HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-07-2004 Regular Meeting
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
December 7, 2004
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:03 p.m., Tuesday,
December 7, 2004, the Honorable Bob Young, Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Hankerson, Smith, Colclough, Grantham, Mays, Beard,
Williams, Sims and Boyles, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
ABSENT: Hon. Cheek, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Also Present: Steve Shepard, Attorney; Fred Russell, Interim Administrator; Lena
Bonner, Clerk of Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Welcome to the regular meeting of the Augusta City Commission.
I’d like to ask the Rev. Robert Cushing to come forward, if you would, to offer the
invocation. He’s the parochial vicar at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, and then if
you would remain standing after the invocation, I’m going to ask our Attorney, Harry
James, to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Please stand.
The Invocation was given by Rev. Robert Cushing.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Please be seated.
The Clerk: Rev. Cushing, on behalf of the Mayor and the members of the
Commission, we’d like to thank you for coming in and imparting on our behalf to
heaven. We really appreciate it, and God bless you.
Rev. Cushing: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, on the addendum agenda, we have one request to
delete an item, we want to add two items.
ADDENDUM AGENDA:
DELETION FROM THE AGENDA:
Presentation by Dr. Howard T. Rivers
Executive Coordinator, Augusta Task Force for the Homeless
Mr. Mayor: Is there any objection to deleting the delegation from the Task Force
for the Homeless:
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA:
1
1. Motion to authorize condemnation of 21,432 square feet (0.492 acres) of
property owned by First Union Development Company for the purpose of
constructing a temporary CSX diversion track as a part of the Canal Improvement
Project.
2. Resolution supporting the official naming of “The James Henry Roundtree
Athletic Complex” at T. W. Josey High School. (Requested by Commissioner Mays)
Mr. Mayor: And adding items 1 and 2 to the addendum agenda? Any objection?
Mr. Colclough: I’m sorry, Mr. Mayor, say that again.
Mr. Mayor: The addendum agenda.
Mr. Colclough: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: To delete the report from the Homeless Task Force and to add items
1 and 2. Is there any objection? Not approving, just adding. No objection heard.
Madame Clerk, if we’ll proceed then, under the order of the day.
The Clerk:
RECOGNITIONS:
A. Shepherd Archie, III
The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach California
The Clerk: Would you please come forward and join the Mayor, the Mayor Pro
Tem, and Ms. Betty Sims at the podium, please? Mr. Mayor, members of the
Commission, in recognition of Mr. Shepherd Archie, III:
Whereas, Shepherd Archie, III, a native of Augusta, Georgia, is 14 years old, the
son of Lois and Shepherd Archie, Jr.; and
Whereas, Shepherd Archie attends the Academy of Richmond County, where he
is currently a freshman; and
Whereas, Shepherd Archie, a member of the First Tee of Augusta since 2001,
finished second in the qualifiers for the inaugural of the First Tee Open at the Colbert
Hills Club in Manhattan, Kansas, in 2004; and
Whereas, Shepherd Archie was one of 15 junior golfers from across the country
who earned their way to the First Tee Open in Pebble Beach, California; and
Whereas, on this date, the citizens of Augusta would like to honor Shepherd
Archie on his remarkable achievement and wish him well in his future golf career;
Now, therefore, I, Bob Young, the Mayor of the City of Augusta, do hereby
proclaim December 7, 2004 as Shepherd Archie Day in Augusta, Georgia, and urge all
citizens to recognize this day.
In witness thereof, I have unto set my hand and caused the seal of Augusta,
th
Georgia to be affixed this 7 day of December, 2004.
2
(A round of applause is given.)
The Clerk: Ms. Beard, would you join the Mayor and Mr. Mays for the
recognition of the 2004 Lucy Laney Wildcats Football Team?
Mr. Hankerson: Mr. Mayor, before the next presentation, may I inject a few
words?
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Hankerson.
Mr. Hankerson: I’d like to commend the staff and volunteers at First Tee and also
for the community to know the great work that they are doing at First Tee of introducing
our young, our youth into another level of sports. And this is what we recognize today,
and I hope that young man, I read the background on it, and I hope that he even exceeds
Tiger Woods, what he done in Augusta. And that is great standards for our young people
to open up another opportunity for them to learn to play golf and play Augusta, and when
they go out we are very proud of them. Thank you.
(A round of applause is given.)
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, it is deeply an honor
for me, a Wildcat myself, to present this 2004 Lucy C. Laney Wildcats team.
B. 2004 Lucy C. Laney Wildcats Football Team
Georgia High School Association
Class AA semifinals playoff
Friday, November 26, 2004
Georgia Dome
The Clerk: Now I will turn it over to the new sports director of Channel 6, Mr.
John Hart, who will do our roll call.
Mr. Hart: Mr. Mayor, Commission, thank you for inviting me here today. I tell
you what, it’s getting to be almost routine that every December we have the Laney
football here in the chamber, and this is actually the second December of the last three
that Laney has made it to the Georgia Dome and that we have celebrated them here in the
city of Augusta, and Coach, I would imagine next December we’ll be celebrating a state
championship. Is that correct?
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hart: This team accomplished amazing things this year. They were the last
team in Richmond County left standing. They represented Richmond County at the
Georgia Dome, and the members of the State Semi-finalists, Laney Wildcat football team
are: Jacques Sturgis, come on up and be honored here. Timothy Wright. Theodore
McNeil. Cory Washington. Curtis Sapp. Dominique Walker. Wayne Canty. Chris
3
Thomas. Israel McCain. Kenneth Walker. Jerry Singleton. Calvin Britt. Robert Dunn.
Raphael Holden. Arcadius Harris. Daniel Brown. Donnell Cunningham. Michael
Smith. William Tolbert. Zachary Stevenson. Howard Morris. J.T. Moss. Troy
Castleberry. Robert Washington. Herndon Burns. Ronnie Ross. Robert Owens. Irvin
Smith. Maurice Murray. Johnny Overstreet. Ladarian Redfield. Huey Varn. Huey
Vann. And Malcolm Williams. John Boyd. Sevvio Roberts. Johnny Truett. Jonathan
Adams. Jeremy Hayes. Ronald Thomas. Ricky White. Lavert Goodwin. Clinton
Edwards. Demarcus Brisco. Chris Rogers. Corby Irvin. And Phillip Jackson.
The Clerk: Coach Eric Parker.
Mr. Hart: Coach Eric Parker.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hart: Coach David Griffin. Coach Temilio Johnson.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hart: Coach [inaudible] Mens. Coach Rodney McFadden. Coach Don
[inaudible] Sims.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Did we leave anybody out?
Mr. Speaker: The principal. Mr. Hawthorne Welcher, please come to the front.
(A round of applause is given.)
The Clerk: This certificate of achievement is given to the Lucy C. Laney
Comprehensive High School on the occasion of the Wildcat varsity football team
competing in the Georgia High School Association Class AA Semi-Finals, November 20,
2004. The City of Augusta recognizes and applauds your athletic accomplishments and
th
achievements given this 7 day of December, 2004.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hankerson: Go, Wildcats.
The Clerk: Mr. Hankerson is a Wildcat.
Mr. Hankerson: 1965. That ain’t no jive.
Ms. Beard: And I’d like to say – I’m Commissioner Beard, Commissioner of
District 1, and Lucy Laney is in District 1. And I also attended Lucy Laney, so I’m very
4
proud of you. And let me say something. I’m proud of you because I know you feel
today, because I know how I felt when I was at Laney, captain of the basketball team, and
we won the state championship.
(A round of applause is given.)
Ms. Beard: Welcome to the club, and there is no alumni association like Lucy
Laney’s, and we will all be together in June at the super reunion.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Speaker: To Mayor Young and the County Commission and all the other
supporters here, John Hart, we definitely want to thank you for recognizing us. It
definitely means a lot when we’re recognized by our own. And if it’s okay with y’all, I’d
like to say we’ll just do this every December, that’s fine with me. But again, thanks a lot
on behalf of everyone. And if we left anyone out, certainly we thank you for your
support during the playoffs and at the Georgia Dome. Like I say, we’re very, very proud
of these young men and hopefully they’ll continue to move along and make us proud.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Welcher: I’ll be very brief, Mayor Young and all the Commissioner, and to
all others here, we would just like to say thank you for this recognition for our young
people today. Not only are they making great strides athletically, but academically as
well. SAT scores are up, we had three young people make over 1000 on the SAT that
was just administered in November. So we are doing well in all phases. And the
motivation and the inspiration from these young men was installed in us, as well. We fed
off of their momentum and we’ve been with them all the way and we want them to know
that and we appreciate the coaching staff and all of our young men, on and off the field.
Thank you all so much.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hankerson: Sing us a song, Dr. Welcher.
(Laughter)
Mr. Mayor: If y’all are going to do this every year, Mr. Russell is going to have
to increase our budget for frames.
Mr. Speaker: If they do it every year, I’ll pay for the frames.
The Clerk:
C. Augusta Utilities Department
5
RE: Recognition of Augusta Utilities Department by the Georgia Water and
Pollution Control Association for the Best Consumer Confidence report in the
category of Surface Water Source greater than 10,000 population served for 2004.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hicks: I wanted to make a brief comment. In case you wonder what this is
all about, this document that was mailed out to all of our customers, it’s called the
Consumer Confidence Report. We call it on the front the annual water quality report.
I’ve laid a copy on each Commissioner’s desk and also for the Attorney and others. But
if you’ll notice, there’s a wealth of information in this report. And that’s why we were
judged to be number one in our group. That is, surface water source greater than 10,000.
We were among the largest ones, and we’re very pleased to win this. The folks who
worked on it are not here today. I wish they could be. But Brenda Sue Johnson and Mike
Hopkins were the two who put this together and we appreciate their efforts and the efforts
of everyone at that plant and appreciate the pride they have in their work. But it’s for this
annual quality report that we were judged best in the state. Thank you..
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, the next item – we’ll get to the delegation in a
moment – we’d like to take up item number 2 on the addendum agenda. [inaudible]
wanted to take the resolution with him, so if you could go ahead and read that.
Addendum Item 2. Resolution supporting the official naming of “The James Henry
Roundtree Athletic Complex” at T. W. Josey High School.
(Requested by Commissioner Mays)
The Clerk: Yes, sir. A resolution:
Whereas, James Henry Roundtree, affectionately known by his students at the
T.W. Josey Comprehensive High School as “Papa Tree,” because of their deepest
admiration for him, was born on August 3, 1929 in Augusta, Georgia; and
Whereas, Coach Roundtree worked in the Richmond County School System for
many years as an exceptional coach beginning in 1952 at the Silas X. Floyd and Peter H.
Craig Elementary Schools, A.R. Johnson Junior High School, and began his high school
coaching career in 1964 at the T.W. Josey High School, where his records were
outstanding and included sub-regional, regional and city championships; and
Whereas, Coach Roundtree’s teaching abilities at T.W. Josey High School
included mathematics, physics and industrial education; he was named Josey’s Teacher
of the Year in 1968 and was named the GIA Coach of the Year in 1968. In 1973, the
students of T.W. Josey dedicated the 1973 Eagle yearbook to him, and he was also
inducted the Paine College Hall of Fame; and
Whereas, Coach Roundtree’s tenure as head coach afforded him the opportunity
to coach in the 1966 [inaudible] advance to the Final Four of the State Tournament; in
1967 the State AA Championship Basketball Team, where they participated in the
6
national tournament in Montgomery, Alabama; in 1968 Josey placed first in the Academy
of Richmond County Invitational Christmas Tournament, and in the same year, under his
leadership, the team won the 2AA Subregion Championship. In 1969 the Josey
basketball team placed second in Region 4AAA. The team also held the position of third
in the 1969 Christmas tournament, and in 1970 Region 4AAA Runner-up, and in 1972,
2AA Subregion Champs; and
Whereas, Coach Roundtree was a member of several civic organizations, such as
the Richmond County Teachers Association, Richmond County Education Association,
National Teachers Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. He
was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; and
Whereas, Coach Roundtree spent the majority of his life as an educator and
serving the people of Augusta, Georgia; and
Whereas, the family, friends, students and colleague of Coach Roundtree who
some call the man of commendable, exceptional, compassion and trustworthiness, which
was exemplified through his leadership, may always remember and never, ever forget his
love concerning commitment for each of them as he shall live in their hearts.
And therefore, be it resolved, that on this day the members of the Augusta
Commission of Richmond County, Georgia and the people of Augusta would like to
honor James Henry Roundtree for his commitment and dedication to the T.W. Joseph
Comprehensive High School in our community, but the official naming of the James
Henry Roundtree Athletic Complex.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the family and
th
T.W. Joseph Comprehensive High School this 7 day of December, in the year of our
Lord, 2004.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Mr. Mays.
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, I’d like for the resolution to be approved by the Augusta
Commission.
Mr. Colclough: So move.
Mr. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Discussion? All in favor, please
vote with the usual sign.
Motion carries 9-0.
Mr. Mays: Mr. Mayor, I would like to say it’s going to be quite a working day for
both myself and for Dr. Welcher, because he’s on his way to Josey, too, because even
though he’s a principal of Laney, I told him they came to Josey to get a principal, so we
both members of the class of ’69, as well as Commissioner Williams in the first
graduating class of ’66, and the opening ceremonies for the new complex and for the new
gymnasium tonight that will be named after Coach Roundtree. So thank you very much.
7
Mr. Mayor: [inaudible] The next item on the agenda is the report from the
Utilities Department.
The Clerk: On the bond program? Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hicks, do you want to do that?
PRESENTATION:
B. Report on Augusta Utilities Department Bond Program
(Five (5) minutes time limit per delegation)
Mr. Hicks: With that said, I can stand where I can [inaudible] computer from this
angle. But Commissioner Cheek, as chairman of the Engineering Services Committee,
had asked that we present a report on the capital improvement program that’s been
funded primarily through our bond issue, so that’s what we’re doing today. As you’ll
notice, from 1996 through the 2004 bond issue, which was validated by Judge Fleming
earlier today, we will have embarked on a total capital improvement program involving
some $453 million. That’s a lot of money. We’ve accomplished a lot. Our water and
sewer system are dependable now and our men and women have pride in their
workmanship and witnessed by the fact that instead of just putting out any old consumer
confidence report, they have pride in it and put out a winner. Now for the Series – let me
drop back just a minute. In case you – so far as – if you’ll notice, water treatment
facilities and wastewater conveyance system, those are the two areas where we’ve spent
the most of the funds. If you’ll remember, back in ’98 we really were having difficulty
with our water system and with our sewer lines. If you’ll remember, the sewer line broke
and we had just quite a discharge into the Savannah River. The wastewater plant was
having difficulty. But it was primarily the wastewater conveyance system that had
everyone’s attention. And so we have spent the most money on those. The other is the
water pollution control plant, that is, the wastewater plant. And then after that, the water
distribution projects and then the system-wide projects. We’ll talk about those in a
moment. As far as the Series 2000 and 2002, this is the large facility, single facility
that’s been constructed [inaudible] and that’s the Hicks Water Treatment on Tobacco
Road. There are some later photos than that, but it will be on line in the first quarter of
next year. We also did away with those two really bad looking tanks that always seemed
to be on the news in ’98, at the corner of Brown Road and Old Waynesboro Road, and
now we have this 3,000,000 gallon elevated storage tank. The people were so glad to see
that. Structures like that just inspire confidence within themselves. This is a map
showing the water system capital improvements for the 2000 and 2002 bond issue and
you’ll notice that there are a number of projects. Probably the biggest would be of course
the raw water pumping station on the river, not too far from here, then the line going
around to Hicks Plant on Tobacco Road. And of course we had this tank at the corner of
Old Waynesboro Road and Brown Road. We had the work out at Highway 56. And then
Tobacco Road water line, the work at the raw water pumping station. There are just a lot
of projects that we completed, and you’ll see they’re all over the system, and so each
District was involved as we improved our system. The Series 2004 water projects, it
shows you we’ve still got a lot to do that we’re going to undertake with our ’04 bond
8
issue. The largest single expenditure will be at the Highland Avenue plant, where we
will upgrade that plant. We will also do some work at the Goodrich Street raw water
pumping station. We show you an architectural rendering of it. Then major lines, to tie
the Tobacco Road plant to the downtown area, where we are now. That way, we’ll have
a feed not only coming from the hill, but coming from this plant, coming – it will
improve the reliability of the water service in this area. This just gives a review of the
water treatment expansions. Now this is an architectural rending of the treatment plant
addition that’s going to be on Central Avenue. You’ll see the little village, that’s the one
that’s there now, across from the fire department that was across Central Avenue. That
little village will have to be removed and stored and then put back in place after we
construct that. But that’s to give you a point of reference and let you know where it will
be. It will be adjacent to the existing facility up there. It will give us the ability to sustain
a capacity of 60 million gallons a day, day in and day out. And then this is a rendering of
the new work to be done at the raw water pumping station. These facilities are the ones
that exist right now. These are the new facilities to be constructed. Now under the bond
issue of 2004 [inaudible] we will have diesel engine pumps in this building that will draw
water from the river so that if anything should happen to the canal, we can sustain a 60-
million-gallon-a-day supply from the river. Now our next major project would be then
two more turbine-driven pumps that would be operated by the water flowing from the
canal to the river. So as you can see, we’re going to improve not only our treatment, but
our raw water supply. And then so far as – this is another verbal description or written
description of our distribution system projects. Now as far as the sewer projects, there
were a lot of pockets of unsewered areas that had to be dealt with. Those have all been
dealt with, from small ones to large ones. We worked on the Raes Creek sewer line. The
last two phases of that are under construction even as we speak. We did work in Butler
Creek. We designed it, and that’s ongoing. This is out at Belair Hills, and this is the
upper Butler Creek extension that we’ll be doing. As far as the series 2004 projects,
again you’ll see we still have a lot of work to do. There is one project that I know there’s
been interested expressed in and we regret it’s not on there, but it is in the 2000 bond
issue and that’s the Olive Road sewer, which is right up in this area, but it will be going
out for bids in January of ’05. Construction will begin on it in March of ’05. But you’ll
see these main interceptors. Butler Creek is going to be reworked. The pumping station,
down to Spirit Creek treatment facility, and a major force main up to the Messerly Plant.
Are there any questions about any of these? I’m hastening right through because I know
y’all have got your agenda for today and I don’t want to take up too much time. And you
do have these slides in your handout, so you can look at them at your leisure after we
leave. Again, the 2004 sewer project, probably the largest single expenditure there,
without a doubt it will be, will be the work at the Messerly Water Pollution Control Plant.
And we will have odor control at that plant. We don’t want to be known any longer as
the place that you smell when you land at the airport. We don’t want that to be the case.
And then the sewer lines. The pockets and extension and [inaudible] reduction, the
interceptor upgrades, you still have got a lot of work to do, but you know, with much
thanks to the Commission and the community, we have moved ahead with both the
funding approval and funding source. This just shows an example of one of the sewer
lines out, where we’ve got to do [inaudible] reduction on. Now system wide
improvements, as we’ve said when we presented to you before, we’re also undertaking a
9
departmental organization and training so that we’ll have people trained to do preventive
maintenance and have staff to do preventive maintenance. No more reactive
maintenance. If we’re going to spend $400 million – and I’ll just recognize Alfred
Griffin. Alfred, stand up. He’s from the water treatment plant. He’s with the group that
produced this award-winning consumer confidence report.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Hicks: Thank you, Alfred. But we’re training our folks so that we – we
spend a lot of money, and as y’all maintain it, then give it 30 years, we’ll be right back
where we were. We don’t want that, nobody wants that. So we have to have staff
sufficient and well trained and we’ll continue. Now we’ll also be doing work along the
Augusta canal. As we know, Commissioner Cheek is very interested in that, together
with the other members of the Commission. This is where we’ll be repairing the caved-in
areas along the edge where it’s eaten out along the bank, and we’ll be doing some
restoration work in the canal. Key elements for success – now let me say this. I’ve taken
up probably about ten minutes now. The rest of the presentation would be financial
planning, quality design, department organization, if you’re interested in that. I didn’t
know where your interest might lie, or I could breeze through it real quickly and make a
few comments. I don’t want to take – you’ve got a lot of things in front of you and I
didn’t want to take too much time. Mayor, what do you think?
Mr. Mayor: Why don’t you just hit the high points, Max?
Mr. Hicks: I’ll do it.
Mr. Mayor: Cause certainly we all have a copy of it and we can find you if we
need more information.
Mr. Hicks: There we go. But the three key elements, financial planning, quality
design and construction, and then organization to sustain and have optimum operation of
the system. This deals with the financial planning, then the quality design, on schedule
and on time and on budget. These are the projects that have been completed and that are
underway. One thing that I know will be dear to your heart is the fact that in the 1996
program, our change orders were running about 6.5%. Since then, our – in our 2000-
2002, it’s 1.1%. So we were striving to reduce that and we did. And we’re very pleased
with that figure. The department organization to sustain the operation – when we began
in ’98 we just had the director and one assistant director and then these sections. Now
with the – of course permission of the Commission – we organized in about 2000 and we
now have four assistant directors and we have one that was approved in the budget this
year, and it’s called water distribution and wastewater collection division. I think they’d
prefer to be called construction and maintenance division. But they will be handling the
maintenance and operation of the water distribution system and wastewater collection
system. In that regard let me say that probably six years ago we might have had two
people that were certified as water distribution system operators or wastewater collection
system operators. We now have in excess of 50. I think it’s about 60. Because we’ve
10
begun to educate our people and we’ve got folks who are trained now. They don’t just go
out and do their training to go out and do, and they’re certified, they pass the state exams
to be water distribution system operators and collection system. We have really
increased our staff knowledge there. Now at the filter plant, I do want to say this. At one
time we two Class I operators out there, Alfred and Randy. Now we’ve got seven or
eight. It all depends on – there was one we were trying to think of, Alfred, if they had
achieved their Class I, but we now have seven or eight Class I operators, which is the
highest you can go in the state with a treatment plant operator. Improved system support,
we won’t get into that. And then of course quality service. Environmental regulations –
we’re dealing with all of these. And just notice, notice if you would this, it’s now been
20 months. We are all holding our breaths. If we make it through December, it will be
the first time that plant has had a calendar year with no – I’d better not even say it, I don’t
want to blow the game, but it will be the first time we will receive a gold award for that
plant, and that’s an achievement. You remember we used to be in the paper regularly
about difficulties out there, so even though we’ve had 20 months straight, it started eight
months into last year, and so we’re hoping for that. Non-compliance issues that we’re
working on, of course our sewer system upgrade, Raes Creek, Messerly, then the Spirit
Creek plant. You noticed all of those items in the ’04 bond issue to meet those. And
then of course you’re very familiar with our mission and our benchmark and just close
with another picture. When that’s on line, it will be something else again, it will be
tremendous. So we appreciate your attention, and if you have any questions, just don’t
hesitate to call us.
Ms. Beard: Max, where do they receive their training?
Mr. Hicks: Where?
Ms. Beard: Yes. I’m curious.
Mr. Hicks: They go to the Georgia Water and Wastewater Institute at Carrollton,
Georgia. There are approved programs there. They have to go there. Now some of them
can take their training at home, if they’re disciplined enough and they can study at home,
we can order instruction material from Sacramento. There’s a group there. Isn’t that,
right, Alfred? Order it from there. So there are two sources. We either send them to
Carrollton or they order the material. Now they have to do that. Now we also at the
plants and in our systems have hands-on training, so that they’re exposed not only to it in
the curriculum, so we now have people who are certified and they can help them. They
can say I took the test, this is what’s on it, this is what you need to know, and it’s now
just, it’s just exponential, the increase is, it’s so good. So they receive it by going to the
class, studying at home, and on site. Any other questions?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hicks, thank you for that presentation. We would like to invite
the Commissioners and anyone else who is interested to come out tomorrow at 2:30 –
Mr. Hicks: It is.
11
Mr. Mayor: - to the Max Hicks Water Treatment Plan on Tobacco Road. I’m
going to sign the bond issue, $152 million. It’s a lot of signing we have to do, but y’all
are certainly welcome to come join us for that historic occasion.
Mr. Hicks: Let me make a comment. We did $160 million bond issue and then
there is going to be – we’ll have $37 million worth of in-house funds. Now as we move
forward in the future, we want to depend more on in-house funds as much as we can,
rather than having to go out to the bond market, but we have over the period from 2000 to
now generated that much. We knew we were going to need to do. We set that as a goal
and we’ve done it, and that’s why the bond raters – even though we’re young as an
organization – they’re still rated as A+ and A++. We are very pleased with that and so
we’ve generated revenues in house.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Hicks. We’ll let you go generate some more. The
Chair will recognize Mr. Grantham for the purpose of an introduction.
Mr. Grantham: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It’s my pleasure to introduce today Mr.
Vernon Plunkett. Vernon, would you please stand? Vernon is a long time, life long
resident of Richmond County. He has just been appointed, I have made the appointment
of Vernon to the Richmond County Public Facilities representing District 10. Vernon is a
very strong supporter of not only our government, our city, but in the civic activities that
he performs. If any of you attended the pre-Masters event last year down at the museum,
Vernon was very much involved in getting Arnold Palmer and having that organization
put together what they did for you, Mr. Mayor, for this City. As you can see, Vernon’s
wife Linda is with him. Linda, thank you for being here today. They are very strong
supporters and I just want to tell him how much I appreciate what he’s done for this
community, and I urge all my fellow Commissioners to please vote in support for
Vernon’s appointment. Thank you very much. Thank you, Vernon.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Grantham: I have another appointment that is not here, Mr. David Darby. He
has served previously on the Richmond County Planning Commission and I am asking
for a reappointment of Mr. Darby. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Sims?
Ms. Sims: Yes, I have an introduction, Mr. Harry Moore. Mr. Moore will be
serving on the Augusta Coliseum Authority. He’s active in everything. You’ll see him a
lot, carrying about Augusta. So I’m pleased to have the opportunity to appoint him and I
urge all of you to reassure him and to commend him on a job that I know will be very
well done.
(A round of applause is given.)
12
Mr. Mayor: For those of you who have not met her yet, the Chair would like to
introduce Ms. Yvonne Gentry, who has recently joined us as our Minority Business
Development Officer. Would you stand up, please, Yvonne? Welcome aboard.
(A round of applause is given.)
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, let’s take up the delegation now, please.
The Clerk:
DELEGATION:
A. Tony Kennelly
RE: Lack of Augusta’s participation in Patriots Day or 9-11 remembrance.
Mr. Mayor: Tony, welcome. If you’ll come to the microphone and give us your
name and address for the record, please.
Mr. Kennelly: My name is Tony Kennelly, 801 Champion Pines Lane, Augusta,
Georgia. I want to thank you, Mr. Mayor, and ladies and gentlemen of the Augusta
Commission for allowing me to come here and talk for a few moments today. A little
background about me. My brother-in-law, my wife’s brother, was a firefighter in the
New York City Fire Department. He was lost in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
What I’m here today for, it’s kind of appropriate to be here today in remembrance of
Pearl Harbor Day. You know, Augusta, we have Fort Gordon out here, a very important
part of our economy and in our local community. We have a lot of firefighters, EMTs,
public service police officers that are out here still doing their jobs on a daily basis,
putting their lives on the line for all of us. I guess what I’m here today is to ask the
Commission – I don’t know, I’m not a real political person, I don’t really understand how
all these things go, I guess I was told maybe the City is in the business of putting on
celebrations or whatever, but I guess I’m here to implore and to ask you as
Commissioners to do the right thing. I think our City needs to not only remember those
who gave their lives that day, but the people in this area and this community who are still
out there putting their lives on the line for all of us on a daily basis. It’s not about my
family in particular, it’s about upholding and remembering all of these people that are
still out there on a daily basis, you know. In 2002 President Bush made Patriots Day
September 11 as a day to remember and uphold these people and to uphold the military,
so I guess I’m asking our Commissioners to help me in any way to do this. I’ll be glad to
serve on a commission or even if the Commission decides that they don’t want to do it,
maybe the community can get together and do it. But I thank you again.
Mr. Mayor: Tony, thank you for being with us today and we certainly appreciate
the sacrifice of your brother-in-law on that tragic day in New York. As I explained to the
press yesterday, the City government is not in the business of putting on annual
recognition ceremonies. We support those organizations that do. For example, this
Saturday we have a Christmas parade, and the city doesn’t put on the parade, but we
support the Augusta Jaycees. On July 4 there is a ceremony at the Signers Monument in
13
front of the building, and we offer support for that activity which is put together by a
private group. And I would encourage any organizations that would be tuned in to the
request that is coming from you today to step forward and the City will be glad to work
with a group that would be interested in doing that. September 11, 2003 there was a
remembrance ceremony at the Riverwalk that a local group put together, and certainly we
would encourage any group that wanted to to avail themselves of them many facilities
that we have, the resources we have, and we’ll support a Patriots Day, an appropriate
Patriots Day program in this city. You’re right, we should have one. We should have
one. And I think if we’ve got a group in the community that’s willing to undertake this, it
will be a much more sustainable program, much more meaningful than was something
else the government would put out there. But thank you so much for bringing this to our
attention. Mr. Russell, I’ll ask you if you would to follow up with them on this. Any
other comments?
Mr. Hankerson: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Hankerson?
Mr. Hankerson: I think that’s good. I feel where he’s coming from, and on the
Patriots Day and 9-11. I’d like to take on the responsibility of being the go-to person to
organizations that may want to do this next year to make sure it does not slip through the
cracks, that we can honor on 9-11 and Patriots Day as other cities are doing. So I would
like, if the Commission would agree upon that, to take on that responsibility.
Mr. Mayor: Commend you for that, Mr. Hankerson. Thank you. Let’s move
along then to our consent agenda.
The Clerk: The consent agenda consists of items 1 through 19.
Mr. Mayor: Do we have any alcohol or zoning you want to read out?
The Clerk: I don’t think we have any.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. The consent agenda is items 1 through 19. Are there any
items from the regular agenda or the addendum agenda that we can move over to the
consent agenda? How about item 22? Could we move that over to the consent agenda?
Let me ask the Public Safety Chairman. Commissioner Williams, could we move that
over to consent or do y’all want to have some discussion on that?
Mr. Williams: No, we can move that over, Mr. Mayor. Got no problem with that.
Mr. Mayor: Any objection to moving 22 to the consent agenda? Okay. What
about 23? Move that to consent, or would y’all like to have some discussion on that?
Mr. Williams, you want to –
Mr. Williams: I’d like to have a little discussion on 23, Mr. Mayor.
14
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’ll hold 23 then. So we have the consent agenda items 1
through 19 and adding to that item 22 and then on the addendum agenda do you need
some discussion on item number 1, which is the condemnation for the canal clean-up?
Do we need some discussion on that? Or can we add that to consent also?
Mr. Hankerson: Did we say we wanted to add 24 to consent?
Mr. Mayor: I think some people want to have discussion on that, Mr. Hankerson. An
explanation, if nothing else.
Mr. Hankerson: I didn’t hear nobody say nothing.
Mr. Mayor:
Item 1 on the addendum agenda, the condemnation. Move that to
.
consent? All right, we’ll move item 1 from the addendum agenda to consent. All right
And then we’ll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda.
Ms. Sims: I so move.
Mr. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Would you like to pull any items for further
discussion?
Mr. Hankerson: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hankerson?
Mr. Hankerson: Like to pull number 2.
Mr. Mayor: Number 2.
Mr. Hankerson: Number 12.
Mr. Mayor: Number 12.
Mr. Hankerson: That’s it for me. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. How did you know I had some I might want
to pull?
Mr. Mayor: I kind of figured – I already had your name written down here.
15
Mr. Williams: I’d like to pull items and get some clarification on a couple of
these. Item number 5.
Mr. Mayor: Item number 5, okay.
Mr. Williams: Number 10.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Williams: And 13, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, got 5, 10 and 13.
Mr. Williams: And number 1. Let’ get some clarification on number 1.
Mr. Mayor: Number 1, okay. All right. Would anybody like to pull any
other items?
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:
PUBLIC SERVICES:
1. Deleted from the consent agenda.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
2. Deleted from the consent agenda.
3. Motion to approve outsourcing to PMSI the microfilming of files required by
law for the years 1990 through 1997 at a cost of $12,000.00. (Approved by
Administrative Services and Finance Committee November 29, 2004)
4. Motion to authorize Human Resources to enter in an agreement with Power
South to provide wellness program services and renew current agreements with
Health Central, Family Y and Powerhouse wellness facilities. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee November 29, 2004)
5. Deleted from the consent agenda.
6. Motion to authorize Public Works & Engineering to fill the vacant Safety
Officer position (pay grade 44) as Safety Officer Technician (pay grade 43) with
authorization to promote and adjust salary of the successful candidate upon
completion of the education requirements within an agreed upon time frame.
(Approved by Administrative Services Committee November 29, 2004)
FINANCE:
7. Motion to approve refund on one account in name of George V. Williams,
Map 197, Parcel 12 in the amount of $48.56. (Approved by Finance Committee
November 29, 2004)
8. Motion to approve refund on one account in name of Bible Deliverance
Temple, Map 35-4, Parcel 125 in the amount of $557.98. (Approved by Finance
Committee November 29, 2004)
16
9. Motion to approve the purchase of full page ad in the souvenir booklet for
the Forty Ninth Annual Georgia District Conference Alpha Phi Fraternity at the
Riverfront Radisson Hotel January 21-22, 2005 funded from 2004 promotional
account budget. (Approved by Finance Committee November 29, 2004)
10. Deleted from the consent agenda.
ENGINEERING SERVICES:
11. Motion to authorize condemnation of a portion of Tax Map 13, Parcel 26
which is owned by Vera Frohman and Douglas Frohman for a temporary easement
and permanent easement on Project 70125 – Butler Creek Collector/Belair Hills
Estates. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 29, 2004)
12. Deleted from the consent agenda.
13. Deleted from the consent agenda.
14. Motion to approve funding in the amount of $17,000.00 for the purchase of a
base antenna to improve accuracy of county survey projects. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee November 29, 2004)
15. Motion to approve Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $15,320.00 for
BRW Construction Group, LLC for modification to the Ravenwood Drive and
Cannongate Drive sites. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November
29, 2004)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS:
16. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission
held November 16, 2004.
APPOINTMENTS:
17. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Harry Moore to the Augusta-
Richmond County Coliseum Authority representing District 3.
18. Motion to approve the reappointment of Mr. David Darby to the Augusta-
Richmond County Planning Commission representing District 10.
19. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Vernon R. Puckett to Richmond
County Public Facilities, Inc., representing District 10.
PUBLIC SAFETY:
22. Motion to approve technology upgrade plan for the Augusta Fire
Department (AFD), which includes hardware, software and connectivity for Fire
Stations in outlying areas.
Addendum Item 1. Motion to authorize condemnation of 21,432 square feet (0.492
acres) of property owned by First Union Development Company for the purpose of
constructing a temporary CSX diversion track as a part of the Canal Improvement
Project.
Mr. Mayor: We have the consent agenda minus items 1, 2, 5, 10, 12 and 13. All
in favor then please vote with the usual sign.
17
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0. [Items 3-4, 6-9, 11, 14-19, 22, Addendum Item 1]
Mr. Mayor: Let’s move along then with item number 1 off the consent agenda.
Madame Clerk, if you’ll read the caption, please?
The Clerk:
1. Motion to approve Bid Item #04-142, roof replacement at Bernie Ward and
May Park Community Centers, and award the bid to Southern Roofing for
$76,860.00. (Approved by Public Services Committee November 29, 2004)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams, you had some questions?
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I’m glad that we had a bid situation here, but
I’m looking at the background and I’m wondering what are we doing to get the other
businesses to come. We been saying we want to make this thing fair. You open the door
and people don’t come for a period of time. We need to find out what are we doing, the
reason they’re not bidding. I look at the other roofers in this bid packaged in the back,
and I didn’t see where they come forth at all. And I didn’t know if somebody from
Purchasing or maybe Rec could tell me why we are not being, why we can’t get
participation. I can see people bidding and not win the bid, but when people don’t come
to the table at all. In a lot of cases, they feel like it’s no use to come because they’re not
going to get it or because of whatever. And I’m not in the business of doing roofing, I
don’t even know any roofers, but I do want to be fair to all roofers that, you know, are
capable of doing it. We spend a lot of money in this government and I vow to make sure
from now on when there are bids being awarded in any department, I’m going to see that,
you know, if I can make sure that it’s being done in the proper manner. So maybe we
need to do something else, Mr. Mayor, maybe we need to do a little twist to our bidding
process or maybe a twist back or something. I don’t know. But it’s strange, and I’ll just
try to explain it.
Mr. Mayor: Do you want Mr. Beck to answer your question?
Mr. Williams: Well, I want to give Mr. Beck the opportunity to answer but I
wanted to be clear so he won’t have to again. I’ll be finished. I wanted to make sure that
we are doing everything we can. When you got these other reputable dealers who have
been in business for a long time that don’t even put a bid in, something – a light goes off
in my head, Mr. Mayor, I just want to know. Mr. Beck can explain that.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Beck, can you explain the lack of participation on the bids?
Mr. Beck: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, I really can’t explain why
we only had two bidders. The bids were advertised legally during a 30-day period, as all
bids over $10,000 are. We did have two bidders to meet the specifications on the job and
as you can tell by the backup, they were very competitive bids. I think a red flag may
18
have gone up if we’d had one bid at one number and the next bid at a much higher or
lower number. So we felt like we got a good number on it. It does concern us, as well,
that we don’t get more than two bids, but that – it is what it is, and as to getting more
participation out there, I can’t answer that.
Mr. Williams:
Thank you, Tom, I appreciate that, but looking at these two that
bid it, in my mind I’ve been in this town for some 50-odd years now and these are the
two oldest companies in this town. And I’m sure that they have gotten other business
from us and I appreciate what y’all have done, I appreciate what Purchasing has done.
But we might need to get the competitive bid process tweaked a little bit through
Purchasing or somebody. I really don’t know. But I got no problem with giving it to this
company, but I did want to bring that to the table. There are several businesses in this
community who don’t come to the table. I thought Fairway Ford was the only Ford
dealer in the world. I mean all our, all our cars come from Fairway Ford, Tom. We
talking about roofing right now. But it’s something wrong when a company is in
business and we don’t get bids. And I think we need to address it, at least ask those
Mr. Mayor, I’m going to make a motion that we approve with the bids
questions.
that have been awarded through the Recreation and Purchasing Departments.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a second?
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Discussion?
Mr. Grantham: Question.
Mr. Mayor: Question from Mr. Grantham.
Mr. Grantham: The questions is – and Commissioner Colclough and I were
looking at it – these are two separate projects, or were they put out as a package?
Mr. Beck: Put out as a package.
Mr. Grantham: You answered the question. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, anything further? All in favor of the motion please vote
with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays out.
Mr. Williams abstains.
Motion carries 7-1.
Mr. Mayor: The next item is number 2, Madame Clerk.
The Clerk:
19
2. Motion to approve authorization to establish “Revitalization Districts”
throughout various designated blighted communities and neighborhoods in
Augusta, Ga. pursuant to Georgia Law and direct staff to present Revitalization
District Map at Commission meeting. (Approved by Administrative Services
Committee November 29, 2004)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hankerson, you’ve asked for this item?
Mr. Hankerson: Yes, I just – we asked in the Committee meeting that a map
would be shown that we could look at the boundaries of the revitalization district and also
we asked that the Harrisburg Community would be included in that designated area, so
that’s what we wanted to see, wanted my colleagues to see the map.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hankerson, did you have anything further?
Mr. Hankerson: No.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’ll recognize Mr. Williams.
Mr. Hankerson: Well, I –
Mr. Mayor: Are you finished?
Mr. Hankerson: I can’t see that far – I just wanted to view the map and wanted
everybody to see the areas.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m like Commissioner Hankerson, I
wanted to bring it a little closer, too. I’ve got a map in my hand and with these bifocals I
still can’t see the streets. I don’t know where the line – I see the color, but I don’t know
where the lines are, I don’t know whether the District – how far it runs, either north,
south, east or west. Maybe somebody else can –
Mr. Mayor: Why don’t we do this? Why don’t we take a five minute recess and
everybody can get down and look at the map, get up close, take a look at it, and not look
at it from a distance? We’ll do that, we’ll just take a brief recess and then we’ll resume
and take the item up.
Ms. Beard: I would like to mention one thing. Commissioner Grantham
mentioned something about Harrisburg. It seems to be on the map, but it is not listed as
one of the districts. So we need to add that, add that in the –
Mr. Mayor: It’s in the legend.
20
Ms. Beard: It is there, but you also have the resolution, I think.
Mr. Grantham: Yeah.
Ms. Beard: Whatever it is.
Mr. Mayor: In the paperwork.
Ms. Beard: That is still omitted.
Mr. Grantham: Backup, too.
Mr. Mayor: We’ll take a three minute recess so everyone can come down and
look at the map.
[RECESS]
Mr. Mayor: Can we come back to order, please? When we recessed to look at
the map, Mr. Williams, you had the floor, and I’m going to recognize you and see if there
is anything else you wanted to say before we move along with this item. We have some
people in the audience who wanted to speak to this, also.
Mr. Williams: No, Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Sims asked for a larger map to be
drawn up so we’d be able to better understand it and be able to look at it and digest it
better. I did get a little more understanding by going down. We are approving what is
supposed to be in here, the yellow area. These other coloration in the map would be
added later, they said, so that helps a lot. It’s not going to do any good to understand the
purple and the green for it is not on the drawing board as yet anyway. This is something
that’s going to be added, Mr. Smith said, at a later time. It’s an area, potential area
they’re going to be going to.
Mr. Warren Smith: That’s correct.
Mr. Williams: So that answered my question, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Warren Smith: Mr. Mayor, can I just make a point?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Smith, just a minute. Let us understand that today we’re being
asked to adopt the revitalization districts for Harrisburg, Laney Walker, Turpin Hill and
Bethlehem? And is east Augusta included in that, because that is a different color?
Mr. Warren Smith: East Augusta is not included in that. It will be a future area.
Mr. Mayor: All right. And Aragon Park, Hyde Park, Virginia Heights and Dover
Street –
21
Mr. Warren Smith: Are future areas, also.
Mr. Mayor: Future areas. Okay. Make sure we have that clear. Go ahead.
Mr. Warren Smith: Thank you. What I was going to say was just exactly that.
The ordinance itself will create the criteria for establishing districts. What you’re looking
at today is the ordinance and then the establishment of the first district, the inner urban
district which is the list the Mayor just read off. What we’re going to do after that is
we’ll be working with the Planning Department. The Planning Department actually is
going to be certifying the other areas based on the criteria in the ordinance. That has do
with blight, it has to do with poverty, and the Planning Department will certify the other
areas, and they’ll tweak the areas that are in purple and green and brown, maybe adding a
street or adding an area for future consideration. So just to be real clear, the inner urban
is just the Harrisburg, Laney Walker, Turpin Hill and Bethlehem neighborhoods.
Mr. Mayor: We have some people in the audience who are here, I think from the
Olde Town neighborhood, who had some questions or comments. Is there a spokesman
for the group? If you’d come up to the podium and give us your name and address for
the record, please.
Mr. Moon: Yes, my name is Robert Moon and I’m at 215 Greene Street and I
guess I’m a member of the Olde Town neighborhood association. And I think our
questions were actually answered. We were a little bit concerned that we had – we didn’t
see the map and no one exactly knew if Olde Town was included in this. But apparently
it’s not. But we got a chance to look at it, so we appreciate –
Mr. Mayor: We have one you can take with you.
Mr. Moon: That would be great. We can pass it along at the meeting. But we
appreciate – looking at the map we realized that we’re not included in it at this time, so
we just wanted to make sure that Olde Town, if it was included, exactly what that mean.
Since we’re not included, I think we’re all okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Moon: Thank you for your time.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Chairman Hankerson?
Mr. Hankerson: Mr. Mayor, that’s why I pulled that, so we could see the map.
When we discussed it in Administrative Services Committee and [inaudible] map so we
could have a good understanding of what area we were working with presently or we
going to work with. The additions to that was to add Harrisburg community to that. That
was done and that’s in the yellow area of the map. I’d like to take this time to commend
Commissioner Betty Beard for chairing the subcommittee and bringing an inclusive
group together from the community and Commissioner Don Grantham and also
22
Commissioner Barbara Sims, I think were the other two Commissioners with you,
Commissioner Beard?
Ms. Beard: Yes, they were.
Mr. Hankerson: And I’d like to comment them for doing an excellent,
outstanding job for we can move forward now with the inner city district and we have a
format, a plan now that we know which direction we are going, and then the other areas
we’ll be working on those in the near future, of the other areas and communities such as
the gentleman just asked about, there are other areas, there’s Virginia Subdivision, that
area, the Dover Street area, and we are going to work forward in cleaning up Augusta and
revitalization. So thank you very much, Commissioner Beard.
Mr. Mayor: Anything further? We need a motion.
Mr. Hankerson: I move to approve.
Ms. Beard: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Discussion?
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Could we at least next time get these items put in the agenda book
so we won’t have to have this type discussion? Because the map was supposed to been
brought to the Commission meeting, said [inaudible] at Commission meeting, should
have been put in our agenda and I hope [inaudible] or any other department would not
have us to do that when we could have looked at it all weekend. In my travel this past
th
week, even on last night, Ms. Sims, that we talked to the GMA 7 District group, about
the training, and we took the camera and toured Indianapolis and saw some revitalization
had been going on and very much interested in what we’re doing but I think we just got
to start to come to the table and work together.
Mr. Mayor: All right. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Mr. Russell was making a
notation of your request there, and I would suggest, too, that we produce these maps in-
house, these large ones, so there wouldn’t be any additional effort to make ten copies and
make sure that all the Commissioners get a copy of the big map, if we’re talking about
tiny little streets and things. Anything further? We have a motion. All in favor of the
motion then please vote with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays and Mr. Smith out.
Motion carries 7-0.
Mr. Mayor: The next item is item number 5.
23
The Clerk:
5. Motion to approve the City of Augusta Internship Program Policy.
(Approved by Administrative Services Committee November 29, 2004)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. In listening to Max Hicks in his presentation
a little while ago and talking about the training that they was doing, I’m wondering now -
it says City of Augusta intern program that we going to try to get [inaudible] or started
with. Have we not been doing this before in other departments already, whether it be
Public Works, whether it be Water Department? Will this be our first program, I guess,
Ms. – our official program, is that what you saying now?
Ms. Pelaez: Yes, sir, Mr. Commissioner. This will be the first official program
that we’ve actually adopted a policy and we are working in concert with the local
universities and colleges.
Mr. Williams: What’s the difference, Ms. Pelaez, in the cross training that we
initiated or we talked about earlier, last year maybe some time, versus what you going do
now? Because I’m thinking that this is something we have been doing or something that
we have already did, maybe not officially, but you, you saying this is the first time. Mr.
Hicks just got through explaining some cross training, some things they been doing in
their department. Is this going be throughout the government, throughout the –
Mr. Mayor: I think you’ve got it mixed up, Mr. Williams. This is a program for
college students who will come and spend six or eight weeks with us, working on a
specific project or two to get college credit for it.
Mr. Williams: Okay. Now – but I’m thinking about –
Mr. Mayor: We don’t pay them.
Mr. Williams: Okay. But I’m thinking about the cross training, though. Don’t
we have a program for cross training or do we have anything in that respect, Ms. Pelaez?
Ms. Pelaez: As it relates to cross training, that is specifically left up to the
department as to how they need to cross-train their staff so that they can have alternative
backups. This particular agenda item is dealing with trying to establish a partnership
with the colleges so that we can have the students get some on-the-job training within
their various degreed areas so that we can have them work on projects that the
department establishes that they have been wanting to get off the ground for some time,
but because of lack of resources or because staff is tied to so many other areas that they
don’t have the time to focus on this one particular research item, we could utilize the
student, other than not getting paid, they will be working toward college credit. So this is
24
not utilizing our employees on this program, other than supervision of that particular
student on the project.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell?
Mr. Russell: Commissioner Williams, we have been doing this informally in
other – with some departments and we saw the need to formalize the policy. The
Administrator’s Office has had an intern once or twice in the past couple of years, as
have, I assume, other places. But there is a need to formalize that and Ms. Pelaez has
done that in I think a very good way that serves both the City and the student in a very
positive manner, and I would encourage your support for this.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Russell, I’m in support, I really am. I’ve just questioned
because of the other departments and stuff that we are not doing and [inaudible] I see the
vocational and the college students, one last question – what kind of risk involved as far
as this government concerned when it comes to the college and the vocational type
students coming in, doing anything, or is this going to be off campus work done, is there
any liability on –
Ms. Pelaez: If you look at one of the forms, it’s actually quite distinctive in the
waiver and release of liability up to and including death. So we are having them release,
sign a release form from liabilities, and I think if [inaudible] working on computers and
things of that nature, now we’re not going to give them security access to our computer
system or anything like that. And so as it relates to workers comp, that’s what this
waiver is, so we have made sure that we, while we’re trying to be proactive in having
them come in to get some on-the-job training, you’re exactly right, we don’t want to
create any adverse risk on the part of the government, and that’s what this waiver and
release of liability form takes care of.
Mr. Williams: That’s all, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Boyles?
Mr. Boyles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Pelaez, the – I think Tom Beck, I don’t
know if he’s gone or not, but the Recreation Department used to use an intern every
quarter and we did it with all the schools that had the recreation and park curriculum.
Ms. Pelaez: Yes, sir, and that’s what’s been happening. You’re exactly right.
Recreation, Human Resources, Administration, a lot of different departments have taken
upon themselves that they started using interns and we began getting a lot of questions
about it so we thought it was better to just go ahead and formalize it and make sure that
everybody was signing the waiver of release of liability so everybody is working off the
same page. So you’re exactly right. It has –
Mr. Boyles: It’s worked out very, very well, too.
25
Ms. Pelaez: Yes, sir, it has.
Mr. Mayor: I’ve had about a dozen interns over the last six years. It works very
well. Any other questions, comments?
Mr. Boyles: Move for approval.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and second to approve. All in favor then please vote with the
usual sign.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: The next item is item number 10.
The Clerk:
10. Motion to approve the purchase of One (1) Explorer in the amount of
$26,937.30 from Bobby Jones Ford of Augusta, Georgia (Lowest bid packages for
Bid 04-131) and approve budget amendments in the General Fund and Capital
Outlay Fund to accommodate the purchase. (Approved by Finance Committee
November 29, 2004)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I told Mr. Boyles in Finance that we
wouldn’t have no problem with this, and I still don’t have a problem, but in the backup I
still see one “sports utility vehicle” and I want to make sure that we clarify that, Tommy.
Mr. Boyles: I agree with you.
Mr. Williams: I move to approve, Mr. Mayor
, but it says in the back one
“sports utility vehicle” for $30,937 from Bobby Jones Ford. And I’m just clarifying it so
when the horse get out the gate you can’t say that you need to close it. Close it before it
get out.
Mr. Boyles: We talked about that, that we drop the wording “sports utility
vehicle” and find another word.
The Clerk: Explorer.
Mr. Boyles: Explorer is classified as a sports utility vehicle, too.
26
Mr. Williams: It says here “sports utility” and we need to clarify so we’ll be on
the same plane.
Mr. Mayor: Same truck.
Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, if I can.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell?
Mr. Russell: If you would approve recommendation 1A, which is the purchase of
one Ford Explorer for the Coroner’s Office, I believe that’s what we’d be after, sir.
Mr. Williams: I move for approval.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion? All in favor then please vote with the usual
sign.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: The next item, Madame Clerk, is item number 12.
The Clerk:
12. Motion to approve the expenditures requested by Mrs. Sarah Brown as
compensation for a 4,509.95 square foot permanent utility easement on her 3802
Wrightsboro Road property with the condition that Mrs. Brown sign the easement
deed prior to any work being performed and with the stipulation that should Mrs.
Brown refuse to sign the easement deed prior to work being performed, the City
Attorney’s Office will have the authorization to move forward with the
condemnation. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 29, 2004)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hankerson, you asked this be pulled?
Mr. Hankerson: Yes, sir, I need some explanation. I had a very thorough, lengthy
conversation on last night with Ms. Brown, and as you know, Ms. Brown is a 78-year-old
lady and don’t want her property condemned. And I have some questions about the, the
expenditure requested as compensation, the amount of the compensation that is requested
here. And I got Ms. Brown last night. She did relate to me what she would like to settle
this claim. I know it came before us before and I know that the staff have been working
very hard, along with Mr. Doug Cheek, a Georgia Tech graduate, I think, and Mr. Hicks
and previous Attorney and now the Attorney that’s working now. I just want to know,
and then I’m relaying what was asked of me last night, to help this lady so we won’t
condemn her property, Mr. Hicks.
27
Mr. Hicks: Would you like a review of the case? This will give you a review of
what I sent to Ms. Brown last Wednesday. Ms. Brown – I’d had a conversation with her
and she had asked me if I would please refer to an email that I had sent her in December
of ’03. And so I did. I went back to that email. I won’t take your time to read it, but it
was again, it dealt with the fact that we had made an initial offer of $2,050 and then
another offer of $10,800 to cover what we felt would be the expenses. The first offer of
$2,050 Ms. Brown says she didn’t know about but it was broken down into the
permanent easement of $600, temporary easement of $360, [inaudible] $255, three old
metal buildings, $606, landscaping, $225, for a total offer of $2,050, which Ms. Brown
just refused. Okay. Then we went with another offer, based on what we felt that she had
said she wanted, and we added $8,850, which involved tap fees for two connections,
[inaudible] backflow prevention devices, [inaudible] connection costs, and allowance for
new storage buildings and property restoration of $3,350. All those total $8,850. And I
sent this to her which showed how we arrived at the $10,800 offer, which again Ms.
Brown refused and appeared before the committee at a time of condemnation. And I set
forth in the email the fact that at the Engineering Service Committee on November 29,
we were instructed to hire a landscape architect and meet with Ms. Brown and arrive at
exactly what Ms. Brown did want. And so we did that. We engaged the services of
Roger Davis, who is a landscape architect, very well known. She seemed to be very
pleased with him. Felt like we had definitely go the best and wondered how much we
paid, but we told Ms. Brown we wanted to get one that would be without doubt a good
landscape architect. And so I then set forth what made up the award that’s recommended
to you today, and that is – let me go over to the agenda item – it’s right at $26,000. It’s a
total of $25,804.60. Now I did say to Ms. Brown in reviewing this there is, there is one
item that we need to add, and that’s a $325 or $350 – let me get that figure again – it’s
$360 for temporary easement. That’s not included in that $25,000. So if we add $360, it
would actually make it $26,164.60. That would include everything we had offered her
previously, plus everything that she stated in the visits to her property with Mr. Roger
Davis that she wanted. In other words, it includes – if you’ll look at your backup data in
the agenda item, you’ve got the plumbing, the connection of two houses to the sewer and
all that. That’s the cost from Colonial Plumbing. Two tap fees. That’s [inaudible].
Then the fee for the landscape architect. Now we, of course, are bearing that. That won’t
be an award to her, but it’s in this agenda item I’m asking to be approved. The fee to
remove four trees. Ms. Brown continually referred to the fact that the trees were scarred
and messed up by the contractor, so we’ve agreed to remove those trees. And then site
work. Top soil, rip rap, the rock bank, and she wanted it hand placed and not dumped, so
we – like I say, we’ve done everything that Ms. Brown had requested, as directed, we
felt, by the Commission under the auspices of landscape architect, and instead of just a
shed, we’ve got a $1,744 new shed, 10’ x 12’. And so this is all we can do is this. Now
we feel like we’ve gone the last mile and this is what I told Ms. Brown, was Ms. Brown –
she said well, that doesn’t put any money in my pocked. I said well, Ms. Brown – and so
I said well, Ms. Brown, all I can tell you is this is what we were instructed to do and
you’ll be reimbursed then for your plumbing, your tap fees, and you’ll be paid for your
permanent easement and your temporary easement. That would be a total of $3,300 plus
another $900, about - close to $4,000 that she’ll receive. About $4,000 is repayment for
28
what she spent for her plumbing in connecting to the sewer. Plus the permanent
easement. And the temporary easement. So this is all we can do, you know, ladies and
gentlemen of the Commission, and we hope that we have achieved what you wanted us to
do. We have met with Ms. Brown, and I know she sends lengthy emails. But this is all
we can do. We feel it’s more than fair, it’s more – I told her that it’s more than we’ve
done for any other person. Now she’s well aware that we’re meeting today. We hand
carried it. We made her aware that the meeting was taking place today and at what time
and that this would be on there. I didn’t know if Ms. Brown was going to come or not.
Mr. Hankerson: I don’t think she’s coming cause I spoke to her about 11:00
o’clock, I started with her about 10:30, it was after 11:00 when I finished last night. I
don’t think she’s going to be here today. Now was the house, wasn’t some kind of shed
or something, was that included in here?
Mr. Hicks: The original value of those sheds when we – the value of the
[inaudible] building, they had a cistern where they had gotten their water for all those
years. They had – it’s called Flowing Wells. And I said Ms. Brown, you’ve got artesian
water, and they use that artesian water to fill the cistern, got a pump system which
pumped the water from there to the house, and that’s what they used for all those years
until we had a drought condition and the artesian condition went away in that area. It’s
come back now. Now but those, that [inaudible] building was valued at $255, three old
metal buildings, $606. Now instead of that, the total value of all of that was $861. And
we’re buying her a new building.
Mr. Hankerson: You’re buying a new building?
Mr. Hicks: $1,700.
Mr. Hankerson: Okay.
Mr. Hicks: So we felt like we had done everything to replace what Ms. Brown
had.
Mr. Hankerson: How much – you said she would receive $4,000 what?
Mr. Hicks: Well, replacement. In other words, in one of the emails you’ll find
that Ms. Brown was very upset that she was told she was going to have to pay the tap fees
before we would let her tap on. I said Ms. Brown, the money is in the offer, but you have
not accepted the offer. Consequently, you’ll have to pay. So that’s money that’s she’s
already spent out, which she’s quick to point out to us that, well, that’s nothing new,
that’s money I’ve already spent. I said Ms. Brown, you know, this is more than we’ve
done for most other folks. It would be $3,350 for the plumbing and the sewer
connection, plus an additional $960 for the permanent easement, and the temporary
easement. So that’s what – but of that, $960 is only brand new money she’d be getting.
The other is reimbursement. Now the rest of it is doing work that Ms. Brown had
repeatedly requested.
29
Mr. Hankerson: Right.
Mr. Hicks: Instead of giving her cash, we were going to have this work done so
that it would be done properly and that she had requested.
Mr. Hankerson: So the total amount she’d be receiving is something like $4,000
and something?
Mr. Hicks: $4,000, right.
Mr. Hankerson: I know back some months before that we went through this with
Ms. Brown, and also in respect to the sitting Commissioner, she chose not to call her
because of that she knew that her husband had been ill, so she stressed that last night.
I move that we approve the item.
And I don’t want to see no condemnation so
Mr. Grantham: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Mr. Grantham, you wanted to
speak?
Mr. Grantham: Yeah, I wanted to just follow up, because I, too, had a call from
Ms. Brown and I’ve been out here. Went out there with Mr. Hicks and Mr. Davis in
pouring down rain. It’s just been an ongoing situation. I certainly sympathize with Ms.
Brown. I know what’s she’s – what her personal feelings are and what she’s up against.
But there again, I think where we have more than a generous offer to solve her problem –
it may not be money in her pocket, but it’s money that’s not out of her pocket. That’s
what it amounts to, when we’re reimbursing for tap fees and sewer hookup, then it’s
money that’s she’s not having to pay. So that in itself I think is a generous offer. I tried
to phone her back again this morning. I could not got hold of her. Her phone would not
receive incoming calls. So that’s the reason I don’t have an up-to-date report to give you.
Mr. Hicks: Well, we had – I’m really glad you pulled this for discussion because
– Ms. Brown is impressive when she appears in person, but we’ve done all we can do to
settle the situation. It’s all we can do.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, maybe I get Mr. Hicks to explain this 4,509.95 square
foot. How much is that in land in James Brown Boulevard language?
Mr. Hicks: That’s roughly a tenth of an acre. An acre is 43,560 square feet. This
is roughly a tenth of an acre, and that was valued at $600, so that would mean that value
of that property would be $6,000 an acre.
Mr. Williams: How many football fields?
30
Mr. Hicks: Let’s see. 100 by – let’s see, 300 by – how wide is a football field?
Mr. Russell: Super Bowl fields?
Mr. Hicks: 300 x 600 – no, no, it’s not a football field. No. No, it’s not a
football field. A football field is about two acres. An acre-and-a-half. So no, it’s not two
football fields. It’s a tenth of an acre. Well, 4,000 square feet, a big house. A big house.
Is all I can tell you. But it indicates a property valuation of $6,000 an acre. We took
roughly a tenth of an acre. And this is not land that we take. We use it to put the sewer
on, but she can still plant grass on it, plant blueberry bushes on it, back, I mean stuff like
that.
Mr. Mayor: Just can’t put a permanent structure.
Mr. Hicks: She can’t put a permanent structure on it.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Any questions? All in favor of the motion please vote with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays and Mr. Smith out.
Mr. Williams abstains.
Motion carries 6-1.
Mr. Hicks: Thank you, gentlemen.
Mr. Mayor: The next item we have it item number 13.
The Clerk:
13. Motion to approve funds not to exceed $25,000 for the Utilities Department
to extend sewer associated with an ongoing subdivision development at the Village
at Goshen. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 29, 2004)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams, you asked for this item?
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I did. And I’ve got some questions I need
maybe Mr. Hicks to tell me. I’ve got a extended situation on Olive Road that’s been
there for 200 years and have yet to this day we going to spend $25,000 to extend – and
I’m not against that, but I’m just trying to find out when and where are we going to get
started on the Olive Road from Gordon Highway to MLK, just that one block? Maybe
two blocks now, Max, I don’t know. But we found the $25,000 to do this. We been
asking, I got businesses on septic tanks, I’ve got residents that’s been complaining for at
least five years now, cause I been here five years, and when this came up, I want to know
why can’t we tie in to what’s already there, Max, been there for 200 years? I mean a long
time. When? And this something new out here, but what’s going to happen to the people
31
who been holding [inaudible] up, paying taxes before we got [inaudible] out there?
When are we going to get to that?
Mr. Hicks: The Olive Road sewer is – and I didn’t know you were going to ask
that today, but I did know that that is one that you are vitally interested in and that’s why
when it didn’t show up on the 2000-2002 bond issue projects, I realized I needed to bring
it out, which I did in the, in the presentation. It, the plans right now are right at 100%
complete. We will be advertising in January of ’05 for construction, and construction is
anticipated to begin in March of next year, so it’s at that point. And the funds are there in
the 2002 bond issue to fully fund construction of that Olive Road sewer. It is a badly
needed area, it took its place in the list of those pockets, but it’s time for it to be done and
it is being done. So that’s where those funds are and that’s the status, the status of that
project. It will be bid, it will be constructed in ’05.
Mr. Williams: So move, Mr. Mayor. I move we
Thank you, Mr. Hick.
approve
.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and second. Any further discussion? All in favor –
Mr. Boyles: Can I ask one question about that?
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead.
Mr. Boyles: What size sewer will that be on, sewer line will that be on Olive
Road?
Mr. Hicks: On Olive Road? I think it’s an 8” line because –
Mr. Boyles: I think it’s 8”, too, that’s what I was wondering. I thought that
would be much larger.
Mr. Hicks: Not necessarily. It all depends on the homes and industries, and I’m
just guessing, frankly. I haven’t designed – [inaudible] Engineers were the ones who did
the design. And it will either be probably an 8” or a 10”. I wouldn’t think it would take a
12”. It might take a 10” if there is enough businesses along there to contribute. But an
8” line will serve 300 houses, and I doubt if there’s 300 houses involved. So if it’s
strictly residential, it will be an 8” line, depending on the size of the industry,
Commissioner.
Mr. Boyles: Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: All in favor then please vote with the usual sign. That’s the same
architect that did that gym out at Savannah –
32
Mr. Williams: No, it’s not, Mr. Mayor.
(Laughter)
Mr. Williams: I guarantee you that. You wouldn’t ever get another vote from
me.
(Laughter)
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Let’s move on to item number 20, then.
The Clerk:
APPOINTMENT:
20. Consider appointment from Commission to the Savannah River Regional
Diversification Initiative (SRRDI) Board of Directors for a four-year term.
Mr. Mayor: The term of Mr. Colclough has expired on this board. We’ve been
advised we need to make an appointment to this board. This is the group that uses the
Department of Energy money for economic development as a result of the downsizing at
Savannah River. Do we have a nomination for someone from this body or from this
community to serve on this board?
Ms. Sims: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Sims?
Ms. Sims: I’d like to nominate Commissioner Tommy Boyles.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Any other nominations?
Mr. Boyles: That’s for a four-year terms. I’ve only got a year left.
Mr. Mays: I’ll second that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Do we have any other nominations?
Mr. Williams: I move the nominations be closed.
Mr. Mayor: Would you amend that to say we elect Mr. Boyles by acclamation?
Mr. Williams: And we elect Mr. Boyles.
33
Mr. Mayor: And is there a second to that motion?
Mr. Boyles: I know you worked for the railroad, but the train don’t have to come
that fast.
(Laughter)
Mr. Mayor: All in favor of the motion, please vote with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Boyles: I’ll do the best I can.
Mr. Mayor: I think you’ll enjoy your service on this board, Tommy. They are
very much involved in regional economic development, both sides of the river.
Mr. Boyles: Lead, guide, direct.
Mr. Mayor: The next items is item number 21.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES:
21. Status report from Attorney on the installation of the bus shelter on Deans
Bridge Road. (Deferred from the November 29th Public Services Committee
Meeting)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. James, do you want to handle that, or shall we turn that over to
Mr. Lewis and Mr. Johnson, who just coincidentally walked in.
Mr. James: Mr. Shepard will handle that. He’s not here yet.
Mr. Mayor: Let’s skip over that and go to 23 and then we’ll come back to that.
Mr. Speaker: He’s here.
Mr. Mayor: Oh, he’s here? Okay, good.
Mr. Shepard:
I’ve never had this service. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Members of
I’m pleased to report that I finally had some phone calls returned
the Commission,
from the Trust who owns the property at the K-Mart Corporation, and they
indicated today that if I would fax them the lease that they would, if K-Mart would
approve it, they would approve it
. So our efforts with the adjoining property owner
were not in vain because I think it raised the attention to this, to this property. We went
through the possibilities at the adjoining neighbor’s property with Mr. Smith. He was
34
very willing, but there had to be some operational modifications to the area, so the bus
could properly operate in it. We had it estimated at $10,000 which was outside the
budget of the Transit Department and I therefore again called while I was waiting in court
this morning, I called the Trust, and they, they indicated if we would send the documents.
They also indicated that the manager was very interested in promoting his customers’ use
of the transit facility, which I thought was consistent with our approach, so I’m going to
come back before the end of the meeting with the exact document, with the lease that I’d
ask the Commission to approve. So it’s being recast slightly right now, so I think that we
will be able to lease successfully the original parcel that we had targeted on Deans Bridge
Road, we’ll have the right to put up a shelter. We’ll have to keep it clean, we will have to
remove it when the lease is concluded, but there is no, there are no improvements that
have to be made other than putting down a cement pad and putting the shelter on top of it.
So it’s gone back and forth, back and forth, but I would ask that the Commission go on
record as approving the lease. They do wish $100 a month for the initial term, and then if
we hold over past the initial term of 48 months, $150 monthly. I think that was within
my authority beforehand.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Finally we getting the bus moving and
hopefully we get the shelter up. We been debating and talking about this for quite some
time. I did go out with Mr. Johnson and talk about the new, other area, Mr. Shepard. I
was not pleased with that situation for several reasons, and we don’t have to get into
those. I just need to know now, maybe Mr. Lewis or Mr. Johnson or you, Mr. Shepard,
somebody can tell me if we approve what we going try to approve now and the concept is
going with the present location, when? Not if. But we been talking and talking and
talking. I want to know when this shelter is going to be put up. People – it’s raining out
there look like now, Mr. Shepard, and I’m blessed not to be riding the bus, but I get calls
all the time, folks sitting and standing in the rain at a transfer station. So when will this
happen, if we go ahead and approve, and I think we got enough votes to approve, but
when?
Mr. Shepard: I have drawn it effective January 1 of 2005.
Mr. Williams: That when the shelter be up?
Mr. Shepard: Well, that’s when we’ll get the right to lease it, and then the shelter,
as soon as we get the right to lease it, you can improve it.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I need to know when. Somebody need to tell me
when.
Mr. Mayor: Could you just make it effective today, Mr. Shepard, and then they
can call the concrete truck and pour the pad?
Mr. Williams: I mean I don’t see why, if everything is in order.
35
th
Mr. Shepard: Well, Mr. Williams, I will, I will advance the date to say the 15 of
this month and see if they will go for that.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Boyles made a recommendation, Mr. Mayor, some time back,
if we could take bleachers and put somewhere and put a cover over it or something, but
there has been nothing done. I’ve got three German shepherds, and trust me, they got a
place to get in out the weather, and it’s bad when we got people who pay taxes and use
our facilities and we have not done anything except talk. So if you –
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams, I suggested they just take a bus they’re not using and
park out there and let people sit on the bus while –
Mr. Williams: Anything, anything would been better than what we had, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, if I could address Mr. Williams.
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead.
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Williams, I understand, but here again, the interest that I
needed to be shown from the trust, like I was shown from Mr. Smith, did not occur until
last week, and then they sent me a message that they were interested, and then I said what
are your demands and they said today, just today I talked to them again, and they said if
our, if our lessee is happy, they’re happy. And they suggested that the manager of the
store was very interested, and so the manager is about to get a fax, if I could have leave
of the Commission I’m going to fax it instanter. So that’s what we’re getting done.
Mr. Williams: So by January 1 we get a date of December 15, January 1, we
ought to have something to see there at that location? Something.
Mr. Shepard: And I’ll go ahead and ask them. I’m write in there that we pro rate
the month of December and have the right to erect it beginning December 15. That’s
fine.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell?
Mr. Russell: Commissioner Williams, the day we get approval for that, the next
day we’ll be working on the shelter.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Russell. I appreciate that. That’s all I needed,
some kind of direction.
Mr. Mayor: All right. Do you want to go ahead and approve the motion to
authorize the attorney to execute the lease agreement; is that what you need?
36
Mr. Williams: So move.
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Is that what you need, Steve?
Mr. Shepard: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. And I was going to go ahead and send it out
with the fax today.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in
favor then please vote with the usual sign. If you get an acceptance before the end of the
meeting, if you’d report back to the Commission, I think we’d appreciate that.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bonner, item 23?
The Clerk: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, I have
[inaudible] placed before you a revised caption for this agenda item provided by our
Public Works director, Ms. Teresa Smith. It is:
ENGINEERING SERVICES:
23. Approve Change No. Two (CPB #324-04-201824055) on the Neely Road
Improvement Project in the amount of $75,000 Paving Various Dirt Roads to fund
Public Works & Engineering project construction and contingency and $316,000.00
from Sales Tax Phase IV to fund Augusta Utility with construction on this dirt road
project. Also award construction contract to Blair Construction, Inc. in the amount
of $1,327,005.55 subject to receipt of signed contracts and proper bonds.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Smith, you asked that we not put this on the consent agenda
because you wanted to have some discussion about this. Did you have some questions
you wanted to ask? Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: No, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Are there any? We need a motion to approve.
Mr. Colclough: I think we need to [inaudible] this change order here.
Mr. Mayor: That’s fine. Ms. Smith?
Ms. Smith: This is not a change order. This is a change to the funding for the
overall projects. The bids came in higher than we had anticipated on the projects. Public
Works had programmed $994,000. The Utilities Department had money that was
programmed for the – the 1% sales tax program to support the dirt roads projects, but that
37
money also had not been approved. So our funding document is a construction project
budget and this should say approved change number two to the construction project
budget in the amount of $75,000 from dirt roads and $316,000 to fund the water work. If
you look on your page three of your document, the very back sheet, that’s the capital
project budget, the very last page. And what you will see is the amount that we originally
had set up, was $1,136,000. We added the $391,000, which is the $316,000 for water,
$17,000 for the rest of the construction, and $57,000 for contingency, to bring the total
for this project to $1,554,000.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Colclough?
Mr. Colclough: That’s fine, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: Ms. Smith, does that include the $270,00 we got from state aid on
that?
Ms. Smith: No, sir. The $270,000 is a reimbursement. Because of the timing
associated with when it gets paid, we have to identify the money up front. We pay it and
then GDOT reimburses us, but in order for us to pay the contractor on time, we set up the
full amount for the project.
Mr. Grantham: But you’ll have that coming back?
Ms. Smith: Correct.
Mr. Mayor: Anything further? We need a motion to approve.
Mr. Colclough: So move.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: Second his motion.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion and a second. Further discussion? All in
favor then please vote with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: The next item is item number 24.
The Clerk:
ATTORNEY:
38
24. Consider approval of Ordinance regarding penalties for alcoholic beverage
license holders for serving alcoholic beverages to minors.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Hankerson?
Mr. Hankerson: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. Policies and resolutions and ordinances are
important to all of us. I couldn’t imagine what this world would be like without them.
Lack of enforcement of these laws and guidelines can cause serious problems and
tragedies in our community, our government, our schools, and our homes. Drugs and
alcohol has become a serious problem in our communities among our youth. We need to
support our parents, and also the parents need our support. As a government, we have the
responsibility to protect our youth. Businesses that sell alcohol must obey the laws that
are in place, they must obey the laws that govern the use and sales of alcohol. But these
laws are being violated daily. Numerous telephone calls I get, letters I get about various
communities, subdivisions, where there are convenience stores and so forth, children that
are seen with alcohol and beer and wine and cigarettes. So the laws are being violated
daily by some relaxed businesses. So we need to put a law in place with some teeth in it,
and that’s what this is all about, and I hope my colleagues will join with me in trying to
help eliminate the problems in our community, that another violation like occurred
several weeks ago or a couple of months ago when teenagers had the wreck in Columbia
County after buying alcohol from a restaurant business here in Richmond County, the car
caught fire, there were injuries there, the parents were very upset about that. If we put a
law in place and we have something that, with some teeth in it, and I think that this kind
of law, we send a strong message. I don’t think six months’ suspension on first violation
of selling alcohol to youth is asking too much. I think that each business owner should be
responsible for the employees that they hire and that the employees that they hire should
be citizens of integrity that care something about our city, our community, and not sell
alcohol to our youth. So I hope that our Commission will approve this and I motion for
this ordinance to be approved.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion from the Commissioner. Is there a second to the
motion?
Mr. Grantham: Second.
Mr. Mayor: The motion has been seconded. Discussion? All in favor of the
motion then please vote with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays and Ms. Sims out.
Mr. Boyles abstains.
Mr. Williams votes Present.
Motion fails 5-2.
Mr. Mayor: This takes us to the Attorney.
Mr. James: The legal meeting will be to discuss pending and potential litigation.
39
Mr. Mayor: That’s all we have?
Mr. James: That’s all we have.
Mr. Mayor: Pending and potential litigation today?
Mr. James: Correct.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, personnel. We need to add personnel on that.
Mr. Mayor: You have a personnel item? Okay.
26. LEGAL MEETING
A. Pending and potential litigation.
B. Real Estate.
C. Personnel.
Mr. Colclough: I so move.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion from Mr. Colclough. Is there a second?
Mr. Grantham: Second.
Mr. Mayor: There is a motion and second. All in favor of going into legal
session then please vote with the usual sign.
Mr. Mays and Ms. Sims out.
Motion carries 7-0.
Mr. Mayor: Before we go into legal, we have one item of business to do, because
I’ve got to slip out before the legal is over, so that means that you need to elect a
presiding officer until Mr. Mays returns. And so the Chair will entertain a motion to
designate an interim presiding officer in the absence of the Mayor.
Mr. Williams: I nominate Mr. Tommy Boyles.
Mr. Mayor: Tommy Boyles?
Mr. Boyles: I won’t be in – I’ve got to leave to go to Atlanta, so – I knew that at
4:00 o’clock, I’ve already said that.
Ms. Beard: I nominate Don Grantham.
Mr. Mayor: Don Grantham has been nominated. Are there any other
nominations? All in favor of Mr. Grantham, please vote with the usual sign.
40
Mr. Grantham: Can I abstain?
Mr. Mayor: No. Need one more vote. Need six. There you go. Mr. Grantham,
you’ll be in charge.
Mr. Mays and Ms. Sims out.
Mr. Grantham abstains.
Motion carries 6-0.
[LEGAL MEETING]
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Ladies and gentlemen, our meeting will come back to order.
The Chair will entertain a motion to approve the affidavit.
27. Motion to approve authorization for the Mayor to execute affidavit of
compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act.
Mr. Colclough: So move, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, motion and a second. Is there any discussion? None
being, all in favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign.
Mr. Boyles and Mr. Williams out.
Motion carries 7-0.
Mr. Shepard: I would ask for a motion to add and approve the authorization
of the Mayor to enter a contract with the circuit public defender for the provision of
Indigent Defense services in the Superior and State Courts subject to legal review by
my office.
Mr. Grantham: So move.
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Motion and a second.
Mr. Shepard: And I’ll add to that Probate Court and the Magistrate Court.
All be subject to legal review by the County Attorney’s office. And [inaudible].
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Got a motion and a second on that.
The Clerk: To add and approve?
41
Mr. Shepard: Add and approve.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All in favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign. Any
opposed, the same.
Mr. Boyles and Mr. Williams out.
Motion carries 7-0.
[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 held on
December 7, 2004.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
42