe: I’ll accept that, yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Rev. Fryer?
Rev. Fryer: Thank you, Commissioner, that is what was addressed to the body as
well, that that stipulation would be added in there.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Does your motion include that stipulation, Mr. Henry?
Mr. H. Brigham: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Jerry Brigham?
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Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, is the stipulation on the ownership of his property,
cause I don’t think that’s legal, is it, Mr. Wall? I thought it had to be on the --
Mr. Wall: I think as it was finally worded it was so long as it continued. I
assume that you’re not saying that it has to be tied to the owner? I mean --
Mr. Mayor: Tied to the use, right?
Mr. Wall: Tied to the use, not the ownership.
Mr. Williams: That’s correct. And to get clarification, if this business goes out of
business, it reverts back to what it is, and if somebody wants to do something else they
got to come back to us for rezoning. That’s that clarification.
Mr. Mayor: Everybody comfortable? Any more discussion? All in favor of the
motion, please signify by turning on your green light, voting yes.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, let’s take up the consent agenda, if you will.
Clerk: Consent agenda, items 1 through 56. Items 1 through 56. If there are
any objectors to the alcohol consumption requests, please signify your objection by
the raising of your hand.
1. Motion to approve a request by Roan Miranda for an on premise
consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with
Focus Restaurant &Lounge located at 2320 Gordon Highway. There will
be a dance hall. District 4. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
7. Motion to approve a request by Roan Miranda for an on premise
consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with
Focus Restaurant &Lounge located at 2320 Gordon Highway. There will
be a dance hall. District 4. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
Clerk: Are there any objections to those petitions? No objections, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: None are noted, Madame Clerk.
Clerk: Yes, sir.
PUBLIC SERVICES:
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1. Motion to approve a request by Roan Miranda for an on premise
consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with
Focus Restaurant &Lounge located at 2320 Gordon Highway. There will
be a dance hall. District 4. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
2. M
otion to approve budget appropriation for acquisition of Aircraft Rescue
Firefighting Vehicle (ARFF) in the amount of $600,000. (Approved by
Public Service Committee May 29, 2001)
3. Motion to approve budget appropriation for the Runway 17-35 Lighting
Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $600,000. (Approved by Public
Service Committee May 29, 2001)
4. Motion to approve budget appropriation for the Runway 17-35 and 8-26
PAPI Installation Project in the amount of $300,000. (Approved by Public
Service Committee May 29, 2001)
5. Motion to approve budget appropriation for the Taxiway "C" Rehabilitation
Project in the amount of $1,700,000. (Approved by Public Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
6. Motion to approve payment of two invoices to Intellisystems for cabling
performed at library at 902 Greene Street. (Approved by Public Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
7. Motion to approve a request by Miguel A. Rivera for an on premise
consumption Beer License to be used in connection with Los Hermanos
Restaurant located at 2960 Old Highway 1. District 4. Super District 9.
(Approved by Public Service Committeee May 29, 2001)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
8. Motion to approve scheduling a City Summit. (Approved by Administrative
Service Committee May 29, 2001)
9. Motion to approve retirement of Quentin L. Conway under the 1977 Pension
Plan. (Approved by Administrative Service Committee May 29, 2001)
10. Motion to approve an Ordinance providing for the demolition of certain
unsafe and uninhabitable properties in the Turpin Hill Neighborhood: 1436
Essie McIntyre Boulevard, 1102 Ninth Avenue, 932 Florence Street (District
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2, Super District 9); and waive 2 reading. (Approved by Administrative
Service Committee May 29, 2001)
11. Motion to approve the Complaint and Grievance Procedures that will
provide a formal process for the receipt and resolution of all complaints
and/or grievances directed to the Housing and Neighborhood Development
Department, its staff and programs. These procedures will apply to all
programs and projects for which HND funding and/or other assistance is
provided. (Approved by Administrative Service Committee May 29, 2001)
12. Motion to approve Subordination Agreement for Ms. Jantzeen Dinkins, 3710
Colbert Street, Augusta, GA 30906. (Approved by Administrative Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
13. Motion to approve the Augusta Richmond County Neighborhood Business
Investment Program to establish a reimbursement grant of $2,500 for eligible
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expenses incurred by new businesses locating in the Laney-Walker
Enterprise Zone (LWEZ) as approved by the Citizens Advisory Council on
May 16, 2001. (Approved by Administrative Service Committee May 29,
2001)
14. Motion to approve request from Public Works Department for $200,000 in
Recaptured Urban Development Action Grant (R-UDAG) funds for Phase I
of the Augusta Commons Project. (Approved by Administrative Service
Committee May 29, 2001)
15. Motion to approve request from The Augusta Task Force for the Homeless
for Housing & Neighborhood Development Department (HND) to assume
administrative oversight of the 1998 Homeless Supportive Services Grant.
(Approved by Administrative Service Committee May 29, 2001)
16. Motion to approve Antioch Ministries, Inc. request to defer payment on their
17 rental units for low income families construction loan for 36 months.
(Approved by Administrative Service Committee May 29, 2001)
17. Motion to approve subordination for Eddie Robinson. (Approved by
Administrative Service Committee May 29, 2001)
18. Deleted from consent agenda.
PUBLIC SAFETY:
19. Motion to approve the addition of the Augusta Richmond County Deputy
Administrator, Marshall of Civil Court of Richmond County and other ex
officio members to the 9-1-1 Steering Committee as listed on page 4 of the
Augusta Richmond County 9-1-1 Policy and Procedures Manual. (Approved
by Public Safety Committee May 29, 2001)
20. Motion to approve purchase of server for Geographic Information System
(GIS) Applications and Data with approved SPLOST funds. (Approved by
Public Safety Committee May 29, 2001)
21. Motion to approve Indigent Defense Grant for 2002 funds. (Approved by
Public Safety Committee May 29, 2001)
FINANCE:
22. Motion to approve Georgia Department of Community Affairs list of 2002
Pass-Through Local Assistance Grant Awards for Augusta Richmond
County. (Approved by Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
23. Motion to approve budget appropriation for acquisition of Aircraft Rescue
Firefighting Vehicle (ARFF) in the amount of $600,000. (Approved by
Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
24. Motion to approve budget appropriation for the Runway 17-35 Lighting
Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $600,000. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
25. Motion to approve budget appropriation for the Runway 17-35 and 8-26
PAPI Installation Project in the amount of $300,000. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
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26. Motion to approve budget appropriation for the Taxiway "C" Rehabilitation
Project in the amount of $1,700,000. (Approved by Finance Committee May
29, 2001)
27. Motion to approve a request from Mr. John S. Smith for relief from penalty
charges for property at 2421 Mike Padgett Hwy. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
28. Motion to approve refund of 1998 and 1999 taxes in the amount of $303.88
for overpayment of taxes on Map 271, Parcel 41. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
29. Motion to approve refund of 1999 taxes in the amount of $152.66 for
overpayment of taxes on Map 224, Parcel 116.01. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
30. Motion to approve refund of 1999 taxes in the amount of $2,890.58 for
overpayment of taxes on Map 246, Parcel 1.02. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
31. Motion to approve refund of 1998 and 1999 taxes in the amount of $1,153.87
for overpayment of taxes on Account #2006251. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
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32. Motion to approve bid award for July 4 Pyrotechnics Display to Melrose
Pyrotechnics, Inc. based on March 31, 1999 contract. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 29, 2001)
33. Deleted from consent agenda.
34. Deleted from consent agenda.
35. Motion to approve the restructured 2001 Transit Budget. (Approved by
Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
36. Motion to authorize Finance Department to negotiate a contract for banking
services with First Union National Bank. (Approved by Finance Committee
May 29, 2001)
37. Motion to approve the Link Deposit Program with the amount of $4.4 million
dollars. (Approved by Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
38. Motion to approve funding in the amount of $7,000 for expenses associated
with the Amtrak site visit to Augusta on June 6, 2001 from the Promotional
Account. (Approved by Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
39. Motion to approve an application to the National Park Service for an Urban
Park and Recreation Recovery Program grant for renovations to Chafee
Park. (Approved by Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
ENGINEERING SERVICES:
40. Motion to authorize condemnation against Herminia P. Julian and Lucia B.
Esperenza to acquire necessary property on Project Parcel 24. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
41. Motion to approve Georgia Greenspace Program Grant Award Agreement
between the State of Georgia, Department of Natural Resources, and
Augusta, Georgia, for a grant amount of $592,826.00. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
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42. Motion to approve Change Order #1 for park improvements relating to the
Springfield Village Park Project on Reynolds Street. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
43. Motion to approve participation in the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
Planning Grant. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 29,
2001)
44. Motion to approve lease from Augusta to the Southeastern Natural Sciences
Academy, Inc. for approximately 13 acres adjoining the constructed
wetlands. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
45. Motion to approve Right-of-Way conveyance for Windsor Spring Road
Improvement Project, Primary Care Properties, LLC, Tax Map 110-3;
Parcel 188-3. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
46. Motion to approve Deed of Dedication with Easement for Ingress and Egress
for Augusta Exchange Development – Thomas L. Abernathy, James S.
Timberlake and AE III, LLC, Tax Map and Parcel 023-034-3010.
(Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
47. Motion to approve 3-year contract at $24,000 per year with Georgia EPD for
Drinking Water Laboratory Services. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee May 29, 2001)
48. Deleted from consent agenda.
49. Motion to approve Change Order #1 in the amount of $42,119 to Blair
Construction, Inc. on the 18" Raw Water Main Conversion Project. (Funded
by Account Number 509043410-5425110/80110160-5425110) (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee May 29, 2001)
50. Motion to authorize condemnation of a portion of Tax Map 83, Parcel 133,
Project Parcel 15, which is owned by Vivian L. Carter, for right-of-way on
the Barton Road Improvement Project, Phase II. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee May 29, 2001)
51. Motion to authorize Mayor to execute Consent Order with EPD regarding
waste water permit violations and spills. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee May 29, 2001)
52. Motion to approve acceptance of sewer easement from Great Oak, LLC in
Wrightsboro Road/Sue Reynolds/Belair Road Drainage Project. (Tax Map
41, Parcel 71.1) (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 29,
2001)
53. Motion to approve condemnation of 1351.4 square feet of easement of
property located at 301 Berckman Road for 18" raw water conversion and
16" water connection project. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee May 29, 2001)
54. Motion to approve option for easement for 18" raw water conversion and
16" water connection project from Jake Roseman, Douglas E. Frohman and
Vera H. Frohman for $18,700.00. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee May 29, 2001)
PETITIONS & COMMUNICATIONS:
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55. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission
held May 15.
ATTORNEY:
56. Deleted from consent agenda.
Mr. Mayor: Gentlemen, what’s your pleasure with respect to the consent agenda?
Mr. Cheek: Move to approve.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion to approve with a second. Gentlemen, the Chair would like
to pull Item 56. Are there any other items you desire to pull from the agenda? Mr.
Shepard?
Mr. Shepard: Number 18.
Mr. Mayor: 18, Mr. Shepard. Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Number 48.
Mr. Mayor: Number 48, Mr. Williams. Any others? Nothing else heard. Any
discussion with respect to the consent agenda?
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: I really don’t want to pull it. I’ve got a question on 33 and 34, I
think there may have been some information passed out on our last committee meeting
that I didn’t get a copy of about some bids on the equipment for --
Clerk: [inaudible]
Mr. Williams: Right.
Clerk: I think they’re included in that backup.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Why don’t we just pull that, Mr. Williams? That will give you a
chance to look at those.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
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Mr. Mayor: 33 and 34?
Mr. Williams: 33 and 34.
Mr. Mayor: All right. That will give you a chance to look at the back-up. All
right, we have a motion to adopt the consent agenda, minus items 18, 33, 34, 48 and 56.
All in favor of that motion, please vote aye.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 9-0. [Items 1-17, 19-32, 35-47, 49-55]
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ll go to Item number 18, Madame Clerk.
Clerk:
18. Motion to approve the creation of a Deputy Administrator and an Assistant
Administrator for the Administrator’s Office. (Approved by Administrative
Service Committee May 29, 2001)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Shepard?
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, thank you. I don’t oppose the creation of the Assistant
Administrator and the Deputy Administrator, but I’m concerned that the funding of this is
going to impair the mission of the Trees & Landscape Department. The last thing I saw
before I came over to the Commission today was the grass and weeds which are maybe
three and four feet high in sections of Greene Street between the curb and the sidewalk,
and always Trees & Landscape has done an excellent job of maintaining the median in
Greene Street, and I’ve always been told that there was a difference, that the other parts
that are not as well kept were handled under a division of Public Works, and I’ve been
eagerly anticipating, Mr. Mayor, the annual operating plan for Public Works, and I was
impressed that Ms. Smith was going to put that out, and I know she’s been very busy.
But I’m just thinking that this particular source of funding is going to impair the mission
of Trees & Landscape at a time that we’re experiencing summer plant growth. It’s the
longest time of the year, and I think anybody with any science background will tell you
that this is the time when we are experiencing the greatest demand for our cutting of grass
and our trimming of trees and I think we could do a better job of finding a funding source
rather than axing the department director of Trees & Landscape, and I would like to send
this back for a little more study before we do this to the Engineering Services Committee
and let them refine it a little bit and try to accommodate both the Administrator’s wish to
have additional personnel, which I do support, and I think a need which I think we need
to address, which is basically the scenic beauty of this city. We talk a lot about
beautification, we talk about a clean city, and I think it’s time we try to put our money
where our mouth is. So if it’s in order, Mr. Mayor, I’d make a motion to send this back
to Engineering Services Committee for all those items to be worked out.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a second to that motion?
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Mr. Kuhlke: Second the motion.
Mr. Mayor: The motion is seconded by Mr. Kuhlke. Mr. Cheek, your hand is
up?
Mr. Cheek: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. In a city this size, you would think that after we
lost a department head that certainly the second in charge or at least the crews’
supervisors and foremen could realize that the grass needs cutting in a particular location
and not have to have a department head hold their hand to get that job done. If we have
people in here that we have to baby-sit, that can’t follow through, then perhaps we need
to start looking for other people. The employees in this city need to take more
ownership, not come in and put in eight hours, but make sure that making Augusta the
most beautiful city in the Southeast is their priority. And if they’re not cutting the grass
and something that’s so obvious that any one of us can see, and it’s their job, then
perhaps they’re not doing their job. So I would hope that the second in command could
follow through in this interim.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Beard?
Mr. Beard: Mr. Mayor, I feel that we’ve asked people to come in and to do a job,
and I think that Mr. Shepard has a point there, but I don’t think it’s the point where we
I’m going to offer a substitute motion that we approve Item 18
should hold it up, so
as is.
Mr. Bridges: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion to approve, it’s been seconded, which is
the substitute motion. Mr. Jerry Brigham, then Mr. Williams.
Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I think the point Mr. Shepard was trying to make is
that if Public Works is the one that’s taking care of the strip in between the sidewalk and
the street, and if Trees & Parks are doing their job in the median, obviously we have a
management problem if we can’t coordinate two departments or give one whole street to
one department to maintain. I think that’s the point that’s being made, not that we have
to have management to hold people’s hands to tell them to cut grass. That’s what I heard.
Maybe I was mistaken, but I believe that was what was being said.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m in agreement with my cohort,
Commissioner Shepard about how bad things look, and this is the time of year, but this
city don’t just work, don’t just affect people downtown. If you look at the city as a
whole, there are a lot of areas in our city that we need to do some work and try to
maintain, and when you talking about grass growing, we got an Administrator here now
we trying to support to try to get some people in places to be able to spread out, to do
15
some things, and I understand what he’s saying and I’m in agreement with that, cause I
got a serious problem with it. But I’m going to support the substitute motion that we go
ahead and do this so we can get some staff people to maybe get in those areas and get in
those trenches so we can keep those capable employees. We do have some employees
that’s making eight hours and going home, and we got some dedicated employees that are
willing and able to work and will work. But I’m in support of the substitute motion that
we go ahead and pass this while we got it here.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Bridges?
Mr. Bridges: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor. George, it’s my understanding
that we’re taking the salary of the department head and not replacing the department head
in this position; is that correct?
Mr. Kolb: That is correct. All other duties and activities of the Trees &
Landscape Department will remain until we can look at their work plan, work activities
for the next budget cycle.
Mr. Bridges: And all other funding will remain?
Mr. Kolb: Yes, sir.
Mr. Bridges: Mr. Mayor, I share Mr. Shepard’s concern with the beauty of our
city. I don’t think that really streamlining Trees & Parks in regards to this one position
will hinder or improve or hurt the looks of our city. I think that this is a good move to
assist the Administrator in areas that he needs to be assisted in, and areas that I at one
time I opposed, and others supported, and I believe now that they had the wiser view in
regards to Assistant Administrators. And I think it’s a move that we need to go ahead
and make. Just as a random thought in regards to Trees & Parks, I think it’s very
important, whether it goes to Recreation or whether it goes to Public Works, that it
maintain itself as a separate body, that it not be absorbed into either department, but it is
designated and can be recognized as Trees & Parks, and I think that’s critically important
to their performance of their job and the beauty of our city.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Shepard?
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, what I’m concerned about is we have some nice signs
on the city and county limits here that say welcome to Augusta, the Garden City that
we’re proud of. I think that’s going to be a hollow praise if we don’t attend to our
business of beautification. I guess I’m selfish. I want it all. I want to see a stronger
Administrator’s office, one that is adequately staffed, but I think this is impairing the
mission of the Trees & Parks. I don’t see the input here of the Tree Commission. I’ve
heard from several folks saying that the mission of Public Works is somewhat different
from the mission of the Trees & Parks Department, and I think we as Commissioners
shouldn’t have to be calling in these problems with the grass in the medians, the grass on
the curbs. I’m just concerned that this is going to impair the mission of the Trees &
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Parks Department, so I don’t see why we can’t send it back and have all these issues
accommodated. Like I say, I’d like to do it all, I’d like to do it in an orderly fashion, but
I’m afraid we’re going to impair the mission of Trees & Parks at a time when we
critically need it, and that’s the summer growing season. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Henry Brigham?
Mr. H. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, it looks like to me that we are trying to pull the rug
out from under our Administrator before he even gets started. It looks like to me if he’s
asking for help, then we come back and say to the Administrator this is what we want you
to do, rather than pulling the rug out from under him before he gets started. With that in
mind, I move for the order of the day on the substitute motion.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the question has been called on the substitute motion. Let
the record reflect that Mr. Mays has joined us. The substitute motion is from
Commissioner Beard, which is to approve the recommendation of the creation of those
two positions in the Administrator’s office. All in favor of that motion, please vote aye.
(Vote on substitute motion)
Mr. J. Brigham and Mr. Shepard vote No.
Motion carries 8-2.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madame Clerk. What we’d like to do since
Commissioner Mays is here and we’ve got some people who came in for this item, we’d
like to move ahead, if we could, to Item number 58.
Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES:
58. Motion to approve proceeding with the design and construction of a
combined community center/library facility at Diamond Lakes Regional
Park. MORE DETAILED INFORMATION WILL BE PRESENTED AT
THE MEETING. (No recommendation from Public Services Committee May
7, 2001, postponed from the May 15 meeting.)
Mr. Mayor: I spoke this week with Commissioner Cheek and Commissioner
Colclough, who were the two Commissioners intimately involved in this on opposite
sides. What we’re going to do limit debate on each side to no more than 15 minutes. Mr.
Cheek, would you like to go first with your presentation, and I’ll allow you to call up
anybody else who you would like to have speak to this. I think some Library people are
here and so forth.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, what I’d like to do is allow the players that have prepared
the presentation to present their presentation and then allow more discussion, but I would
like to have closing comments.
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Mr. Mayor: All right. We will discuss it as Mayor and Commission after the
presentations. I’m trying to limit the presentations so we’re not here all afternoon. Mr.
Cheek, I’m going to turn the floor over to you for 15 minutes to go ahead and go through
any presentations and call upon any people you want to.
Mr. Cheek: Okay. We have the Director of Recreation and Parks, Mr. Tom
Beck, here and members of the Library board and the Library Director here. And so,
Tom, if you will begin, and then Tom Sutherland and company, if you guys will follow
right in.
Mr. Beck: Thank you. Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, what we’ve
done is put together some further information in this regard of the joint community center
and library project. We’ve got some visual photos here of Iola Community Center which
a group from Augusta visited back in April. It is outside of Chicago and it’s been in
operation since 1993. This is a shot of the actual main entrances. This is off of the main
road, the actual entrance in, from access, is on the other side of the building you’re seeing
there, but that is actually part of the parking lot area. This shot here is actually the side of
the center that enters into the library. This has, the facility has two separate entrances.
The trellis area, the white there, is the entrance into the library side of the building. This
is a shot of the lobby area at the -- I believe this is at the library side, isn’t it? This is the
recreation side, okay. They actually have two main lobbies with this facility. This is a
shot of the recreation side. These doors enter into multi-purpose rooms and game rooms
in the recreation side. This is a shot again of the main lobby, the reception area for the
recreation side. Going further on back, as the person is walking back with his back
towards us is actually back toward the locker room area of the facility. This is a short of
the lobby area again with the sitting area and the reception area. This is the shot of the
library side. This is the main lobby area as you’re coming off of that entrance from the
outside into the library portion of the facility. This is a short of the interior of the library.
This is a short of an upstairs fitness center. This was a very multi-use fitness center with
weights and aerobic rooms that were actually upstairs on a second level. It’s another shot
of that same area of the facility. This is a short of the main gymnasium within the
facility. That is an elevated walking track that goes around, I believe it was an eighth of a
mile walking track that goes around the facility indoors. This is a shot of the gymnastics
area, very large gymnastics program. The actual right side, the right wall there is actually
where the library portion starts in the facility. This is a very active room within the
recreation side, which does adjoin onto the library portion or is adjacent to the library
portion of the facility. This is a shot of one of the interior multi-use rooms that had joint
use between the recreation side and the library aspects of the facility. This is a shot of the
outdoor playground on the other side from the library. Another shot from that side. This
is a little floor plan that will give you maybe a little better idea about how the facility is
laid out. Moving from my right, this area in here is where all the parking area is, where
the cursor is being pointed there, that’s all the joint parking out in that area. The area you
see coming in toward the building, you can see two separate entrances. One, the library
side there, and one, the recreation side. And as you come in, say from the library side,
you come into the facility, that is the main lobby area for the library, then you enter into
the library from that hallway. To go into the recreation area, you go down a common
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hallway into the gymnastics area that we just saw, into actually a dual or either three
basketball court complex. It’s actually got two full courts in it. And you come on down
the hallway on the right side there, you’ve got multi-use rooms that had joint use with
obviously recreation and the library. You come on down the hallway, more into the
recreation side, and you have the common lobby area that serves the recreation side with
multi-use rooms and stairwells that go actually upstairs to the other level where the
fitness center is at. Going on to another facility, this is a joint facility in McCallan,
Texas. There are actually two facilities in McCallan just like this. They are actually
duplicate facilities. They opened in January of this year. In the yellow, and I guess
before we get to that, you can see the circular common parking area with obviously a
common entrance in the facility with a drop-off turnaround into a main reception area.
The area where the cursor’s at is one joint reception area that’s commonly used by both
the recreation side and the library side. A citizen would come into that area and either go
into the library side, in the yellow, or go over into the recreation side, which is in the
blue. There is a common courtyard in between both. It helps reduce any common noise
elements, I suppose. A little floor plan, just a little closer floor plan of what we just
talked about. You’ve got the library element off of the main reception area, then you go
into the recreation element with meeting rooms, activity rooms, and then into a
gymnasium area. This is a smaller facility than the Illinois facility. This is 32,000 square
foot, whereas the Iola facility was about 70,000 square feet. This is an outside photo of
the McCallan, Texas, facility. So that’s a little visual presentation of facilities around the
country that do have joint community center and libraries. The information that Ms.
Bonner passed out is a little more specific information regarding if one facility was built
on one piece of ground versus two separate sites. And of course, these are estimates
because obviously to get into the exact details, you would have to get into the bidding
process, but these are the best estimates by architects that we have asked to come up with
those figures. So I’d be welcome to entertain any questions regarding this information
that you may have.
Mr. Cheek: Just one comment, I think, that bears mentioning s the Iola library is
so successful in this recreation center that they are currently planning to double the size
of it within this calendar year.
Mr. Sutherland. Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I’m Tom Sutherland. I am the
Chair of the Regional Library board. I’m a member of the Augusta Richmond County
Library board. We think it is fiscally responsible for us to build a combined facility
because the Recreation Department and the Library get more when we join forces than if
we either one did it separately. We think it’s economical. Obviously you save money by
building on county land rather than going out and purchasing land. We feel like this is a
community-support concept. We did a survey through South Augusta schools. We got
974 yeses versus 245 nos in support in support of a combined facility. We sent a
representative with the Recreation Department to visit a facility, and a copy of that report
was provided to the Commission. I think the Library board is comfortable that we have
done our homework, evaluated a joint facility in a responsible manner, and recommend a
joint facility. Thank you.
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Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, what we have before us is a government body that has
come and asked to be a partnership with this government in an effort to work together to
provide not the same as but something better than anyone else has in this area. Rather
than having the same stand-along library or the same stand-alone community center, we
have the opportunity to develop not just an average, but a state-of-the-art facility to meet
the needs of the people in all South Augusta. The location at Diamond Lakes is directly
in the center of the service area. It’s equal distance, plus or minus a couple of tenths of a
mile from Meadowbrook Drive to Hephzibah main street, it provides access to the Willis
Foreman Road corridor to Brown Road, Highway 1, Tobacco Road. The vistas that are
available, depending on the site selected at Diamond Lakes are breathtaking. This
provides an opportunity for us to do not just what is right for today, for in ten years or in
20 years, which is the real question, did we do the right thing? We control the property
around this facility, we control its development and growth, we control the neighbors,
and if the library should decide to grow as they did in Iola, we also have land there ready
to grow. I think it’s the best site. There have been a lot of months of thought put into
this and research, and I urge you, my colleagues, to please support this. It is in the best
interest of not only Augusta, but of south Richmond County.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Cheek. We’ll hear from Mr. Colclough and his
guests. Mr. Colclough, you’ve got the floor.
Mr. Colclough: Thank you. Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I’m going to let Mr.
Lowrey, who is representing the neighborhood association alliance today to speak. I
reserve the right to have a closing comment. Mr. Lowrey?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Lowrey, if you would give us your name and address for the
record, please.
Mr. Lowrey: Thank you. Gene Lowrey. 3946 Ellen Street. I stand before you
today and I’m going to ask you to delay your vote. I don’t have any slides and all this
nice stuff. It looked real good, but we are the people that have to use it. Those same
slides that you saw there will look the same if it was on Windsor Spring and Tobacco
Road area. And I think that that’s the place that it should be. I was on the one cent sales
tax board, and we were told that the library would be at the Windsor Spring/Tobacco
Road area, and we fought very hard to get the funds to put that south Augusta library
there. I have no problem with developing Diamond Lakes, but I don’t see what Diamond
Lakes has to do with the library. I don’t see what a community center or whatever has to
do with the peace and quiet and the study concentration level of a library. And if I just
ask all of you, all of you that have not been to Diamond Lakes and have not seen the area
and have not been to Windsor Spring and Tobacco Road, and I know most of you have,
to go out and compare the two areas. Now you have at least 10 to 12 subdivisions right
off Tobacco Road there that would almost be in walking distance of the library. You
have Jamestown Elementary School right up the road there. You have Windsor Spring
Elementary School. You have Tobacco Road Elementary School. All of them are right
there in that vicinity. And not to say that Fort Gordon is right up the road there. You
know about breaking ground there, so you have another school. And all that is right there
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in that area of Tobacco Road and Windsor Spring Road. Now I was told that the reason
that they said they chose Diamond Lakes at this point when they didn’t take it, that the
deal fell through with the land that was donated for the Windsor Spring/Tobacco Road
area, I worked -- me and a few other people worked very hard last week and we got Mrs.
[inaudible] to re-donate the land. She had given this city three acres of land in the
Tobacco Road/Windsor Spring area. Now you know how much that land costs. For
somebody to donate three acres of land, I think we need to look at it. And that’s all I’m
asking you to do, is take some time, look at this thing. That’s all I’m asking. And I have
sheets of petition here, and I talked to some of the same people, talked to some of the
same people that signed, voted yes on putting it at Diamond Lakes, and they told me later
that they didn’t really know where Diamond Lakes was. And some of those same people
are on these petitions here. When they went out, and I didn’t try to pull their arms, I told
them to go out and look at the area. When they went out and they came back and they
told me that they did not want to have the children go out at Diamond Lakes and not at
this time. There ain’t nothing wrong with Diamond Lakes, but I think this is a better area
for it and I’m asking you to delay that and I know that the stipulations in the donation of
the land might not be all that you want, but give us a chance to negotiate with Ms.
[inaudible], because she’s not asking for anything. All she want to do is give the land.
So I think if you have some things that you can’t live with in this proposal that she
donating the land, I think we can get that out. But give us time to look at this. And that’s
all I’m asking for, for time from you all. It wouldn’t do any good to build this beautiful
facility at Diamond Lakes and the people in the neighborhood will not support it and will
not utilize it. Then you’ve got a big building out there. They will go out there to play
ball. Of course they will. But I’m talking about where people to go and study. I thank
you for hearing me and I pray that you would give it a second thought. Just give me
some time or just give yourself some time to do the right thing. Thank you.
Mr. Colclough: Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, these folks have put in a lot of
hard work on this library, not just a few months ago. This is a project that started a
couple of years ago with Pride & Progress. And we’ve done a lot of work on it. I
support Diamond Lakes wholeheartedly. I support my colleague down here
wholeheartedly. But this is one project that I do believe if you put it where Mr. Lowrey
is suggesting that it be put, it would be much more user-friendly to the community, and
I’m asking my colleagues to honor Mr. Lowrey’s request. I see Ms. Sizemore is at the
podium. She is also a member of the Library board. I’d like to give her an opportunity.
Ms. Sizemore: Frances Sizemore. 3505 Greenwood Drive. I’m also on the
Library board representing District 4 and also I’m on the Regional Library board. Also
president of Pepperidge Neighborhood Association. I just want to bring a couple of
things to light. The gentleman that did a survey of all these combined centers was
supposed to be here today. I don’t know what happened. He’s not been here. But I think
it needs to be brought to light that the one in Iola, Illinois that they went to visit is right in
the middle of a neighborhood, which is a renovated school, and this is also a very wealthy
neighborhood. And in the survey that he conducted, and this is Pete Fulcher which most
of you probably know, most of them were in neighborhoods, in renovated schools. Now
they don’t put schools way out in a district like Diamond Lakes. Again, I ask you until
21
we can get back with Ms. [inaudible], she’s had some health problems and we haven’t
been able to get to her, so I’m asking you for a delay on it. Thank you.
Mr. Colclough: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Commissioners.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Colclough. We’ll open the floor now for the
Commissioners for discussion on this item and the Chair will certainly entertain any
motions. Mr. Bridges?
Mr. Bridges: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ask Tom. Well, first off, are we moving
from a community center at Diamond Lakes to a community center and gymnasium and
library? Is that what we’re moving toward now? Is that what the plan is?
Mr. Beck: Actually, we don’t have a plan. That is -- the original plan that we had
from the recreation side was to build a major community center with gymnasiums and
activity rooms and potentially swimming pool attached and a master plan concept, a full-
service community center. And when we were asked to look at the joint community
center library concept, that’s what we’ve done, and we have, at your request, that you
voted.
Mr. Bridges: In regards to the plat of land that we’ve got there now, where will
this community center/library be located at? And the reason I’m asking that, I don’t
have any problem with it being on Windsor Spring Road so it’s visible. I believe the
visibility of it would make it more attractive, more likely to be used by the public. Where
do you have plans for where you’re going to locate it? And if we approve this without
plans, are we locked into it?
Mr. Beck: Well, I guess to answer your first question, we do not have the exact
site located. I think that’s something that ourselves and the Library board would need to
come up with proper site, while working with the design team to come up with the best
and most suitable site for traffic control, visibility, that type of thing. We just purchased
83 additional acres at Diamond Lakes. We now have almost 300 acres at the park. There
is a possibility of potentially purchasing a few more acres to give us more frontage out
there should that need to be the case. But as to the exact site, we haven’t selected the
exact site, although I will say that part of our looking into this issue would be that the
athletic area of the park, which is where the ten sports fields are at, from a traffic control
standpoint, it would not make the best sense to put the facility back where that much
traffic is at. That’s one of the good things about having 300 acres. We’ve got the
capability of putting it more up toward the Windsor Spring Road area, for more visibility.
Mr. Bridges: Now if we’ve, of course, approved this idea in concept, what
actually are we doing today? Will the plans come back to us for approval, even if we
approve this today?
Mr. Beck: I think what we’re asking, we’re asking for direction. We have plans
obviously with what was in the referendum and what you as a Commission approved for
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a community center at Diamond Lakes. The Library board has plans for a south Augusta
library. We need direction as to whether or not you want us to build a joint facility, and
if you so voted on that day, that is where we would move the design team, which we’ve
got to get on board because right now we haven’t been able to get a design team on board
because we don’t know the scope of the project. This design team, should it be a joint
facility, would be designing a joint project. If you decide not to do that, then the Library
board would choose their architect, separate architect for a project, and we would select
ours and move forward. So what you would be voting on should you vote to move
forward with it would give us direction to move forward with a joint project. And we
would be coming back first with a design contract, mutual contract between the Library
board and ourselves, and then from there, the next thing you would see would be the
preliminary actual design plans before we moved forward to bid it.
Mr. Bridges: Design plans would have to be approved by this Commission?
Mr. Beck: That’s correct.
Mr. Bridges: Okay. Another question, I guess Richard or Mr. Lowrey, the land
that Ms. [inaudible], I believe her name is given, is if I looked at the plat, was reading the
plat right that you mailed out, that’s behind I believe it’s the Southern Natural Gas place
off Tobacco Road? I mean it’s not on the main drag of Tobacco Road, it’s off a side
street behind that development; is that correct?
Mr. Lowrey: [inaudible]
Mr. Bridges: Okay.
Mr. Lowrey: [inaudible]
Mr. Mayor: Gene, could you come up to the microphone so we can get you on
the record, please.
Mr. Lowrey: She owns all that land and that’s why I ask for a delay, that if it’s
not where we want it, that we can talk to her and I think that we can get her to give the
land in a different area. All that land in the back back there belongs to Ms. [inaudible].
Mr. Bridges: That just seems to be the -- you’re got the same problem there
you’d have it you put it down in Diamond Lakes. It’s off the main drag, it’s not visible, it
would decrease the likeliness of I guess passer-by usage of the library.
Mr. Lowrey: But she owns that right on Windsor. That land goes all the way
over to Windsor Spring, too. You know, right off Tobacco Road and Windsor Spring.
Mr. Bridges: Okay.
Mr. Lowrey: On by Eckerd Drug Store, if you know where that is.
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Mr. Bridges: Yes, sir.
Mr. Lowrey: That’s hers also, so that’s what I was saying. All we’re asking for is
time.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Colclough?
Mr. Colclough: That plat you’ve got, I think that was not the correct piece of
property that she offered us the first time. I think that was a piece of land that the agent
drew in and mailed out to us. But my question is why approve something when we don’t
have a plan, nor do we have a piece of property to put it on. How are you going to design
a building without having a piece of land to put it on? And that’s my thinking.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, if I remember construction techniques, you first select
the site before you go into any detailed design work. We do have 286 acres of land
already that’s in place. To correct the record on comments earlier, Iola Community
Center was built from scratch for $6.5 million. You need to add this to the record. It’s
not an old school. It hasn’t been renovated from an old school. It is in a very nice
neighborhood, pretty much like West Augusta. But the ideas of noise, ladies and
gentlemen, I’ll quote the director of the library there when asked the question is there any
problem from the noise, from the pre-school program, large pre-school program, the
gymnasium, the gymnastics center, and she said no, not any more than any other branch.
She also said about the combined facility that if something were to happen, it’s really
nice to have someone down the hall you can call on. We’ve seen these projects, again as
the opponents of this project have said, we don’t have a plan. We’ve thought this through
and we’ve taken a very reasoned approach to this project. I would think that two-and-a-
years, if we were planning on using a different site, that I would have the site selected
and a plan in place and have discussed it with the Library board and been a lot further
along than give us more time and we’ll see what we can do. Clearly, in 20 years this
whole area will be completely grown up. There will be houses on Willis Foreman Road
which will have an entrance to the park. There will be houses on the newly-five-laned
Windsor Spring Road. It will continue to grow towards Hephzibah. And by this, we
have to consider the needs of the Tobacco Road corridor, but we also have to consider
those south of Tobacco Road in building this facility. Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t
know what site we’ll pick, but there are some sites out there on Diamond Lakes, and I
assure you that this Commission a few years ago took a change from just half-building to
building things right, and if you go to any of our latest construction projects you can see
that. It will be right, built right, on the prettiest site. And the vision that you get from the
windows of the library and the community center won’t be the BFI dumpster of the store
in front. It will be a lake and a green belt and other things that are aesthetically pleasing
and are conducive to a peaceful environment. Soundproofing was created a long time
ago. Managing if your children, if you go to any community center, if it’s managed
properly you don’t have kids running around like wild Indians. There’s been so much
24
misinformation. All I’m asking you as a Commission to do is why not let’s have
something on the cutting edge, something that is better together than apart? Something
that will set us apart from the rest of the surrounding area as leaders, with something that
is a proven entity in other cities.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Shepard?
Mr. Shepard: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. For about three-and-a-half years I’ve been
this Commission’s representative over at the Library board and I’ve encouraged them at
every step of the way to think this thing through and be orderly in the development of a
proposal for the south Augusta branch, and I think that they have done that. I have been
satisfied and I think that you Commission members should know, and Tom, as Chairman,
correct me if I’m wrong, that this concept has always passed the Library board
overwhelmingly, usually with only one dissenting vote. And that is a collection of
individuals who represent all Districts. And I’ve been encouraging them all along to
cooperate with the Recreation Department and to do something in cooperation with the
Recreation Department not unlike the Garrett Gym project was done with the School
Board and the gym in the Seventh District. None of these are in my District, but what
impresses me is the figures that Recreation & Parks have put out for the potential
construction savings and the potential operational economies which are involved in a
joint facility, and if I read Tom’s memo right you have an annual savings of $25,000-
75,000. Our budget is going to grow and I know that, but I also know when we have an
opportunity to reduce that budget growth and to pursue economies of operation, we
should not fail to take advantage of that opportunity. And I think that the Diamond Lakes
concept satisfied that operational economy. It is true to what the Library board, the
overwhelming Library board sentiment is, and I plan to vote -- if Mr. Cheek makes the
appropriate motion, I plan to vote in favor of the Diamond Lakes concept today.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My questions relate to the recreation side
of it and the library side. I need somebody to explain to me about the play around. When
you talk about the ball fields and when you don’t have a specific place in mind and when
you said about a joint venture, my mind goes back to a ball field, then a building, and
people playing ball and people running in from the playing ball. I mean nobody has
explained to me where those locations -- I seen the sketches and they look great. But I
just need to know from the Rec side, when it comes to the recreation part of it and not the
indoor part with the weights and all that stuff, Tom, I’m talking about when it comes to
the ball field, when it comes to the traffic and that kind of thing, in your mind, can you
help me out, can you show me, can you tell me how this facility, the one you went to
visit, how is that set up as far as the play area? Cause I’m thinking the kids going to be
running, and they say they ain’t wild Indians, but I know a lot of them that’s running
around. I just need to see how the play area comes in effect with the educational part of
it.
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Mr. Beck: Well, as far as the athletic fields and the outdoor element of the park, I
think as I mentioned earlier, the athletic areas, when you go into Diamond Lakes, the
actual park road going into the athletic area is about three-quarters of a mile, a half-mile
to three-quarters before you get to the athletic area. And we now own all the property on
the left side of the entrance road going all the way into the park. Almost 300 acres. So
again, it would not be my recommendation to place the facility with that kind of traffic
flow which would include the athletic area. This facility, in my opinion, should be built
up closer to Windsor Spring Road on that part of the property. Now play areas and
playgrounds and things like that would, I think, have to be a part of a community center
element to have that capability for day camps and after-school programs there inside the
center, but again, my concept would be as is with these other facilities, that the
playground area would be on the opposite side of the library area. So that would not be
impacted and that was what was done in Illinois at the facility we looked at. That facility
also had two athletic fields that utilized the same parking lots as the library and the
community center joint facility, so they had athletic field there also that were all together,
whereas I think we’ve got more property here to separate some of those elements out.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair has a couple of questions for you. Mr. Cheek described
this project as cutting edge. Do we have any idea what the cost for this combined project
would be and what the cost of separate projects would be?
Mr. Beck: Well, the combined budgets of both the library and the recreation side
is $6.175 million. That’s combined. I believe it’s $3.8 million for Recreation and $2.2
million to $2.3 million from the Library funding, which also includes some Phase III
carryover monies.
Mr. Mayor: Do both the Library board and the City have adequate funding to pay
for this 100%? Do we already have the money in hand or identified?
Mr. Beck: As far as the capital monies?
Mr. Mayor: Right.
Mr. Beck: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. It is identified in the SPLOST.
Mr. Mayor: [inaudible] the Library, too? Tom, is that right?
Mr. Sutherland: [inaudible], $1,625,000 is construction, furnishings and
equipment.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Kolb, I asked your office to prepare for me a cost
analysis and doing a design bid versus a design build for this project to see if we could
save additional costs. If we’re going to spend $6.2 million, the architectural fees are
going to approach half a million dollars on this. We can I think probably realize a
substantial savings by doing a design build. Have you all prepared that information for
us yet?
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Mr. Kolb: We are in the process of preparing it now. I asked Mr. Beck to look
into it and do a comparison between the traditional way of constructing a facility, as well
as the design bid concept.
Mr. Mayor: I would certainly like to, for my own information, have that
information before we proceeded with hiring somebody to do a design in the traditional
manner, if we can save money doing it the cutting edge way.
Mr. Kolb: Absolutely. We’ll bring that information back to you as soon as it’s
available.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Cheek?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, to answer a question in the motion. One of the sites
between -- that may be selected and the ball fields is over a quarter of a mile. So you can
Mr. Mayor, I make
see an adequate separation between the two types of park facilities.
a motion that we approve with proceeding with the design and construction of the
combined facility library center/community center at Diamond Lakes Regional
Park.
Mr. Shepard: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Mr. Colclough: Mr. Mayor, I’d make a substitute motion that we delay this
project until further notice from me.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a second to that motion? Motion does for lack of a second?
Any further discussion on the original motion?
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Mays?
Mr. Mays: A couple of observations. I guess since I’m the last survivor of
Diamond Lakes original deal of how it got started. Commissioners from Districts 4, 6
and 8 in the original concept of Diamond Lakes, and one thing about things not being
written in stone is that you’ve got the flexibility to change as you see progressive
measures that you need to add on or take away. One of the questions, and the reason why
I didn’t make a second to the motion, the substitute motion, one thing I learned how to
do, Mr. Mayor, a long time ago when I got here was count. I got whipped enough times
14 to 2, 15 to 1, I know how those things work. But it’s a simple question in terms of,
one, I think that both Rec and Transportation have gone back and have tried diligently to
answer, and I think it’s something in reference to access to this facility and of further
access for transportation in the south Augusta area period. Tom, what -- [inaudible]
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answer this or you, where are we standing with that part of it? Because I know that this
was something that we talked about in terms of the fact of this being a regional facility,
that particularly with young people particularly and elderly people who may want to use
public transport, from areas that might not be able to access it there. Where are y’all
standing with that and what’s on the drawing board to kind of blend this? Because I
think you’ve got an excellent opportunity for something creative and maybe some cost
savings, but I want to make sure that folk are able to get to it. You know, if it’s an event,
whether it’s at one facility or the other, that having four Districts that I represent directly,
I want to make sure that somebody in east Augusta needs to transfer beyond Tobacco
Road or if they in the Hill area to do that, wherever they can do that. Where do you all
figure the transportation in? I know that’s not permanently answered, but just for the
point of access, I ask that for the record.
Mr. Beck: I’m going to have to refer to Mr. Johnson on that. At the request of the
committee, we did -- Mr. Johnson did look into the transit route issue going out to
Diamond Lakes and I refer to Heywood on that question.
Mr. Johnson: Right now, Mr. Mays, where we stand is that we’re waiting on a
decision by the board. We have looked at a route that left from the mall, went down
Deans Bridge Road to west Richmond Hill Road, out Richmond Hill Road, to Windsor
Spring, on out that way, and then the other route that we looked at was to come down
Deans Bridge Road to Meadowbrook, Meadowbrook across to Windsor Spring Road, and
on out to Diamond Lakes. And the first proposal was that I gave some costs and
estimates, and both estimates was of somewhere in the neighborhood of around $95,000
and then that would be roughly for six days a week service for approximately eight hours
a day. That could be modified up or down. But that was attached to the original
proposal.
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, the reason why I wanted that brought out, even though
that’s not necessarily something that’s on the table today, is that if we’ve got an
opportunity to save some money on one side of this equation, we’ve been trying to figure
out how then do we get money over to the Transit and in a creative way that will not just
necessarily service this particular entity, but of getting us in a public transportation mode
that gets us also beyond Tobacco Road, and I guess you can kind of say I’ve been
sidebarred [inaudible] this deal in terms of having to be on the short end and get
[inaudible]. We want to make sure that if we’re moving in that direction, this is an
opportunity not just to deal with the project at hand in terms of savings, but if we can
save in one area of it, this may also be an opportunity to get Mr. Johnson some money
over on the transport side that will not only be for the one project that you are servicing in
that area, but of being able to get transportation extended to the south Richmond County
side as well, and that’s I just wanted to bring that in for the record. I thank the two
departments for working together on that and in trying to get it done. And Tom, I don’t
have to tell you, whatever y’all can save on one side, I’m going to be trying to hustle for
Heywood on the other side of trying to get it, because you know I can remember for years
when we were separated and one government didn’t contribute at all and we got to a
point of getting a subsidy out there and now we need to act like a real city. If we going to
28
be put something there, we going to go state-of-the art one way, then it needs to be
accessible and we need to be able to get public transportation out into that area, and this
may be a creative way where we save money on one hand of dumping it over into Transit
and being able to get us that way, too. And I think we can get two things, actually three
things out of one, instead of two out of one.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Jerry Brigham?
Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I got to ask some questions cause I’m lost on part of
this, especially with the neighborhood’s concerns. I’ve read the proposal and I need
some responses from the neighborhood of some of the things I saw in that. I want to
know if the neighborhood alliance is in agreement with everything in there, delay this or
not. And that’s about the request to change of zoning to light industrial for that tract of
land.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Lowrey, would you come up to the microphone, please?
Mr. Lowrey: Yes. There are some things that might need to be revisited or in
that proposal, and that’s why -- we just got her, I spoke to her and she had stated that she
didn’t want to do it because the first time she thought it was a done deal and it wasn’t, I
think, and then she -- I talked her into doing it again, and that’s the last I have been able
to talk to her about it, and I haven’t had a chance to get back to her to try to negotiate
with her or Mr. Colclough, to try to negotiate with her. There are parts in there that we
don’t like. To try to take them out.
Mr. J. Brigham: I don’t believe that your membership would be in favor of
changing to light industrial in that zoning.
Mr. Lowrey: Well, I said there are some things that [inaudible].
Mr. J. Brigham: The other thing that I’m concerned about is there is over a
million dollar road that is being proposed in that proposal also that this Commission
would build, and I don’t know where the funding for that million dollar road is going to
come from. If we’re going to fund a million -- if we’ve got a million-and-a-half dollars
for a library and we’re going to build a million dollar road to get the land to buy the
library, I don’t see where we can do that, and I don’t believe -- there is also, from what I
saw in that proposal, there was a reversion in five years. I don’t believe that will be
money at the end of five years to rebuild this branch of the Augusta Library if we don’t
build it with the $2 million that are there now. I don’t think we need to take Library
money for road building.
Mr. Lowrey: What I’d like to say is that the proposal that was sent, like Mr.
Colclough said, was that Mrs. [inaudible] is about 80-something years old, and she has a
realtor that is taking care of most of her business. And she stated to me that even in the
first proposal that she wasn’t aware of some of the things that he was asking for. And
29
that’s why I said that you would need to talk to her instead of just directly talking to him.
And I’ll refer my other comments to Mr. Colclough.
Mr. Colclough: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Brigham, there’s quite a few things in that
proposal that not only the neighborhood association don’t agree with, I don’t agree with.
And that is -- the road is one, the light industry rezoning is another, and that is the reason
why we have to revisit the project, or we won’t be able to visit the project. But that’s
what we need to do is take out -- I know about the million dollar road. I know about the
light industry. And those are some of the things that we needed to take out of this project
if the woman is going to give us the piece of land. No, I don’t agree with the million
dollar road, I don’t agree with the light industry rezoning. But that is what we needed to
talk about. Right now, that’s a moot point.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I move to call the question.
Mr. Mayor: The question has been called on the motion from Commissioner
Cheek, which is to approve proceeding with the design and construction of a combined
community center/library facility at Diamond Lakes Regional Park. All in favor of that
motion, please vote aye.
Mr. Colclough votes No.
Motion carries 9-1.
Mr. Mayor: That takes us back to our consent agenda. Commissioner Williams,
we’ve pulled items 33 and 34 so you could look at the backup material.
33. Motion to approve the acquisition of One (1) 35-Ton Trailer for Utilities
Department – Construction Division from Wallace Trailer Company of
Valdosta, Georgia for $27,900.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 01-083).
(Approved by Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
34. Motion to approve the acquisition of One (1) Mid Sized Excavator for
Utilities Department - Construction & Maintenance Division from Southern
Power Company of Augusta, Georgia for $101,373.00 (lowest bid offer on
Bid-084). (Approved by Finance Committee May 29, 2001)
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I have had an opportunity to do that, and I’m
satisfied with that. We’ve got some different type of equipment and some different
vendors and kind of threw me off for a minute, but I think I’ve been satisfied with that.
Mr. Mayor: All right. We will entertain a motion then.
Mr. Bridges: I move for approval Items 33 and 34.
Mr. Shepard: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: Motion and second. Any further discussion? All in favor of those
items, please vote aye.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: The next item is item 48, Madame Clerk.
Clerk:
48. Motion to approve construction budget in the amount of $40,000 and sharing
of cost of 10" water line and fire hydrant for New Zion Hill Baptist Church
in the amount of $14,048.89. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee
May 29, 2001)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams?
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. That $14,000, is Max here?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hicks? Mr. Richards is here.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Richards is here?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Richards, are you familiar with this project?
Mr. Kolb: Mr. Mayor, I think I may be able to answer the question if you ask it.
Mr. Williams: Okay. What had happened when I went out with the deacon from
that church and we looked at running a water line, a fireplug, from one fireplug maybe
half a block down to the other one. And the amount, the $40,000, share the cost with the
church, and the church, I think, an additional $14,000; isn’t that right, George?
Mr. Kolb: That is correct.
Mr. Williams: And the total, what we got as the total of that?
Mr. Kolb: If you’re talking about -- the church paid $14,000 of the $40,000.
Mr. Williams: The church paid what now?
Mr. Kolb: They paid a share, $14,000 of the $40,000.
Mr. Williams: They paid a share, $14,000 out of $40,000?
Mr. Kolb: That’s correct.
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Mr. Williams: Okay. And I’ve got no problem. We, I’m not in that business but
Mabus Construction who is doing this for us, I think there are some things that we need
to add into that contract. There ought to be a time line in there, George, plus there ought
to be a factor with no change orders coming back. I think that that is an excessive
amount to run a straight water line from one corner to half a block straight down. I
understand construction is high. But I would like to see a time line in there when they
start and when they finish. The church is waiting on that, plus we need to know -- a note
in there about a change order. We keep coming back with these change orders, and we
talking about a 10” pipe across one driveway. And I don’t know they going to bore that
or they going to go across that concrete or how they going do it. But if that would save
us some money, I think it be cheaper to put some concrete back and then to bore up under
that, but I mean, we need those two stipulations in that contract. A time line as when
they going start and when they going to finish. And definitely no more change orders.
Don’t come back with -- I mean we had too much of that. These people been doing work
for us for many, many years, and we get a job started and that’s not going half a block. I
just wanted that to be noted that we expect them to do it for that price if that what it going
be. And that price is really --
Mr. Kolb: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Kolb?
Mr. Kolb: Well, certainly we’ll bring you back a scheduled completion. I’m not
sure what we can do with the change order but we’ll certainly work towards that in terms
of prohibiting them. I’m hoping that you understand that the church’s share is just for
what they requested. A 6” line. And that is the cost equivalent of a 6” line. However,
for our purposes and for future expansion, we wanted to increase the size of the line, as
well as the length of it. And so that is why we are paying the lion’s share of the cost of
that project.
Mr. Williams: Okay. Then I’m really confused a little bit, George, cause what
happened in the beginning, they initially wanted the church to take the line all the way to
their property and Mr. Richards was there, I think, with Mr. Cheeks and along with a
couple of members from the church. And it was going to be some $27,000 cost to the
church. But on our right-of-way, less than a half a block away, there is a fireplug that we
talked about and the church only needed a 6” line. But the city, the water department
agreed to put a 10” line down the right-of-way where it would stop in front of their
church. Now this is a continuation which we going need later on cause there are other
businesses and everything else in that area. But it’s going to be a 10” line is what you’re
saying, right?
Mr. Kolb: Yes, it is. Mr. Williams, I can’t give you the background but possibly
Mr. Richards can, cause I’m not familiar with the history.
Mr. Richards: Thank you. Commissioner Williams, let me explain what the
difference is. The 10” line that we’re requesting to extend down needs to be tied into a
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10” line, which is across Georgetown Drive, which calls for boring and jacking under
Georgetown Drive. But I asked the contractor to also give me a quote of picking up the
additional 6” line where it stops now, right at the fire hydrant that you referred to,
extending the amount of pipe down to in front of the church, and that was the sum of
$14,048. The additional is to jack and bore Georgetown Drive to tie into a 10” water
main, extend the 6” down to the same location.
Mr. Williams: I’m not there yet, Mr. [inaudible]. You going to Georgetown,
you’re saying, with the 10” line that you need to go to. I think what I’m worried about,
the amount of money that the church is going to have to assume with the necessary line to
get the water to that building. Cause they added on to their sanctuary and they cannot
open it or they cannot occupy it until they get the water there. But are you saying that we
going further with this line; is that right?
Mr. Richards: No, sir. I asked them to quote me the cost of the 6” line to pick up
just what the church has required.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Richards: To pick up for the existing fire hydrant and extend 400 some-odd
feet and set another fire hydrant in front of the church property to meet their
requirements.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Richards: All three bid came in. Low bid was $14,048.
Mr. Williams: Okay. Okay. I’m getting somewhere. And how much of that is
the church -- cause the church made an agreement and they was willing to partnership
with the city to alleviate us from some of that cost. I’m saying -- from what I’m reading
I’m thinking the church is paying the $14,000.
Mr. Richards: That’s right. That’s for a 6” line.
Mr. Williams: That’s for a 6” line.
Mr. Richards: The Utilities Department will participate by laying a 10” line.
That total cost is $36,409, which the Utilities Department is responsible for paying
$22,360.81. That will give us a 10” line in the event we ever need to extent the line down
south further on Highway 1 for future development.
Mr. Williams: Okay. The last question, Mr. Mayor, I’m going to be through with
this. If we didn’t do a 10” line, if we only did the 6” line for the church -- if it’s not
feasible to do that, it don’t make good sense, I understand all that, but if we just did the
6” line that they need, it would only cost $14,000?
33
Mr. Richards: There’s no reason for us to do just a 6” line.
Mr. Williams: I understand, Mr. Richards. I’m just trying to get some figures
clear. It wouldn’t be right to do that. All I’m saying is the church is paying for a 6” line.
Mr. Mayor: But they’re getting a 10” line.
Mr. Williams: No, no, no, no. The City’s going to get a 10” line. The church is
going to have the use of it. And my problem is they going to be paying for a 6” line and
getting a 10” and all they need is a 6”. But the city’s not putting their part in the $14,000
from what I see. I guess -- we won’t worry about it. Mr. Mayor, I’m through.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Kolb, the church’s participation will be capped at that $14,000,
whatever it is, so if there is a change order and overrun, it wouldn’t affect the church’s
participation; the city would absorb that, is that correct?
Mr. Kolb: That is correct.
Mr. Williams: I think maybe Mr. Mayor Pro Tem -- somebody else go to catch
this.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mays?
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, I was pretty much -- if this was worked out and
everybody is in agreement, this about [inaudible] go ahead and vote for it, and I may need
some help, particularly from two old city guys, Steve and Lee, on this particular issue
here. But let’s back up a second. If I’m hearing correctly in terms of the incentive to do
something that will enhance our system possibly for the future and this is not a precedent-
making deal, we’ve done things like this historically before, but I think we ought to be
real clear and honest about it. We’re not just really to a point of what the church needs.
We’re not really saving the church anything. I think we need to be clear about that. It
may be a 10” line on there to a point where if maybe they did some [inaudible] expenses
about what’s different there, but really we’re benefiting from it, and what’s been done
somewhat in the past, and correct me if I’m wrong, even to the point of where we’ve say
maybe, where a person or a entity may have bought materials, we did labor and those
type of participations, or if it was necessary, for instance, whether it be a sewer line or
whether it be a water line, where the city has enriched its own usage to do something,
then there has been somewhat of a sharing to that one individual who is basically
isolated. What I see in this, and I probably would vote for it cause it seems as though it’s
the only way they’re going to be able to get done what they need to get done, but I think
in terms of clarity, it seems as though we are basically moving along and filling a gap
because the church happens to be there, and them taking part of more than a third of
what’s going to be done on a 10” deal but actually paying 100% --
Mr. Williams: For a 6”.
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Mr. Mays: -- for a pipe and whole. You know, I just think it ought to be clear.
And I’m just -- [inaudible], Steve, where we control in the old city the majority of the
water and the lines where we did balanced participation or if it enhanced growth to an
area and we were going to be able to get people to tie on for the future, where we maybe
ran a line through a particular entity’s property, they did pay, they absorbed some of the
cost in it, but in this case for what they need, they are paying the 100% basically for that.
You know, they could just as well very much say if it’s going to cost hem $14,000 to get
the 10” or the 6”, you know, if they came back and said just give us the 6”, we’re going
to pay 100% of it anyway. So I don’t think we ought to [inaudible] anybody about
thinking maybe they’re getting away with something.
Mr. Williams: Right.
Mr. Mays: [inaudible] participation that we’re giving something here. I think it
ought to be clear to say they’re paying 100% of what they’re getting, cause that pipe is
down in the hole, but what’s going to go that new line, they going to basically use what
they need to be able to be compensated for out of that line, and if we going to enhance
our system of what we do in that area, then I think we either ought to participate to a
greater degree or we ought to state that they’re paying 100%.
Mr. Mayor: The church has agreed to this; is that correct, Mr. Kolb?
Mr. Kolb: That’s correct. The concept is when we’re approached by anyone who
wants water services that are not present, then we will ask them to pay exactly for what
they need, and if we want to improve the system or we’re doing it for future expansion,
then we will pay the balance.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Kolb. Mr. Mayor, may I?
Mr. Mayor: Just a minute. Mr. Brigham wanted to speak.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Henry Brigham and then we’ll come back around. Mr. Henry,
go ahead.
Mr. H. Brigham: Mr. Williams has taken the lead on this. It’s in my District. I
was not available when they started getting this started, and I thank him for negotiating it
down to this point. But I think that we ought to make a decision so we won’t continue to
hold the church up in what they’re trying to do. And then we can talk to Mr. Brian
, but I think we ought to approve it so that they can
Richards and [inaudible] point
continue to go on and do the improvements for the church. And that is my motion.
Mr. Mayor: Approve then? All right.
Mr. Beard: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: We have a second. Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Okay. And I’m in agreement. I’m going to vote for it. I just think
the church should not have to pay the 100% of what they asking for, and the city’s saying
it’s a 10” line and we changing the size. But there are two other prominent business
that’s going to be benefit from this same line that they going to stop it at the church. And
when they add to it, when Mr. Brian continue on out, we going to carry this water line
that we desperately need, we need it anyway, down there, but the church going to foot the
bill not only for the church but for anybody else that going to be using it, and I think that
cost is really too much for them to have to pay that amount, and they agreed because
that’s less than what they had to initially deal with in the beginning, and if they don’t
know, if they are not represented, I mean if it’s less than what that original amount was,
and they got to have it, then there’s no way around it. But I think we as a governing body
should not sit here and act like well, it’s fine. I think we need to bring those points out.
I’m going to vote for it, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. H. Brigham: [inaudible] and then come back to our departments and our
department heads to see what they can do to [inaudible].
Mr. Williams: Is that in your motion that we can come back? Is that in your
motion?
Mr. H. Brigham: I will.
Mr. Williams: Okay. You put that in your motion, okay.
Mr. H. Brigham: [inaudible].
Mr. Williams: Okay, if that’s in your motion, Mr. Brigham, I got not problem,
but I think we need to come back.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Bridges, did you have something you wanted to say?
Mr. Bridges: No, I wanted to second the motion, the original motion.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion on the floor to approve. Is there any further
discussion? All in favor of the motion, please vote aye.
Mr. Williams: Was that Mr. Brigham’s original -- I don’t know what motion was
on the floor. Is that Mr. Brigham’s original motion?
Mr. Kolb: That’s right.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Brigham voted for it.
36
Mr. Williams: Yeah, but is that his original motion?
Mr. Mayor: Must have been a good one.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: That takes us to item number 56, Madame Clerk.
Clerk:
56. Motion to approve an Ordinance to amend County code section 2-2-32(e)(iii)
so as to provide for use of the Hotel and Motel Tax; to provide an effective
date; to repeal conflicting Ordinances; and for other purposes. (Second
reading – approved by the Commission May 15, 2001)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Henry Brigham?
Mr. H. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I’d like to move that we add
$100,000 to this and let it be donated -- maybe that’s not the right word -- transferred to
the Delta House and Association, however they have it listed, and I put that in the form of
a motion and that we approve this.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Are you specifying a source?
Mr. Beard: The Laney-Walker Museum.
Mr. H. Brigham: [inaudible]
Mr. Mayor: Where that’s coming from?
Mr. H. Brigham: Mr. Keven Mack’s office.
Mr. Mayor: HND. Okay.
Mr. Williams: And where is that going, Mr. Brigham? Is that the Laney-Walker
Museum, you say?
Mr. H. Brigham: The Laney-Walker Museum.
Mr. Colclough: I’ll second it.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Wall wants to clarify something for us.
Mr. Bridges: Do we need a five-minute recess, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: I see some heads nodding. We’ll declare a five minute recess.
37
[RECESS]
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Mr. Henry Brigham, who is going to make a
substitute motion.
Mr. Kuhlke: No, I think I’m going to make it.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair will recognize Mr. Kuhlke.
Mr. Kuhlke: I believe that’s right. Mr. Brigham made the original motion.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a motion that we approve Item 56,
second reading.
Mr. Bridges: Second it.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and second. Any discussion? All in favor of the motion
then, please vote aye.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: By my count, that takes us over to item number 59. Is that correct,
Madame Clerk?
Clerk: 51?
Mr. Mayor: 59.
Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES:
59. Motion to approve Agreement between Southeastern Natural Sciences
Academy Land Trust, Inc. and Augusta, Georgia for the furtherance of the
Greenspace Program for an initial annual fee of $55,000.00, payable
monthly. (No Recommendation Engineering Services Committee May 29,
2001)
Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Additional annual fee.
Clerk: Yes.
38
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Kuhlke?
Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor, I move that we approve this contract and that the
funding for this service for this year be taken out of the General Fund Contingency
pro-rated for the year.
Mr. Bridges: Second it.
Mr. Mayor: Discussion?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, just kind of an amendment if the maker will accept it,
that we would establish a transitional period of the next two to three years to where we
work our personnel into running this green space program.
Mr. Mayor: Is there any objection to amending the motion?
Mr. Kuhlke: I’d rather not do that since this is an annual -- the way I read it, Mr.
Wall, this is an annual contract, renewable or cancelable by either party with 60 days’
notice, so I see no real need in amending that, Andy, cause we can do that at any
anniversary date.
Mr. Cheek: Well, the only thing about it is cutting it off at a date does not allow a
good, smooth transitional period to occur if you have an agreement, a partnership, and
that’s what I’m concerned with bringing if we should decide to terminate the contract,
having someone brought up to speed without having to start over from scratch.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Beard and then Mr. Bridges.
Mr. Beard: I can understand what Commissioner Cheek is saying, but I think will
work for our program, and we can go on an engage as it is, and if anything needs to be
done, we can do that at the termination -- it is an annual thing and we can support -- I can
support it.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Bridges?
Mr. Bridges: Mr. Mayor, I think Andy has a good idea in regards to bringing this
in-house eventually. I feel like it’s the proper thing to do now -- is to hire this firm to do
this. They have a lot of volunteers also that will help assist them that will not cost us
anything. But I think basically we can perform that same function, Andy, just by
instructing the Administrator that that’s pretty much the consensus of the Commission to
move in that direction in the future and to see if he can see that that’s done.
39
Mr. Mayor: Further discussion? All in favor of the motion, please vote aye.
Motion carries 10-0.
Clerk:
OVERSITE COMMITTEE – JUDICIAL CENTER:
60. Motion to authorize the Oversight Committee to expend funds for
appropriate property appraisals, environmental studies; and to authorize the
committee to enter into negotiations with the Coliseum Authority for a two-
acre parcel of Coliseum Authority property.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Kuhlke, you’re the Chairman.
Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor, the Oversight Committee met last week, and what we
are recommending to you -- we need to begin to get a handle on what that particular site
is going to cost us. We also -- part of the approach to acquire that property is working
with the Coliseum Authority to exchange two acres of their parking lot for roughly two
acres that they own in the 600 block of Greene Street. To take care of the lost parking for
the Coliseum Authority, we also need to look at the site where the R&R Trucking is and
abandon the road that goes around that site. By doing that, we pick up two-and-a-half
acres, and so the net loss in parking for the Coliseum Authority would only be 16 spaces.
In addition, we need to go ahead and do some environmental studies on the R&R site and
also the old bus station. So we don’t -- I talked with the chief appraiser. We’re probably
looking in the range of $25,000-30,000 for appraisal work, and I’m not exactly sure about
the environmental work. But for us to move forward and to come back to this
Commission with an accurate idea of what it’s going to cost us to acquire that property,
I’d like to make a
there’s some preliminary work that needs to be done. So we’d like --
motion that we accept the recommendation of the Oversight Committee to allow us
to move forward and to expend the funds that we need to to get to that point.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Shepard, is your hand up?
Mr. Shepard: It is, and I’ll second the motion, but I had a question about the
scope of the motion, Bill.
Mr. Kuhlke: About the scope?
Mr. Shepard: Yes. Well, don’t -- can I ask a question, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Certainly.
Mr. Shepard: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Bill, don’t we need to have authority from
this body granted that we have three-way negotiations? The materials only say the
Coliseum Authority, but I think the Trustees or the governing authority of the First
Presbyterian Church needs to be involved, because we’re going to take part f the church
40
land, and the church is going to take part of the Coliseum land, then we’re going to
restore parking, I think, through our ability to acquire property, so isn’t it a three-way
deal?
Mr. Kuhlke: It is a three-way deal. I guess we felt like that at this point, that if
we don’t have the two acres to swap initially that we need to work with the Coliseum
Authority first and then from that point you need to go to the property owners, because
there are more property owners than just First Presbyterian. But you’re correct. But
we’ve got a couple of hurdles to get over first, I think.
Mr. Shepard: But if you want to limit it to just dealing with the Coliseum
Authority, I think that’s fine, but the other major player here is the First Presbyterian
Church.
Mr. Kuhlke: They are.
Mr. Kuhlke: And I’d like to include them so we could go ahead and proceed
without having to come back to this body.
Mr. Shepard: That was my point exactly. So you’ll amend the motion?
Mr. Kuhlke: Yes, I would like to.
Mr. Mayor: Is there any objection to amending the motion to include the First
Presbyterian Church governing board? Okay.
Mr. Kuhlke: And how about not just First Presbyterian, but how about the
other property owners within that area?
Mr. Mayor: Any objection? Okay. Continue on with the debate. Commissioner
Williams and then Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’m in support of the Oversight Committee and what
Bill has just said about the amount of money to -- the appraiser and that kind of thing
kind of rings a bell with me. I need some kind of direction as to what limits? If we don’t
say now as of how much money we going to be able to spend on this research we going
do, I mean it can run pretty expensive. Shouldn’t we not have some type of -- I guess cap
is a good word -- amount, Bill, that we looking at that we going to do this inquiry and
stuff on? We going to have any idea about the entity other than the appraisal, right?
Mr. Kuhlke: Well, the two areas that we would spend money on is the appraisal
and the environmental assessment, so we’re looking at between $25,000-30,000 on the
appraisals, and I would say the Phase I environment is probably -- Jim, you got any idea?
Maybe $10,000 or something like that?
41
Mr. Wall: I really -- I wouldn’t think that it would be in excess of that. Ideally,
what I’ll try to do is get Dr. [inaudible] to do an initial assessment, and then depending
upon his findings and recommendations we would then perhaps to employ someone else
outside to do the environmental study.
Mr. Williams: Well, I’m still not hearing an amount here. I still need to know.
You talking about $35,000, we need to say, I think that that’s what we going to work in
the realm of and if it’s going to be addition to that.
Mr. Kuhlke: Why not give us the authority to go up to $50,000?
Mr. Williams: Okay. I mean I just think we need an amount. We need to know
before we just --
Mr. Kuhlke: Let’s cap it at $50,000.
Mr. Mayor: Any objection to capping it at $50,000? Are you getting all these
amendments, Madame Clerk?
Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Cheek?
Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I support the recommendations of the
Committee. I guess I’m going to put a what-if in this. Mr. Chairman, are we looking at
say we find some type of underground contamination or something that makes this site
economically unfeasible for use, do we have a fall-back plan or a site B in mind that we
would go to?
Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Wall?
Mr. Wall: I guess the concern perhaps would be that there was some property that
we could not exchange with the Coliseum Authority, and I have had some other
discussions on some other properties that we talked about. Now whether or not they’re
suitable for the Coliseum Authority’s use or not, I don’t know. Insofar as the one
property that’s within the Greene Street block, there has been a site assessment already
done several years ago. I don’t have that information, although I‘ve been promised it
several times. But I don’t think that it is going to be an impediment to the use that we’re
intending to utilize it for.
Mr. Cheek: I guess my other concern is that it seems like every time we dig in the
city of Augusta we find old underground storage tanks, and I know we had some gas
stations and a bus station there, and there may be some cleaning solvents or something
that’s underground that we don’t know about, and those clean-up costs are pretty steep.
That was why I had my question about that.
42
Mr. Wall: The area where the dry cleaners are I think is going to be a parking lot,
so I don’t think that’s going to impact, but those are the types of things we need to look
at. Exactly.
Mr. Cheek: If we discovered TCE in the ground and it’s our property, we have to
clean it up. We can’t just cover it up. That’s pretty steep.
Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion? Mr. Jerry Brigham?
Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor or Mr. Kuhlke, are we going to get around to doing
historic preservation summary or are we [inaudible] at this time?
Mr. Kuhlke: I have asked Ross Snellings to look at the historical buildings over
there and to see what alternatives we may have, and he’s going to be at our next
committee meeting to give us a report back. And we’re going to look at whether or not
we can utilize those buildings, whether we can move them, or whether we can tear them
down. So he’ll be bringing that report back to us.
Mr. J. Brigham: Since we’re amending your authorization, do we need to include
you to authorize that money for [inaudible] if necessary?
Mr. Kuhlke: Not at this point.
Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion? Gentlemen, we have a motion that’s been
amended a couple of times on the floor. Does anybody need the motion restated?
Mr. Bridges: Yes, sir, please.
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, can you restate it please?
Clerk: The motion was to authorize the expenditure of funds for appropriate
property appraisal, environmental studies, with a cap of $50,000, and to authorize the
Committee to enter into negotiations with the Coliseum Authority, the First Presbyterian
Church, and other property owners regarding the two-acres exchange/purchase parcel of
the Coliseum Authority property.
Mr. Kuhlke: No, just the other property owners.
Clerk: Just the other property owners? Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Gentlemen, we’ll call the question on the motion. All in favor,
please vote aye.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: Next item.
43
Clerk:
PETITIONS & COMMUNICATIONS:
61. Select voting delegate for the National Association of County Commissioners
th
Organization’s ( NACO) 66 Annual Conference, July 13-17 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
Clerk: As of now, Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, we have three members of the
Commission considering attending this event, Commissioner Jerry Brigham,
Commissioner Steve Shepard, and Commissioner Marion Williams, and Commissioner
Jerry Brigham sits on the Association of County Commissioners board.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem?
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, since he represents us as a loyal member of ACCG’s
board, I’m going to ask that the voting assignment go to Mr. Jerry Brigham.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and second. Discussion? Is there any objection? None
heard. So the election will be by unanimous consent.
Motion carried by unanimous consent.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Wall, do you have --
62. OTHER BUSINESS
63. LEGAL MEETING
??
Discuss litigation matters
??
Discuss real estate
Mr. Wall: I’d request a legal meeting to discuss litigation matters, real
estate, and would also like to add a personnel matter.
Mr. Mayor: Is that the Administrator’s personnel matter?
Mr. Wall: It is.
Mr. Colclough: I so move.
Mr. Mays: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and second. Any objection? We go into our legal
meeting.
44
Motion carries 10-0.
[LEGAL METING]
65. Motion to approve authorization for the Mayor to execute affidavit of
compliance with Georgia's Open Meetings Act.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair will entertain a motion for the Chairman to sign the
affidavit.
Mr. Bridges: I so move.
Mr. Beard: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Any objection? I’ll execute the affidavit.
Mr. Shepard out.
Motion carries 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Wall, we had one thing on the agenda already. We need to go
ahead and deal with that; right?
64. Approve settlement of pending litigation.
Mr. Wall: We need a motion to approve settlement of the claim of Dan Cook and
Associates by payment of the sum, by Augusta of the sum of $9,000.00 and the sum of
$9,000.00 by the Southeastern Firefighters Association in exchange for a complete
release and a division of the remaining merchandise with the Southeastern Firefighters
Association and also to approve settlement of the claim of Mustard Seed for the sum of
$2,700.00.
Mr. Cheek: I so move.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Discussion?
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Mays?
Mr. Mays: I’m going to vote for the motion, [inaudible] merchandise also be sold
and turn that over to the city in terms of helping settle that?
Mr. Wall: Yes, sir.
45
Mr. Mays: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion? All in favor of the motion, please vote aye.
Mr. Shepard out.
Mr. Bridges and Mr. J. Brigham vote No.
Motion carries 7-2.
Mr. Mayor: Now we have another legal item to add and approve; is that correct,
Mr. Wall?
Mr. Wall: Not a legal item.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair will recognize Mr. Henry Brigham for purpose of a
motion.
Mr. H. Brigham: Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, I would like to move that the
$100,000 be moved from HND funds over to the Lucy-Walker -- not Laney-Walker, but
the Lucy Laney house.
Mr. Mayor: Make a motion to add and approve.
Mr. Beard: I second that.
Mr. J. Brigham: You don’t have unanimous consent.
Mr. H. Brigham: What did you say, Mr. Brigham?
Mr. J. Brigham: You don’t have unanimous consent.
Mr. H. Brigham: Are you going to hold it up, Mr. Brigham?
Mr. J. Brigham: Yes, I am.
Mr. H. Brigham: Until when?
Mr. J. Brigham: Until y’all can put it on the agenda next time. I got some
questions I want to ask.
Mr. H. Brigham: All right. Could you ask any of them, Mr. Brigham?
Mr. J. Brigham: My concern is we’re shifting UDAG funds. I thought UDAG
funds had to be used for redevelopment purposes, and I want to know how this is a
redevelopment purpose, and I have a real question about that.
46
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mack, can you address that?
Mr. Mack: Yes, sir. UDAG funds can be used for any eligible CDBG activities.
Mr. J. Brigham: Any of them? I thought it had to be used twice for
developmental purposes when it first came out.
Mr. Mack: I think the twice [inaudible], once the monies recycle through the
project, the program UDAG twice then they can be used for any purpose.
Mr. J. Brigham: I’d like to know that that’s happened and that’s what we’re
doing and I’d like to know the [inaudible].
Mr. Mack: Well, the $100,000 is based on the fact that CDBG -- I mean UDAG
recaptured funds can be used for any CDBG eligible activity. This is an eligible activity.
Mr. J. Brigham: But doesn’t it have to go through the cycle twice?
Mr. Mack: No, sir.
Mr. J. Brigham: It doesn’t?
Mr. Mack: No, sir. The twice name is this. It has to go through the cycle twice
and then the local government can use it for anything that it wants to use it for.
Mr. J. Brigham: I still will --
Mr. Wall: [inaudible]
Mr. J. Brigham: I might feel better about this at the next meeting, but I would
really like time to understand this.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Beard? The Chair recognizes Mr. Beard.
Mr. Beard: You know, Mr. Mayor, I recognize the fact that any person, any
Commissioner has the obligation to do what they have to do to hold things up. I think
that Mr. Mack has adequately explained that to the Commissioner who has asked him to
explain that, and I just kind of view this as mean-spirited when Commissioners hold
things up just for the sake of hold things up. And, you know, we’ve had such a good
spirit of giving today and working together today. You know, I would just hate for us to
end on this particular note wherein there is no particular reason. The money is there. We
have been asked to spend X number of dollars in this community from the last
[inaudible], and I really don’t want to get back into this, but you know, we’ve debated
this on the last couple of times and we’ve talked about it. We went on and gave the
Augusta Museum the money that they asked for because we saw the need of it. We said
in good faith that if there was money available, we would give it to the Lucy Laney
47
Museum. The money is available, the money has been found by the Administrator and
one of our department heads, and yet still, people are still with the mean spiritedness in
saying that this shouldn’t happen and they want to hold it up. Those people out there at
the Laney-Walker [sic] Museum need their money and if we have been able to do that,
why hold it up? To mean that’s just mean spirited.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. J. Brigham: Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Williams: I think I got the floor, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, sir. I was going to try to calm Mr. Beard and let him
know it’s not always mean spirits, it’s just mean. But what we going do, if I can make a
substitute motion is just --
Mr. Mayor: You can’t make a motion because the item -- we didn’t have
unanimous consent to add the item.
Mr. Williams: Okay. I make my comments.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair is allowing the Commissioners to respond to that and then
we’ll move on.
Mr. Williams: Okay. I’m just going to make my comment and tell Mr. Beard
that we just have to pursue this in another direction and another time. As a government
we need to try to look at the citizens of this entire city. We can’t grow one-sided, we’ve
got to grow together if we going to grow. It’s like a form of cancer. If you don’t tend to
it, it’s going to spread. But I understand what you said and everybody is entitled to their
opinion and if that’s the will of the Commission then we’ll just wait until another time.
Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Cheek?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, thank you. I hope that at some point in the future there
will come a day when we can stop relegating those heroes, those great Americans that
come from our city to some lesser status. We have Ty Cobb and James Brown, who we
have a continued fight over naming things over, and they are two of the greatest in their
field. They’re Augustans and yet we can’t recognize them because it’s one side against
the other. The Lucy Laney Museum is a very important landmark. It is something that
the whole city can celebrate, that from this city a lady such as her came and lived and
contributed to our city. When we can celebrating our successes and stop pointing out our
differences and faults, then this city will come together.
48
Mr. Beard: Move to adjourn.
Mr. Mayor: Was that a motion to adjourn?
Mr. Beard: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a second?
Mr. Bridges: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Any objection?
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor? I just didn’t want it to be unanimous that we adjourn. I
just want to say this. You know I can -- I understand how procedure things happen. I
pull them myself a lot of times. But you know, it ought to end. Cause the only thing I’m
going to say now, you know what goes around comes around. And people call folk to
add on stuff in an election year when they needy, and the only thing I’m going to say is
everybody that has got any favors out of me like that, they better count them and count
them well. Because there will be another day and you know, so, we just do it in two
weeks.
[MEETING ADJOURNED]
Lena J. Bonner
Clerk of Commission
CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and
correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of Augusta Richmond County
Commission held on June 5, 2001.
Clerk of Commission