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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-11-2003 Meeting SPLOST V – CITIZENS COMMITTEE COMMISSION CHAMBER June 11, 2003 Mr. Tarver: If we could ask everybody on the SPLOST Committee to go ahead and take their seats, we’ll go ahead and get started. I suggest since this is a continuation of our earlier meeting and we had invocation and the Pledge as part of the meeting with the Commissioners that we dispense with our invocation for this meeting and move into the presentations. If there is no objection to that we’ll go ahead and proceed with the presentation from Information Technology, Ms. Temeka Allen, the Director. Ms. Allen: Good afternoon, everyone. I’m going to talk to you today. Again, my name is Temeka Allen, I’m Director of the Information Technology Department. I’m going to speak with you today in regard to technology, [inaudible], also I’m going to review some of the items or the items actually that Information Technology Department submitted in the SPLOST V. You are probably wondering what I mean by the actual expression of technology, the hidden piece. What we’re going to do is actually go through a scenario, let you actually see how technology fits into the whole picture. Say for instance a lady calls 9-1-1 and informs them that her house is actually being burglarized. An officer arrives, of course from the Sheriff’s Office, [inaudible] altercation. What I’m going to ask of you is can you at least identify four pieces of technology that was used in taking care of this actual problem? Anybody? Mr. Speaker: Telephone, radio. Ms. Allen: Exactly. Okay. You’re exactly right. Those are the pieces of technology that were utilized. You have the telephones, which were utilized for the actual communication from the person actually to the 9-1-1 Dispatch. You have computers and a computer system which [inaudible] computer in dispatch [inaudible] as being utilized by 9-1-1- which is able to track the information and the call. You have a geographic information system which actually is our mapping system. You may have heard of it. [inaudible] what we have on our web site which gives tax and property data and assessment information which is actually part of our system, our emergency management system, that actually tracks and maps out the locations of these incidents. This is actually another piece of information that is utilized by our Sheriff’s Department so that they can actually identify problem areas. Actually our network is another piece of it. It’s the actually backbone which all these actual items operate on top of. These are only four of the many pieces of technology that was used. Again, you named radios. That is another one. When the officer got to the location, communication was necessary from officer to officer, so the radio would have been utilized. That’s what I mean by the actual items being hidden. They are sometimes overlooked. In most cases, they are overlooked. But they are actually a big, important piece of what’s necessary in regard to technology and what’s necessary to provide support to our citizens. When we think about the jails and we think about the fire stations and you think about the new sewer systems and the things that are actually big, identifiable projects, you forget about the 1 hidden piece of technology that is required to put all things together and to make it where they can actually provide services to our citizens. The Information Technology Department is asking six things, but those six things come up to big numbers. One is enterprise resource planning, the other is [inaudible], digital [inaudible], the next is disaster recovery plan, we’re requesting document management, and financial infrastructure upgrades. I think the key word is infrastructure. I know you’ve been hearing a lot of that. We’re asking that we have some technological upgrades for our infrastructure. I’ll go over each of these items in priority order. The first one is our enterprise resource planning. Currently the Information Department supports over 100 different applications. These applications are currently not sharing a centralized data base. As you can see on this [inaudible] example, this is actually the Information Technology Department’s dream. Any technology department, regardless of it’s private or government, if you look at the different pieces, all [inaudible] one centralized data base. And again, this is only [inaudible] financial [inaudible]. There is nothing related to criminal justice or nothing related to public safety. But it actually integrates our financial [inaudible] relationship management system, our permits, the licenses, everything [inaudible] one system. And that’s exactly what we need to have. We need to have an integrated system where applications feed from one another and a centralized data base to eliminate some of the duplication. This is actually our proposed enterprise resources planning, taking into consideration [inaudible] and all of our utilities enterprise applications. Public safety would all feed into one centralized data base. 9-1-1, Fire Department, Sheriff’s office, Marshal, Emergency Management, Coroner, and any other public safety entities [inaudible] one system. They would actually share their data. We’d also look at doing the same thing with our Financial and services. We would look at [inaudible] courts and judicial. Now please keep in mind this does not, this does not keep, this does take in effect all the [inaudible] applications that are there that are actually mandated by the State for the different departments to utilize. Mr. Tarver: What does that mean? Ms. Allen: Well, that is separate application away from our enterprise resource planning solution. Mr. Tarver: So if we agree to recommend $5 million they would still need other software or other -- Ms. Allen: Well, normally the State mandated applications are provided by the State at no cost. Mr. Tarver: And how would that interface with what you’re proposing? Ms. Allen: Regardless if we do the enterprise resource planning, there are also going to be some pieces of interfaces that are going to have to be developed by the Information Technology staff, and that’s currently what we have now. We have so many interfaces that Information Technology actually [inaudible] bring data back and forth from one system to the other, so we would still have to do that to some level, regardless 2 of what solution we go to. Due to the fact, like I said, they’re not all going to be actually integrated because you’re not going to find one solution that’s going to have the Public Safety involved or integrated with actually the Financial and Services. Mr. Osteen: Well, what’s the cost benefit of spending $5 million just to centralize something? I mean, it’s operating. You got software that actually converts all the packages to a common platform. So why do you need to get it all on one system? How much money are you going to save when you do this? Ms. Allen: You’ll save -- the actual benefits are of integration of business processes from end to end. You’ll have a quicker response from the staff for the citizens because the information will be centralized, which eliminates, like I said, any duplication or anybody going through various other agencies to look for information. It’s all centralized and right there at their hands and at their disposal. And it tracks the activity base, costs more to make sure that the citizens’ needs are being met effectively. Mr. Osteen: I was just wondering if you’d put a dollar number on all those things? How much you actually going to be able to save with quicker response or activity-based costs -- how much benefit are you going to get from the $5 million investment in new software and centralized computer system? Ms. Allen: No, we have not actually done the actual cost-savings of that. It’s mostly going to save time, and it’s going to be able to provide more efficient response and effective response to the citizens. Mr. Osteen: Time is money. Ms. Allen: Exactly. Okay? The next item we have is the [inaudible]. And what I mean by that, and I’m sorry you probably can’t really get a good idea of it -- but right now we have many of our departments that supply services to the citizens that are currently have a single point of failure. For example, 911, the Sheriff’s Office. So if we have some type of fiber cut or something that happens, and our fibers get, like I said, cut or something happens that affects communication, then it would take like two to four days to actually repair that. So then what you have -- a situation where there is no way to provide services to the citizens from those areas, well, in an efficient and effective way, I’d say. I mean, there would be a manual process to go back to, but there wouldn’t be any computer systems or anything online. But they could do it manually. So during the event of a natural disaster is probably when this would mostly come into effect. Right here is an example of what I was talking about in regards to the [inaudible]. Right now, and you really can’t see, but we have [inaudible] in red, with the blue showing what we’re looking for [inaudible]. So let’s say right now Utilities on Highway 25, there’s a major fiber cut right now. There would not be an actual way for them to provide services to the citizens because they would actually be down. So what you actually need is a whole entire circle to come back and complete the connection back to the Information Technology Department. So if one of these lines gets cut, then it could operate back to Information Technology Department and Communications, and have a failsafe method. 3 Okay? The benefit, again, for the [inaudible] fiber route is that it allows the government to continue to operate and provide services in the event of a fiber cut. It also gives increased speed and reliability because you’d actually would have enough fiber run, going through those locations. Mr. Osteen: Can you tell me what a fiber cut is. I mean, is that just cutting the line? Ms. Allen: Yes. Say, for instance, we have a plane accident or something catastrophic, some type of disaster, natural disaster, anything that takes place, and fiber gets cut. Then the communication is actually cut. Mr. Speaker: I guess I’m a little confused here on this, where you’re talking about the fiber lines. Who owns these lines that you refer to? Who owns these lines? Does the County own these fiber lines, or -- Ms. Allen: In some cases we own some of the lines. In some of the cases, they are leased lines? Mr. Speaker: Bell Telephone? Ms. Allen: Yes. But we still have to pay for the services, and we do have to pay for the leasing of the lines. Mr. Speaker: So who’s going to be doing -- they get cut, is the County going out and repair, or is Bell going to go out and repair? Ms. Allen: Well, it’s not actually Bell. It depends on the provider, and it depends on the location of the area. Like in some cases, we may have some of our fibers with Comcast because Comcast, of course, has all the cable. So in some locations, it’s best to go through Comcast, and some locations, it is BellSouth. So it depends on which vendor that we’re actually working with. Mr. Speaker: But at any rate, they are responsible for the service on these lines? Ms. Allen: Exactly. But we’re going to be responsible for actually paying them to get that link in place. Because see right now, we don’t have the connection at all. Mr. Osteen: Don’t we have more than one fiber optic layout in the town? Ms. Allen: Yes, we do. But we don’t have a diverse fiber run that’s connecting these links to our department. And that’s important. Mr. Osteen: And we couldn’t buy backup? 4 Ms. Allen: That’s what we’re actually looking at, buying an actual backup. That’s pretty much what it is, a -- Mr. Osteen: I mean, can we buy backup from a provider, like one of the telecom companies that lays fiber line downtown? Ms. Allen: But see, that’s exactly what I’m asking for. Mr. Osteen: Okay. Ms. Allen: The next item we have is a digital photography. Right here is actually a photo, an aerial photo of the Augusta Common. As you can see, it’s an empty spot. There’s nothing in it. But that goes to show how important it is to have the periodic updates to our [inaudible] photography pictures done. Normally, every three to four years is the process that’s actually done. This is aerial photograph of the City of Augusta, and we’ve just completed it. These are some of the benefits of it. Planning and Public Works definitely utilize it a lot for the review and [inaudible] land characteristics when they plan their new infrastructure. Planning uses it as well for revitalization areas because the entire area can be seen at a glance. This is some of the same data, information, that I referred to. There are a lot of engineers and consulting firms, call and contact our office to get information on. From our geographical information systems group. Public safety department [inaudible] fire, police planning. And updated [inaudible] address information is definitely utilized by 9-1-1. The main thing that I’m requesting is [inaudible] recovery. Basically, with everything that’s been going on and the items and issues that have been surrounding the 9-11 event, we are in desperate need to have a disaster recovery plan in place. Currently we have not had funding to provide this, this plan. But what it would actually do is allow the government to continue operate in the wake of disaster and it would actually provide citizens the ability to rely and communicate with the government in the wake of a disaster. So we’d continue our functioning. The next item is document management. Document management is actually the process of capturing, storing and retrieving documents electronically and in digital format. In essence, the staff would be able to scan in a document and actually store it on a computer system as opposed to having to go to the [inaudible] and locate it each time someone requests some information from them. Right now, we have it implemented in some of our safety department. This is the final piece for us to try and go and implement it in the county. The Sheriff’s office is definitely using it with their records staff. They are elated with the system. They’re actually seeing the time that they had spent providing traffic reports and things of that nature to the citizens decrease and have time more to focus on other duties that they need to be looking at. Because what they do now is when a person comes in and asks for a report, instead of actually going to the filing system and depending on somebody to make sure that everything was filed properly, all they have to do is go to the computer system, pull up that case number, and print it out, and that’s it. They don’t have to worry about highlighting or blocking certain areas of the report that do not need to be seen by the citizen or should not be seen by the citizen, the system takes care of all of that. The benefits [inaudible] public access of city data. [inaudible] internet. Eventually that’s where we’re going and that’s what we’re looking to do, is 5 provide that to the citizens. Actually go online and get information themselves. Increase government efficiencies [inaudible] time searching for the records. And space saving, the elimination of paper storage. Another example of that is in the Solicitor’s office. We are getting ready to implement that in that office. Right now the Solicitor’s office has one office that is full of just paper and documents, and they need it to retrieve information for cases. But what they’re going to do is they’re going -- their intent is to actually have all the documents scanned into the computer system so that they can actually [inaudible] their offices and have space for their employees. The next thing is infrastructure upgrades. These benefits will add [inaudible] speed and reliability. Emerging technology, as you are aware of, technology changes from day to day. What you did yesterday and what you get today may be obsolete tomorrow, so we have to keep the infrastructure up and on board with what we need and what emerging technology is designed [inaudible] full support of our public safety sector. That’s a 24/7 operation. And we have to be able to provide them that support. And we [inaudible] of the emergency system. As you probably can see, and I hope I have done a good job in doing it. [inaudible] please ask any questions and I [inaudible], but technology is the [inaudible] to providing our citizens the quality of life, and with you, if you approve the items that we actually requested I think it will actually enhance what we are out there trying to do. Thank you. Mr. Tarver: Any questions for Ms. Allen? Mr. Wilkins: I have some information or whatever. I’m Mike Wilkins. I’m with District 6. I’ve got a question. Have you went to Augusta State and asked the math and computer science department to do a project for you about building the software? Because they’re always looking for projects to do, the graduating seniors. And believe me, they’re not shabby. They’re pretty smart there. Ms. Allen: No, I have not. And I have spoken -- Mr. Wilkins: I work there, so that’s why I’m asking. Ms. Allen: No, I have not. For the development of the [inaudible] system? Mr. Wilkins: Correct. Ms. Allen: The only problem I would find in that, and I think it’s a good idea for -- we get some students to come in and work with us on some of the projects that we have and [inaudible] interfaces, but in order to get that [inaudible] solution you have to have more dedicated staff as opposed to nine months or a year. Mr. Wilkins: You’re talking to a few of the students. I’m talking about if you go to the Chair of the Department and ask him, hey, because they have more than one class, more than one or two students or four students, that are looking for projects, and that’s what they would end up doing, building you a system. 6 Ms. Allen: Okay. But they would have a limited amount of time to actually devote to that system as opposed to -- Mr. Wilkins: But see, they would continue on. If this class didn’t finish it, the next semester someone else would start it back up and work continues from there. Ms. Allen: Another issue that we would have in that suggestion would be the actual maintenance of the product and actual support. Who would we go to when there is a problem in that software system? Mr. Wilkins: In your department, you don’t have any computer programmers? Ms. Allen: Yes, we do. Mr. Wilkins: Then they should have -- C++ or -- Ms. Allen: We wouldn’t have the staff or the capacity of the staff, and that’s another item for another day with the Commissioners, but we don’t have enough staff to actually support -- like we said, we talking about entire class. Entire class is 25 to 32 students at Augusta State University. That’s all I have in my whole department. I have 12 actual application people and eight developers. So when you’re talking about maintaining something that’s going to encompass the whole entire city and operate the whole thing, we wouldn’t have the staff to do it. To be honest with you, I would have proposed that we do it. We don’t have the staff to do it. Mr. Osteen: If we centralize everything, and integrate all the systems, what happens if something goes wrong with that big centralized system? Everybody’s out of business? Ms. Allen: That is definitely [inaudible]. I’m not asking for everything centralized. There’s no way. It has to be four different tiers. Four different areas. Because there is no way you can actually -- you’re not going to have any vendor who actually does it unless you bring in somebody from Oracle or a big major corporation like that, and you are really talking millions and millions of dollars for them to come in here and check our business practices and actually develop a system for each department, integrated, you know, with Public Safety, with the Financial, we’re talking about a massive undertaking. So right now we’re already on the [inaudible] on line with what we’re trying to accomplish, because in our Public Safety area [inaudible] pretty much on the system and I’m pretty sure the Fire Department may even get up and ask about computer access needs for their offices, but we’re trying to get them and bring them on [inaudible] for 9-1-1 and the Sheriff’s office. And we’re also looking at [inaudible] on this one system. But then the public safety piece of the pie would be completed. So we’re already beginning the process. I’m sorry I didn’t lead you or explain that enough. We’re already going to that process, but what it takes is a [inaudible] of planning on our end, and that’s what we’re trying to work [inaudible]. 7 Mr. Tarver: How many governments have technology like this today? Ms. Allen: Currently, right now, Gwinnett County has -- Gary, correct me if I’m wrong -- has gotten $20 million for them to go ahead and look at it because they find it useful for their agency, for their government. Other agencies, they’re looking at the same thing. We get together, a lot of us, and talk in our group meetings and discuss the technology and where it’s going. Mr. Tarver: From the standpoint of looking at this, how many other folks have actually done it? Ms. Allen: Mainly a lot of private sector agencies have done it. Mr. Tarver: Governmental agencies? Ms. Allen: I have not researched other government agencies. I know Gwinnett County has actually supplied the funding to do it. Other ones have tried to do it and are trying, just like I am, coming and requesting it, and that’s what everybody is working on and working toward. But Gwinnett County is the only one I know has secured it. Mr. Kolb: [inaudible] already started two years ago, and I’m sure they are well on their way. [inaudible] We are so short, short and so far behind in the [inaudible] and resources, too. I mean I don’t even know how to [inaudible]. We’re trying to catch up. Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] Ms. Allen: Currently right now we are actually just taking our case off site and -- cross my fingers and legs and everything else -- [inaudible] take place because we would actually, in order to have a separate operation, say for instance a bomb happens to go off and takes care of Information Technology set-up, we’ll actually have to have a new site, we have to have the air conditioning and everything required that we currently have to run the [inaudible], we know we couldn’t run all the applications, but the ones that’s a necessity for the government to actually function. So that proposal actually includes a building site, the monthly cost to run it, and all the other incidentals going to be necessary for us to operate. Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] how often does that happen? Ms. Allen: To be actually honest, it has not, it hasn’t happened [inaudible] we haven’t had a problem [inaudible] fiber, but just when we say it’s not going to happen, [inaudible] that’s when it will happen, and then we just won’t have any way for us to operate for, like I said, two to four days. Mr. Speaker: Have you looked into trying to acquire funding for any of these projects here from the State or any other type agencies as funding [inaudible] for this, because of the fact that it’s for emergency purposes and things of that sort? 8 Ms. Allen: Yes, sir, we have and I’ve discussed this thoroughly with our Administrator. We have actually looked at what we can do in regard to having someone look at grants and things of that nature. I actually had a meeting today with someone from the State, from the Georgia Technology Authority, and looking at things that they can offer us. And as far as telecommunications and these type of things we’re actually requesting. But right now, they are far behind in what they are trying to get done. Ms. Speaker: I need to ask a question. $3.5 million, what happens to this money if we don’t have any fibers cut? Will it just sit there? Ms. Allen: No, what we would do is bring on a lot of these departments that don’t have fiber right now and have a whole -- everybody would actually be in communication with one another. Right now we have some departments, due to the fact of the cost of [inaudible] location don’t have actual fiber. They are -- like our Animal Control facility. Right now they’re currently running on [inaudible]. Our Fire Department. Fire stations. Some of them are on DSL, things of that nature. They’re not actually communicating back to our centralized system. So in those cases we’ll actually bring all those various agencies together. Ms. Speaker: If it’s not use, if you don’t have a cut -- I don’t understand. The money, what would happen to the money that’s designated here, I understand, for fiber cuts. So can you take designated money for something and put it for something else? Ms. Allen: Yes, ma’am. Ms Speaker: [inaudible] approval? Ms. Allen: Yes, ma’am, we would. Mr. Tarver: Any more questions? Thank you. Ms. Allen: Thank you. Mr. Tarver: Chief Gillespie, Fire Department, our next presentation. Mr. Gillespie: Howdy. Good afternoon. Thank you for coming. Before our IT people get out of here, I want to tell them I stand right beside them on our needs around here. I told them I’d stand up here in a cheerleader outfit and jump up and down for them, but they declined that offer. So you lucked out. But -- Mr. Tarver: [inaudible] of this $10.4 million [inaudible]? Mr. Gillespie: Actually we have some need within ourselves, and you’ll see that as we move along here. Theirs is the backbone. We need the backbone in there to help support the fingers and the arms and the sinew out there that’s making this happen also. 9 So what they’ve talked about a major backbone issue, ours are going to be up-front stuff, and I’m giving my Deputy Chief, just a moment here while he gets our technology going for us. While he’s getting it set, I would say also you have a monumental task in front of you. You’ve heard comments from the elected folks. You’ve said it yourselves. They’ve said it. The department heads are going to be bringing forward information to you based on the best knowledge we have and able to support the community we have. Without SPLOST IV, without the money from SPLOST IV, I don’t know where we’d be in the fire service right now. Our budget is just under $18 million. It sounds like a lot of money. But that’s a fairly small, fairly small amount of money for the services that our people provide to the citizens. Most of our budget goes for staffing. Staffing takes up about 85% to 90% of a fire department’s budget. That means out of our budget, to get people out on the streets, to do, to get the manpower and the personnel out there is going to take most of our budget. All but about $1.7 million to $2.5 million, depending on where we’re at. That’s all the money we have to support everything else we do. $2.5 million most. $2.5 million a year to do our ongoing expenses to buy paper and put fire extinguishers on the fire apparatus and buy fire engines and build buildings and all those sort of things. So without that money, without SPLOST money, we’re in serious trouble. The Administrator has asked us to take a good, hard look, and his comment back to us was be realistic here, we want you to be realistic. $31 million is a lot of money. I understand that completely. We understand that we’re spreading it over a number of years also. What that happens to be, and you guys make the choice, but without this money, without the plan, we’ll be in serious trouble, and as I said, without SPLOST IV I don’t know what we would have done in this fire service. Mr. Tarver: Let me make sure we’re on the same page cause I’m looking at a project cost of $20,725,000 and you’ve modified that? Mr. Gillespie: I believe that that may have been what the Administrator placed forward. I’m not sure, is that correct? Mr. Tarver: The Administrator recommended [inaudible]. Mr. Gillespie: $21 million. I was wondering, I think that is the number that the Administrator pressed forward. The original number was, I think, $31 million [inaudible]. This is the completed list of all the projects. If you don’t have that list, we can -- in fact [inaudible] you guys had a copy of that, and if you don’t, we can make sure you have a copy of the list. Mr. Speaker: It’s two different pieces? Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] $20 million on one side [inaudible], another $10 million [inaudible]. Mr. Kolb: If you look under capital facilities for fire, I split them out. Mr. Tarver: Okay, I see. 10 Mr. Kolb: Yeah. $20 million and then $10 million. Mr. Gillespie: Thank you. And I [inaudible]. Okay, let’s start with this particular project. This is a department community-wide training facility. When the Deputy Chief gets done here, I’m going to have him show you what we currently have for a training facility for over 300 people that we have in our organization. One of the good things about this particular project, and it’s something that you all mentioned, is a public/private consortium. What we’re looking at is working with the industry and working with the military and working with the educational institute to provide a training facility for all of us, because they send their people out for training in the industry. This is our training facility. You may have seen it. We’re on Central Avenue next to the historic station. This is all we have for a training facility right now, folks. This is our parking facility for our entire organization. Show them the inside. This is all the room we have centralized training. When we want to do training, if we pull apparatus, fire engines and trucks out of the bays, do a few folks at a time, move them from spot to spot, we don’t have any props built to speak of, a few out at Station 18 that are for hazardous materials but that’s about it. This is the grand scale. Not something that we’ll probably end up building but the military here and Fort Gordon is the offshoot [inaudible] type training facility, they’re working with us on these projects -- they’re going to supply funds, we’re going to supply funds, as is the industry. So that request came to I believe it was about $8 million, $9 million. Just under $9 million for the construction infrastructure, equipment and furnishing of the training facility. Mr. Tarver: Are there training facilities in the state you could use? Mr. Gillespie: Yes, the State has a training facility at Forsyth. I can’t take my on- duty people and move then there. I can send a few people there, but I’m also restricted then by competing with other fire departments around the state, so if we get a couple of spot, get people through, we’re pretty fortunate. Many times we don’t get any people because the Atlanta metro area gets first crack at them. So we don’t, we don’t get a lot of spots in the training classes that are available. And the training facilities that they have are trying to supply for the entire state. We’re on the far eastern edge of the state here and there’s nobody around that has this type of facility we’re talking about. This is our link, this is our muscles and fingers and hands piece for the computerization that we need. As she mentioned, as Temeka mentioned, our stations aren’t linked. We don’t have computers in all of our fire stations. Some of the individual fire fighters have purchased their own and put them in the station so they can do some work, but they’re not linked to any of our system. Our fire apparatus are not linked to a computer system. All they have is their radio. They don’t have a mapping system in front of them that has data about the structures they are responding to. But that information should be there and is there in some cases, but not able to be accessed. And if you’ll see even in our reporting system, [inaudible] flips over here, this is how we’re doing business here, folks. This is the way we did business. We’re using Scantron forms for those who are familiar. These are things we were doing in the 1960’s. When we want to collect data, when we want to bring information to you, the citizens, when we want to make a recommendation 11 to the elected officials and the appointed officials, we’ve got to go through and hand tabulate things and hope that the data is valuable to us. We’re getting better. We’ve been working at it little pieces at a time in the last year, almost year-and-a-half since I’ve been here, but we need some funding to do that. And as I said, we only have a small window of funds available to do that. Mr. Tarver: How much money did you get in SPLOST IV, do you know? Mr. Gillespie: The total for SPLOST IV, I’m not sure of the answer to that. You’ve got it? Thank you. Mr. Osteen: You got almost $21 million. Mr. Gillespie: $21 million. And what we did with that money, as you can see quite readily, we have five stations under construction right now. We’ve got money for one more station. [inaudible] apparatus, because our apparatus were falling apart. As I said, without that money, I don’t know what this department would have done. I just don’t understand what we could have done to help supply service to the citizens. Mr. Osteen: We’re showing you spent less than half of that. Is that -- Mr. Gillespie: I’m sorry, sir? Mr. Osteen: We’re showing on our report that you’ve spent less than half of your -- Mr. Gillespie: That’s right. As I said, we have five under construction right now. It was divided up in different pieces. Even though we’re under construction, we haven’t complete yet, we’re not going to give them all their money until they’re done. We’ve given some of it, obviously. We purchased fire apparatus outright. We have another station that we’re trying to lock in property for right now. We just got some disappointing news from DOT out on Wrightsboro Road, so we’re trying to lock in another piece of property. It’s expensive out there. It’s going to cost us a quarter million dollars to get a piece of property out there, to work for it. Yes, you may be correct in that we’ve only spent a small fraction of the monies that we’ve been allotted, but believe me, it will be spent. Mr. Tarver: [inaudible] are these new stations? Mr. Gillespie: These are in addition. That’s correct. Mr. Tarver: [inaudible] currently under construction? Mr. Gillespie: Yes. That’s correct. And when you, when we talk about this, we’re going to be talking about two more replacement stations, replacing stations that we already have, and adding two into the system to better supply coverage to the citizens we 12 have. So we’ll end up with an increase in number of two after we’re all done. The stations we’re building right now are replacement stations. They’re not brand new stations with brand new people. They’re new stations with crews that are already working for us, moved to a different location. Mr. Osteen: Chief, I was on SPLOST IV. Mr. Gillespie: Yes, sir. Mr. Osteen: And when the Fire Department made their presentation, we gave them basically everything they asked for. Mr. Gillespie: I would like you to do that again. (Laughter) Mr. Osteen: I understand. But my problem is we were basically guaranteed that this would take us to the next level, this would put us -- I guess I was led to believe that if we did the $21 million in SPLOST IV I guess we wouldn’t be asked to do as much as we are, and we were assured that we would be taken to a level that would put us in the upper echelon. I forget the rating system. Mr. Gillespie: It’s the ISO from 1 to 10 rating, is that what you’re -- Mr. Osteen: We were told at that time that if we did the $21 million, which was a large percentage of the SPLOST IV, that we would be there, and now you’re, and now it looks like we’re back to a pretty large number again. Mr. Gillespie: I understand it is a large number, particularly compared to the last SPLOST. And I would say to that I can’t speak for my predecessors. I can say as an educated fire chief I’ve looked at this and to the best of my ability I’m telling you what I think the citizens need here. We have not had an ISO re-rate in this community since prior to annexation, prior to consolidation, excuse me. Mr. Osteen: And as I understand it, that impacts insurance rates, as well, does it not? Mr. Gillespie: Yes, it does. I would tell you that the last rating for the city proper was a 2, very good. One is the top rating. Ten is the absolute worst. But the rest of the county was rated a 5 to an 8 and a 6 to an 8, I believe, depending on where they’re at. That was an uncombined government rating. One was rated, actually a couple of little pieces of the county, and then the city. We’re due for a -re-rate. They’re coming. They’ll re-rate the whole organization. Mr. Osteen: And we’ll have six new fire stations in what used to be the unincorporated area, right? 13 Mr. Gillespie: That’s correct. We’re hopeful that that will improve that. And I think it will in those areas. But what I believe, this is my own personal feeling on this thing, I don’t know if we can hold the rating that we have in the current city as a 2, because you get rated together. Mr. Speaker: Chief, what is the value of the fire stations that you are going to destroy or get rid of, that you’re replacing? Mr. Gillespie: What is the advantage of those? Mr. Speaker: What is the value? Do you have the value of the property, the land and the buildings, and what are you going to do with them? Are you going to sell them, put that money in the budget or what? Mr. Gillespie: That’s a very good question. The answer is hopefully yes. However, one of the stations on Watkins Road, our No. 1 station right now, there’s been some talk about having the Augusta youth group have access to that building. I know the Mayor would like to see that happen, so we’ll end up in discussions about that. No. 7, historic station up on Central Avenue, we would love to see that turned into a museum. We don’t have money to do that. My second hope for that is that a community center could be made out of that by somebody, one of the community groups up there purchasing that particular building and bringing it up to the speed. Mr. Tarver: Why can’t they be used as fire stations? Mr. Gillespie: Because we don’t have people to put in them. And they’d be too close to other stations. Part of the reason we’re moving out of those stations was because they’re not in the right spots when we combined the government. All of the stations were centralized and the city part, most of them were centralized in the city core and didn’t cover the outlying areas as thoroughly as they should. That’s why we’re moving part of - - some of them, like No. 7, are not only -- was the location not right for us, but the building was too expensive for us to put our money in there. It would take $1 million to repair that particular building. We can’t afford to put that much money into that particular station. We’re building another one on Highland Avenue that will give us more [inaudible] to use for that. And we’ll move one of the engine companies off of Central to that station and one of them out to the southern area. I think that one is actually going out to Willis Foreman. So -- Mr. Tarver: I’m not sure I understand you. We can’t afford to spend $1 million to repair a station but we can afford to spend $2 million to build a new one? Mr. Gillespie: That’s correct. Mr. Tarver: Maybe I missed something. 14 Mr. Osteen: Is the location the issue? Mr. Gillespie: It was two fold. You can sink $1 million into it and still have infrastructure costs that will be exorbitant. It was like having a 1964-1/1 Mustang like I do. And sinking $3,000 into it to bring it up to a certain level. I’m going to end up putting that much money into it all the time to keep it going. Now does that mean you don’t have ongoing maintenance costs with a new building? Absolutely not. That’s been part of the problem with what we’re doing here right now, is because we didn’t have the money to do the proper maintenance, the ongoing expenses to keep buildings up. And when you don’t keep your buildings up, we all know what happens to those things. And that’s part of our request, too, in our money here, is to keep enough money coming in, to keep our infrastructure up, do our R&M repairs and you’ll see that as we move along. Station 10, this is our current Station No. 10 on Washington Road. You know what the access problems are for this particular building. The -- you can see the fire engines in this particular building are pre-1970 models. I think that’s a ’67 on this side, which responds after the other one. It’s a back-up apparatus. The new ones don’t fit in the building. There’s no way you can put a new fire apparatus, a fire engine in that building and fit. We’ve just got a bill for $20,000 for termite damage in this particular building. This is the back side of the building. It’s a building that’s in a poor location for us to respond out of. Thank God no one has been hurt or killed coming out of that access point. So it’s one of the ones that we need to move to a better location, not only for access in and out of the building, out of the station, but also to balance an equation of how our responses are within our community. I’m going to address the rest of them. Station No. 9 is the on Walton Way Extension. Has a nice mural painted on the side of it. Another very old building. Mr. Tarver: What’s your proposal, what would you do with Station No. 9? Would you [inaudible]? Mr. Gillespie: Station No. 9? Or No. 10, the one we just showed you? Absolutely, that would be my recommendation. We only talked about a couple of them but if we replaced Station No. 10, yes, we’d like to see that. If we replace No. 19, which is out on Sand Bar Ferry Road, we want to sell that particular station. The old Station No. 12, which we would be moving out of, which is way out on the south end, out of Mike Padgett, we’d like to sell that particular building. Oh, No. 8, behind Daniel Village, that would be one that we would want to market. Certainly those would bring in some funds to help cover some of the costs. You know as well as I do that $2 million may not do it nowadays, and that’s part of the problem about putting these things off. It’s never going to be cheaper to do it. Never going to be cheaper. No. 9, as I said, replacing that particular station. We don’t even own the whole parking lot. We pay rent to the church next door for part of our parking lot on that particular facility. Access is a problem, also. So we’d have to look for some property and build a station there. No. 20 and No. 21 are both proposed stations. Where will those stations go? I don’t know just yet but that’s part of the computer infrastructure piece that we’re working on right now. We’re working very hard to get some of this money in different formats and we just got a $6,000 grant for [inaudible], which does art view and has a fire view program to help do 15 analysis of fire station location, and that’s what we’d be doing with that. We spent almost $50,000 on the last fire station location study in this community, and that’s not unusual, I got to tell you. That happens around the country, so you guys didn’t get rip[pd off on that. They, they did what you wanted to get done. They used the [inaudible] formula to develop where those stations ought to be and what they do there, what they did there, I’ll tell you in exactly what happened for many years. They put a pen, whether it be by computer or actually in a map and they did a mile-and-a-half radius around the stations and tried to figure out where the best stations went. And you want to know where that information came from? Why [inaudible] uses that? That’s how long it took a three-team horse, three-horse team, excuse me, to run in five minutes. They could run that mile-and-a-half in five minutes. That’s how they were gauging, but that’s how everybody was doing it in those days. Now we have good computer systems that actually calculate out the average speed of the roads, take into account one-way roads, railroad crossings, things like that. So we’ll look at where those two stations would have to go. Apparatus. As I said, we’re replacing some of our basic fire apparatus. What you guys call fire machines here. We don’t have a heavy rescue. We have a crew that’s trained to use some of this, but we don’t have a machine to put everything on to take there. We have it kind of piece meal all over the place on a couple of apparatus. Aerial platform. That’s another truck. We are at least one truck short in this government now. We have money in SPLOST IV to buy one more. Water rescue support. This is for all the equipment that comes into place. Not a fire boat but for water rescue. Now you say well, we don’t have a lot of water here. I come from a place where we were right on the Columbia River and we did a lot of water rescue, folks. And we do have water here and that doesn’t count when things flood. That’s just day-to-day stuff. EMS units. Our call volume in 1998 was just about 7500 calls. 7500 calls a year. We didn’t run emergency medical service like most of the country was doing at that time. We do now. Our call volume is, will be this year right around 15,000. We anticipate that to continue to jump. Fire calls haven’t gone up, and when we do our budget with the Commission we talk about the impact that this had on our personnel and our need for staffing, because we can’t deal with that in our capital funding. But [inaudible] quick response vehicles. Be able to help in the EMS field, because most of our calls are going to turn out to be that way. We’re already spending over 50% of our calls on emergency medical response and will continue to do that because that’s what the citizens have said is a good idea. Through the elected officials and through their selves. Fire boat. Now we’re not talking about a fire boat like you see in San Francisco or New York or Seattle with all the big water shooting out. We’re talking something small, something we can put a small pump on, be able to access water. If the mains break, but also to fight fires along the waterfront, be another resource for us there, and also to use for rescue facility. Mr. Tarver: Do we have a boat now? Mr. Gillespie: No, we do not. We have access to a couple of small [inaudible] that were purchased with EMA money that the search and rescue group works with and we work very closely with them. But we do not have a fire boat in this community now. Repairs to stations. NFPA. That’s National Fire Protection Association mandates. This is the infrastructure piece I talked about, folks. Emergency generator installation. 16 Bringing our stations up to par with -- not the ones that we’re rebuilding, cause when we rebuild or replace stations we’re making sure that’s [inaudible], but the ones that are still out there that need some help, and this is kind of an example of the emergency generators that we have. Replace and upgrade equipment. You’d think these would be normal capital items. Normal budget. But the budget here hasn’t gone up for a long time. As I said, we’re running almost 16,000 calls with our fire tax money right now. Our tax money is second lowest in the state of places that have fire tax. The only one that’s lower is an all-volunteer organization. Has about $100,000 in their whole budget. We look at other comparable areas and our millage rate is 1.23. just [inaudible], by the way, last year, and the difference went to support the EMS system through the private side. The average millage rate for all of the organizations in the state that are using a fire tax is over 2.5. So you can see we are less than half of what the other organizations have. So as I said at the beginning, we don’t have a lot of infrastructure money to deal with on an ongoing basis. So these are the things we’re asking for. Operating our breathing apparatus system. We don’t have money in our ongoing budget to plan ahead to do this. We have to ask for special funding to do that. Same with personal protective clothing. Emergency medical equipment. I talked about the [inaudible] change in how we provided services to the citizens. Breathing apparatus. This is what we’re talking about, the SCBA’s, self-contained breathing apparatus. These are what we call turn-outs or quick hitches. You can see some of the wear and tear on some of these. We just replaced a bunch of them. We have a bunch more to go. We did [inaudible] out of this last year’s budget to the tune of almost $200,000. You see the color line there, that’s what we’re putting in the first with, guys. That’s way better than where we were at, believe me. Upgrade our radio system, our portable radios and our alerting systems. That’s just some quick pictures of that. And that [inaudible] request, as you’ve seen, broken down into two areas. I can’t speak for -- if you feel like you were misled in the past, I’m sure the people that brought this information to you the last time brought it to you in good faith and hoped that they wouldn’t have to do that. I can say that having thoroughly examined it, I don’t feel comfortable with where we’re at right now. Mr. Tarver: Questions? Mr. Gillespie: I thank you for your time. As I said, I don’t envy your task. I think you have a very difficult process to go through here. We appreciate your consideration. Thank you. Mr. Speaker: Chief, I’d like to commend you for such a detailed request. It’s one of the best I’ve seen so far. Breaking out item by item. Thank you. Mr. Gillespie: Thank you. We had good staffing working on this. Thanks. Mr. Tarver: Mr. Kolb is our last presentation today regarding -- I think it’s a follow-up to a presentation we received last week regarding Neighborhood Development. Mr. Kolb: Okay, I guess I’m just answering questions for the most part. And the question that came up was the $5 million for the neighborhood and redevelopment. We 17 put that in there as potential match for projects that may be coming along during the revitalization effort. Example, one of the projects that we will be taking on is the relocation of the Gilbert Manor housing development. The Medical College of Georgia is looking to expand in that area. That is a project that is probably going to cost in excess of $25 million. We don’t have it locally. What we need to do is find federal dollars to help us put it together, as well as private dollars. That $5 million or portion thereof would be used to match or leverage those dollars. It could also be used for infrastructure. They are building the new football stadium in the target area. There has been some talk of streetscape, some parks, etc., a portion of that $5 million could be used for that. Now $5 million is inadequate, but it is a start. It’s something that we can leverage other dollars, let it be a bonding project for housing or some other purpose, but it’s there as a start. We’re also trying to develop a housing trust fund that would also be used in that neighborhood and could be used in conjunction with a portion of the $5 million. So it’s more or less incentive money -- what do you call it when you try to spark something? Mr. Speaker: Seed money? Mr. Kolb: That will work, too. Good word. So that’s what it’s all about. I learned a long time ago, somebody said that romance without finance has no chance, and I’ve applied that to projects that we come off the shelf with or we go out and spend $100,000 to put a study together and then there is no money to back it up. So we’re trying to back that study up. Yes, sir? Mr. Powell: Just want to throw in one question here [inaudible]. You’re talking about the Medical College just [inaudible] enhance [inaudible] Gilbert Manor [inaudible] area. One question here. If you close down [inaudible] housing project that’s under the government regulations, don’t you have to [inaudible] within that same area or something? Mr. Kolb: That’s, that’s exactly the point. What is conceptually on the table is to replace unit-for-unit Gilbert Manor. It can either by in terms of a multi-family site or it could be single-family sites. And our concept is that it should be a combination of both so that we can do some mixed-income developments and we can do some affordable housing developments and we can also do some market rate housing developments. But to do that we’re estimating is going to cost more in the neighborhood of $27 million. So I’m sure there is going to have to be some match somewhere, some raising some from the private sector. There’s going to have to be some infrastructure work. For example, acquisition of property to make it happen, and I think we can use that $5 million to somewhat level the playing field. And when I use that term in terms of development/redevelopment, if you look at a brand new -- let’s take Columbia/Burke County for example. If I’m a developer I can go out to Burke County/Columbia and find vacant land. And my only cost really is to put in infrastructure. In urban communities, you’re faced with challenges. You’ve got a house on a vacant property, or maybe two houses on it. You’ve got to acquire that property, then demolish it, then possibly have to renew the infrastructure that’s there, tear it up, the old, putting in the old. So because those are added costs to a developer, we want to try and level the playing field, and that’s 18 one way to do it. So you bring in -- I’m going to come in as a new developer, I’m going to put in this house or whatever, but I need a piece of vacant land that has all the infrastructure in place or I cannot assist in putting that in. So that’s what that $5 million would be used for. Ms. Speaker: I have a question that you may have answered last week [inaudible] had to be away. But is the Medical College -- Mr. Speaker: We can’t hear you. Ms. Speaker: -- pretty adamant that they want, you know, this housing development relocated or moved? What are they, what are they going to contribute towards that effort? Mr. Kolb: Well, again, that’s what we call level the playing field. And they’re willing to pay for Gilbert Manor the fair market value. They’re willing to pay the fair market value. But the fair market value is way south of $27 million. $27 million is the replacement value of the property. So it’s a little much to expect a developer to come in and pay the replacement cost of a development that’s already existing and then bring in new investment, put their project in place. That’s a little unrealistic. So we have to find a way to make it work to level again the playing field. Mr. Osteen: And you just used that as an example; correct; not making any kind of proposal? Mr. Kolb: That’s exactly right. Thank you. I am not committing that $5 million at all. Mr. Osteen: George, the more we talk about this, it sounds like an infrastructure contingency fund or reserve for unknown opportunities infrastructure-wise. Mr. Kolb: I would call it an opportunity fund. Mr. Osteen: Well, an opportunity fund. It’s a reserve of sorts. Mr. Kolb: That’s correct. Mr. Osteen: Against possible unknown opportunities. Mr. Kolb: Yes. Mr. Osteen: Is that a way of characterizing it? Mr. Kolb: I think that’s correct. And it’s a way to show that we are participating in the redevelopment of that area. 19 Mr. Speaker: George, if we do this, what will be the cost effect of relocating these people? Mr. Kolb: I have no idea. I just told you the replacement value. I have no idea if that includes relocation or whatever. Mr. Speaker: The next question I would ask, where are we going to put them? Mr. Kolb: I can’t tell you that, either. That’s to be determined. But it would be in the same general target area as required by HID. Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] Mr. Kolb: Well, they showed you the -- Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] Mr. Kolb: Okay. May still be in your black book the presentation. But the general target area, Bethlehem, Turpin Hill, Laney Walker. Okay. That’s the target area. Mr. Speaker: That would be prime target for MCG right in there, where Gilbert Manor is located. Mr. Kolb: That’s correct. Mr. Speaker: It just seems to me that they would be willing to pay more than book value or [inaudible] property over there. Cause eventually they are going to need it [inaudible]. Mr. Kolb: You’re thinking about a seller. Mr. Speaker: Well, we are. Mr. Kolb: You’re absolutely right. You are. You are a seller. And you know, a seller can only recover what a buyer is willing to pay. So that’s a matter of negotiations. Ms. Speaker: Are there other reasons for the relocation of this housing community or is it primarily driven by the fact that the Medical College wants the property? Mr. Kolb: It’s primarily driven by that because the Medical College is land locked, for the most part. And that is an area where in their master plan they could use it for the purposes of research and development and whatever the missions are of MCG. Mr. Speaker: Mr. Chairman? 20 Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] Mr. Kolb: I’m hoping $27 million. I’m hoping. But we’re going to have to -- it’s a matter of negotiations. It’s a matter of putting a proposal together and [inaudible] the project. And that’s what staffing is working on right now. Mr. Speaker: Those projects were just remodeled. Mr. Powell: Can we maybe look at this thing in [inaudible] start with your public housing? This is something -- can we think outside of the box? Maybe I’m wrong here, but why do you have to take and have public housing in an apartment type facilities located on one property? Why can’t you spread your public housing out through the community? Mr. Kolb: You can. And that is allowable under their relocation plan. I think it’s the housing -- and Ed, correct me if I’m wrong -- I think it’s the Housing Authority’s desire to keep it within their -- Mr. Tarver: It’s not a local decision. I mean the price of that property is going to be set by HUD. HUD has a book value and [inaudible] $27 million and it’s closely tied to replacement cost. It is not any certainty that HUD will sell that property. If they do sell that property, HUD will determine where those folks will be relocated to and HUD will determine where those communities go, not anybody local. It’s not a decision on the local [inaudible]. Mr. Kolb: You’re absolutely right. But we can make those -- Mr. Tarver: [inaudible] talk about it but [inaudible]. Mr. Speaker: [inaudible] trying to think what HUD would do. Mr. Kolb: I’m just saying it’s a work in progress and we just need it for an opportunities fund. Mr. Chairmen, real quickly, Mr. Charles asked a question earlier about leveraging private dollars on some of these projects. The Fire Department just gave you a good example of leveraging fire dollars with the fire training academy. The performing arts center, the $25 million that we have proposed to put on the table is for a match for a $60 million project cost. You raise the money, you get the $25 million. So that’s an example of private leveraging. The sports arena is probably a $100 million project. We’re looking for at least $40 million for that project to make it happen, and I think it will probably be more than that when we start taking into consideration the revenues and if the community has the will to tear down the current civic center and bring the $2 million from the hotel/motel/alcohol tax into the equation. So there are private dollars, other resources that are being leveraged. That’s all I have to say. Mr. Tarver: I’m interested, do you have any comments in light of what the Commissioners said today? 21 Mr. Kolb: Yeah, but they aren’t publishable. (Laughter) Mr. Kolb: No, I’m kidding. Mr. Tarver: I was going to ask that question and then Mr. Hankerson walked in, but I decided to ask it anyway. Mr. Kolb: That’s fine. Not trying to put you on the spot. Mr. Hankerson: I can leave. Mr. Kolb: I said that because he was standing there. I was kidding. (Laughter) Mr. Kolb: No, there is one concern I have. We, the staff has been bringing to you the raw numbers, and I think it was said today that you don’t have the true picture. I have instructed staff -- I mean that’s why the Fire Department showed you a $31 million need. That’s why Public Works showed you $186 million need, and Recreation showed you $55 million, $57 million. And let me tell you. You asked about five years ago when the Fire Department came in and said this is the end-all. You can approve all these projects today, I can guarantee you in two years we come back to this same meeting, there will be new dreams in their eyes. I’ll guarantee you that. There will be new dreams in my eyes. It will never, it will never end. Mr. Tarver: The second part of my question is how do we determine what is actually need and what’s actually a dream? Mr. Speaker: Or a want? Mr. Tarver: Or a want. Mr. Kolb: Okay. I think the departments have done that for you. Again, I go back to you and ask you to look at where are you going to get the biggest bang for the dollar. Where is the development occurring? Where is -- I could talk another hour about this, but please notice this. Maybe three or four years ago, before I came to this community, do you remember -- let me just ask you to remember the last rainy season that you had. You have just gone through a three or four year drought. But we had a rainy season before this. And as I understand it, you had widespread flooding in many areas of this city, and they were on an emergency basis level, where the Fire Department had to go out and put boats in the river and so forth. You have got eight more inches of rain this year, and we haven’t had the first emergency flooding. That’s because we’ve been doing some work. So you are seeing some improvement and what’s happening. 22 Three years ago, the year before I came here, you had a water shortage. The Utilities Department was unable to fulfill this community’s water needs. Last year, last year I know you had the same drought conditions that you had at that time and you did not have a water shortage. We are making progress. We are attacking those issues. So -- haven’t solved them all. Mr. Osteen: Yes, sir? Mr. Speaker: George, I don’t think anybody sitting in this chamber here will argue with that, but the people is going to have to approve whatever you -- the people sitting here and everybody else that’s not in this room today. And there’s some people out there -- now we can sit here and talk until we’re [inaudible] in the face, it’s still got some [inaudible] about a lot of things because even though we don’t hear about the flooding, I can take you right out there off of Highway 1 and show you where some flooding was last week that’s been there for 15 years. Mr. Kolb: Then that’s where you need to focus your attention. Mr. Speaker: Okay. So we, yes, there are improvements. There’s always going to be room for improvements. But the fact of the matter is we are still going to have to rely on the people to vote on this, okay, and in doing so I think it’s incumbent upon us that we do a good job and that we don’t allow ourselves to inflate things in such a way that, you know, that we can’t do it, that it’s going to undue stress on the public as far funding things. Because we can go back through these documents here and look and I could still ask a lot of questions about these people coming forward here with their wish list. This person coming forward with their wish list, and I’m personally seeing here right now where some of this could be consolidated, where you’ve got your departments ain’t talking to each other about it. [inaudible] I asked the question last week about the library. The guy couldn’t even tell me about the library but yet still there is money funded for a library out here at Diamond Lakes. So you know where I’m coming from? Mr. Kolb: Absolutely. And what I was trying to respond to is the question how do we determine where we go. And what I’m saying is you need to look at where you’ve been and then, you know, where are you, in order to determine where you go. And I think again it goes back to -- Mr. Speaker: That’s true, and this committee, this SPLOST is not going to solve 40 years of neglect in this county. Okay, we can’t do it overnight. Mr. Speaker: You’re right. Mr. Osteen: Just one observation I’d made. I think your department heads are coming in here with their wants, and I think one of the jobs that this committee has, along with you and the Commissioners, is to whittle that down to the needs, and that’s what we’re about. 23 Mr. Kolb: You’re right. You’re absolutely right. Mr. Tarver: If there is nothing else, we’re adjourned. It’s after five o’clock. [MEETING ADJOURNED] 24