HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 6, 2005 Augusta-Richmond County Comm
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
SEPTEMBER 6, 2005
Augusta-Richmond County Commission convened at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday,
September 6, 2005, the Honorable Willie Mays, III, presiding.
Present: Hons. Hankerson, Smith, Colclough, Grantham, Handy, Williams,
Beard, Cheek, Sims and Boyles, members of Augusta-Richmond County Commission.
Also present: Steve Shepard, Attorney; Fred Russell, Administrator; Lena
Bonner, Clerk of Commission.
The invocation was given by Rev. Gerald Varner.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
The Clerk: Rev. Varner, it’s always a pleasure to have you with us and we’re
especially proud to have you with us today, and in honor of you being here and
petitioning heaven on our behalf today, which we can always use that, we acknowledge
you as our Chaplain of the Day and thank you for being here and God Bless you.
Mr. Mayor: Ladies and gentlemen, something like the jet pilot would say, we’ll
make up some of this time in the air. It’s great to have so many young people with us
here today. Before we go any further, and we all have talked about the tragedy that’s
come about in reference to Katrina, but right here at home I would like to ask for a
moment of silence for two persons, one that has just been with us very recently that’s
here every week that we all know as Commissioners and staffers, that we lost this
morning from WGAC, Greg Patten, who is like one of our family in news. And also for
a dedicated public service who I had the opportunity to serve in latter years with him
when he came back to become a member of this City Council, after serving two terms as
Mayor and continued to give a lifelong dedication to service to this City, the late George
A. Sancken. If we could pause for a moment of silence for both of them.
[Moment of silence]
RECOGNITION:
Mr. Russell Joel Brown
Mr. Mayor: Thank you so very much. Madame Clerk, while I’ve got all my
young folks in here, before we go to our 2005 Georgia Recreation and Parks Champions,
I’m going to let them get a taste of our other future Grammy award winner. I asked the
young man to come here this afternoon and I see he brought his date with him. I saw a
pretty young lady by his side and he likes to tell folks that it’s his mother. I don’t know
how, with her still looking that young. But one young person that’s going to be leaving
this community that we’ve been able to call upon for any and everything as far as the arts
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community, being able to come into our schools, to come into private ventures, to work
with our young, and to share their talents, a young man who will be leaving us
unfortunately and hopefully one day when the City of Augusta incorporates a portion of
its budget, not just as crumbs, but a portion of it to deal with arts and cultural affairs, that
we can get someone of his caliber to be able to work in that department. We’re going to
miss Russell Joel Brown, and we hope that when he walks across that stage to get all of
those national accolades I’m sure that he’ll get real soon that he’ll think about Augusta,
Georgia. I’m going to ask he and his mother to come forward for just a moment. He’s
leaving us but this will always be home. They’re having a celebration for him today over
at Lucy Laney Museum this evening, but I wanted—because he’s been more than just a
person who is dedicated to the arts, but to this entire community, and I ask him to come
forward and to join us for just a moment. Y’all know how I am about twisting arms and
getting talent. It came with a certain little price to it, so I said Russell, I’m not going to
tell you what you’ve got to do but you’ve got to do something. So he’s going to do
something in his own way before he leaves. [unintelligible] former Mayor who served us
for six and a half years that so many times [unintelligible] but we give keys to dignitaries
who come to our town and we award plaques to people that come in and who leave. So
many times we don’t give enough to those who stay and who contribute. Today, this
young man, I want you to take this key with you, small symbol of this city that you’ve
meant so much to and that you find a little place for it and that you always remember
where home is. And this is the key to prove it, that no matter how high you rise, and I’m
sure you’ll be at the top of everything that The Lion King has to offer, just remember that
you can always come home. This is for you.
Mr. Brown: Thank you.
[A round of applause is given.]
Mr. Brown: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you so much. I’m so excited to be
here and I want to thank our great Mayor for all of the work that he’s doing and thank all
of you for that I’ve had. I much prefer singing to talking and so I’m not going to talk a
lot today but I do want to say that the party this afternoon is at the Augusta Museum of
History but it’s sponsored by the Laney Museum, the Augusta Museum, the Morris
Museum and Historic Augusta. That party is free and open to the public from 5:30 to
7:30 this afternoon at the Augusta Museum of History. And now in dedication to this, the
greatest city, in this, the greatest country, our National Anthem.
[Mr. Brown sings the National Anthem.]
[A round of applause is given.]
Mr. Mayor: [unintelligible] might take it back.
[Laughter]
The Clerk:
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RECOGNITION:
?
Augusta Recreation & Parks Department (West Augusta) Junior Boys
2005 Georgia Recreation & Parks State Champions.
Mr. Beck: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, how appropriate that was to
have the National Anthem sung right before we introduced some state baseball
champions. Isn’t that something? Thank you so much. You know, there are over 2,000
young men and women that participated in our baseball and softball programs this year.
And of course our main priority in running those programs is participation and recreation.
But we do get into a little competition, statewide competition at that, and we are
obviously members of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association and participate in
those state tournaments. And the team representing West Augusta, these thirteen- and
fourteen-year-old young men, came away as the 2005 State Georgia Recreation and Parks
Association Junior Boys Champions. And we appreciate having the opportunity for you,
the Mayor and the Commission, to recognize them today. Just a few little notes about
this team. The tournament was held in Griffin, Georgia, back in July, when they brought
home the title. And here are the scores during the state tournament. Augusta 19, Liberty
County 0. Augusta 14, Savannah number one team 0. Augusta 5, the number two team
from Savannah 1. And in the championship game, Augusta 10, Valdosta 2. In the whole
tournament between the district and the state, this team representing you and representing
Augustans scored 75 runs, the opposition 3. So to say that we’ve got a future with these
young men I think is going to be exciting to see. We’re very proud of them this year.
Not only these thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds, but especially to the coaches that gave all
the time that they did and the efforts and what they did as volunteers, as well as all the
parents. So with that, we’re going to introduce these players and the coaches who
brought home this state title. First will be Christian Bragg. If everyone will come and
get your certificate from the Mayor. Rick Chandler. Corey Coleman. Aaron Davis.
Brad Davis. Greg Davis. Logan Gaines. Chandler Hall. Jonathan Ivey. Ian Jesse.
Brandon Lindsey. William Salley. And Jonathan Tran.
[A round of applause is given.]
Mr. Beck: Ladies and gentlemen, these are the players but they’re only a part of
the team, because I want to introduce to you the coaches that gave all the time and effort
into making this happen as well. Frank Chandler. Will Salley. And their head coach,
Barry Hall.
[A round of applause is given.]
Mr. Beck: Ladies and gentlemen, if I could, I would like to recognize our athletic
staff as well. They did just a superior job, as they always do. But in particular, their
coordinator this year in West Augusta who helped organize this and organize these teams
is Bobby Martin, and I would like to recognize Bobby, too.
[A round of applause is given.]
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Mr. Beck: Ladies and gentlemen, your 2005 Junior Boys State Champs.
[A round of applause is given.]
The Clerk:
RESOLUTION:
?
Resolution of Support for the Guard and Reserve.
The Clerk: This resolution was sent to the Commission through the Association
of County Commissions as a support for our Georgia National Guard.
Mr. Grantham: I so move.
Mr. Cheek: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor of
the motion will do so by the usual sign.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: That’s a great way to start.
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir?
Mr. Cheek: Just quickly, and we may not address it at this meeting, but by the
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end of the 29 of this month, Main Street and DDA are sending the grant request for a
TEA grant to redo the depot over here.
RESOLUTION:
?
Resolution of Support for DDA/Main Street for a TEA grant from the Georgia
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Department of Transportation to renovate the depot at 5 and Reynolds Streets.
Mr. Cheek: They’ve asked this Commission to have a resolution of support for
that to go to the state DOT in request of that grant. So whether we do that today—I guess
I’ll go ahead and make a motion to ask you to work with them to develop a resolution of
support.
Ms. Beard: I second it.
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Mr. Mayor: There doesn’t seem to be an objection. I’ll go while we’re ahead.
Motion and a second.
Mr. Cheek: It’s $1 million.
Mr. Mayor: And I think it’s one that we are going to have to do. In fact, I
thought maybe we would have one ready but that’s no problem.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir?
Mr. Williams: I’m in support but before we get out too far, shouldn’t we look at
exactly what the grant—I mean not what the grant bringing in but is there anything else
for that particular building, is my question. That building was vacant and left there but I
just, I don’t want to get the horse in front and he’s supposed to be behind. I don’t want to
get him behind if he’s supposed to be in front. I got no problem. I mean the grant and
the resolution, got no problem with that. But before this, this get out too far this body
needs to make a decision as to what they going to do, has that building already been
designated to do that with? Is that something we need to approve? Something been
already approved? We talked about it but nothing been done. Now, that’s my comment.
I’m in support of the grant. [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: Is that an objection or not? If it’s an objection we need to move it to
the next meeting.
Mr. Williams: Well, let’s move it to the next meeting to give [unintelligible]
time.
Mr. Mayor: It doesn’t have unanimous consent. Move to the next item. Not
going to discuss it if it’s not here. If you have the addendums that are ready?
The Clerk: [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: I call your attention to our addendum agenda.
ADDENDUM AGENDA:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Regarding Item #40.
Regarding Item #41 – Additional back-up material.
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REVISION TO THE AGENDA:
Item 36. Revised 2006 LARP Priority List.
PRESENTATION:
Chaplain John W. Ellis, III
RE: Establishment of a new community church
The Clerk: We need consent to add a presentation from Chaplain John W.
Ellis, III regarding the Agape Fellowship Church.
Mr. Mayor: I might add that presentation is [unintelligible] presentation is ready
and it’s only about five minutes in reference to be discussed and they’ve been working
with us on some other community issues that are there, that they’ve been helpful in
doing.
Ms. Sims: A motion to accept.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor of
the motion will do so by the usual sign.
Mr. Cheek out.
Motion carries 9-0.
The Clerk: Do you want to do the presentation?
Mr. Mayor: If we could go on, at least get the consent on and that way they can
have the time to pull and then we’ll flip back to the presentation. Catch it.
The Clerk: Consent, call your attention to our consent agenda, which
consists of items 1 through 40A. That’s items 1 through 40A.
For the record, item 11,
that dollar amount should be $28, 250.00. $28,250.00. That dollar amount on item 11.
Please make note of the additional revised list on our LARP, item 36. The item that’s
attached to your addendum agenda for item 36 on our consent agenda. It has been
revised to reflect other projects.
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, let me just ask this on the revision on the amount on
number 11. Are all parties on board?
The Clerk: Ms. White, is she here?
Mr. Mayor: Behind you there.
The Clerk: Ms. White, can you explain to the Commission that?
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Ms. White: Mr. Mayor and Commission, this particular item was originally for
$41,000+. Meanwhile, while we were going through the process of preparing the agenda
item and bringing it before Commission, SG Noble, they received a loan from HUD in
the amount of—I think it’s about $20,000-something to pay for the heating and air
conditioning, and since they had got the loan and already got the work done, we could not
give the CDBG money for the heating and air conditioning. Meanwhile, we could give
the money for the security system and the security fencing, which came to $28,250. Rev.
Williams with SG Noble, he was at the last Administrative Services meeting and he is
aware of it.
Mr. Mayor: I just did the dedication. I didn’t want them to undedicate me, of
having to go back over there. That’s why [unintelligible].
Ms. White: Okay.
The Clerk: [unintelligible] addendum agenda.
Mr. Speaker: Mr. Mayor, Commissioner, after submitting the list last week we
had information from the Utilities Department that four of the streets are in conflict with
planned sewerage projects that they have next year and we don’t want to go out there and
have the State resurface these streets and then have to tear them up with utilities work.
So we’ve taken those four off and substituted four in the same Districts as replacements
for those four. That’s the only difference in the LARP list. The four that we took off
were Nance Boulevard, Wombles Court, [unintelligible] Street and Barker Drive. We
added Nordahl Drive, Rushing Road, Kingsgate Drive and [unintelligible] Drive. The
rest of the list is as you approved last week in committee.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Boyles?
Mr. Boyles: Mr. Mayor, I was just wondering if we might want to change
Fairhope Street. It shows District 7.
Mr. Speaker: It’s District 1. That was a typo. District 1. Fairhope Street.
Mr. Colclough: You’ve got a whole bunch of them in here. You’ve got Old
Waynesboro Road in District 1. A whole bunch of them.
The Clerk: For the benefit of any objectors to our alcohol petitions, when the
petitions are read would you please signify your objections by raising your hand?
PUBLIC SERVICES:
4. Motion to approve a request by Tae Bong Ham for a retail package Beer &
Wine license to be used in connection with Old Town BP located at 443 Broad
Street. District 1. Super District 9. (Approved
by Public Services Committee August 29, 2005)
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5. Motion to approve a request by Shavonne Stokes for an on premise
consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Cream, Inc.
d/b/a Cream located at 1511 North Leg Road. There will be dance. District 3. Super
District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2005)
The Clerk: Are there any objectors to those alcohol petitions? There are no
objectors, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Have Commissioners had time to look through items that you
might wish to pull?
Mr. Boyles: I move for approval of the consent agenda.
Mr. Cheek: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second to approve the consent agenda. Commissioner
Williams?
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to pull a couple of items. I need some
clarification on a couple of items, 6, 10, 15, 20 and 25.
Mr. Mayor: 15—
Mr. Williams: 20, 25. And item 32.
Mr. Mayor: Any other Commissioners that need any items pulled? You need a
question answered in there, Mr. Hicks?
Mr. Hicks: I noted that item [unintelligible] is included in the consent agenda and
[unintelligible] bid [unintelligible] before you [unintelligible] in the amount of
[unintelligible].
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: That was just for information, Mr. Director? Okay. Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Item 14 is compared to the item 20 and that prompt me to pull it,
when I saw the bottom half of that on item 20. We might want to take both of those
together.
Mr. Mayor: 14?
Mr. Williams: Yeah.
The Clerk: 14 and 20 are companion items.
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Mr. Mayor: Anything else to be pulled?
PUBLIC SERVICES:
1. Motion to amend budget for Daniel Field Airport in the amount of
$10,000.00. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2005)
2. Motion to require applicant John Regan III to reapply for a Therapeutic
Massage License to be used in connection with D J and Co. located at 139 Davis
Road. District 7. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee
August 29, 2005)
3. Motion to approve a cooperative agreement for 2006 with CSRA – RDC to
receive grant funding for nutrition programs in Augusta, Ga. (Approved by Public
Services Committee August 29, 2005)
4. Motion to approve a request by Tae Bong Ham for a retail package Beer &
Wine license to be used in connection with Old Town BP located at 443 Broad
Street. District 1. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee August
29, 2005)
5. Motion to approve a request by Shavonne Stokes for an on premise
consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Cream, Inc.
d/b/a Cream located at 1511 North Leg Road. There will be dance. District 3. Super
District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2005)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
6. Deleted from the consent agenda.
7. Motion to approve the adoption of the Lyman/Dover Streets Subcommittee’s
recommendations. (Approved by the Administrative Services Committee August 29,
2005.)
8. Motion to approve increase in salaries for Judges of Civil and Magistrate
Court in the amount of $20,000 each. (Approved by the Administrative, Public
Safety, Finance Committees August 29, 2005.)
9. Motion to approve authorization to award $92,128.50 of HOME funds to
CHDOs. (Approved by the Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2005.)
10. Deleted from the consent agenda.
11. Motion to approve the reprogramming of $28,250.00 in Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds from the Section 108 Repayments project
to N.B.C. – U.S.A. Housing, Inc. for improvements to the S. G. Noble Garden of
Hope Apartments. (Approved by the Administrative Services Committee August 29,
2005.)
12. Motion to amend Resolution that creates the Richmond County Land Bank
Authority by appointing the Tax Commissioner (or his appointee) as a member and
appointing a member of the Augusta Commission to serve as a member of the Land
Bank Authority. (Approved by the Administrative Services Committee August 29,
2005.)
13. Motion to approve a budget increase to reflect a $3,000 increase in revenues
earned by the Weed & Seed Department. (Approved by Administrative Services and
Finance Committees August 29, 2005
14. Deleted from the consent agenda.
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15. Deleted from the consent agenda.
PUBLIC SAFETY:
16. Motion to approve contract with University Hospital to provide services for
the Augusta Fire Department’s Health and Wellness program. (Approved by
Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
17. Motion to approve award of the contract for providing exercise to All About
Fitness as best bid. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
18. Motion to approve the expenditures of funds for the inoculations of the ARC
Dive Team funded from the Augusta Fire Department’s Health and Wellness
program. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
19. Motion to amend 2005 wireless budget to increase 215-03-7210-52.23112 to
$198,000.00. (Approved by Public Safety and Finance Committees August 29, 2005)
20. Deleted from the consent agenda.
FINANCE:
21. Motion to approve a new Special Revenue Grant Fund for General Fund
Grants Fund (220) activities. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
22. Motion to approve Budget Amendment – PDM-C Grant – Hollywood
Subdivision. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
23. Motion to approve additional funding for September 20, 2005 Special
Election. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
24. Motion to approve budget amendment in the General Fund to appropriate
use of fund balance reserve to contingency account totaling $400,000. (Approved by
Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
25. Deleted from the consent agenda.
26. Motion to approve a request from the Tax Commissioner’s Office for
funding in the amount of $7,500.00 for balance of 2005. (Approved by Finance
Committee August 29, 2005)
27. Motion to approve a budget resolution for the Recreation Department and
acceptance of NFL Local Agency Grant. (Approved by Finance Committee August
29, 2005)
28. Motion to approve the purchase of an ad in the 2005 issue of the Georgia
County Government Magazine “Family Album”. (Approved by Finance Committee
August 29, 2005)
ENGINEERING SERVICES:
29. Motion to approve solicitation of bids for the dumpster contract currently
being serviced under the solid waste collections contract. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee August 29, 2005)
30. Motions to approve internalize billing with best practices collection
methodology used by industry; and the billing of non-profits and churches for solid
waste collections. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2005)
31. Motion to approve in concept the definition of a unit and fee structure under
the Solid Waste Collections Contract. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee August 29, 2005)
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32. Deleted from the consent agenda.
33. Motion to approve Resolution authorizing adoption of Flood Insurance Rate
Map (FIRM) 130158 0080 E Revised to reflect a Letter of Map Revision dated July
25, 2005 with an effective date of July 25, 2005. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee August 29, 2005)
34. Motion to approve Change Orders No. 1 and 2 to contract between Augusta
and American Environmental Services for remediation of GBI property. (Approved
by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2005)
35. Motion to approve purchase of 25.2 acres on Windsor Spring Road for
Greenspace. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2005)
36. Motion to approve proposed 2006 LARP list. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee August 29, 2005)
37. Motion to approve Capital Project Budget Change Number One (CPB# 324-
04-201824371) to authorize the allocation of funds in the amount of $652,000 for the
Washington Road Intersection Improvements Project. Funds were approved for this
project in Phase IV, Special One Percent Sales Tax. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee August 29, 2005)
38. Motion to approve Supplemental Agreement Number Two (2) with Heath &
Lineback Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $35,400 for geotechnical investigations
for the St. Sebastian Way/Greene Street/15th Street Project (CPB# 327-04-
296812003). Funding is available in the project engineering account. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2005)
39. Motion to approve Change Order #1 for Tommy L. Griffin Heating and
Plumbing in the deduct amount of (-$120,894.78) on the Butler Creek Interceptor
Extension, AUD bond project # 50125. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee August 29, 2005)
40. Motion to approve a construction contract with the lowest responsive bidder
to construct the Spirit Creek Sewage Pumping Station. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee August 29, 2005)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS:
40A. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission
held August 16 and Special Called Meetings held August 18 and 24, 2005.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
44. Motion to ratify authorization letter regarding contract amendment for
Able-disAbled, Inc., through Augusta Housing Economic Development Department
relative to 2005 CDBG Funding.
Mr. Mayor: All in favor of the motion to accept the consent agenda, minus the
items that have been pulled, will do so by the usual sign, along with the—being no
objection, along with adding 44, which we’ve already done in essence.
Motion carries 10-0. [Items 1-5, 7-9, 11-13, 16-19, 21-24, 26-31, 33-40A, 44]
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Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, we’ve got a lot of pulls. I’m going to go to the short
presentation and then we’ll go through the pulled consent agenda items and then into
regular.
PRESENTATION:
Chaplain John W. Ellis, III
RE: Establishment of a new community church
(Note: With slide presentation)
Mr. Ellis: Mayor, Commissioners, I stand again before you. I was with you all
last month, and this time I’m here in a different capacity, as a minister and a pastor. I’d
like to present to you Agape Fellowship Church. Why is that we need another church?
With over 800 churches here in Augusta, what’s going to be different about this church?
We did an environmental scan and what I’d like to point out to you, there’s a number of
multi-cultural churches here in Augusta with multi-cultural congregations. However,
none of them have multi-cultural pastoral leadership and are intentionally multi-cultural
from the ground up from its beginning, its inception, all the way through the different
activities. Hence, we wanted to start another church here for this time, for such a time as
this, for a modern world that will meet the modern world’s needs. Vision statement.
Like to point out our aim is to achieve unity in diversity and diversity in unity with
Agape love. Agape love. The name of the church, Agape, is the highest form of God’s
love. In the Bible you’ve got four different words that can compose love and Agape is
the highest form of God’s love. It’s the type of love that does not depend on what you’re
going to do for me if I love you. It’s the type of love that says I love you instead of.
Mission statement. Again, to reflect Agape love. Core values of our church. Here I
would like to highlight the last one on the right hand side. Trans denominational. This is
a new terms that has not been used before. What do we mean by trans denominational?
Were we trying to figure out whether we’re going to be non denominational or are we
going to be denominational? God told us we’re going to go beyond that. So we go trans
denominational. Trans meaning beyond. So we want to break down these
denominational barriers and bring together a true body of Christ. There will be two of us
pastors, both Army chaplains with combined between the two us, myself and sitting here
before you Chaplain Payne, both of us being retired, you have over 54 years’ worth of
pastoral experience. In a multi-cultural setting and different. All the way from Germany,
also here in the States and Korea as well. How are we going to do this? How is the
church going to break down? We have basically five areas. We have worship,
evangelism, fellowship, discipleship and missions. We will pastor the church together,
hence you have a multi-cultural pastoral leadership, and also we will not have a senior
pastor. Both of us and any other pastors that we bring on will have equal status. We’re
going to do like what they did in the New Testament, back in the New Testament. And
we’re going to pastor according to a council of ministers. In the New Testament you will
not find a church that was pastured by a single individual. So this is how we break it
down. The last one is media outreach that we want to do, to even begin with, and that is
to the Hope Christian School, which is an alternative school for troubled youth. This is a
process of growth. Basically you bring in people from the community, they begin to
worship, then they become members. You have a discipleship program that matures the
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disciples and then we send them back out into the community to do ministry. Minister of
worship. Like to highlight here our launch Sunday. We will begin 9-11 at the new Sue
Reynolds Elementary School. And our service will begin at 10:30. Ministry of
fellowship. Chaplain Payne, or Pastor Payne is taking the ministry of fellowship. There
are the bullets. Like to highlight on those particular bullets that we would design and
implement a deacon ministry. And what we want to do with the deacons, which is
definitely unique, is we want to alleviate the conflict that happens sometimes between
deacons and pastors. The deacons will serve the congregation only. All the decision
making functions are either with the pastors or the congregation as a whole. Ministry of
evangelism. Pastor Payne will be taking this particular function as well. Discipleship. I
will take discipleship. Like to point out there we want to develop educational programs
within our church. The bottom bullet I’d like to highlight. Something that is going to be
unique. Augusta doesn’t have. We are partnering with Erskine Seminary, which is in
Due West, South Carolina, to bring the seminary here to Augusta so that that seminary’s
programs will be available to all the lay people who would like to be involved in it, as
well as the ministers here in the city. Ministry of missions. This is our mission work.
Notice here the fourth bullet. Drug and alcohol abuse program. I’m currently, was
before I retired, the drug and alcohol abuse chaplain at Eisenhower so we will bring that
ministry on board, too, as well. This is the last one. The last ministry, which is Hope
Christian School. It’s done by Pastor Ron Burton and he is going to be working with
troubled youth and families. These are youth that have gotten kicked out of the school
and here they provide an alternative for them. That’s it. That’s all I have, subject to your
questions.
Mr. Handy: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Handy.
Mr. Handy: I’d like to make a motion to receive this as information.
Mr. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Is there any discussion? All in favor of the
motion will do so by the usual sign. Any opposed, the same.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you very much.
Mr. Ellis: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk?
The Clerk: Yes, sir?
13
Mr. Mayor: While I’ve got two reverends leaving, I might as well stay with one.
I’m going to go to number 10 on there. I think Rev. Utley was trying to get to his second
place so I’m going to move to that one on there and his time frame is going to help our
time frame.
The Clerk:
10. Motion to approve a resolution establishing Revitalization Districts in East
Augusta, Sand hills, Aragon Park/Hyde Park and the Dover Street/Lyman Street
Area. (Approved by the Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2005)
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had this to be pulled and I questioned in
committee. Rev. Utley, who has been working very faithfully, very hard over in the
Hyde Park area with the previous Mayor and along with some other people, been able to
get a Brownfield in that area. And I’m not against the revising of any area but I had a
problem with the land area or the area that was already picked. Being the Commissioner
of that District I saw it on the agenda when it came to committee but I mean no one had
discussed all of that work with me and Aragon Park, we just approved or just had a
initiative done over there where we spent some money that we found out after the fact.
But long story short is Rev. Utley was truly upset about it and he wanted to come in and
at least bring his point of view. And I understand that with the contamination and the
stuff that they been dealing with in that area, that area certainly should not be on this list
to be done anything except try to transfer those people to a better location. So I want to
[unintelligible] I’m truly dissatisfied with the way the revising, the [unintelligible] areas
was picked out and not inclusive to at least the Commissioner that sit in that District.
Now I get a lot of criticism but I ain’t laid off the job, not one day. And I want to
continue to stay on the job. I really want to be at least advised of what’s going to be
taking place. Rev. Utley, if you’ll come up.
Mr. Utley: Good evening. The question came—I was notified by our
Commissioner but the idea that we were opposing is that this is a flood prone area. And
we’re looking at it from the Brownfield perspective to the relocation, because of the hot
spots of contamination with arsenic we know in certain places it would be conducive and
even the fact that we’ve already cleaned up the Goldberg site, EPA would not approve it
to be residential but only commercial. And that’s the area in which we were looking at
for all of it to be commercial because that’s the only thing we can actually put in that area
and to have a relocation built in the Hyde Park area. And the other reason is because of
the flooding. Friday I find that two homes on Leona Street have warped floors because
they have hardwood floors. And just from the recent rain, I went in and their floors are
like the ocean. And that is one of the other reasons why we were saying revitalization
wouldn’t work for them but relocation would work for them. And that’s what the
Brownfield site—and we’re inviting all of EPA Region IV as well as the Southeastern
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area to come and bring their representatives in, and those who have already built new
residential areas for others, to come into our city on October 26 and the 27 where we’re
having the first Regional Community Brownfields Showcase where we want to showcase
these areas. This area that we can get their input and move forward with. And we see it
as a change from a non-paying [unintelligible], from an eyesore to an [unintelligible]
where people can get employment, because we’re dealing with bringing industry, and
raise that level. You can pave over the area that has been contaminated but you cannot—
the University of Georgia said you cannot grow in that area. So there is no farming in
that area. There are no gardens in that area. And the high rate of mortality is continuing
to rise in that area.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, go ahead. Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Williams: I yield, Andy. Go ahead.
Mr. Cheek: Thank you. So Rev. Utley, you know since you’ve come before us
I’ve been both a big fan and supporter of everything that has gone on in that area. I really
think there is some confusion here about what we’re trying to do. We are mandated by
the EPA not to construct residential in an area that’s contaminated; is that correct? So
revitalization, this effort, I assume would mean one, buying the properties, and then two,
bringing in industry just as you suggest. What we are attempting to do as a governing
body is do just that. That is what we are establishing here. The thing that we’ve run into
is several different scenarios—the Lyman/Dover area for one—we have 27 properties in
some state of tax receivership. We don’t have that over there. We would have to buy out
these properties at some market value. And so that is something that this body hopefully
with this action will decide to do but not at this point in time. But it’s not off the radar
screen. You guys have been recognized nationally for your brownfield initiative and a
great source of pride in this initiative for the city of Augusta. We are not trying to do
anything different than what you are recommending. We are on the same page. And this
is step one towards a continued march towards that goal. Rather than us shooting and
hitting ten different targets, we’re trying to point and focus in a direction that’s going to
get us to that end result that you’re looking for. And that’s the initiative that’s before us
today.
Mr. Utley: Okay. I know the community was concerned because they, they were
under the impression that you wanted to build new homes or—okay.
Mr. Cheek: We can’t do that by federal law.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor? Thank you, sir. In lieu of what Commissioner Cheek
said, let me get a couple of things I guess laid on the table. First of all, Rev. Utley didn’t
know anything about it and neither did the Commission know anything about it until it
was brought. And the perception was out there that what we doing in other areas, like
Lyman/Dover Street, and that’s [unintelligible] rebuilding back. Now, nobody specified
15
about buying any property and just leaving it as property. That was not the proposal.
When you talking about [unintelligible] or setting an area up differently then that’s been
negative for so long, the first thing that come to your mind is that the department and
department heads is going to go in, buy some property or fix up some property. We done
threw good money after bad money over there. We done went over there and patched up
stuff through Housing & Neighborhood Development, that it didn’t last no longer than
we walked away from it, with some funds for what I call, Andy, was I guess a waste of
trying to patch up a house that probably worth $15,000 in book value and put $5,000 or
$6,000 in it and it really didn’t do much good. So the department have, HED have came
to this Commission and talked about some entities and doing some things on Turpin Hill.
We talked about the school. I remember [unintelligible] in that area that the type
situation he wanted to bring would not work. But nobody came to Mr. Utley nor myself
to explain anything and just [unintelligible]. I appreciate him taking his time to come and
I think you were well within your rights to come, Mr. Utley, to at least share what’s going
on. And if we going to be a department head, if we are going to run a city, we need to be
inclusive and not exclusive. So I’m still against doing anything with that area right now
until we see what the Brownfields is going do. They’ve got a convention coming in, a
th
group coming in on the 26 of October to look at that area again. We been, we had the
junkyard there, the old Goldberg situation there where was contamination was already
been found on the property in there. And nobody talked about doing anything with that.
Commissioner Cheek mentioned Lyman and Dover Street and I thought that was going to
be our pattern. The pattern was to buy it up and redo it, and if that’s our pattern—am I
wrong for thinking that’s what the pattern is supposed to look like, what they’re doing
over there? Maybe I’m off. So somebody need to help me out. I see Mr. [unintelligible]
over there. Maybe he can share, Mr. Cheek, and bring some light to it. But I’m really
confused as to what we’re supposed to be doing right at this point.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I could probably bring some clarity to this with just about
thirty seconds, sir. This is item 7, the cover letter to the report from the Lyman/Dover
Committee. The part of the scope of the committee, and this explains clearly what we are
looking at—halfway through the paragraph it said there are two separate but similar areas
for redevelopment that should be considered. One is residential redevelopment of
depopulated or abandoned areas, and the second is the redevelopment or
residential/industrial areas into industrial or business areas. An example of the second is
the Hyde Park area. Though there are similarities, the second will involve additional
plans that is a separate issue that are not covered in the Lyman/Dover plan, primarily to
buy out and relocation of residents. That is part of item 7 in the pathway this government
has taken. Rev. Utley, as you can see by that we are trying to think through the issues
that you’ve already addressed and we are of one mind and one body on it, sir.
Mr. Utley: We thank you very much. [unintelligible]
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams?
16
Mr. Utley: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Utley, I know you got another meeting to go to
but let’s very clear here now. [unintelligible] HED. I’m certainly not against any
progress but let’s go back to the basics now. If you look at Meadow Street, for instance,
right in front of T.W. Josey where the houses, where people are living under some
terrible, terrible situations and as a representative of that District and Lyman/Hyde Park, I
would appreciate out of all the time, all the effort, all the people been shown those areas
that need some attention, when we got a place like Hyde Park where folks are realizing
that it’s a hazard more than anything else, the Commissioner or somebody, the Mayor,
well, the previous Mayor was and I guess informed, but look like somebody would at
least try to find out the area that needed to be worked on or needed to be, needed to have
some attention. But to pick a area because whoever feel like that that area needs to be
done, I still don’t agree with it. I still don’t think it’s right. I think that [unintelligible]
didn’t get any help. And I really feel like that the community needs to help right there on
th
15 Street in T.W. Josey, that area is one of the worst areas in this city. In fact, you can’t
get people to drive through there at night from sunset, Essie McIntyre Boulevard on back
th
over to 15 Street, Meadow Street and those streets in there is an area I been trying to get
some work done for many, many years. But we going to go and find areas way off
somewhere else and do that. So yeah, Rev. Utley, I thank you for your time but I still
disagree and I still think we ought to have the support in the area that we need to have
support in, where folks are struggling in the heart of this city to try to get some stuff
done, and not go over there and waste money or time in an effort that you already got
something started in that the federal government might be able to come in with some
money with. That still didn’t clear nothing for me, Rev. Utley, thank you anyway.
Mr. Mayor: Any other questions from any other Commissioners?
Mr. Cheek: I move to approve.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Got a question?
Mr. Hankerson: I just mention the members of the committee that put this
together. We had a subcommittee. Andy, I think you chaired it. What were the other
members of this subcommittee? Revitalization?
Ms. Beard: [unintelligible]
Mr. Hankerson: Ms. Beard, Ms. Beard chaired it, right? Ms. Beard chaired that?
Ms. Beard. And Andy.
Ms. Beard: [unintelligible]
17
Mr. Hankerson: Well, I just want to thank the committee for going forward. This
is a start of revitalization in areas and this is the first phase and surely other areas—there
are many areas that need revitalization and we definitely are going to be looking at those
areas, including the ones that Commissioner Williams mentioned. Also, I have concerns
not only at Dover Street and Lyman Street, but Terrace Manor area. We’ve been looking
at that, homes over there, built in 1953. So that’s another area out in south Augusta.
We’ll be looking at various areas to revitalize. Even Martin Luther King Boulevard,
when you go downtown. Those kind of areas we will continue to look at. We thank this
committee for including the East Augusta, Sand Hills and the Aragon/Hyde Park, Dover
Street, those areas for revitalization. It’s not mandatory revitalization but they did not
exclude the areas that we’ve talking about relocating, so we just hope and pray that those
funds will come, also, that all citizens will have a good, comfortable, safe environment to
live in. Thank you.
Mr. Utley: And that’s one of the things about the Commission, we’ll be looking
at, because we want to really run it like a brownfield needs to be ran in our city where we
can bring in these type of programs where we can do these things for the community.
And we’ll be getting some things to you.
Mr. Mayor: Let me say this, so my Commissioner from District 2 won’t think
that Rev. Utley—I almost said Commissioner Utley—is not informing. We pretty much
stay in communication. We don’t have to see each other all the time [unintelligible] day
say in communication. In fact the program that he’s putting together right now in
reference to the various federal agencies that will be looking into his particular area we
are hoping that not only will it be the agencies that are involved, but for years, whether
it’s to add that on locally, along with the Chamber, the Industrial Development Authority,
and of trying to make it into a clean industrial area, that can be there on [unintelligible]
property that’s between a four lane and a six lane highway, with a new airport terminal
within two miles of it and an interstate highway as well. So that component also contains
what we have to do in terms of working with HUD on a larger basis in terms of being
able to deal with relocation at the same time [unintelligible] recycling, but in terms of its
intentions and use of doing that. So we are on that [unintelligible] together and do
communicate. I just want you to know that from that standpoint [unintelligible] we’re in
touch and deal with that. But the Chair recognizes you.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m not going to prolong this but I
remember when a businessman came and wanted to open up a business and
Commissioner Hankerson didn’t understand what kind of building he was going to put
up. And he didn’t want it put in his District because of not knowing what kind of
business. Here it is a development and HED has been very active in doing some things
but—and I’m not against progress, but I still say that I’ve got, I’ve got a District that’s
been suffering, that’s been left out for 2,000 years, now all of a sudden somebody else
going to make a decision on what’s going get what and when. I mean and [unintelligible]
does that. I mean I got no problem. But I just think that it’s wrong, I think that it’s
unfair. I got areas I been trying to get some work done in and they had not done it but
now all of a sudden they got some folks who know exactly what supposed to be done.
18
Supposed to be [unintelligible] but I just want to voice that, that, that, that, that opinion
that somebody else knows better than the last six years I been dealing with
[unintelligible] what need to be done at.
Mr. Mayor: Let me just say this to try and wrap this up. Information and
communication can always help all of us.
Mr. Williams: Exactly right.
Mr. Mayor: We never, we never get out of that business. The more we learn, the
more we can do. We’ve got a motion and a second that’s on the floor. All in favor of the
motion will do so by the usual sign. Any opposed the same.
Mr. Utley: Thank you very much.
Mr. Williams votes No.
Motion carries 9-1.
Mr. Mayor:
Madame Clerk? Madame Clerk, if we could pause on the items that
Ladies and gentlemen of the
have been pulled, for just a moment. Mr. Attorney?
Commission, the Chair needs to entertain a motion that we actually recess this
meeting momentarily and to reconvene the recessed portion of the meeting dealing
with SPLOST to clear that resolution item.
Mr. Handy: So move.
Ms. Beard: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. All in favor of the motion will do so by the
usual sign.
Ms. Sims out.
Motion carries 9-0.
[MEETING RECESS]
Mr. Mayor: We’re in the recessed portion of the recess meeting in order to deal
with the resolution on SPLOST. Tongue twister at best. Go ahead.
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, on the last recessed
session on September 2 you adopted a capital projects list, general budget. And you
know the SPLOST does not come in all at once. It comes in as a cash flow stream, such
as you might think of water or particularly in the recent past, gasoline or other products
flowing through a pipeline. And so the intergovernmental agreement which we are
proposing to enter with Hephzibah and Blythe does have such a tiering or order of
priority payment. It has that order of priority payment because that’s what the law allows
19
and I ask the Commission to pass this resolution and I would ask them to also accept the
proposed tiering just because there is really—there are two ways to do it. There’s a
priority order or a tiering which is probably the easiest in the accounting for the funds.
Then it’s also possible to split the groups by percentage. We have three categories which
are public facilities, we have the infrastructure and equipment, and we have quality of life
projects. If you would permit me I would run through a proposed disbursement schedule,
or if you are fairly well satisfied with the disbursement schedule you can skip those
questions. But the part to focus on—
Mr. Mayor: Excuse me one second. If I could interrupt you. Let me ask this of
Commissioners, because I don’t want what we are anticipating as a ten minute procedure
to be headed to a hour long procedure. Are Commissioners comfortable with the
resolution that you have read and that’s before you concerning the item which we have
passed and which we have said we’re going to deal with in the $160 million category?
Okay. To my left, is that comfort zone there? Is there either or [unintelligible] one that is
ready to go that we’re recommending? And I think if we do then we need to recommend
that one and then we need to move. I didn’t want to cut you off on there but I didn’t want
us to get into a different state of where we were going in.
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, I kept it as a straight
tiering formula at this time, just because of the fact that the projects toward the—
[unintelligible] more comfortably and logically into the present funding source. There
are basically—the lower tier funding sources already have money from other projects.
Mr. Mayor: Whatever we do to least confuse us the better off we’re going to be.
I don’t have a vote in this matter [unintelligible] that’s going to be our best car to drive
out here.
Ms. Sims: I move to approve.
Mr. Cheek: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Everybody say [unintelligible] all in favor of
the motion will do so by the usual sign. Any opposed, the same.
Motion carries.
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, having done that I would suggest that the recessed
meeting be adjourned and to reopen the general meeting.
Mr. Handy: I move that we reopen the meeting.
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair will entertain a motion to do both and it’s already on the
floor. All in favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign.
20
Motion carries 10-0.
The Clerk:
6. Motion to approve designating Augusta Metro CVB as the lead agency for
promotion of the city and that they work toward incorporating the tagline “We Feel
Good” along with the “I Played Augusta, Georgia” slogan into the city’s promotion.
(Approved by the Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2005)
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I had that pulled. I wanted to get some clarification on
the lead agency and exactly what does the lead agency mean? A city the size of Augusta,
certainly the CVB has done a great job in what they do but when they say lead agency I
wanted to know is that meaning that if somebody else has anything, and I think that “We
Feel Good” was the tagline that we adopted, but if somebody else have to go through the
CVB, is that what we’re saying? I just need the clarification of that. I got no problem
with the agenda item. I just want to know what does it mean when you say lead agency.
Is that saying that somebody else got to see them or bring it to that group before they do
what? When you say lead agency?
Mr. Mayor: Is there anyone here from that agency to address that, or do we want
to address it from staff? [unintelligible] go ahead, Andy.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, the intent of the motion in that particular respect is the
CVB is the CVB of Augusta. It is the lead agency for promoting this city. The problem
we have in this city is there are so many different people doing so many different things.
They’re all trying hard but not working well together. Putting CVB in the directorship
role of this particular initiative allows them to market the city and plug in “I Feel Good,”
which I support, at the appropriate places without there being two marketing strategies,
two marketing taglines, two marketing ideals. It allows them to take the leadership
position which we pay for annually with budget to assist them in their promotional
endeavors to promote this city. It makes sense to put them in the leadership position,
which we have done by paying them a fee annually and asking them to do that for all of
these years. We’re not saying anything other than we need one person in charge or one
group in charge and the rest will work behind that same common vision to fulfill the
promotional needs of this city. That was the intention of the motion and why we’re
where we’re at today, to avoid confusion and have one group directing the charge.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, that’s why I asked the [unintelligible] because I
wanted to get some clarification. [unintelligible] CVB is the lead agency already to do
something [unintelligible] multi-talented as this city is and as fast as the growth coming,
[unintelligible] hurricane, but with as many agencies and people, no one is being paid I
don’t think other than the CVB, so if someone else has something that they can
promote—and I’m thinking about Recreation. Tom, I see you back there, you just talked
about the championship. With the stuff that y’all do, does it have to, everything have to
be approved, is what I’m trying to say, before somebody can do anything? Because there
21
are other people who promote Augusta as well, from shooting pool to everything else. I
just want to know is that the direction we’re giving? If that what we saying, it needs to
be specified so everybody will know. I hate for somebody to venture out and do
something, then they find out they was wrong for doing it. So if that’s the case, I got no
problem. I just want to know is that, if anybody want to do anything for promoting
Augusta, they need to come through the CVB? And if they can do it, as long as it ain’t
costing us no money, and as long as it’s legal, it ought to be something we promote. It’s
like cooking in the kitchen. Everybody can’t cook the same thing. Some folk can’t cook
at all. But still, you ought to have an opportunity and not be limited to because you have
consequences if you do anything. [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: Mr. CVB Director is here. I’m going to give him a shot at it,
Commissioner.
Mr. White: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and members of the Commission. I think,
Mr. Williams, to answer your question, maybe we should view this as a mall scenario.
Augusta is the mall, the mall management is in charge of promoting the mall, and the
stores within the mall are at liberty to promote themselves however they want to. And
the role of CVB then is the overall promotion, of the mall, the overall promotion of the
city.
Mr. Williams: And that’s what I’m saying. Just like the scenario you just gave,
we are—if we look at ourselves as the City of Augusta as the mall and the mall manager,
you may be a manager, but once I get my store in the mall I can promote myself the way
I want to. I can promote my surroundings the way I want to, as long as it’s legal, as long
as it’s not breaking the law, and long as it’s not costing this government any money.
Cause if somebody else was doing something and billing the CVB for it, then it’s costing
this government and really taking your job. But as long as they’re not costing this
government and somebody wants to promote this city of Augusta, we ought to be able to
enhance that, we ought to be able to put our arms around them and say, hey, that’s a good
thing. So I think you answered my question for me. Just like you used the mall scenario,
if it not costing money from the City of Augusta and it’s within the guidelines of the law
then you can promote this city in any way you can.
Mr. Grantham: A motion to approve.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Let me just ask one
question, Barry, and I—let me go on and carry that motion and then I need to ask a
question. All in favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign.
Motion carries 10-0.
22
Mr. Mayor: Barry, just let me ask this, and I think it’s important to note this that
where we obviously have to work in communication with each other. I know you all are
dealing with this tag line and slogan episode, but in the caption in there I think it also
says in terms of agency for promotion of the city. I think you all even realize that there
will be things, though, that for instance that may come to the city, that whether it’s
through our trade magazines, through—whether it be Georgia Trend, some other thing of
that nature that the city may be called upon to do, that it needs to be clear that there may
be things that the Commission takes an initiative on to do that we may pass along but that
doesn’t preclude us, nor take away, in terms of dealing with that. When it says
promotion of, now, be very careful about that, it says promotion of, does that mean
everything that’s promoted? Because say for instance—and of course I didn’t vote for it
when it was done, but probably y’all should have been in charge of that deal, we’d of
saved $50,000. But that $50,000 that went to Forbes magazine that year that got us one
page in there and got everybody floating around and doing and I didn’t see anything that
came from that deal at all, and that’s $50,000 that could have went somewhere else. But
you all were not in charge of that. That came out of something that the Commission did,
but it’s those kind of things that I think we are called upon to do, and maybe that even
may help in those categories to avoid that type of thing.
Mr. White: And if I may, Mr. Mayor, you are exactly right. The city can
continue to promote on its own. However, we are a resource if you want to use us, and
occasionally Mr. Russell will call and say there’s an opportunity to advertise here or
there. In that particular case we opted not to advertise as far as the CVB, in Forbes
magazine. In another instance where we have provided assistance to you all is the actual
logo, your new scripted logo. That is a result of some of the work that we did and
provided that to the Administrator’s office that you all incorporated, again free of charge
to you as a Commission. You didn’t have to pay for that but we gave permission to use
that and are very proud that you have selected it.
Mr. Mayor: I think it’s a good move. Go ahead.
Mr. Boyles: Just as a comment. The CVB also coordinates, along with two
members of the Commission and the Mayor Pro Tem, the tourism Grant Committee, and
all of these requests for hotel/motel tax come through that board. It’s coordinated by the
CVB.
Mr. Mayor: Correct. Madame Clerk?
The Clerk:
14. Motion to approve the proposed job titles, to include salaries, and the new
positions for the Information Technology Department in the amount of $128,000 for
2005 funded from reserves. (Approved by Administrative Services, Public Safety
and finance Committees August 29, 2005)
23
20. Motion to approve the proposed job titles, to include salaries, and the new
positions for the Information Technology Department. (Approved by Finance
Committee August 29, 2005)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner?
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I was looking at 14, and then when I got to 20 is what
brought my attention to it, when it talked about proposed job titles and including salaries
and new position. That new position and including salary and I didn’t know was that all
inclusive in 14 or is that a different? Ms. Allen is shaking her head, but I thought it was a
different—
Ms. Allen: Yes, sir, it is all inclusive.
Mr. Williams:
It’s all inclusive. Well, I ain’t got no problem with it, Mr. Mayor,
but when I saw 14 and then I saw the agenda item number 20 it brought it to my
I
attention, it said job title included salary and new position. So everything included.
make a motion to approve.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor of the motion
will do so by the usual sign.
Mr. Hankerson out.
Motion carries 9-0.
The Clerk:
15. Motion to authorize the advertising/filling of the Receptionist position in the
Augusta Housing Economic Development Department. (Approved by the
Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2005)
Mr. Williams: That one [unintelligible], Mr. Mayor, and I had this one pulled
because it said receptionist and I’m thinking about the Finance Director that we’re
supposed to be hiring and advertising for in HED and here we are with a receptionist to
be approved by this body but I don’t see the Finance person that’s supposed to be there. I
wanted somebody to address that, please.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell?
Mr. Russell: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. That item came up on the committee
agenda as an add-on. That’s not something we would normally do, is bring you that kind
of position to be advertised. It was just brought up and discussed in the committee and
that’s why it’s carried through here. We at this point were waiting until we had the results
from the audit that we have now to look at that. And I believe you’ve got some other
24
questions about that later, but that did come up and that’s why it was carried over here.
You’ll notice there is no backup and that wasn’t generated by staff. As far as the other
two positions that are ongoing, we have advertised for the finance person and that
position has been—the Finance officer has been filled and that decision, internal decision.
The Director’s position will be narrowed down to three recommendations and I’ll make
those recommendations to you so you’ll be able to fill that position. That’s one that you
would fill yourself.
Mr. Williams:
Well, I had this down to discuss [unintelligible] talk about it now
or talk about it later, Mr. Mayor, whatever you want to do. We can go on and approve
I make a motion to
this item and talk about it when it comes up under item 45.
approve.
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. All in favor of the motion will do so by the
usual sign. Any opposed, the same.
Mr. Cheek and Mr. Hankerson out.
Motion carries 8-0.
The Clerk:
25. Motion to accept the recommendation(s) of the Facilities Maintenance
Director relative to a request from the Augusta Museum of History regarding an
emergency appropriate for purchase of new air conditioning equipment. (Approved
by Finance Committee August 29, 2005)
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I had this one pulled because in the committee
meeting my understanding was that a Facilities Maintenance person would have a
engineer or somebody to go and look at what was needed, rather than saying the purchase
of a new air conditioning unit. And we not know what that cost is. I think that we was
supposed to brought something back, had someone to bring us a survey of what was
there, what could be done and exactly what was really torn up. Have we got that, Mr.
Russell?
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead.
Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, Commissioner Williams is absolutely right. What we
did, as directed by that committee, was contact the initial engineer that did that program
that was there. Just at 1:31 today I received a proposal from them to look at what we’ve
got and with some financial numbers. I anticipate bringing this back to you with the
numbers. We have not had a chance to look at this, in fact, at this particular point in
time. What we were directed to do was go ahead and get that information for you, bring
it back to you with a pricing cost. Just looking at the bottom line at the end, it looks like
they’re talking about $75,000 worth of work and $25,000—and like I said I have not read
25
the whole thing, but you’re right, we were directed to get this information and we’re
going to bring this back to you at the next committee meeting as we move forward with
that, and that was the understanding I had based on the agenda item.
Mr. Williams: I make a motion that we move this item back to committee
and discuss it in the committee.
Mr. Colclough: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second to move to committee.
Mr. Boyles: Mr. Mayor, wasn’t there some—
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, Mr. Boyles.
Mr. Boyles: Wasn’t there some discussion, too, about we were trying to locate
and recognize and obligate the funding source and then we were to make it match? We
weren’t talking about going out and spending it. That’s why we put it on this agenda, as
a placeholder. I mean all we were doing was trying to identify the funding source.
Mr. Russell: Right. And we were going to bring that back to you when we
brought back the information on how much we actually needed. I do want to make sure
that you understand that you did give me some authorization in case of emergency to act
to make emergency repairs and I assume I still have that authorization, if something
presents itself before we can come forth with the plan, up to my normal level.
Mr. Colclough: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Colclough?
Mr. Colclough: There is no backup on that item. What is he talking about?
Mr. Russell: We just got this at 1:30 today. That’s where we’re at.
Mr. Mayor: It was placed in case they did get something.
The Clerk: Well, this motion is really just authorizing Mr. Acree to do what
Mr.—
Mr. Russell: To do this.
The Clerk: --to do that. That’s only what this agenda item is saying, authorize
him to go seek that information. But the item would be placed back on the next Finance
and Engineering Services Committees for consideration.
26
Mr. Mayor: Is everybody clear about the motion? I’ll say this about the motion.
I know that’s where it’s supposed to go. This is one of them times that if the information
I’m hearing is correct and the numbers stay the same, y’all might want to think about
passing it cause it’s gone from $800,000 down to $75,000, you may not want it to go
back to committee, you may want to go on and get rid of it. But that’s just my comment.
All in favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign. Any opposed, the same.
Mr. Cheek, Mr. Grantham and Mr. Hankerson out.
Motion carries 7-0.
Mr. Mayor: 32.
The Clerk:
32. Motion to approve an assessment in an amount not to exceed $5,000
regarding a request from Crossbridge Baptist Church to Commissioner Tommy
Boyles for the city to perform maintenance on an upstream ditch, private detention
pond, and associated outfall structure. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee August 29, 2005)
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I think you know where I’m coming from with this
one, too. 32 is—certainly not against the church, but the private detention pond, whether
it be the church or anybody else, if we going to do that, is that going to be a standard? It
says in this agenda item, 32 says private detention pond. It’s not our pond. I just want to
get some clarification. Is that a door we are going to open up? we just had a man come
and present a few minutes ago about a different church he said about something that is
going to be totally unique. But I couldn’t justify voting for this dollar amount to go on a
private pond to do that kind of work.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Boyles?
Mr. Boyles: Mr. Mays, we spent quite a bit of time in committee talking about
this the other day and in the backup information the letter—and I guess they keep using
my name for a certain reason, but when the letter was sent to me as the Commissioner
from their District, I sent it on to Mr. Robert Leverett, our Deputy Administrator, and he
handled it from there. But what has happened, this pond was built, it was to handle sixty
acres. I think Ms. Smith, if she’s not in the room, Mr. Leverett is, I believe, but this all of
a sudden drains over 500 acres from I-20 and it’s on a stream that comes from the Warren
Road area of that section of Augusta above I-20. And what has happened is that we
have—because of the drainage area it has basically increased the sediment into that pond,
and they’re just simply asking us for some help with it. Because if it were to break on
one of these heavy rains, it does a good bit of damage downstream. And I appreciate
Mr. Grantham going up to look at it and Mr. Handy also went up to look at it, as a
member of the committee, so that they understand what it’s all about. It’s not like a
private pond like you would have at the Wal-Mart or the K-Mart or something like that.
This was built in conjunction and it was approved by this City when Mr. Swift did it and
27
it’s built on a stream. It’s a tributary of Rae’s Creek. And as it come through there and I-
20 is going to be widened to six lanes, which is going to create more of a flow, the work
on Warren Road School, the work on the recreation area and the church over there has
increase the flow down through there, so we have created a problem for the members of
Crossbridge Baptist Church. And it’s not, as I said, it’s not like a pond that just drains
your parking lot and holds it. That’s a private pond, whether it’s something that’s in an
apartment complex or a shopping center or shopping mall, that’s one type of pond. But
maybe the wordology is wrong on this one, Mr. Leverett. You have seen that, too. That
is the problem they have there, and I was thinking, and I said in committee that we could
probably take the $5,000 that they’re talking about for a study and rectify the whole
situation. But again, it’s more like let’s study, study, study. So that is why it’s there, Mr.
Williams. You’re more than welcome to come up there with me and look at it and I’d be
happy to let you see what the members of that church—and that’s a big church up there.
It was part of the Hill Baptist Church and it spun off when the Hill Baptist decided not to
expand their church on Kings Way, and it’s a problem on an area that was approved by
this City, but yet we have inherited and the church has inherited a problem upstream from
us.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Boyles, let me, let me reiterate again I’m certainly not against
the progress of any church, but I’m simply clarifying something because there are other
churches and other areas that’s going to have similar problems. And if this something we
are going to do, then that’s fine, I got no problem with it. But I don’t want to do one,
then when another one comes we say no, we can’t do [unintelligible]. That’s private and
I can tell you about some help on some land that [unintelligible] about some property.
But if it’s a private situation, it’s a private situation.
Mr. Boyles: [unintelligible] stream which is part of the waterways of this state,
then it’s not private. It’s going to be affected some way by the waterways of this state.
Mr. Williams: The water coming off of 520 or I-20 is a state entity that handles
that, Tommy. All I’m asking is for clarification. If there six votes, then y’all-six votes
been flying across here all day long. If six votes can do it, that’s fine with me. I’m
bringing it to the table, asking the question about it, because—
Mr. Boyles: All the backup is in here. It’s explained. We’ve had our folks study
it.
Mr. Williams: It says private detention pond. And if that’s what it is, that’s what
it is. I mean you can’t separate private. Either it’s private or it’s not private. It’s either
public or it’s private. And if it’s ours, something we dealing with, we need to deal with
it.
Mr. Boyles: Well, again, it might be wordology because maybe when it was built
in [unintelligible] original [unintelligible], if it’s built onto a stream or one of our creeks,
if you put a retention pond on any part of Rae’s or Crane Creek or Butler Creek or Spirit
Creek or Oats Creek, then it becomes a part of the system.
28
Mr. Williams: You know, I can share with you, too, where this body not only
went on church property that’s private, but on other private property, so it wouldn’t be a
first time. So if six votes say do it, then that’s what we do, Tommy. I’m just bringing it
to this body to recognize. Cause if it’s stated on this document private detention pond,
and that’s the only [unintelligible] I got. You said the $5,000 [unintelligible] I ain’t got
no problem with either one of them. But it says private.
Mr. Boyles: Well, the information from our Director of Engineering says that
that’s what we need to do and she identifies that it’s a problem caused—additional
acreage of storm water runoff impacts the facility and increase the accumulation of
sedimentation due to lack of maintenance that’s cause the pond not to function as
designed.
Mr. Grantham: A motion to approve.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second to approve. The only person I was going to
ask, staff’s ready to [unintelligible]. Mr. Russell?
Mr. Russell: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. I think the issue that you’ve got is it’s storm water and not
necessarily in terms of ownership, whether it’s Colony Drive and [unintelligible] and a
bunch of other places that can be, that can be [unintelligible] where the water comes from
and where it lands and that’s where we need to be able to deal with to keep it. All in
favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign. Any opposed, the same.
Mr. Hankerson out.
Mr. Williams votes No.
Motion carries 8-.1
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES:
41. Authorize the Augusta Utilities Department to notify perspective firms of the
selection results and proceed with negotiations of a contract with the top ranked
firm, MWH Constructors, Inc., for Construction Manager at Risk Services for the
James B. Messerly WPCP 2003 Master Plan Implementation Phase 1 Project (RFQ#
05-111).
Mr. Cheek: I move to approve.
Mr. Handy: Second.
29
Mr. Mayor: Motion and second to approve. Is there any discussion regarding
item 41? If not, all in favor of the motion will do so by the usual sign.
Mr. Hankerson out.
Motion carries 9-0.
The Clerk:
APPOINTMENT:
42. Consider recommendations from the Development Authority of Richmond
County regarding an appointment and reappointments to the Authority.
Mr. Mayor: We have those—you’re addressing those, Fred, or if everybody’s
comfortable with where we are. The Chair will entertain—
Mr. Grantham: [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: [unintelligible]
Mr. Grantham: I make a motion to approve.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I want to take this opportunity to make a comment
concerning the Development Authority.
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead.
Mr. Cheek: We’ve raised, this City has raised—a group of individuals has helped
raise $10 million to help get Augusta Tissue here. For some reason there is a problem
between the promised bonding between the Development Authority and Augusta Tissue
for $2 million additional to secure equipment. We’re in the process of just about to lose
400 jobs plus about 200 more jobs in ’07 if this deal doesn’t work, so I wanted to ask the
Administrator to arrange a meeting between the Development Authority, between us
Commissioners that are interested, and the folks at Augusta Tissue sometime this week
or—the equipment, my understanding, is going to be sold to Spain if it’s not bought
within the next seven to ten business days or at least a commitment for that bonding, and
we will lose 400 jobs out in the Marvin Griffin Road area as a result of foot dragging by
somebody. So I’m in favor of the appointments, but I have deep concerns about the
Development Authority working as a team player. I’ve talked with the industry
30
representatives, I’ve talked with the Development Authority, and the minds aren’t
meeting. I think it’s time for members of this body and the Administrator to get
everybody in one room and not lose these 400 jobs.
Mr. Grantham: Good idea.
Mr. Mayor: Let me comment on that before Mr. Russell. I have no problem with
that, Mr. Cheek, but if I could make a suggestion, and I know this is one that you’re
making right now, but it might be in the case of any other Commissioner. I had
volunteers to go through the building and get some chairs that wasn’t doing anything and
they were brought into the Mayor’s Office and one of the reasons I brought so many in
there was just in case if everybody is sitting out here amongst our group had to go in
there, they’d be welcome to go in. I would suggest, though, and the reason why I suggest
this is because we just went through one of those meetings very recently between three
different agencies including the City, the private developers, and Development Authority
and others so that communication is handled in such a way that we can act as one body.
And I’m not fighting that [unintelligible]. No problem with it. But the Mayor’s Office as
th
it is right now, at least until November 8 I know, stands ready to have those type of
private meetings, cause I think as we need to discuss some of those things that we discuss
them to a point of resolving what those issues may be and then we come forward as one
voice when we try and do it. We were in one that started off pretty heated, I believe Mr.
Russell, a week or so ago, and Mr. Chairman of Administrative Services, called the
chairman in in reference to that, and that was not a news conference, it wasn’t a broadcast
but to a point the City’s point was made very clear and we did it and business moved on.
I’m just going to make that suggestion and offer that door and that facility that if we have
those type of situations, and I certainly will be glad to sit in on that meeting when you
have it. I don’t have a vote out here but I can at least hope to add something to the
discussion. But that would be my point. I’m not disagreeing at all but I think that if we
can do that, particularly regarding private business and a public authority, the more that
we can have in terms of discussion with each other, so that we can be able to come out of
whatever the situation is. That’s not to say to have an illegal meeting to do it, but I think
the more that we can discuss and business people to a point when they wrangle with
government there’s a problem, they don’t like us tied around their neck anyway. But if
we can do it and we can resolve it in a business manner that’s in a private setting, I think
we all stand to gain from doing that. And that’s just my suggestion in terms of doing it.
But whenever that meeting is held I’ll be glad to make myself available to be there.
Mr. Grantham: Call the question.
Mr. Williams: I’d like to make a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: The floor is open.
Mr. Williams: The substitute motion is that you and the Administrator meet with
the prospective parties to discuss in your office or whatever convenient place to try and—
31
Mr. Mayor: Let me say this. The motion is on approving the names that’s there.
Mr. Williams: I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: There’s no problem. That’s my fault for making the other part a
suggestion. I think what the Commissioner wants to do, and it’s very well taken, I think
that can be done without dealing with the motion. I think we need to either approve or
disapprove or add to or take away from the names that’s there. That’s the item that’s up
for vote. That is to approve the list. All in favor of the motion will do so by the usual
sign.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: We’ll take that under serious consideration. I really think that needs
to be done. [unintelligible]
The Clerk:
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS:
43. Select voting delegate for the Business Session at the ACCG Fall Policy
Conference September 26-28, 2005.
Mr. Handy: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Handy?
Mr. Handy: I’d like to nominate Commissioner Hankerson for that position,
please.
Ms. Sims: Second.
Mr. Hankerson: I think I need to talk to the Clerk. I may not be attending. I may
not be attending.
The Clerk: He may not be attending, he said.
Mr. Handy: I nominate myself.
[Laughter]
Mr. Handy: I will be attending.
[Laughter]
Mr. Mayor: Every day you need a good laugh.
32
Ms. Beard: I nominate Mr. Handy
or second it.
Ms. Sims: I second it.
Mr. Handy: Amen.
[Laughter]
Mr. Mayor: All in favor of Mr. Handy will do so by the usual sign. Any
opposed, the same.
Motion carries 10-0.
The Clerk:
OTHER BUSINESS:
45. Discuss the Augusta Housing and Economic Development Department
(AHEDD). (Requested by Mayor Pro Tem Marion Williams)
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I asked for this to be put on to talk about the position,
the key position that’s been empty over there, the Finance Director, along with the
Department Head, along with the audit report that came back to say what disarray that
was in. I’d like to know where we are now with making those changes. We know what
we need to do. I don’t want it to slip through the cracks. Mr. Russell shared some stuff
with us earlier about a receptionist but there are people that was over there, I think the
audit came back to say it was in a position to get increase on salary. I hope that’s been
changed, I hope that’s been brought, you know, some clarity been brought to that. To be
sure, Mr. Russell, just where we are, with the Finance person, just the whole nine yards?
Mr. Russell: Yes, sir, Commissioner Williams. If I may, Mayor. What we’ve
done is we’ve actually taken that report as in last week when we got that and looked at it.
In your information last week there was a response by the acting director, Mr. DeCamp,
who has been working with those issues there. The issues that he’s addressed in that
report, such as some of the more obvious management issues on time, lunches, those kind
of things have been addressed and are being taken care of. At this point we have offered
the Finance position and we anticipate that being filled in the next two weeks. We did
readvertise the Director’s position because the initial pool of applicants was not strong
enough at this particular point in time and we want to explore that a little bit more. We
anticipate sometime in the—as soon as that is done, we’re going through a committee
process as we’ve done in the past and we’ll be presenting—they’ll be presenting me with
candidates but I will narrow that down to three people for you to interview and to make a
selection from. Our target is to have somebody there in place by the first of the year. We
think that’s aggressive but we think that’s realistic. Hopefully even sooner than that at
this particular point in time but that’s where we’re at. The other positions we have not
made a decision on how to handle those as far as what’s there, what’s not there and those
particular positions that are either vacant or the specific position you’re talking about I
33
have not had a lengthy conversation with Mr. DeCamp about that yet. I had thought that
was happening last week, but as I shared with you on the phone that was another
department I was talking about a position about. I apologize for that. We anticipate
doing that in the next several days. We will be getting back with some recommendations
to you on how to do that or to make those decisions as necessary, depending on the
breadth of the positions. There are a couple that would involve personnel items and it
might be more appropriate to talk about those specifics in legal at some point.
Mr. Williams: The reporting of the Finance person, will report to our Finance
Director; is that right? Is that, I think what the recommendation was from the auditor that
the finance person reports to our Finance person?
Mr. Russell: The recommendation from the auditor was that, as I read it, was that
the finance person should have a very close relationship with our Finance people, that
they have the same oversight over them that they would have over the other departments
that are out there, in a manner that—ultimately Mr. Persaud is responsible for the dollars
and he needs to have control over that individual. Technically they would in my mind be
located there and have a relationship obviously with the Finance people or with the
Director of HED but similar to others, airport, utilities, those things, ultimately Finance
has control over the dollars, yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: Unlike the airport, Mr. Russell, though, this person, this position is
a very unique position in knowing the regulations and guidelines for HUD that we
[unintelligible] millions of dollars, federal dollars. I think you said you got somebody for
the position; is that right?
Mr. Russell: Yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: And I got no problem with that but I’m hoping that we did get
someone that’s ready, able and capable of dealing with the regulations that HUD has,
because we all this stuff with the CHDOs, about what the CHDOs wasn’t doing, and look
like the CHDOs was doing everything right versus what our report came back. So I’m
hoping that if we had somebody in that position, or we got somebody in the position
already, we should have had them in there a lot sooner, but that person ought to be
knowledgeable of the federal guidelines and regulation that HUD had this body, this
government up under. And I think that person need to report to the Finance Director
cause that’s the ultimate person going to be held in charge, I think is our Finance
Director, Mr. Persaud. So I’m just glad to know we got that position filled. I’m ready for
somebody to get in there and go to work cause I’m going to look for great things out of
there.
Mr. Russell: Yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: [unintelligible] behind. That’s all I got, Mr. Mayor.
34
Mr. Hankerson: Mr. Chairman, since we’re talking about those position that have
been addressed in Administrative Services and will be addressed again in Administrative
Services, I understand, I heard Mr. Russell say that the position have been filled, but the
Director [unintelligible] particular person, there are some concerns about who they would
answer to and how this should be set up. So I definitely wouldn’t want that to go forward
before it come back to Administrative Service for us to make a decision of how that
position is going to be handled. So we’d like to place that on the Administrative Services
agenda, to come back for Mr. Russell, if the person already been hired, cause I don’t have
any knowledge of that and I’d like to be kept up to date on personnel, to know that, and
so we can discuss it in Administrative Services, the director of that particular finance,
because there are some concerns about [unintelligible] duties. I know we looked at the
job description and so forth and what the qualifications, what they should have. But part
of our [unintelligible] going to answer to, I think the person, the finance person should be
under the director that is coming, so they’ll be responsible for what’s going in and out of
that department and as far as the Finance Department, Mr. Persaud and his people would
just oversee and issue the spending. But the person with the law, know the law should be
responsible to that director, and that director is the director of HED. Those are the
concerns that we have so we need to bring it back to Administrative Service so we can
iron that out and make sure that they have the right director.
Mr. Russell: And obviously I don’t—it’s a policy decision on the reporting
process and those things are decisions that you can make as a body and obviously that’s
the way it works. And we’ll bring that back to you.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a motion already on the floor?
Mr. Hankerson: Was that addressing both of these items? 15 also? I heard you
talk about personnel.
Mr. Mayor: It’s just on—
Mr. Hankerson: Just on the one?
Mr. Mayor: Just on 45.
Mr. Grantham: Motion to receive as information.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek?
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, we sat through a rather lengthy meeting the other day
about this particular topic and it was my understanding that that was one of the
recommendations from the audit firm that this position in fact report to the Finance
35
Department and be assigned to that area to work. All this is Code of Federal Regulations
when it come to grant administration and so forth. It’s not rocket science. And that’s one
of the problems we have, is a weak link within the system as we still have several
agencies seeking to do their own form of grant administration and other things in spite of
the recent policies and other things. I mean I see representatives from the audit firm here.
I believe consistent with their report and findings and recommendations that we would
assign that particular person to Finance and they would report [unintelligible] do the
work and still be a direct report to Mr. Persaud. Did I miss that the other day?
Mr. Hankerson: That was same committee, we’re on the same committee, so we
if go back into Administrative Services and discuss that because there are some concerns.
Part of that is correct and part of that is a misunderstanding. And that’s why we need to
go back. I mean we can go on and discuss it if you like.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Chairman, I hate to interrupt, but if I remember correctly we
talked about an hour, a little over an hour on this last time. I will submit to the will of the
body.
Mr. Mayor: Well, one thing, if it’s a motion to receive as information we need to
go on and vote on it. I mean y’all at any time can place something on a committee and
talk about directions. I would say this. Because at that level we do not hire people in
departments on that level, in anybody’s department. They are done and done
[unintelligible] but I think we should be aware of the fact that if there is going to be a
different set of directions from which the person may have been hired under, then y’all
need to go back and discuss that.. You’re just not going to discuss it today. All in favor
of the motion will do so by the usual sign.
Motion carries 10-0.
The Clerk:
45A. Discuss the appointment of the Augusta Fire Chief. (Requested by
Commissioner Andy Cheek)
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I’ll be brief. I have two motions to make on this. We
asked staff to come back—
Mr. Mayor: You’ve got two?
Mr. Cheek: Two motions, as a companion to this item. We asked staff to review
and look at the requirement for education in this process. We have hired probably no
doubt the finest Administrator we’ve had by hiring Mr. Russell. We basically—not
suspended, Steve, I’m looking for a work—
Mr. Shepard: Amended.
36
Mr. Cheek: --amended the requirements for the process of the nationwide search
and the $30,000 cost thereof and so forth. So today I’m going to ask the body to amend
the educational requirements for the Fire Chief’s position as a motion one, and then
motion two is to appoint Chief Howard Willis, one of the finest firefighters and chiefs in
this country, as the position of Fire Chief for Augusta-Richmond County.
Mr. Grantham: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Is there discussion? I recognize
Commissioner Sims, then Commissioner Williams.
Ms. Sims: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have great respect for people who go and
take extra schooling and have degrees from different institutions. But I have greater
respect for a man who has spent a lifetime as a firefighter and whose degree of
knowledge and courage and loyalty to this very body that we sit in, I don’t think is
paralleled by anybody that we could ever hire, so I am in complete agreement with
Commissioner Cheek’s motion that Chief Willis become the Fire Chief, and I am also in
agreement with not having the educational requirement that had been placed on this
Commission before.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams?
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I agree with Ms. Sims 150% if there was
such a thing, but I agree 100% for sure, not only knowing Mr. Willis—I worked with him
for a few years and he’s a lot older than I am but I still worked with him. I guess what I
need some clarification, are we saying we’re waiving the educational requirements and
appointing Bubba—Chief Willis—as the Interim? Is that what you’re saying? Are you
saying waive the educational requirement and make him officially the Fire Chief? Is that
what I’m hearing?
Mr. Cheek: He’s already the Interim. We would make him the Fire Chief of
Augusta-Richmond County.
Mr. Williams: Well, and I talked with Bubba. I’m sorry, I talked with Chief
Willis and I’m in support. I’ve been trying to hold fast to what I believe, Andy, and that
is if we going to waive the educational requirement then we’ve got go back and let him
and anybody else who wants to apply for that position the opportunity to apply and based
it not on the educational requirement but the requirement that we got in place. We can’t
just waive those and then just appoint him. I mean I don’t think there’s a finer man on
the Fire Department. I mean a lot of the men respect him an awful lot. But the issue is if
you waive the educational requirement you’ve got to give everybody else that’s without
those requirements the opportunity to apply if they want to. I mean now if there was
something else, I mean if we are going to waive requirements it’s one thing. But then
you got to give those applicants that don’t have requirements the opportunity. Cause
some people didn’t even apply for the job because the educational requirements we put in
place in the beginning, and I don’t know whether Bubba even applied for the job with the
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stuff we had. Okay, he’s nodding his head. But some people didn’t even apply because
of the education requirement that we had in place, they know they didn’t meet that so
they didn’t even try for the job. And if we waive those now, and give it, change them,
and [unintelligible] it’s not to be fair to anybody else on the Fire Department, whether
they be whoever. So if you want to waive requirements, that’s one thing. But the other
part of that motion I think is going to have be looked at again. I think he need to stay
Interim until we do something else. We ought [unintelligible] but I think we going to set
ourselves up for something if we do it any other way.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Boyles?
Mr. Boyles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m going to have to always call him Bubba
because his father used to deliver milk to a grocery store that I worked in and he used to
ride with him sometimes on Saturday mornings right down the street at the old A&P
store, and then we both kind of came into county government at the same time, about the
same time, me in Recreation and he in the Fire Service, and his mother ran the park for us
up where we now have a fire station, up at Highland Park. Wood Park as it was named
all those years ago. And right down until last Saturday when we were out at the
Salvation Army Center, out there trying to help these homeless people from New
Orleans, and again I got to see what kind of person that he really is and I’m for waiving
the requirements and I’m for appointing him today.
Mr. Mayor: Anybody else to my right? Commissioner Handy and then
Commissioner Hankerson.
Mr. Handy: Mr. Mayor, I’ll agree with a lot of things that has been said today
about Chief Willis. [unintelligible] a concern, just like Commissioner Williams has,
believe it or not I have a concern. I don’t mind waiving the requirement if that’s what
you say here today that that’s what we are going to do. Last week we did something
historical. We all communicated, we all worked together, and we came up with a good
SPLOST package. It took all of us to get that package, to get where we are, and to pass it
today like we did. There has been no communication. If it has been, it’s not through me,
about doing what we want to do here today. We do lift the requirement if that’s what you
say. As of today we lift the requirement for all departments, not just the Fire Department.
Then you say you can’t do that. I know you’re not going to do that. I’m just throwing
that out there. We’re talking about this individual and take it department, each
department stands on its on. Why would we have to take and waiver the requirement and
then turn right around and appoint him chief without any discussion? We put out for
advertising and we received three or four applications recommended by the
Administrator. One was thrown out because he did not meet the requirement. One had
more requirement than was required. When it came down to it, we had one finalist, and
that one finalist, someone chose to not accept him and keep Chief Willis as the Interim.
There’s nothing wrong with that. I know Chief Willis. I’m not talking about him. I’m
talking about the procedures that we have in place, the things that we are elected to do,
look at each individual, look at the requirements that we put together, not the requirement
that came along with the person. We didn’t put in there that if Chief Willis applies, put
38
him one way, someone else apply, put him another. We said these are the requirements
to get this particular job. Once you turn down everybody this should have been done
right then, drop the requirements, not wait until today or wait until things settle down or
whatever you are waiting on and then decide you want to do this. I don’t mind lifting the
requirement but I do have a problem with going on and making the chief all at the same
time without any discussion. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hankerson?
Mr. Hankerson: Okay, my comments, Mr. Mayor, is not about person. Not about
an individual. Not about no names. But I was under the impression as we discussed this
that we were going to look at lowering requirements or education versus experience in all
levels of county government that we can possibly do that. And we talked about that at
length I think the last time we were in a meeting together discussing this, that there are
possibilities that we could look at how we post jobs in the future, with so many years,
four years of college, four years of experience equal to one year of college or something
like that and have either/or as some of the other jobs advertised across the state of
Georgia. I looked at one of the magazines, newspapers that we get from various national
organizations and that’s—a lot of those positions are advertised that way, so it makes it
possible for a person with experience like the candidate or the employee that has been
recommended, that would have that opportunity. Now, just before the meeting today, an
employee stopped me and it’s a process they were involved in where they had the
experience and then it was an education requirement, and this job is going back now and
they’re discussing this and so forth, they’re going to be advertised, even people that had
degrees or [unintelligible] a lot of times you have employees have been here fifteen or
twenty years can do the job better than any textbook student or textbook employee that
comes in, so I think it would be good for us to look at this City government as a whole
and look at those positions, have HR to recommend those positions. I’m not talking
about the M.D.’s, I’m not talking about the scientists, but those particular positions that
we can have experience versus education degrees, and then therefore a lot of employees
would have the opportunity within our government to move up to higher levels, to look at
something in the future that they’ll be able to be promoted. If we do that, we could honor
what we’re asking today. Another thing that I’m concerned about without a discussion in
a legal meeting or a committee meeting—again this is one of those Administrative
Services personnel type items that is there anything as far as the Attorney is concerned
that we could be liable to a lawsuit for the process that we’ve already taken with
employees that have already applied for the job that do not have a degree also? Is it
anything that legal, any legal recourse that they can take? I want to be clear on that also.
And again, it’s nothing about the person that is recommended. I’ve heard all high marks
and that’s no problem with me but I’d like to know what we are doing here today,
something that we can follow suit and that all employees will be treated right.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Shepard? If you could hold for just a moment, please, where I
can be involved in this discussion and where we are going. I need to take about three
minutes. What I request for y’all to do is to talk on this same subject until I get back so I
don’t want anybody to think I’m leaving the course of where we’re going but I need to
39
take a medicine break for just a moment, but continue on on this same item, if you would,
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, and [unintelligible] need to take that break.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Hankerson, are you through?
Mr. Hankerson: I was asking if he’s going to ask the Attorney to hold that
question that I asked about legal till he get back or we going to discuss that?
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, I’m trying to speak into the microphone and
I’m trying to hear what Commissioner Hankerson is saying. He asked me to hold that
opinion until after legal or are you asking me to give an opinion at this point?
Mr. Hankerson: I was wondering whether Mr. Mays was asking that. I asked the
question.
The Clerk: [unintelligible] discussion [unintelligible] participate [unintelligible]
go ahead.
Mr. Shepard: It’s my understanding that I could rule upon your question at this
time. And to differentiate this from how we selected the Administrator, is my
recollection that the Administrator’s process, Andy, was an amendment to those
procedures or a suspension of the rules, if you wanted to say, before there was any formal
process which began to seek any candidates inside or outside this organization and that
[unintelligible] Mr. Russell, [unintelligible]. And this process, this process is already
begun and I would have a lack of comfort in changing the rules in this fashion simply
because we have gone out, other candidates have been submitted under the criteria which
we started the process, and now we are changing the process without closing out the
previous process. The new process could include, as you suggest Mr. Hankerson, an
amendment to the policies which would recognize experience, years of experience in lieu
of a degree. You could also totally waive a degree if that would be the will of the body,
but I’m really not comfortable with proceeding with a suspension after there has been one
set of rules which has eliminated the other candidates. So my suggestion would be that a
substitution made that this appointment not be made today if we’re going to change the
procedures, then it should come through Administrative Services and come back to the
body with a new set of procedures.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. When we hired our Administrator,
we didn’t have to roll the dice. We knew what this man was capable of and certainly
with our Interim Fire Chief we don’t have to roll the dice. We know this man is first
class in every way. And whatever it takes from our Legal Department I would suggest
that we do it and go ahead and install him as our Fire Chief.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Grantham?
40
Mr. Grantham: I’m going to yield to the motion maker and see what he’s got to
say.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Motion maker?
Mr. Cheek: I’m going to correct our City Attorney [unintelligible]. We were told
we could not suspend the rules, that was not appropriate at the time, so we basically did
away with the language in the ordinance, appointed Fred, and then put the ordinance back
in place. Essentially to get the person we wanted. I believe that is correct and a historical
fact. I’m just going to take a quick opportunity to say a couple of things. One,
everybody needs to be talked to but I guess nobody read the paper. We had the most
serious chemical incident in the southeast following the ports and some other areas that
receive ship traffic and so forth, here. It is managed by that man, the haz-mat part going
in in the bubble suits to retrieve people [unintelligible]. He’s been acting as fire chief,
he’s been emergency management director. We have an evacuation plan in place. I
don’t know how many people on this board know this. We have an evacuation plan to
deal with evacuees from Effingham County. We’re the primary designation for them
[unintelligible] New Orleans folks [unintelligible] don’t have a long term plan in place.
This man helped write it. We have got in the total package here, and what amazes me is
just how we as a body or some of us as individuals are completely clueless when it comes
to the hazards in a city that is number two hazardous--producer of hazardous chemicals in
the state of Georgia. The job the EMA Director does and the Fire Chief is required to do.
One of the candidates that came here that interviewed said why are you even interviewing
me? Haven’t you seen what this man has done? Now, we can go out and posture and
think we’re doing a grand and fair thing by selecting from the nation or giving other
people a chance. Nobody in this city since I’ve grown up in it—and that’s 48 years—has
performed under fire better than Chief Howard Willis. Now we can say we’re being fair,
we can say we’re trying to do the right thing. And yes, there are some issues to deal with
when it comes to all employees and service, years of service in lieu of college. We gave
staff that instruction over two months ago to come back with that and it’s yet to come
back. I’ll remind everybody that we’ve been waiting two years for a new policy and
procedure manual for the employees of the City of Augusta. My confidence is not real
high in our HR Department at this point in time. We have an opportunity to select
someone that is nationally recognized, that cares about our city and is not just passing
through to a bigger fire department. Somebody that’s aware of not only firefighting, but
emergency management. And quite frankly, we have an opportunity to take somebody
that if they were in New Orleans right now we wouldn’t have the problems they have
right now. That city would have had their equipment pulled out and they would have
followed the emergency plan just like it was written down, but the damn politicians
didn’t follow it. That’s a matter of fact, too. We can hem and haw around and do all we
want to do but we’ve got someone here who is the best particular possible candidate for
this job. And on top of that, probably 9.75 out of 10 firefighters in this Fire Department
surveyed said he’s the man. Morale is up. Quality, professionalism is all up under his
leadership and we’ve got a chance to put him in the seat but we’re finding excuses not to
do it. You know, I’m going to be completely politically incorrect with that. But the
politicians didn’t make a decision to follow the emergency plan in New Orleans. That’s
41
why they’re in the problem they’re in now. We’ve got a chance to be different than them
or be like them. It’s our decision.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Handy?
Mr. Handy: Yes, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, thanks. I’m going to have to disagree with
my colleague down there but I think he’s talking apples and oranges. We’re not talking
about New Orleans, we’re not talking about Chief Willis’ capability, or what he can and
cannot do. We already know that. We know that he is a good person. There’s no one sat
up here and said anything about his ability to be able to work, to handle the situation. We
don’t know what happened in New Orleans, we don’t know that the elected officials did
not follow procedure, we don’t even know there was a procedure in place or not. That’s
what you heard on the news.
Mr. Cheek: All cities are required to have emergency planning.
Mr. Handy: We don’t know that. But what I’m sitting here today is to say that
we just can’t change procedures in the middle of the stream just for any particular person.
So if we want to appoint Chief Willis, we’re going to have to change what we have in
place now and then come back and appoint him later if that’s what you want. I didn’t
ever say that I was against him or for him. So bringing New Orleans in and all this stuff
about what happened in January has nothing to do with what’s gone on here today.
Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: [unintelligible] hear you through the wall pretty good. Where are we
in terms of motions?
The Clerk: [unintelligible] discussion period.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: [unintelligible] Attorney [unintelligible].
Mr. Shepard: And Mr. Mayor, for your benefit, my ruling is a conservative one,
is that I do believe that having the process begun and having the policy in place, while
it’s ongoing, having eliminated other candidates, and I don’t think that happened with
Fred—I think we had a policy that we changed, even an ordinance before we began to
select Fred, so I remain in a conservative position saying you should terminate this
policy, I mean terminate this selection formally and then have a—if you’re going to
recognize, and I fully appreciate we have a nationally-recognized individual, professional
in this slot, Mr. Cheek. But I just don’t—I would be much more comfortable defending
his appointment if those policies were in place.
Mr. Cheek: But wasn’t that the instruction of this body two months ago?
Mr. Shepard: Well—
42
Mr. Cheek: And here we sit, same place.
Mr. Shepard: If that was something that—your recollection, I go with your
recollection, Mr. Cheek. I don’t dispute it. But I think when you have the process that’s
begun with certain criteria and now you want to [unintelligible] terminating the process,
waive some of those criteria, I would feel a whole lot better if you would simply—and I
don’t know that this—well, this really probably is broad enough to discuss the
appointment of a fire chief, it probably is broad enough to terminate the process but I
would feel better that if you’re not going to have a policy of education requirements that
that be announced when the process is begun. I think that’s just fair to those who
competed and have fallen out of the competition.
Mr. Cheek: If I recollect correctly, and I guess we’ll need to write it down and
get six signatures, I think we even voted on that. But we didn’t have discussion to that
effect to create a policy to have in place years in lieu of service and so forth to cover and
govern this particular change, or at least the potential for this particular change. And like
I said, that was two months ago and there’s a few things I would like to discuss in legal,
under the homeland security portion of the [unintelligible], but here again this is
something we asked and thought would be dealt with. I did. At least by now. And that’s
why it’s back on the floor. It’s time to give somebody credit where credit is due.
Mr. Mayor: Let me say this in reference to what you all have discussed and I
[unintelligible] pretty good, pretty good through the walls. [unintelligible] if walls could
talk, well sometimes they do so I didn’t miss a lot in terms of what was being said. But I
think thought we are missing something that we need to [unintelligible] procedure, and I
think if we’re going to deal with the procedure, and again this is just a suggestion I guess
of when I moved from where Mr. Handy is sitting to over here, I may have moved to a
different seat, I’m still the same fellow. I’ve had the opportunity where I am now in the
last two or three months in terms of our level of communication of where we work with
each other, in terms of not only of knowing the Chief for a long time but of having to
work particularly on both EMA side and the side as fire chief and the things that we’ve
dealt with [unintelligible]. I’m going to say this. Whatever the Commission decides to
do, I think you need to give a clear direction and path on how to do it because there’s
another element that’s a little bit, a little bit unfair. I think we need to—if the person that
is in the job, that we want to stay in the job then we need to create the environment in
order to be able to do that and to make that happen. And I say that because it’s not fair
to—whoever way you’re going to move—to have a person—I disagreed a little bit when
we were in another administration to say you bring in somebody, but what happened
there, that Administrator didn’t do like the Administrator that’s in here now. That
Administrator brought somebody before us and just did what he did and the Commission
reacted. The situation is that I think that we also respect the individual that you’re
bringing forth, that you go through that process and have it ready to go so that that person
is not in limbo about what you’re going to do and in placing [unintelligible]. I think there
is just a better way to handle this in terms of doing it. The chief is not necessarily going
to say it but the chief has got tough stuff on his plate right now and handling it in an
43
excellent way. Going through—and I know what he’s going through, and when you’re
dealing with a parent and you go through personal changes and challenges, that’s
something that [unintelligible] deal with rather than to sit here in this body trying to
figure out what we’re going to do in a matter. Now, I think if you are going to do that,
then let’s create the environment administratively and legally to deal with that, then bring
it in to a fashion so that we know that that’s what we are going to do, have that on that
particular day that it moves smoothly and that it gets done. That way it doesn’t subject
the person to what you’re dealing with as well and you’re taking care of the process.
That’s my own suggestion and I think we should be able to do that. And just get that
done without going through all the different changes of where you have a person
[unintelligible] in that manner. There’s a way in order to accomplish that, and there is a
legal way to accomplish that. And then you’re done. But we need to move in that
direction in terms of how you work that. Mr. Russell had his hand up first and then Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, I respectfully disagree with the Attorney on several
items here that we’ve talked about, one of which is there was a process that was
established. We went through that process [unintelligible] what we thought was
appropriate and I brought forth the names and then the eventual name of that individual
that was my recommendation. That was voted on by this body and turned down. I think
no matter what process we have it’s designed ultimately to get the best person here that
will be able to work with and for the citizens of Augusta to accomplish the best job that
we possibly can. It’s my understanding that the education requirement is a policy of this
board and not written in code or statute so it can be waived by the board. It’s also my
understanding that at this particular point in time there are numerous people here that feel
very strongly that Chief Willis is the candidate that needs to be in that position. It is an
appointment by Commission, it’s an appointment that you make and you determine
what’s to be in the best interest of the citizens here. It scares me more at this particular
point in time to reopen the process, but we would advertise, change requirements, and do
various [unintelligible] sundry things to create a new pool of applicants when in fact it
seems to me that a good portion of you have already made up your mind. And that just
seems in my mind to be a waste of not only our time and energy, but to allow people that
would potentially be candidates to put forth applications, go through whatever process we
established, and then find out that, guess what, we hired the guy that we were going to
hire six months ago anyway. And once again, I mean I differ from the opinion of our
Attorney in the fact that it is a Commission appointment. I personally think that you have
the ability to waive the policy, the education, and appoint who you think would be the
best person to serve our citizens. You know, whatever direction you give me, if you want
me to restart a process I’d be happy to do that, but I still think that if six of you have
made up your mind what the end result is going to be, that to go through a process at this
particular point in time puts us in more of a liability than it would not to and I just want to
go ahead and move forward at this particular point in time.
Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Hankerson: Mr. Mayor?
44
Mr. Mayor: [unintelligible]
Mr. Grantham: He was ready. Go ahead, Bobby.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hankerson, and then we’ll come back up the line.
Mr. Hankerson: I’d like to make a motion that, a substitute motion rather that we
abort the process that’s in place, readvertise and rewrite the qualifications and also have
HR to present us other jobs that we can revise the educational requirements.
Ms. Beard: I second that.
Mr. Mayor: There is a motion and a second and I’m trying to make them
germane. Because you’ve got one issue that’s up here and I think if you’re going to
discuss that it needs to deal with that today, but I agree with the motion, because the
Chairman and I talked about this a lot personally, particularly the system that these come
out of. And I’m trying to get a way, Mr. Chairman, to where we can get that to
[unintelligible], but I know your concern about that. In fact, the Chief and I talked about
that and of moving that system is a thing we talked about dealing with with Augusta Tech
in terms of equating that to the State system that they have in place and of working with a
similar situation that we can do inside the City in order to get that done. But I’m a little
afraid of that one getting in the other departments on the same day. I think we need to
maybe, to maybe do that one before the end of the day, Mr. Chairman, either get this one
up or down. I’m going to have to rule right now we need to get it at a separate time. It’s
coming. The other departments that we’ve got a mix that’s going over. But we’ve only
got one that’s in place at this time. But I do agree that does need to come and start in
your committee and we need to work on getting that done. But I’ve got a motion that is
out there and they are very much related to each other but it ain’t by marriage, so I’m
going to have to stay with the motion that’s on the floor. At this time.
Mr. Hankerson: Well, just eliminate the last part of that substitute motion about
have HR to present the other jobs. A motion that we abort the process that’s in place and
readvertise and rewrite the qualifications for the Fire Chief.
Mr. Mayor: Does the seconder agree to that substitute motion with the end of it
being dropped about the other jobs?
Ms. Beard: I second it.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. That is a substitute motion and a second to deal with that.
Now, Commissioner Grantham and then Commissioner Handy.
Mr. Grantham: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The part about aborting it I can
understand but I think that’s already been done. And not being a legal professional such
as you are, Steve, but my reason for saying that is that we went through the entire process
45
and our Administrator presented the names to us in order to select a fire chief. And once
a decision was made, either accepting or rejecting, then that process was completed. That
process was completed on all applicants that made any application. And so as to now go
and abort something that’s already been finished, I don’t understand. So had we
recessed, or not recessed, but had we just accepted no recommendation and asked for
additional names, then I think the process would still be in place. But since it was
rejected and we did not make a selection, then that process was completed. So I think the
motion, the original motion is in order, based on what this body wants to do, without I
think having fear of anyone challenging us as to whether they were included in the
original process or not. So my point is that I feel like the original motion is in order and
even the motion that he included to waive the requirements and to select Chief Willis is
very much in order and on the floor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, Mr. Grantham. Commissioner Handy?
Mr. Handy: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor, I think we have a lot of communication gap in
here today. I don’t know if anyone said anything about waiving the requirement and not
appoint Chief Willis. I haven’t heard that. But by listening to my colleagues, why is it
that you have to waive the requirement and appoint him today if all of us up here agree
that he is the man? Why is it so hard to not do what’s right and still get what you need,
than to try to do something wrong and don’t know whether you’re going to get it or not?
I would like to vote for Chief Willis. I would like to be one of those saying that he’s a
good fire person and nothing against him. Not because you said that you want to do it all
back to back today without [unintelligible] and I think I’m going to have to disagree with
Don when he says that the procedure wasn’t closed out. Well, you didn’t select anyone
but I don’t think there was a motion that came from this floor to close it out and end it. I
don’t think there is no where in the minutes where it came in and say that since we did
not select a fire chief based on what we advertised for, that that procedure is closed out
and put that file away and forget about it. Chief Willis is already in place and everybody
felt that he was the man to be there and it stayed that way. And it’s not that—if we trust
and believe in each other as if everyone says that’s what they want, want us to work
together, want us to believe in each other and trust each other, why is it so hard to say
that you’re going to change the procedure but you don’t give the procedure time enough
to be typed up and changed unless you put somebody else in there just in case someone
try to change their mind. So that’s saying right then that you’re not trusting. In other
words, I’m saying I’m going to work [unintelligible] to see how I’m going to vote. When
you rush in and doing things. There was an incident before when I was on the
Commission about rushing and doing things. It does not work like that. I’m not saying
he’s not qualified. I’m not saying he should not be Chief. But I am saying if you’re
going to waive the requirement, if you do that, then you come back and you want to
appoint him, that’s fine with me, and I go on record and say that’s fine with me. But not
try to jam it all down at one time without any discussion. Thank you, sir.
Ms. Beard: I’d like to speak.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Beard and then we’re going to take a vote.
46
Ms. Beard: I’m not very comfortable with doing away with our educational
requirements, so if for some reason we should make this decision I’m wondering if we
could look at giving the person enough time to go back and get what is necessary to meet
the requirements. And I’m adamant about that.
Mr. Mayor: Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve had—we’ve got two motions, motion
and a substitute. The Chair is going to rule we’ve had adequate time to discuss both.
We’re going to take the substitute motion first and then we’ll depending on what that
decision is, let’s take them in that order. All in favor of the substitution motion will do so
by the usual sign.
Mr. Smith: [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: I’m sorry.
The Clerk: The substitute motion was to abort the process and readvertise and
rewrite the job description for the Fire Chief. The original motion was to amend the
process, waiving the educational requirements, and appointing Interim Fire Chief Howard
Willis as the Augusta Fire Chief.
(Vote on the substitute motion)
Mr. Boyles, Mr. Smith, Ms. Sims, Mr. Grantham and Mr. Cheek vote No.
Mr. Handy abstains.
Mr. Williams out.
Motion fails 3-5-1.
The Clerk: That takes us to the original motion. Want that read?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Okay. That motion is to amend the process, waiving the educational
requirements and the appointment of the interim fire chief, Mr. Howard Willis, to the
Chief’s position of the Augusta Fire Department.
(Vote on the original motion)
Ms. Beard and Mr. Hankerson vote No.
Mr. Handy and Mr. Colclough abstain.
Motion fails 5-2-2.
Mr. Mayor: Madame Clerk, before we move on to the next item, which I’m
probably going to maybe ask my colleagues in the essence of time to take off anyone,
we’ve had pretty good success, ladies and gentlemen, with being able to [unintelligible] I
think this may cure a problem. We’ve had pretty good success in caucusing on some
things. We saw that last week with sales tax. We have been moving on things where
we’ve been able to talk to each other and to be able to deal with procedures. What I
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didn’t hear today was a negative on the person that was on the floor. What I would hope
is when we bring this agenda item up again, that when we bring it up again that we’re in
place to be able to discuss something that we can move in a way that’s together. That
doesn’t mean everybody has to vote the same way, but I think there are some procedural
things that we ought to be able to work those procedures, that’s what I’m hearing.
Because I didn’t hear a negative on the person, so that means is if it’s a procedural hang-
up that we’re dealing with [unintelligible] work that out, then let’s work it out, let’s keep
it off this agenda until we work it out and then put it out so that we can move in such a
way that we take care of the city’s business. So I used up my time, Madame Clerk, on
the agenda item, which was going to follow on 46.
46. Discuss the funding source for Capital Project(s) for the Augusta Public
Transit Department. (Requested by the Mayor Willie Mays, III)
(No objection to deleting Item 46 from the agenda)
Mr. Mayor: I ask that if it’s no problem with the Commission, I ask that it be
taken off and probably go into Mr. Colclough’s committee or go over into Finance. I’ll
work that out how it needs to go but we need to discuss maybe how we’re going to deal
with public transit and I think Mr. Russell has a way to deal with that. So we don’t have
to even discuss that today. If there’s no problem, ladies and gentlemen, with my 46 that I
put on there, let’s take it off and that one we won’t even have to discuss. And I think 47,
we’ve made a decision as to when that will be done and the Finance Chair [unintelligible]
another meeting. I did leave before y’all got finished, Tommy. Mr. Boyles, is that one
that y’all are going to be putting a date on that, to correspond with 47, won’t we?
Mr. Boyles: Yes, sir, I think they want to try and do it if they could tomorrow, I
thought.
Mr. Grantham: [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: But that’s not what we have to deal with today as it is. We could
move away—
Mr. Boyles: [unintelligible] today, we were going to try to get some more
discussion in Finance and from legal and the Utilities Department.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Is there any reason that we have anything we have to move on
on anything else today? I’m concerned about a quorum dropping.
Mr. Grantham: I think we’re done.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Shepard?
ATTORNEY:
47. Discuss/approve 2004 Water and Sewerage Bond Rate Swap.
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(No action to be taken on this item today)
48. LEGAL MEETING:
A. Pending and potential litigation.
B. Real Estate.
C. Personnel.
Mr. Shepard: Mr. Mayor, in legal there is just one matter concerning real estate
which I would ask that we have. However, if you would like to try to take up and dispose
of number 47 tomorrow, my suggestion would be to use the recess, to recess between the
committee meetings that are presently scheduled for tomorrow, which are—I believe it’s
the Pension Committee at 11:30, is one, and the Audit Subcommittee. There is a great
deal of the Commission back for those sessions. We could leave those matters on the
agenda. That would be a suggestion.
Mr. Mayor: We’re going to end up probably ending this one because we don’t
have a quorum as we’re speaking at this point. So 47 needs to be—we’ve got a quorum
back. We need to get it in place, but just one second, so we’re not going to do the legal—
are we going to go with that, Mr. Finance Chairman, on the 47? Is everybody in place to
do that tomorrow or can that decision be made?
Mr. Boyles: Mr. Mays, I really don’t know because I know I cannot be. You
know, we had made some other commitments and I know Mr. Grantham had, too, and
we’ve got something else in the city going on tomorrow.
Mr. Mayor: We were on another week [unintelligible] tomorrow.
Mr. Boyles: Well, we were originally looking at and talking about the week of
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the 19, and if somebody wanted to rush it up—
Mr. Mayor: The only reason I’m moving away from that was that I thought if you
were going to do it, you need to do it in the committee week. That way it would be ready
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for the Commission meeting on the 19.
Mr. Boyles: But as Mr. Handy said, we don’t like to rush things so I don’t see
any need in doing it. And it would rush into it, I think, my personal opinion is we are
rushing into it. I’d rather see us schedule it. Let me work with Ms. Bonner and see if we
can’t work out another as quick as possible. [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: [unintelligible] in fact—
Mr. Boyles: It’s more of a Commission item I think than it is Finance Committee,
but I’ll be glad to head it up.
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Mr. Mayor: [unintelligible] in order to give the time for [unintelligible] Mr.
Grantham? Mr. Grantham?
Mr. Grantham: Yes, sir?
Mr. Mayor: Can I get you to punch the clock for me? The Chair is going to
entertain a motion that we adjourn. We’re fixing to lose the folk we got right now. It’s
going to get where you are not going to have seven and we need to deal with something
or we need to take a motion to recess, but the problem you’ve got with recessing to
handle one legal item is the fact that we either need to attach it to something else or deal
with some time frame to do that tomorrow. I mean because I can’t keep—I’m looking—
we are getting out of here earlier than we done got out of here [unintelligible] and now
we [unintelligible] which is good with me, too. But y’all can do what you need to do
[unintelligible] Steve needs to circulate and explain to you about a real estate item, or
we’ve got Personnel. The Chair is open. I am y’all’s humble servant. But just tell me
what kind of motion y’all are going to make. And I’m sure going to carry it.
Mr. Hankerson: [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: And at some point it needs to be discussed, but what I’m thinking, if
we’re not going to be able keep quorum intact then we need to tell that to the Attorney so
that the Attorney can give us that on his legal briefing time at the top of the Attorney’s
list on committee day. Cause that seems the way where we’re headed. And that may
have to end up going into next week, that is a legal briefing time, and you take these
items on, unless there [unintelligible] we will [unintelligible] doing something that we
ratify. And I hate to do that to him. But if we are getting to a point of [unintelligible]
then that’s what we have to do. But I’ll entertain whatever motion is going to come up.
Mr. Boyles: Is the item for real estate, I mean is it—
Mr. Shepard: I can present that by signature item.
Mr. Mayor: What I’m saying is we’ve got a quorum right here but if anybody
moves from this we don’t have one. And so I mean we’ve got one right here, if the real
estate needs to get handled.
Mr. Shepard: And personnel.
Mr. Mayor: Real estate and personnel. But y’all tell me. [unintelligible] can’t
get it done today then we need to move on something.
Mr. Hankerson: I’d rather do it today while I’m here than to get me to come back
earlier to do something that I can do while I’m already here.
Mr. Mayor: I can understand that.
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Mr. Hankerson: Because tomorrow is not promised.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’ve back up to one over, but please give me a motion on
something. I’m kind of like Jim Wall now with a that [unintelligible].
Mr. Boyles: I move we go into legal.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Shepard: For the purposes stated in the agenda book and the sheet that
referred to some national security.
Mr. Cheek: Homeland security.
Mr. Shepard: Homeland security issues, which is [unintelligible].
Mr. Mayor: Will the maker of that motion and the second of that motion be
receptive to an adjournment time of 5:55 at a maximum?
Mr. Boyles: Yes, sir, without a doubt.
Mr. Handy: As a maximum.
Mr. Cheek: [unintelligible]
Mr. Mayor: I’m just concerned about keeping folks’ minds in place long enough
to get through. If there is no problem, all in favor of the motion will do so by the usual
sign.
Ms. Beard, Ms. Sims and Mr. Williams out.
Motion carries 7-0.
[LEGAL MEETING]
[MEETING ADJOURNED]
Lena J. Bonner
Clerk of Commission
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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 the Augusta Richmond County
Commission held on September 6, 2005.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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