HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission Meeting May 15, 2007
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
MAY 15, 2007
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:07 p.m., May 15, 2007, the Hon.
Deke Copenhaver, Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Holland, Smith, Harper, Grantham, Hatney, Beard, Williams, Cheek,
Bowles and Brigham, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
The invocation was given by Dr. Kelly McKnight, Pastor Bible Deliverance Temple.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: Kelly, before you sit down we’ve got a little something for you that Lena
would like to present. And I just want to personally thank you for that wonderful prayer.
The Clerk: Thank you so much. God bless you. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: All righty, Madame Clerk, on to the recognitions.
The Clerk:
RECOGNITIONS
Andrew Hawkins
A. Andrew Hawkins, Butler High School. RE: Recognition of an award he received from
the Georgia State Media Festival for his project “Historic Augusta”.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, as a Butler alumnae may I join you?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, please. Andrew, congratulations. I’d like to present to you this
Certificate of Recognition. Presented to Andrew Hawkins Sr., George P. Butler High School on
behalf of the Augusta Commission and the citizenry of Augusta we extend to you our
appreciation for the significant contributions exemplified through your media production entitled
“Historic Augusta” which won the Georgia State Media festival. The City of Augusta
recognizes and appreciates your efforts to acknowledge the historical value of our city and we
wish you the best as your project advances to the National Media Festival. You are one of the
best and brightest. Well deserved. Congratulations. (APPLAUSE) Congratulations again.
Employee of the Month Award
B. Ms. Linda Jones, Augusta Utilities Department, Hicks Water Treatment Plant.
The Clerk: Dear Mayor Copenhaver: The Employee Recognition Committee has
selected Linda Jones as the April Employee of the Month for the City of Augusta. Ms. Jones has
been employed with the City of Augusta for two years. She currently works as a customer
service clerk at the Hicks Water Treatment Plant. Ms. Jones was nominated by fellow employee
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Randy Blount. Ms. Jones was nominated for her people skills in dealing with customers. One of
her greatest accomplishments was to develop a system that addresses the administrative and
clerical functions of the Hicks Plant. She works behind the scenes to support others. The
committee felt that based on this recommendation and Ms. Jones’ dedicated and loyal service to
the City of Augusta we would appreciate you in joining us in awarding Ms. Linda Jones
Employee of the Month for the month of April.
The Mayor: Linda, congratulations and thank you for all that you do for Augusta.
(APPLAUSE)
Mr. Hicks: I just wanted to say that it’s certainly good that Linda gets recognized. You
often think that the only thing that takes place at the water treatment plant is making clean water
for everybody to drink and to use for industries and for fire fighting but uh, Linda is indeed an
attribute, sitting out front welcoming everyone and we’re so glad that she could be recognized in
this way also.
The Mayor: I say we give her another round of applause.
(APPLAUSE)
Mr. Smith: I’d like to thank you as well as the Chairman of the Engineering Services
Committee that you have given us lots of water in South Richmond County.
Georgia Association of Water Professionals
C. Mr. Jack Dozier, Executive Director, Georgia Association of Water Professionals. RE:
Awards received by the Augusta Utilities Department.
Mr. Dozier: Thank you. Mr. Mayor, members of the commission it’s my pleasure to be
here today. Excuse me; I’m out of breath from walking inside. If I could just take a minute to
tell you a little bit about our association and about my history with Augusta because it’s a real
pleasure for me to be here today. Um, our association is the Georgia Association of Water
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Professionals, this is our 75 year so we’ve been around for awhile we’ve been presenting
awards for outstanding operations of water and waste water treatment facilities and recognizing
excellence in operations for 75 years now. The Operators Certification Program that exists in
Georgia exists because we started it as a voluntary program 75 years ago. So we’ve been around
for a while and the work that we did with the Environmental Protection Division on helping folks
to comply, doing training, continuing education and recognizing excellence. And as I was
driving over here from Atlanta today it occurred to me that, not the last time I was here but the
last time that I really remember coming over here was about twenty-years ago I flew over with
then director Leonard Ledbetter and the reason wasn’t to give the City of Augusta an award it
was to read the riot act to the City of Augusta. And so it’s really a pleasure to be here today and
be able to come to recognize excellence. I want to say just one word too about quality of life and
what these people; these are the silent heroes of your community. Around the world 1.1 billion
people today don’t have access to safe drinking water. 2.6 billion, that’s about 40% of the
people in the world don’t have access to sanitation. Women and children haul water all day long
so they never have a chance to get an education, never have a chance to break that cycle. In this
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country we take clean tap water for granted. We take water quality in our streams for granted.
And it’s largely because of the professionals that you see in front of you today and these folks
represent a whole lot more people back at the plants that are actually doing the work today. So
with that it’s my pleasure to be able present several awards to you and your community. --- can
go backwards on me. We had all the orchestrated before and it switched –-- on me. The first
award I want to give is for, a Gold Award for the Augusta Richmond County and Max Hicks
Tobacco Road Water Treatment Plant. I can’t think of anybody more deserving of an honor to
have a facility named after him than Max Hicks. I’ve known Max for a long time and the Gold
Award represents absolutely zero violations of permit limits for the water plant for an entire
calendar year and I know you may think that’s just what we’re supposed to do but there are
literally thousands, and thousands and thousands of opportunities for violations during the year
so the Gold Award is a very significant achievement. This facility I understand has been in
compliance every day from day one when it started up and with his name of the facility I expect
that will continue forever. So it’s my pleasure to present the Gold Award to the Augusta
Richmond County and Max Hicks Tobacco Road facility. (APPLAUSE) I’m not going to give
you the whole spiel again. The next award I have is a Gold Award for the Augusta Richmond
County Ground Water Plant. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: Spread those things around.
Mr. Dozier: The next award that I have is, this is a Platinum Award. Platinum means
five consecutive years of absolutely no violations, that’s five Gold Awards in a row and if you
have one violation you have to start all over again so this is a real significant achievement. This
goes to the Augusta-Richmond County filter plant, the Highland Avenue Plant. (APPLAUSE)
The last facility award I have to give and this is one that really does my heart good. This goes to
OMI and the City of Augusta Utilities for the James B. Messerly Water Pollution Control Plant.
This is a Gold Award for absolutely no violations and permit conditions over the calendar year
2006. (APPLAUSE) And finally you can’t do this without people and it’s really hard to single
out people that deserve credit and the people that are going to win these awards today are going
to tell you they only shine because all of the people around them help them shine I’m sure. This
is a Tops Ops award and it’s for, it’s a regional award for the best operator of a, let’s see this is
for a water plant operation for this region of the state and this award goes to Anthony Hammond.
(APPLAUSE) The final award is a Tops Ops award for again this region of the state. This is for
the outstanding operator, a wastewater operator for 2006 and this goes to Joseph Moldock.
Again I appreciate the opportunity to be here. I would like to tell you that these folks represent a
lot of different vocations, a lot of different jobs and we are recruiting people into this business.
We need young folks to come up and help us and be silent heroes and protect the quality of life
that we all enjoy. So thank you so much for allowing me to be here today.
Mr. Mayor: Thank y’all so much, thank you for being here and thank y’all so much for
everything you do. You just made this whole city proud. Thank you.
The Clerk: Mr. Cheek, do you want to join the Mayor and Chairman of Public safety for
this next award?
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Information Technology Department
D. National Policy Research Council. RE: Augusta Information Technology Department
receiving the Excellence in E-Government Award.
The Clerk: Dear Mayor Copenhaver: Congratulations on behalf of the National Policy
Research Council. I am delighted to present to you and your IT team an “E” award for
excellence in E-Government. Our E-Government project generously sponsored by Brother,
Microsoft, Oracle reviewed the website of every official government in the country, over 11,000
in total and awarded each site points for possessing features that make it efficient and effective
and providing E-Government to the citizens it serves. Among these thousands of sites yours was
among the top scorers, one of only eighteen to receive and A+ on its score report card. As an E-
Award recipient you are also entitled to post a free E for excellence in government web logo on
your web site. Again our warmest congratulations on your spectacular E-Government
achievement. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: I’m going to turn it over to Tameka but I’ve long said we’ve got the best IT
Department in the state if not the nation. Here goes proof positive again. Would you like to say
anything?
Ms. Allen: Thank you. Truly I’m here to represent Information Technology and all the
people that’s part of my team. I couldn’t have done it without them. We can’t do anything
without everybody on that team as well as support from the commission and the Mayor. We
have great support. I would also like to thank the departments, the various departments that
work with us and getting us that information so that we can actually make sure that we continue
with our dedication of getting the information out to our citizens so that you can stay involved
with what’s going on with our government. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: I’m loving all these awards for excellence.
Master Reception
E. Mayor’s Masters Reception Committee’s awards to Augusta State University Women’s
Golf Team, Richmond Academy, the Augusta Recreation Department Foundation and
Davidson Fine Arts.
Mr. Hawkins: Yes, ma’am. Everyone in this chamber should be proud of the event we
put on every year. It’s one of the biggest events in Augusta and it’s open to everyone. If you
have attended this event in the past you know that the people come from all walks of life in
Augusta. The original intent was to throw a party that all Augustans could attend during
Master’s week. This event attracts people from West Augusta, East Augusta, South Augusta and
I’ve even noticed a few stragglers from North Augusta. We’re very pleased with the event. It
has grown from over a thousand people in 1999 to over 10,000 people this year. The citizens of
Augusta have come out every year to support this event and for that the Mayor’s Master’s
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Reception Committee is very grateful. We have kept it a free event since it’s conception and we
have no plans to change that in the future. Um, the Mayor’s Master’s Reception Committee is
made up of 100% volunteers who give up their time every year to make sure that this event gets
bigger and better every year. The members of the committee are, and they’ve never been
recognized before. I’m going to recognize them this year. Vernon and Linda Puckett, Kelly and
Reba Crandall, Randy Brown. Randy works with Home Land Security at Savannah River site.
Vicky Green works with Walton Rehab. Kim Driscoll, Marlow McIntire, Denise Pasch with the
Augusta Chronicle, Don Patrick with Clear Channel Radio, David Rachels is with Somewhere in
Augusta, Joey Zeller with Hospitality Insights, Brenda Thompson works for Pleasure for Your
Home, Fred Dykes has International Uniform, Bert Morales is with Carrabba’s, Misty
Strobozenski is with the Recreation Department, Chrislynne Kuhlke with the Recreation
Department, Kent Rosenberg with SRS and Karen Mixon with the Mayors office. They are the
people who put this event on every year. (APPLAUSE) The other list I’m going to read are the
sponsors that pay for this event every year. Like I said it’s a free event but there are, the
expenses get bigger every year to put this event so we do go to the community and they have
responded year after year. The Augusta Chronicle, Augusta Coca Cola, Circle K, AT&T and
Carrabba’s. Also all the local TV stations help us with the PSA’s, Channel 6, Channel 12,
Channel 26 and Fox, Clear Channel Radio, Augustino’s. The Cliffs was one of our sponsors this
year because Gary Player is moving his entire company to the Cliff’s and Travelers Rest of
South Carolina, Bank of America, Georgia Power, Club Car, Georgia Bank and Trust, Mobile
Audio Concepts, Blanchard and Calhoun Company, Wachovia, Budweiser, Cranston
Engineering Group, they changed their name, Martina’s, 1810 Winery in Thompson, Tim
Conway Photography, Sacred Heart and Golf and Gardens, excuse me Georgia Golf Hall of
Fame and Botanical Gardens. And we also had over, we had dozens of restaurants this year
throughout the gardens giving away food, samples to all the people that came. Now it’s down to
the presentations. One group that goes above and beyond in helping us every year is the Augusta
Recreation and Parks Department. Without them this event would be almost impossible to pull
off every. Like most events that take place year round Augusta Recreation and Parks
Department personnel are a major part of every successful event that happens in Augusta. For
this reason the committee is here to award the Augusta Parks and Recreation Department with a
check for $1,000.00 to go to youth athletics teams travel. We hope this helps the youth in our
area to be able to go to some out of town tournaments. Mr. Beck. (APPLAUSE) We also have a
check for the ASU Golf Team. We have supported the women’s golf team since its conception
and will continue to do so. They’re doing a great job and they get better every year. Laura.
(APPLAUSE) The girls from the Academy of Richmond County helped us this year in selling
our raffle tickets and we have a prize for them.
Mr. Speaker: I just want to thank the girls again. Actually the numbers were very close.
It’s a shame they couldn’t all get something because as you’ll see a 154 tickets raffle sold went
to Sunther Sherroud. Is someone here? There you go. (APPLAUSE) Second place a gift
certificate and money went to Jennifer Evans for 153 tickets sold. (APPLAUSE) And number
three, 151 tickets sold to Samantha Carr. (APPLAUSE) Thank you, Samantha. Thank you,
Richmond Academy.
Mr. Hawkins: The girls at Richmond Academy did a great job in selling raffle tickets
this year. We had a successful and a very successful concession stand that’s why we’re able to
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give these awards out. Walton Rehab puts on a clinic and golf tournament for the disabled
golfers on Monday of Master’s week. They have for the last several years. It’s turned into a real
big event and we felt that it was a worthy event for us to support and we wanted to give a check
to Walton Rehab for their clinic and disabled golfers’ tournament. (APPLAUSE) Last but
certainly not least we have given a check already to Davidson Fine Arts to help with their music
department. Every year at our sponsors party they send over a string quartet of young musicians
that just do a wonderful job while we’re eating dinner and we give them money every year to
support them in their travel because what we found out is that the school will pay for them to go
to Carnegie Hall but a lot of their incidentals are on their own. We give them money every year
to help with that and that concludes it.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thank you. One more round of applause for the committee and all
the --- (APPLAUSE) And they do a wonderful job. Okay, Madame Clerk.
The Clerk: Down to the delegation portion?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
F. Pastor Esther Demery. RE: City bus routes and fourteen (14) counties.
Mr. Mayor: Is Pastor Demery here? And, ma’am, if you could just state your name and
address for the record and if we could keep it to five-minutes, please.
Ms. Demery: My name is Pastor Esther Demery from the House of Plenty and I’m here
this afternoon to ask you Mr. Mayor and the House of the Lord to allow the House of Plenty to
come in and help do the transportation to replace the buses that have been taken off. I was
hoping that you would get a chance to read over the information before I got here. Do you have
enough?
Mr. Mayor: I will tell you, Pastor, this is an extremely generous offer. I’m not sure how
we’d work out the details um, Mr. Russell is there? Or Mr. Johnson, I mean this is ---
Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, if I may. I think it would be appropriate to hear the
presentation and refer that to my office for a review and report back to you on the practicality of
and the advisability and the legality of initiating such a service. I too agree it’s a wonderful offer
and we need to make sure we take a very close and good look at this. But we certainly
appreciate people stepping forward in this kind of manner.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, in my travels in different countries there are situations that occur
where transportation services are provided more similar to taxis as far as people pay individual
contractors but they’re running bus route fashion on a schedule and so forth so there’s precedent
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is really successful in some of the poorer countries in this world. This is excellent and I think
that we can, I encourage us to really look into it and try to come up with some way of to get folks
to help like you’re doing and this is a great way to step forward and show leadership in the
community.
Pastor Demery: Well, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to hear the presentation and then the Administrator
made a suggestion that we refer it to him and I think that it’s good that someone come with the
offer but I would like to hear her presentation and refer it to the Administrator.
Mr. Mayor: Do you have a full presentation today or is it basically a letter at this point?
Pastor Demery: This is a letter ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Pastor Demery: This is the presentation that I’ve given you. But I’ve in transportation
for over twenty-five years and coming to the meetings and seeing where they have taken the
buses off I came to make a difference and to be an enhancement to the community. And with the
transportation being taken off and so many people were still in the need of it.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
Pastor Demery: That’s why I’m coming forward.
Mr. Mayor: And I think it’s the, as the Administrator mentioned it would be good for
you and the Administrator and Mr. Johnson to get together to put together something we can
bring before the Commission to vote on. But I’ll tell you it’s, talk about the power of prayer.
This is an answer to a lot of people’s prayers as far as I’m concerned. Do we need a motion to
that effect?
Mr. Russell: Yes, you would, sir.
Mr. Brigham: I so move.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a second?
Mr. Cheek: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Motion carries 10-0.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you, ma’am, for your extremely generous offer. (APPLAUSE)
DELEGATIONS
G. Mr. Willis Irvin, Jr. RE: Accept break-way islands on the tax book.
Mr. Mayor: And, Mr. Irvin, if you could keep it to five-minutes, please, sir.
Mr. Irvin: You gave me five minutes?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir and I’ve got the clock on you but, yes, sir.
Mr. Irvin: All right. What I want to do is take break-way islands and put them on the tax
books and this has been a recommendation by the Governor of Georgia and this is uh, break-way
islands right here and they broke away from the mainland and um, we’ve been having a lot a
research on this and this is the way is was, right here in the current administration and so we’re
asking the Commission to put these on the tax books and um, put them on the tax books and then
we will pay taxes on the islands. But the Governor also says that there’s a lot of land down here
that uh, ought to be part of the Richmond County, right down here. And he suggested that we do
something to get that into the hands of Richmond County. That’s this land down here. Donnie
Thompson bought this property some time ago and we couldn’t get the title worked out. But he
would buy that property and the only thing he wants to use it for is for green space so if we can
work out something on that property it’s also available. The second thing is that um, I’ve written
a book about WWII and I’ve taken the book to Iraq and um, I want to take it to Afghanistan and I
need some financial help and I want the, all the people interested in the, troops American troops
having this book. They use it. It’s a morale booster. If you will just look on my website and
pass these out, you didn’t get those down there.
Mr. Mayor: Everybody can use a good morale booster.
Mr. Irvin: Huh?
Mr. Mayor: I said everybody can use a good morale booster.
Mr. Irvin: Okay. One other thing I’ve the plans on this J.B. White building and uh, I
want to see it made into a mini-mall and I want to work out something with the Downtown
Development Company to work that into a mini-mall. The final thing is I want to give these
plans on the development of the Augusta National Golf Club. I want to give those to the
Commission to put whatever they want to do, whatever they want to do with them but my father
was the architect that started the Augusta National Golf Club. And I just wanted to give those.
Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Irvin, I always appreciate you coming by. Thank
you, sir. All righty, Madame Clerk, on to the consent agenda.
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The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of Items 1-33. Items 1-33. For the benefit of
any objectors to our planning petition I’ll read those petitions and if there are any objectors
would you please signify your objection by raising your hand when the petition is read.
Item 1. Is a petition for a change of zoning from a Zone R-1C (One-family Residential) to a Zone
P-1 (Professional) with Special Exception to establish a residential use in a P-1 (Professional)
Zone affecting property located 1725 and 1727 Mill Street.
Item 2. Is a petition for a Special Exception to establish a Family Personal Care Home affecting
property located at 3610 Albemarle Court.
Item 3. Is a petition for a Special Exception a HI (Heavy Industry) Zone to allow solid waste
processing and stabilization of industrial and commercial waste affecting property located at
3920 Goshen Industrial Boulevard.
Item 4. Is a petition for a change of zoning from a Zone A (Agriculture) to a Zone R-3B
(Multiple-family Residential) affecting property located at 3647 Wrightsboro Road.
Item 5. Is a petition requesting a change of zoning from an R-1A (One-family Residential) to a
Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property located at 2663 Barton Chapel Road.
Item 6. Is a petition for a change of zoning from a Zone R-a! (One-family Residential) to a Zone
LI (Light Industry) affecting property on Lumpkin Road.
Item 7. Is a petition for a change of zoning from a Zone A (Agriculture) to a Zone B-2 (General
Business) affecting property located at 4116 Deans Bridge Road.
The Clerk: Are there any objectors to those planning petitions?
Mr. Shepard: None noted, Madame Clerk.
The Clerk: Consent Agenda Items 1-33.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, if I could?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Item 12 and Item 19. I just want to call those two agenda items to the
attention of the Commission. They’re dealing with, they’re companion items dealing with the
same item but there are different recommendations from each committee. So I wanted to bring
that to the attention of the Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, and we had, the Attorney had requested some deletions ---
The Clerk: Well, that’s on our addendum agenda ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: --- if you want to, we haven’t, well, he can do it.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay. Do we have any items to be added to the consent agenda? No items
to be added to? Do we have any items ---
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: If we was to deal with the addendum agenda I think we could add Item 1
on the additions to the consent agenda.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I guess we need to get unanimous consent to add them to agenda
before moving them to the consent agenda. Okay, with no other item to uh, no items to be added
to do we have any items to be pulled for discussion? Steve.
Mr. Shepard: Yeah, Mr. Mayor, I recommend we --- on items 26, 27, 28 and 30 deleted.
My partner Dan Hamilton requested that due to a scheduling problem I believe. Those were
condemnations and they will come back, they will come back the next commission meeting.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Item 2 for just a couple of quick questions.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to pull Item 1 and Item 13 for discussion please.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: I think we need to pull Item 12 and 19 since we’re not in agreement.
Mr. Mayor: Any further items to be pulled for discussion? Hearing none and this would
include the deletions that Steve had mentioned.
The Clerk: Are you going to ask for a motion to add these two?
Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have two items, potential additions to the agenda, Items 1 and 2.
I believe y’all have those. Do we have unanimous consent on those?
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor you don’t have unanimous consent on Item 2.
The Clerk: We have it on one.
The Mayor: Okay, do we have it on one? Okay, we have unanimous consent on one and
I would look for somebody to request that goes on the consent agenda.
Mr. Grantham: So moved.
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Mr. Hatney: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PLANNING
3. Z-07-38 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to APPROVE a petition by Steve Resendez, on behalf E Q Augusta Inc.,
requesting a Special Exception in a HI (Heavy Industry) Zone to allow solid waste
processing and stabilization of industrial and commercial waste per Section 24-2 of the
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property
containing 3.50 acres and known under the present numbering system as 3920 Goshen
Industrial Boulevard. (Tax Map 185 Parcel 002-02) DISTRICT 8
4. Z-07-49 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to APPROVE a petition by Sherwood R. Belangia, on behalf of Thomas W.
Hitt, requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) to Zone R-3B (Multiple-
family Residential) affecting property containing 3.41 acres and known under the present
numbering system as 3647 Wrightsboro Road. (Tax Map 040 Parcels 111, 112, 113, 114 &
040-02) DISTRICT 3
5. Z-07-50 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to APPROVE a petition by George W. Bush requesting a change of zoning
from Zone R1-A (One-family Residential) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting
property containing .28 acres and known under the present numbering system as 2663
Barton Chapel Road. (Tax Map 095 Parcel 006) DISTRICT 4
6. Z-07-51 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to APPROVE with the condition that the only access to this property be
through the driveway on 2878 A Lumpkin Road; a petition by Dennis Rich, on behalf of
Leon Barton Jr., requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-1A (One-family Residential)
to Zone LI (Light Industry) affecting property containing approximately 9.59 acres. (Part
of Tax Map 084-0 Part of Parcel 003 and Parcel 003-06) DISTRICT 5
7. Z-07-52 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County planning
Commission to APPROVE a petition by John Mandarini, on behalf of In Whan Yun,
requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) and Zone B-2 (General Business)
to Zone B-2 affecting property containing approximately 2.5 acres and known under the
present numbering system as 4116 Deans Bridge Road. (Part of Tax Map 150 Parcels 002,
002-01 and 002-02) DISTRICT 8
PUBLIC SERVICES
8. Motion to approve of the cost regarding the airport Hotel/Bank Demolition. (Approved
by Public Services Committee May 7, 2007)
9. Motion to approve expenditure of SPLOST funds for purchase of a replacement chiller
for the Augusta Museum of History. (Approved by Public Services Committee May 7,
2007)
10. Motion to approve a budget amendment to allow for snacks to be served in after school
programs and reimbursed thru the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning –
Bright from the Start Program. (Approved by Public Services Committee May 7, 2007)
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ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
11. Motion to approve Professional Travel Authorization Form. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee May 7, 2007)
PUBLIC SAFETY
14. Motion to approve a request for increase in Fire Prevention Fees. (Approved by Public
Safety Committee May 7, 2007)
15. Motion to approve Contract with the Active Network to provide Recreation
Management Software for the Augusta Recreation and Parks Department. (Approved by
Public Safety Committee May 7, 2007)
FINANCE
16. Motion to approve a request to amend budget for District Attorney’s Forfeiture
account. (Approved by Finance Committee May 7, 2007)
17. Motion to approve identifying the funding source as SPLOST IV for additional funds in
the amount of ($700,000) for the Augusta Mini Theatre. (Approved by Finance Committee
May 7, 2007)
18. Motion to approve refund recommendations from the Board of Assessors for three
accounts. (Approved by Finance Committee May 7, 2007)
20. Motion to approve the purchase of 2-diesel powered backup generators (trailer
mounted) for the Utilities Department-Construction Division for $39,848.00 each (Lowest
bid offer on bid 07-094). (Approved by Finance Committee May 7, 2007)
21. Motion to approve a request from William Norman regarding the establishment of a
tax payment plan for property of the Florence Williams Estate. (Approved by Finance
Committee May 7, 2007)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
22. Motion to approve the acquisition of right-of-way and easement between
Melaver/Enterprise Mill, LLC, as owner, and Augusta, Georgia, in connection with the St.
Sebastian Way Project for 0.124 acre in fee and 0.071 acre (3,098.65 sq. ft.) of permanent
construction and maintenance easement for the following property located at Greene Street
for a purchase price of $37,180.00. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 7,
2007)
23. Motion to approve an Option for Right-of-Way between The Housing Authority of The
City of Augusta, Georgia, as owner, and Augusta, Georgia, as optionee, in connection with
the St. Sebastian Way Project, for property located at 1425 Walton Way (046-1-064-00-0)
for a purchase price of $172,900.00. Said property consisting of 0.159 acre (6,939.17 sq. ft.)
in fee and 0.053 acre (2,313.02 sq. ft.) of permanent construction and maintenance
easement. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 7, 2007)
24. Approve amendment to Augusta-Richmond County Ordinance #6321. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee May 7, 2007)
25. Motion to approve Option Year One of Heery’s Contract for management of capital
improvement projects. (Approved by Engineering Services and Finance Committee May 7,
2007)
26. Deleted from the agenda.
27. Deleted from the agenda.
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28. Deleted from the agenda.
29. Motion to approve initial annual budget in the amount of $500,000 for fire hydrant
protection devices, of which the first $150,000 will be dedicated to the Davidson ATV
device, and the remaining annual budget may also be applied to the Davidson ATV device
or a competing equal device, should one become available. 2) Approve creating two
additional positions within AUD to work with the existing fire hydrant crew for the sole
purpose of maintaining fire hydrants and retrofitting existing fire hydrants with protection
devices. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 7, 2007)
30. Deleted from the agenda.
31. Motion to sell the “Alley off of Curran Street”. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee May 7, 2007)
32. Motion to sell Augusta Avenue Tract. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee
May 7, 2007)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
33. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Augusta Commission held
May 1, 2007.
ADDENDUM
41. Resolution of condolences for former Richmond County Commissioner Matthew W.
Mulherin.
Mr. Mayor: And now before closing the consent agenda we would be deleting 26, 27, 28
and 30. Okay, if there are no other additions to or items to be pulled I look for a motion to
approve the consent agenda.
Mr. Cheek: So moved.
Ms. Beard: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All in favor please vote by the usual sign.
Motion carries 10-0. [Items 3-11, 14-18, 20-33]
Mr. Mayor: Let’s move on to the pulled items, Madame Clerk.
The Clerk: Okay. Item one.
Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham.
Mr. Grantham: Could I ask you in the courtesy of our audience that we look at Item 34
since we do have some --- that are here in regards to the Augusta Rescue Mission. I’d kind of
like for you to take that up now.
13
Mr. Mayor: Out of deference to the individuals here that I’ll honor that request and we’ll
go to Item 34 first.
The Clerk:
PLANNING
34. Appeal hearing for the Augusta Rescue Mission relative to the Historic Preservation
Commission’s denial of their request for a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Patty.
Mr. Patty: Yes, sir, this an appeal set forth in the Historic Preservation Ordinance which
an appeal procedure was added a few years ago in order to hopefully circumvent a lot of cases
that came before this board prior to the procedure being added. In this particular case the Rescue
Mission which is located Watkins and faces I believe that’s Fenwick Street they wanted to
demolish a couple of houses that adjoin their property on Watkins Street and um, because they
did not have an immediate post-demolition plan as provided for in the, in the code, his
Preservation Ordinance is 7437, the board voted to turn him down and asked him to come back
when he did have a post-demolition plan and the Rescue Mission felt that it was necessary to
demolish these houses. They provide a critical service to the community and they felt it was in
their best interest to move forward so we went through the mediation process a couple of ideas
were put forth that might have satisfied both parties but none of which were acceptable to the
Rescue Mission and as a result they’re before you today to plead their case to allow them to
demolish these two structures. So the two structures are in reasonably good condition for what’s
essentially an inner-city neighborhood, there were objectors to demolition I don’t know if they’re
here today or not but um, you know it’s just one of those things that they would like to get them
down. They contend that the people that inhabit those structures are illegally adversely affect the
people they’re trying to help and they’re here I’m sure to plead their cases.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, do we have a representative of the Rescue Mission?
Mr. Speaker: Mayor, I’m ---
Mr. Mayor: Would you please state your name and address for the record, please, sir and
keep it to five minutes.
Mr. Green: Yes. I’m Nick Green 25 --- Street here in Augusta, 30904. Thank you for
giving us the time to speak to you. This about a year’s process to get here today. We acquired
these two pieces of land about this time last year with the intention of never remodeling them but
tearing them down so we might build, construct dormitories for the Rescue Mission. We handle
right now about 60 men a night, we’re 100% capacity every night. We have a new Life Center
that was built at a cost of about $800,000.00, which will allow us to have programs and to have
services for about 150-160 men. The property that we are talking about could house a two-story
facility for about 80-100 at a cost of about $1.1-1.3 million dollars. The Augusta Rescue
Mission is in good financial condition. We are prepared to move forward with the building of
these facilities on the land that you gentlemen and madam are looking at now. We have offered
in mediation a alternative to tearing the houses down and that is we’ll give the houses to anyone.
14
We’ve been offering that for the past year, anyone who wanted to come move them. Thompson
Wrecking Company offered to tear the houses down for $12,500.00 and I have a copy of that
proposal. In our mediation Mr. Patty suggested that maybe in lieu of tearing them down that we
offer to give anyone who would take the houses, the $12,500.00 which we are delighted to do. I
hadn’t thought about that but it was a good idea on George’s part and we would most certainly
do that. We don’t need the houses, the houses are not in good shape, it would cost a significant
amount of money to get the houses back into good shape and we still don’t need them regardless
to the conditions of the home. We don’t need them never had any intention of improving them
and always bought them to tear down. Next door to these two houses is a vacant lot that was
created when the Augusta Richmond County Land Bank, I think for back taxes acquired that
property and without permission or without sanction from Augusta Historic Preservation for the
lots, tore the building down right next door to us. We don’t know if that causes a precedent or
not but we feel like that what’s good for the goose ought to be good for the gander. And we
would just like to be able to tear this down, clean it up make a green space, finish the plans that
we’re working on now to uh, to do a two-story dormitory back there and hopefully some time in
the latter part of next year get construction underway.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. And now if we have anybody obviously from the Historic
Preservation Commission?
Mr. Moon: Yes, sir. I’m Robert Moon. I’m Chairman of the Preservation Commission.
Good afternoon and ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you equal time.
Mr. Moon: --- and I’m happy to be here. I’m sorry to be here though. I’m sorry that this
has come before y’all that we couldn’t work out a solution before reaching this point. This issue
has sort of been plagued by some as a dispute between helping the homeless and historic
preservation. That’s really not the case. As Chairman I can assure you that we are fully in
support of groups helping the homeless. Um, at times the HPC will deny a COA um, especially
if that project doesn’t adhere to the guidelines and this is one of those cases where their
application did not adhere to our guidelines, the rules that were actually established when the
Historic Preservation Commission was created. A demolition is forever and as such a lot of
extra rules that go along with allowing a demolition. During the Rescue Mission’s presentation
we asked a number of questions. Questions like, is it really necessary that these buildings be
demolished, what’s the need, are you really helping the homeless by tearing down homes, these
sorts of questions. And all the times these questions were answered by nothing short of we just
want to demolish the houses. They couldn’t really provide us with really good answers. The
real problem though was the post-demolition plan that Mr. Patty spoke about. Under Section 7-
4-37 of the Historic Preservation Ordinance we cannot grant as the COA a Certificate of
Appropriateness without reviewing a post-demolition plan. When they were asked of their post-
demolition plans they said it’s going to become a green space, it might be a garden, it might be a
dormitory it might be a chapel, we didn’t know. They could’ve provided us, we offered them
additional time to come and provide us with a post-demolition plan, they refused and they
demanded that we vote on their application as it was and that’s why they were denied. The last
thing I would point out is that really your role in this is not to decide who’s necessarily right or
15
wrong. The uh, the appeals procedure provides that you decide we as the Preservation
Commission acted outside of the bounds of our ordinance. I clearly think that we did not. Thank
you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Is Mr. Patty back there? Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, is there anybody from the public here that objected to this
demolition? Anybody from the neighborhood?
Mr. Mayor: Anybody from the neighborhood or ---
Mr. Brigham: Objected to the demolition?
Mr. Moon: No, no. From the neighborhood in support of.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Brigham: That’s all I wanted to know.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. In looking at the photographs, looking at the
pictures I certainly understand about the property and I’m in support I think that there is a
growing need for the mission to continue to grow before we have a growing population that
needed people. I’m in support of tearing them down. The Historic Preservation, I think, do a
great job, but I think there comes a time when we have to look at what’s best for the community.
Those properties, if you fixed them up, if you put a million dollars in, there’s not enough of ya’ll,
there’s not enough space to anything else with. You’re going to have to take down those
. Mr. Mayor, I’m going to make a motion that we approve the demolition
properties to grow
for the mission and have them to take the property down and get the green space until they
get their plans together to build the dormitory that they need.
Mr. Hatney: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, prior to that I just want to get clarity from Mr. Patty. Is, based on
what you said can we approve the demo, can this body approve the demolition?
Mr. Patty: --- what they want to do. It’s been my observation. The ordinance does say
and I’ll cite it again, 7-4-37, I’ll read it to you. Consideration for post-demolition or post-
relocation plan. It says the Historic Preservation Commission shall not grant Certificates of
Appropriateness for demolition or relocation without first receiving a post-demolition or post-
relocation plans for the site. So if they can’t approve it I would suggest you probably can.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Grantham.
16
Mr. Grantham: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. One of the things I heard just a moment ago
from Mr. Moon was that there was not any specific plan presented to a request for demolition
and I think now that there is a specific plan that is being requested. Why would it not be in the
best interest of the Historic Preservation to go back and look at this and say that they would
support this effort? What the Rescue Mission is trying to do.
Mr. Moon: We encouraged them to come before us with a plan and they refused. They
wanted us to vote on what they presented.
Mr. Grantham: Okay, but ---
Mr. Patty: That’s true.
Mr. Grantham: --- all right and so my point would be that we could certainly approve
this and with the idea and the subject that you do present it to the Historic Preservation because
we don’t want to see this in-fighting going on between two very worthwhile agencies or people
that we’re involved with and certainly with the Rescue Mission which I’ve been involved with
many, many years. So I would like to see y’all get back together and let’s get this done cause
we’re going to do it today.
Mr. Mayor: I think the appropriate think to do would be for Commissioner Williams to
amend his motion to approve demolition subject to the plan. Mr. Williams would you ---
Mr. Grantham: Would you do that?
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I don’t have any problem but let me make a statement first. I
think this is the governing body and I think that the historic body falls under our ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Williams: --- under our governing as well so I can amend that. I don’t want to send
a message out thinking that body has the authority. That body’s governed by this body and they
brought it to them and I got no problem with them showing them the same process we’re doing
here now, I guess take the minutes from this meeting. But I don’t want to send a mixed signal
out there cause this is the governing body and if, if I need to amend it I so move to do that but I
think we ought to send a straight message.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, my concern is having seen these structures and knowing the
problems that the business owners downtown are having with folks that don’t try to get into
shelters who habitate these types of vacant properties are causing a major problems with small
crime and thefts. I applaud the Historic Preservation for doing their due diligence in wanting to
come forward and discussing with us an bring before us a decision that we alone need to make
and that is whether this would be in the best interest of this area of town. Certainly these
properties could be relocated to Harrisburg or somewhere else where they would fit right in. But
17
then there’s the cost of moving and the cost of renovating the properties to making them
habitable again. For all intents and purposes these may be lost and God knows there are many
just like them to replace them as far as historical ambiance of the neighborhood. I would just say
I am, I think that this is one that falls on us. That if we decide to demolish the properties it
doesn’t need to go back to Historic Preservation. They’ve got plenty of work to do that we
should move forward today with the demolition and I don’t know if you amended or not to have
them review that but the bottom line is if it goes back to Historic Preservation these two hundred
year old houses and they may or may not like the plan and we’ve consumed an entire month
probably undesirable people habitating and causing problems in these properties and again that’s
a delay that doesn’t need to happen. Let’s pass it today ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Cheek: --- tear it down and clean it up.
Mr. Mayor: You made a good point. Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I know the Historic Preservation Commission has been beat
up on numerous times in the chamber and I want to say in my opinion that they are not
completely wrong in this and that they were not given a Certificate of Appropriateness because
they did not have a plan. And I, that is what we charged them to do and I think we ought to not,
while I agree the buildings need to come down and the Rescue Mission has a very worthwhile
purpose, I don’t think we ought to need to beat up on the Historic Preservation Commission on
this item at all cause I think they were given, they acted the only way they were given a choice to
act in the way it was presented to them. I would hope that they two parties could get together
and come back and give us a recommendation. If not I’m willing to vote right now to do the
demolition.
Mr. Mayor: Okay and Mr. Williams just to clarify. Your motion was to do the
demolition.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, that’s my motion.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, do we have any further discussion?
Mr. Hatney: I second it.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Commissioner Bowles.
Mr. Bowles: What exactly is the motion cause it sound to me like we’re sending it back
to the Historic Preservation ---
Mr. Mayor: No, no, no. That was just to get clarification. It is just moving to go ahead
with the demolition.
18
Mr. Bowles: Right. My concerns on that, Mr. Mayor, that we evidently have procedures
for the Historic Preservation Committee to follow that are worthless. I mean they’re doing their
job and they bring it to us and we override what’s written in law for them to do. That doesn’t
make much sense to me. We need to give them some authority to maneuver this so we don’t
come back to this every time somebody doesn’t get something they like.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek:
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I don’t think that Historic Preservation has done a thing wrong
in fact I think they’ve followed the letter of their charter in coming before us with this decision.
But we are the ultimate body that decides the outcome of these types of appeals. We are the
ultimate body. They’ve done everything that we’ve asked them to do and they do an excellent
job. There are buildings to come before us that we have opted to keep and then there are other
buildings that we’ve opted to demolish but that is the purview of this body to make that decision
and therefore I don’t think it’s, we’re saying that the Historic Preservation, I’m not beating up on
those guys I’m very proud of them. But in this particular case as you balance it out you need to
create space, clean up the area and allow the Rescue Mission to move forward and take out two
homes that there are thousands of others just like not even a block away.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Harper.
Mr. Harper: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I am in respect for both sides here. I think this
thing’s been discussed. We need to call for the question.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. I believe everyone has put in their two-cents worth this.
Commissioners, there’s a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Bowles votes No.
Motion carries 9-1.
Mr. Green: Mr. Mayor, if I may before I go?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. Green: Thank you very much. What the opportunity stands on the table now,
anyone knows of a vacant lot or a place to put them, we will, that $12,500.00 we offered before
this was voted on is still available. We can’t take them down tomorrow or next week and be
prudent about it. And if anybody in this room wants them ---
Mr. Speaker: We’ll find one in Harrisburg.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Moon: There you go. There you go we don’t ---
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Pastor McKnight.
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Mr. Green: We don’t want them torn down. We just want them ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Green: --- out of the way.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Green: Thank you very much. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All righty.
Mr. Moon: Could I ask just one clarification point? They still have to come back with
their plans for reconstruction, correct, before the Preservation? You only approved the
demolition.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, we approved the demolition.
Mr. Moon: Just wanted to make sure that was clarified.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, everybody ---
Mr. Moon: If that’s in the works.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, working together. That’s what it’s all about. Okay, Madame Clerk,
now on to the consent agenda. Prior to, is Mr. May here? While we’re kind of thinking along
these Historic Presentation lines maybe we better go ahead.
The Clerk:
PLANNING
35. Appeal hearing for Mr. Brad May relative to the Historic Preservation Commission’s
denial of his request for a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Mr. May: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. May if you will state you name and address for the record and I’ll give
you five-minutes as well.
Mr. May: Thank you. My name is Brad May and my address if 1462 Heath Street which
is inside Summerville Historic District. Um, actually I have a couple of presentations. My
money ran out before I could get enough at the UPS store but I’ve got enough so that you could
look at if you would.
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead, please.
20
Mr. May: Unfortunately I didn’t have enough for everyone. I apologize for that. Thank
you for your time and first of all for the ones that did get a presentation first point on my
presentation is fence challenge. Everyone’s seen the million dollar deals that are ads, the Coca-
Cola ads, Coke or Pepsi, which one. This is what I’ve got here. I’ve got a fence on the right or
the left. You can choose in your own mind. You don’t have to give me an answer but I know in
my heart which one I know looks better and the one that looks better is mine. And that just
happens to be PVC. That is an advanced building material. Now before we go into the ins and
outs of my different presentation I’ll go to the guidelines that Summerville has placed under the
Summerville Historic District which is materials, the design of new fences and walls should
blend with materials and designs found in the District. Commonly used materials used are brick,
stucco, iron, wood, shrubbery and hedges. Everybody agree with that or would you like to see
the guidelines? You can pass that out. Now that you move to the second page of the
presentation that’s my home I’m very proud of it. I’ve lived there a year. I’ve been renovating,
it’s a 1928 home. I’ve put a lot of investment in it as far as in good faith in order to bring it back
up to the standards of the neighborhood. The third page of this presentation is actually example
one, privacy fence that is a PVC or McDowell which is a much more exposed road. Example
two is a white picket PVC fence on Monte Santo, number three is a black aluminum fence on
Helen, number four is a white PVC sign on Monte Santo, number five is a white PVC sign on
McDowell as well. Number six is a white PVC sign on Stovall, number seven white PVC
privacy fence on Whitney. Example number eight white PVC or white picket PVC on Richmond
Avenue, white PVC on McDowell. I mean these are all examples of people inside the
Summerville Historic District who agree with my, who agree that is appropriate for our
neighborhood and enable to keep, keep structures that are going to last. Structures that are going
to be good looking for much longer than a wood structure or some other structure that has
actually been in the guidelines. Now before we move any further um, the example if you’ll
move to example twelve please? Example twelve is actually a black aluminum fence at
Hickman Park a project sponsored by Summerville Neighborhood Association. Black aluminum
is not in the guidelines and it is not a historic material. There are a lot of people that you have
seen in this presentation who are not within the guidelines of the Summerville Historic District.
I don’t know why I’m the only one here voicing my opinion but uh, I’d like to hear any questions
if you’ve got them.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles.
Mr. Bowles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor: Your example, number nine. Did you say that was
a PVC fence on McDowell?
Mr. May: Yes, sir. That is a white PVC fence. And also as far as appropriate it’s
appropriate to many in the Summerville Historic District. I have fifty signatures of Summerville
residents who believe they have the right to use advanced building materials and if you look at
the second page that is the address that I carried around, my wife and I drew this petition up ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. May: --- and put it in front of you.
21
Mr. Mayor: And your five-minutes is up.
Mr. May: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. On to you
Mr. Moon: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: I feel like I’m on the People’s Court.
Mr. Moon: It is a little bit like that I have to admit. Mr. May as he was wrapping up
there mentioned he’s not sure why he’s the only one here. He’s here because he was reported by
a neighbor that he had violated the guidelines. He put the fence up without getting a Certificate
of Appropriateness. During his application it was clear he was unaware. We don’t hold that
against him, he was unaware that the guidelines were in place but clearly the guidelines state that
you’re supposed to use historic materials that are compatible with the neighborhood.
Throughout the, I will acknowledge the Summerville guidelines to not specifically say do not use
aluminum fencing, okay? It doesn’t say that. I think it doesn’t say that because it was written
before aluminum fences were, I’m sorry don’t use vinyl fencing and they were written before
vinyl fences were being produced. The guidelines are all about what is appropriate and this is
where the historic preservation gets little bit weird because what was good may not necessarily
be what’s appropriate. Whether or not his fence looks good is a matter of opinion. His opinion
is that is looks great. When I went to go look at this property I turned on his street and I could
tell right away where the vinyl fence was. It was clear; I knew exactly where his yard was
because it stuck out in the neighborhood. It did not look appropriate and that’s what the
guidelines say that we have to go by what’s appropriate to the neighborhood. Throughout the
Summerville guidelines it’s very clear synthetic materials are not appropriate. Yes, there are
incidences of vinyl fences in other parts of the district. I can’t, we don’t have a police force. I’m
the HPC to find all the people who are violating it. We rely on the neighbors to do that. And
that’s why this issue came before it. More recent guidelines, the Olde Town Historic District
which was recently approved they do specifically forbid the use of vinyl fences, or I shouldn’t
say forbid, that’s the wrong word. But they do say do not use vinyl fences in historic districts.
The Secretary of Interior standards that we also go by would limit the use of non-historic
materials such as vinyl fencing. In consultation with other Historic Preservation planners
throughout the state very, it’s consistently the use of vinyl fencing is not allowed in historic
districts. This vote was unanimous by the Preservation Commission to not allow Mr. May’s or
to deny Mr. May’s COA.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Smith.
Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Was this addressed with your committee before it
was put up?
Mr. Moon: No, sir, it was not. It was put up and he was, it was reported to our
committee after it was installed.
22
Mr. Smith: Is there a ruling that it was supposed to be?
Mr. Moon: Yes, sir, he was supposed to have gotten the COA before he put the fence in.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Smith: Did you address this group about that fence?
Mr. May: Actually, no, sir, I did not before I put up the fence. I could expand on that if
you’d like.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Two questions, Mr. Mayor. I guess the first question is does the HPC
have a company or someone that they can buy materials from at a reduced price for those who’s
in that guideline. If you asking them to follow those guidelines and everybody’s got to have the
same materials I’m wondering is there a store or business that the HPC have contacted that will
give a reduced, a different price to ensure and help those people who want to continue to follow
the guidelines. I think that’s where my problem with the HPC is coming from, Mr. Mayor, and
we require. And I heard that the neighbors complained and I want to know how many neighbors
here too and my other question to that was complaining against this fence being put there.
Because it was presented, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Can I just hold you so we can get a show of hands.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Brigham: Do they have a spokesman?
Mr. Mayor: Can we get a count on that?
Mr. Grantham: Is that objection to the fence, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: This is objection to the fence.
Mr. Brigham: Is there a spokesman?
Mr. Mayor: Okay, continue on Mr. Williams.
Mr. Williams: Okay, I think four people. Is that what the Attorney said, four? In the
room, okay. If uh, if this document he passed out with all the different fencing, different kinds of
materials is out of compliance as well uh, how would this, this one cause I mean I’m, I’m trying
to understand. How can this one by so much different if the other areas that he pointed out, in
his pamphlet that he passed out with the PVC type fencing and the other fences. How, how and I
know you can distinguish it because you’re on HPC but if I rode down the street and saw the
23
white fencing whether it be PVC or whatever unless I got out and walked up to it I wouldn’t you
know, I wouldn’t be able to distinguish the difference so how did the other areas correlate with
what he’s got or different with what he’s got.
Mr. Moon: I don’t think they are any different at all, I just think that Mr. May was the
first one reported. And uh, his was the first COA that came before, let me back up, that have
been other COA’s that have been denied before they were built. This is the first time it was
denied after it was built. An appeal, I think there might have been other COA’s where it had
been built or partially built and it was denied and the person took it down. And then they came
back and applied for a COA under with the appropriate materials and were approved. So this is
just the first one. I, as for why the other ones haven’t been called out I can’t say. I mean I wish I
had time to ride around Summerville every day and find anybody who is in violation of the HPC
ordinance but I can’t and unfortunately the government can’t do that so we rely on the neighbors
and Mr. May was the first one who was reported.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles.
Mr. Bowles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As being a commissioner who lives within the
district of Summerville this is your notification that there is a house on McDowell Street and this
is a picture of it that has a vinyl fence and I expect you to be at that person’s door and have them
here for the next meeting to take that fence down.
Mr. Moon: Okay, yes, sir. I’ll speak to them.
Mr. Bowles: If we’re going to enforce these rules we’re going to enforce them on
everybody and it seems to me that the problem the HPC has from its past, not the last year or two
but is that it discriminates against persons based on who you know and who you are and it’s time
for that to come ---
Mr. Moon: I agree wholeheartedly with you and the only caveat I would say to that is if
that was put up before the district was in place and we can’t touch it.
Mr. Bowles: Right.
Mr. Moon: It was grandfathered in.
Mr. Bowles: The guidelines really don’t address PVC fences.
Mr. Moon: They do not. And we we’re talking with a Summerville neighbor who we are
as the HPC we are, we are in the next few months going to be reviewing our rules on vinyl
materials. We’ve had a number of cases where other vinyl materials, people want to use vinyl
siding, people want to use vinyl windows and in some cases those may be appropriate. I think
vinyl windows are one that we’re sort of debating about right now.
Mr. Bowles: I agree with you and I’m voting against this but if he had his fence up three,
two months ago and you made him take it down I expect you to go to everybody with PVC fence
24
in the front of their house, I know the back of the house is different but the front of the house and
I expect everyone of them to be gone whether or not they were built before or after the
ordinance.
Mr. Speaker: Okay, I’ll have to talk to George Patty about getting those in place.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Cheek, you were next?
Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I couldn’t have said it any better than my colleague.
There seems to be selective enforcement of who gets called on the carpet for siding or windows
or now fences. I mean you have cases after cases of very high profile, Milledge Road this PVC
privacy fence. I would suggest this. If it is esthetically pleasing, modern materials allow
homeowners not to continually maintain the same structural portion of their building and allow
them to move on to the upkeep of the remainder of that building which in a lot of cases in
Summerville a lot of the homes are in a state of perpetual repair at one point or another and need
to be um, you know I mean you need to use what ever is good and science has proven will stand
the test of time in order to maintain the entire property if you’re not a millionaire.
Mr. Moon: Mr. Cheek, I’d be happy to talk to you outside of the commission but that’s
actually incorrect.
Mr. Cheek: Well, it could be a matter of opinion.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, since we had some other objectors here besides the PVC, I
mean the Historic Preservation Commission is it, do they have a spokesman, do they want to say
anything or not?
Mr. Mayor: Is there a spokesman for the objectors?
Mr. Smith: There’s one over there.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Yes, sir, if you could please come forward and state you name and
address for the record.
Mr. Phillips: I’m John Phillips at 2333 Central Avenue. I represent the Summerville
Neighborhood Association and I’m going to make this very brief. But I’m here with a handful of
others in support of the HPC’s decision. One thing, and you can correct me if I’m wrong I don’t
think the guidelines um, are nearly as antiquated and they may seem. What I was told by Stuart
Flanagan was that in 2000 there was a major overhaul of those guidelines which involved a
builder, architect, real estate agent people like that so anyhow the Summerville Neighborhood
Association supports the HPC.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Actually Commissioner Grantham, then Commissioner Smith, then
Commissioner Hatney.
25
Mr. Grantham: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think one of the important points that we need
to make here is that we’re supportive of the HPC from the standpoint of what you’re guidelines
are but now your guidelines are lacking one of the specifics involved in this question today. And
I think, I feel like Commissioner Bowles that we need to go out and do the policing on the
others. Before you do you need to have something in writing and you need to have a change in
your guidelines as to what you’re going to require from your neighborhood. When you go to ask
somebody to take a fence down you best be ready to give them some guidelines as to what they
can use to put up. And so if some of these substitute items can be used to need to point that out
otherwise being a supporter of wood I recommend that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Smith.
Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Would painting it black where it wouldn’t be so
obvious. Would that make any difference?
Mr. Moon: I think that’s the down side of vinyl. It can’t be painted.
Mr. May: Anything can be painted, sir, and that’s just. Anything can be painted. Now I
made a $700.00 investment on good faith and the reason I did not go and get a Certificate of
Appropriateness before hand because I wasn’t enlightened on what needed to be approved and
what did not need to be approved in my neighborhood. And that’s point blank the reason why I
didn’t do it. I do not want to be in bad graces with my neighborhood or my neighbors. I love
Augusta, I’ve lived here for three years, well lived here for two years. I was in Iraq for one year.
My wife was here. But after serving about 200 missions, combat missions I never thought I’d be
coming back to the United States asking for to be able to put up a white picket fence.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Hatney.
Mr. Hatney: I’ve got one question, sir. The fence I think you said when you started
riding it was obvious to you that it was out of place?
Mr. Moon: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hatney: My concern is where was the rest of these folks when the fence was being
put up? You know if it was that obvious I mean where was everybody else? You know I can
hang with you if you’re just getting ready to do it but the fence is up. But all of a sudden there’s
a problem. That’s asking a lot from anybody.
Mr. Moon: Yes, sir. I think he was reported shortly, I don’t know the time frame
exactly.
Mr. May: Six months, sir.
Mr. Hatney: Huh?
26
Mr. May: Six months.
Mr. Hatney: Six months.
Mr. May: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hatney: Bless your heart.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I think I can accurately boil this down to the HPC is against the PVC.
Is anybody ready to make a motion on this?
Mr. May: I’d like to bring up one more thing that I had in my presentation, the black
aluminum fence?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. May: Was put up by Summerville Neighborhood Association and that is not in their
guidelines nor is it an historic material.
Mr. Mayor: I noticed that ---
Mr. May: What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Mr. Mayor: I noticed that in there. Is there anybody that’s willing to make a motion on
this at this point?
Mr. Smith: I move to approve.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion. Is there a second?
Mr. Cheek: This is an approval to keep?
Mr. Smith: Yes, approve to ---
Mr. Cheek: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. This is to approve of the fence correct?
Okay, we have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? Commissioners will now
vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Brigham, Mr. Bowles and Mr. Grantham vote No.
Mr. Holland abstains.
Motion carries 6-3-1.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank y’all.
27
Mr. May: Thank you. Thank you very much for your time.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Now, now on to the consent agenda, the pulled items, excuse
me. Madame Clerk, the first agenda item.
The Clerk:
PLANNING
1. Z-07-46 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to APPROVE with the condition that the rear yards of 1723, 1725 and 1727
Mill Street be developed for parking; a petition by Robert Stephens requesting change of
zoning from Zone R-1C (One-family Residential) to Zone P-1 (Professional) with a Special
Exception to establish a residential use in a P-1 (Professional) Zone per Section 20-2 (b) of
the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property
containing .17 acres and known under the present numbering system as 1725 and 1727 Mill
Street (Tax Map 059-3 Parcels 023 & 024) DISTRICT 2
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, I think this was, was this your pull?
Mr. Williams: Yes, Mr. Mayor. I had this pulled and I’m not against it. I just need
some, some points cleared for me, Mr. Mayor. It talked about the rear or 1723, 1725 and 1727.
If we change that George what’s going to happen to the front of that property? If we change the
zoning won’t that consist of everything? Can they come back there and put something else there
in the front of that business?
Mr. Patty: This applicant’s probably present but he resides here and his family owns,
there are three houses this family owns almost to Martin Luther King.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Patty: What he wants to do is some counseling, neighborhood type counseling. It
probably won’t generate a lot of vehicles but we did as you can see in the condition of, since
there is an alley in the back asked him not necessarily to improve or pave the back but just make
it accessible for parking.
Mr. Williams: And I got no problem but I’m worried about once we approve, once we
rezone from R-1 to P-1 won’t that change the front of the residence as well to Professional and
then we come up with something else now. I’ve got, I’m in support of everything positive
coming in. I’ve got enough of the negative already but if that’s, that’s the stipulation we can put
in that it only be the rear I’ve got no problem and if the zoning is changed it has to come back
before Planning and Zoning or through this body. Just to approve the parking I ain’t got not
problem with that.
Mr. Patty: You could do that as a condition. I don’t know if the applicant’s present but
it’s a good time for him to come forward.
28
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am, if you could state your name and address for the record.
Ms. Speaker: Kay Gresham. My address is 104 Robin Hood Circle. I live in Griffin,
Georgia. I am a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Georgia and I am born and reared
th
in Augusta. Actually grew up on 8 Avenue. I am a product of the community. It is my desire
to actually come back and return to the city and be a resource and asset to that particular area.
It’s listed as Professional Services because services will not actually be provided in the home.
Professional Services is in reference to the fact that I’m a clinical social worker and as such I am
legitimately establishing a business in that we will actually provide services to people in their
home, intensive family services in homes of individuals who contract with the DFACS,
Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Education.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: I’m in support but I just, I have so many to come through the back alley
and then come in the front door with another business and I was just being cautious and that’
. I’m going to make amotion we approve the
why I brought this to the attention of the body
parking for you there.
But too many times and Mr. Patty behind you he can tell you, we
approve one and for the parking and then since this is professional P-1 someone comes in and
say that we’ve already been approved. The stipulation I’m going to make is if there are any
changes to be made to this property that would have to come back to this. Now if your business
is going to be established on the front and that’s what we’re approving now for that business I
don’t want to have another business come in buying that property through you or somebody else.
And I had a lot of that so this ---
Ms. Gresham: No, it is, you know let me just say this. You know as a clinical social
worker I could establish a business anywhere. It was my desire to actually return to Mill Street.
It could’ve been established so this is purposeful because these are the people we want to target
and we want to serve. This is a partnership. I partnered with Robert Stephens, we work together
on some projects in Keysville, Georgia and so we wanted to come back and do this also in
Augusta.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion. Is there a second?
Ms. Beard: Second.
Mr. Mayor: I just want to say thank you so much for coming back to Augusta and your
commitment to help in that area of the city. We have a motion and a second. Is there any further
discussion? Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Grantham and Mr. Smith out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, ma’am. Next agenda item, Madame Clerk.
29
PLANNING
2. Z-07-47 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning
Commission to APPROVE a petition by Beverly Pritchett requesting a Special Exception to
establish a Family Personal Care Home per Section 26-1 (h) of the Comprehensive Zoning
Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property containing .36 acres and
known under the present numbering system as 3610 Albemarle Court. (Tax Map 131
Parcel 094) DISTRICT 6
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cheek, I believe that was yours.
Mr. Cheek: Yes, sir, just a couple of quick questions on this one. This is going to be a
Personal Care Home. How many folks are we planning on housing there? Will they be staying
twenty-four hours?
Mr. Mayor: And if you could state your name and address for the record please Ma’am.
Ms. Speaker: My name is Vicky Bale. My address is 1804 Wrightsboro Road and it will
hold up to six residents.
Mr. Cheek: Ms. Bale, how many bedrooms does this house have?
Ms. Bale: It has five bedrooms.
Mr. Cheek: A five-bedroom house? You’re going to double one of them up. It’s going
to only be six and if it’s five bedrooms you’re going to convert a room into a bedroom or ---
Ms. Bale: The manager will, we will have an office. The manager will have a bedroom
and it will be two bedrooms per room.
Mr. Cheek: My concern is ---
Mr. Mayor: Two beds.
Ms. Bale: Two beds, I’m sorry.
Mr. Cheek: Two beds per room. My concern with this, Mr. Mayor, is how many square
feet is this house?
Ms. Bale: As of now, it’s my sister’s house, but as of now I don’t now but I can get that
information to you.
Mr. Cheek: I’d really prefer it because we’ve run into situations. I’m not against this and
I know that we need personal care homes for folks but we’re doubling up two guys in a room
depending on their age and physical health and everything else. I’ve seen cases and why I asking
this, I’ve seen cases where we’ve had three, two three and even four in a three-bedroom 1800
square foot house or smaller we’re warehousing people and I want to make sure that the square
30
footage of the house is consistent with the guys having enough room and that this isn’t a profit
opportunity, and actual care home where these guys are going to get a decent amount of space to
live in and not be a detriment to the surrounding community.
Ms. Bale: Yes, sir, I understand what you’re saying and I have lived in house myself and
the rooms they are, they are very good size. And we can one bedroom in a room, which we’ll
consider, a private room.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Patty, do you ---
Mr. Patty: I don’t know if this would add clarity or not but the classification she’s asking
for would only allow her to have up to six. It would be the same regulations from the
Department of Human Resources.
Mr. Cheek: I know that and we’re doubling up and up to six. I mean I can live with this
and it’s just my concern is that when get to warehousing people at lot of times you have a three
or four bedroom house that’s 1200 square feet and that’s just too small a room to be putting guys
in especially if they are, have medical problems and everything else. Can you assure me this is
going to be an asset and not a liability to the community?
Ms. Bale: Absolutely, sir. Absolutely.
Mr. Cheek: With your assurance I’ll make a motion to approve.
Mr. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Harper out.
Motion carries 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madame Clerk, I guess the next, 12 and 19 are companion items.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
12. Motion to approve proposed Land Bank Authority Budget. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee May 7, 2007)
19. Motion to approve proposed Lane Bank Authority Budget up to $150,000.00.
(Approved by Finance Committee May 7, 2007)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Brigham.
31
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor I make a motion we approve the budget with up to
$150,000.00.
Mr. Grantham: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Mr. Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, with the fact that AHEED and never, or somehow never got the
information on the half million dollars a year we had planned to set aside for economic
development and it doesn’t seem to be on the radar screen, the Land Bank is the only entity that
we have right now to assemble these properties and get them back out for remarket and uh, you
know while we had hoped it be self sustaining in three years to the lack of staffing and other
things that have not happened in the course of the last few years um, for us to redevelop this city
we’re going to need to have some funding in the Land Bank and um, Commissioner you’d
mentioned this before. We’re going to find that half million dollars and we’re going to get it
restored where we can go back in and do Lyman Dover and Bethlehem and other things as we as
a commission body passed for AHEED to do. In any event I just, I’m against the lower figure if
we are in fact going to redevelop this community the Land Bank is a tool that other cities use that
we ought to be using and they need full funding.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Mr. Cheek: I think the Administrator may have had something.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell.
Mr. Russell: You’re not going to like what I’m going to say. We’ve looked at that given
that where we are in the year we can live with $150,000.00. I think that would be appropriate.
We do anticipate this being self-funding over the next several years and we think that the general
fund contribution would continue to decline over the next several years.
Mr. Cheek: That was the goal.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Hatney.
Mr. Hatney: Mr. Russell, how long did you say due to the fact that this far in the year
you don’t expect the last the year? It’s going to be refunded with the next budget?
Mr. Russell: What I was planning on doing is refunding in the next budget, yes, sir, so
you’ll have a chance to look at those numbers again in September.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Smith.
Mr. Smith: Mr. Mayor, are we voting on both of those agenda items?
Mr. Mayor: No, voting on up to $150,000.00.
32
Mr. Brigham: Consider both items at one time.
Mr. Mayor: We’re considering both of them at one time. Okay, if there’s no further
discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: I hadn’t said magnanimous today. Next agenda item, Madame Clerk.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
13. Motion to approve the recommendation of the Administrator relative to the plan to
build the Fire Training Administration Office and Tower to be paid for with existing
SPLOST funds and to be repaid with future funds. (Approved by Public Safety Committee
May 7, 2007)
Mr. Smith: I make a motion to approve.
Mr. Cheek: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second.
Mr. Williams: You had somebody pull this agenda item.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I’m running low here. I couldn’t remember if that was your pull.
Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir. Thank you. I’m not opposed to this item, Mr. Mayor, but what
came to my attention when we talked about it in committee and when I got it in my agenda book.
We are looking at building a new Judicial Building. We’re talking about using existing SPLOST
funds and then repaying it with other SPLOST funds. I don’t know where we are with those
plans I know I just don’t want to get out there, I know the fire training facility is very much
needed, Administrative Office is very much needed but I think we need to look at some things
seriously before we start to approve money that we’re going to take other money and repay it
with. I hadn’t heard a report back. I don’t know where we are with the uh, the decision on the
building right now, on the Judicial Building so uh, can somebody enlighten me. Mr. Russell, can
somebody tell us where we are with that? How much money do we have, are we I mean, can be
put a dollar amount on the SPLOST. We didn’t just, I mean don’t have a continuous amount and
when it gets to that amount we’re going to have to stop raising money and then we got to go back
to the taxpayers again. So can anybody share any information I guess ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell.
33
Mr. Russell: You’re absolutely right. There’s a consolidated government with what we
did this year. This time the SPLOST was a maximum of $160 million dollars we would collect.
The funds for the Fire Training Tower are in that budget. Therefore what we’re doing is taking
currently available funds and using those to expedite the building of the Training Tower but we
would collect to the $160,000.00 and that would be able to replenish those funds at that
particular point in time. In addition there are some other funds that are available through um, the
moving of the um, of the Administrative Offices to that location. But I think it’s a way basically
to move the project ahead a whole lot faster. That’s the intent of the project.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, my other question along with that as well we would the new
Judicial Building and the funds for that. You know we had to cut back the size of building. We
talking about starting all over again. We don’t know what the cost I guess unless somebody else
have already come up with those numbers. What, where we are with that side? Because all this
money’s going to run out the same pot eventually.
Mr. Russell: That cost is capped at the amount that was approved by the commission at
that particular point in time which the number escapes me but it’s approximately the $20 million
that was available previously and an additional $40 million I believe, Commissioner Cheek, is
that right? You were involved with that.
Mr. Cheek: Yes, sir, it’s a ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Right at $60 million dollars less what has been
already.
Mr. Russell: What’s been spent.
Mr. Cheek: And, Mr. Mayor, since it’s not germane to this particular issue I’m with
Commissioner Williams. I’d like to know where we’re at and if we’ve begun to even elude a
new definition phase or are we going to wait another year to do that.
Mr. Mayor: And I would think that as you say, Commissioner Cheek, it’s not germane to
this issue. I think that we would want to report that in another meeting when he had access to
that information. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, and that was the point of bringing this question up. Because
if we done made some decision and we done bought all the property and I thought we had some
plans coming back, we had some plans we threw out, we going to spend funds and we pay them
with future funds and I don’t want to get, I don’t want to cross the line nowhere. I don’t want to
get over there and say well we can’t do what we should’ve done and that kind of thing. I know
the training facility is very important to the Fire Department along with the taxpayers of
Augusta-Richmond County but I think we need to do first things first and that’s all I wanted to
get clarified on that. So that’s my comment.
34
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Holland.
Mr. Holland: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. One of the things that concerns me and I think we
brought this up some time ago and this is in reference to where this Fire Training Center is going
to be placed and I think it’s off Deans Bridge Road if I’m not mistaken. What concerns me more
than anything and I’m for the Training Center is that we have a community right in the back of
where this center is supposed to be, supposed to be built. Can you share with me the safety
precautions that will be taking place during the time of this particular training when and if this
center is built because there are a number of homes within that vicinity. Then of course there’s a
couple of business within that vicinity so how safe will we be in that particular area in terms of
the training with your fire training equipment and all of this?
Mr. Mayor: Chief Willis.
Chief Willis: Yes, sir. We are developing SOP’s to operate that training facility at this
time.
Mr. Holland: SOP’s?
Chief Willis: It stands for Standard Operating Procedures ---
Mr. Holland: Okay.
Chief Willis: --- which includes safety operations. As far as the safety for the
community it will be extremely safe. We are only going to have certain people that are qualified
to run the facility. We will have fire fighters there at all times. At the close of the training
session we go through and double-check anything that as far as hydrocarbon fires or anything
like that. We’re not going to do that. Where we’ll have those fires they will be controlled fires
utilizing hay. This is like what you can by from a farmer or something. There will be a very
limited amount of smoke and all at that time will be very small quantities of smoke as well too.
Mr. Holland: May I ask another? Is it possible that we, prior to this center being
established or being built, would it be possible that we can have someone in your department to
come out and meet with our neighborhood association and explain all of this to the people in our
neighborhood so they will understand and know what is being done at that particular time?
Chief Willis: Most definitely. We would love to come out and explain to it. Once we
get the facility we’d like for the community to come in and take a look at it and see how the
operation is run as well too. To give everybody a piece of mind that this is a good thing for the
community as well as our fire fighters.
Mr. Holland: I’d appreciate it if you could contact me and then I could get in touch with
the neighborhood association.
Chief Willis: Yes, sir. Thank you.
35
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Smith.
Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Along with our Augusta South Augusta
Redevelopment that would be a big plus to get that corner cleaned up and something going on
out there and we really are looking forward to seeing what y’all can do out there.
Chief Willis: Thank you, sir, we are too. There are things we’d like to be doing out there
as soon as we possibly can and this going to generate some income for the city with the motels
and things that are in the local area and to give our citizens and opportunity to come in and they
can set up areas where they can do observation for training as well too. But to move our
Administrative Building to the old Title Max as part of the property as well too that will help us
an saving us money that we have already paid for rental space that we’re in at this time.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I believe the Chief stated in committee the other day that this
had to be moved up because of our concerns over our ISO ratings and we want to get this started
before the end of the year and that was the reason why the committee voted to do the actions it
voted the other day. If that’s not the case I need to know that now.
Mr. Mayor: Chief, would you like to clarify? Is that in fact the case?
Chief Willis: Yes, sir. I have been in discussion with ISO for the past couple of years
telling them we have had this put on the SPLOST project that we’re trying to move forward as
fast as we can so when they come in to do the survey for our city that we can get a better rating
for our city to have that training facility. We’re one of the largest fire departments east of the
Mississippi that does not have a training facility to help our fire fighters and in addition like I
said this facility too will help fire fighters in this region, the CSRA region as well too to bring
everybody together to work together to understand how each department operates and everything
is too. And we have been talking with ISO and they’ve been very patient and working with us
at this time.
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I also believe that Mr. Russell has told us a number of times
this year that our sales tax collections were running ahead of schedule.
Mr. Russell: Yes, sir, they are. Up until this year we’re running ahead of schedule for
the last couple of years. We’re still looking at this year. We’re still running against, a little bit
ahead of what we anticipated but not quite as good as what we were.
Mr. Brigham: That was the reason this was brought forward as a funding mechanism at
this point.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell? That’s the ---
Mr. Brigham: (Unintelligible)
36
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Rhetorical question. We have a motion to approve and a second. If
there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Grantham out.
Motion carries 9-0.
Mr. Smith: He votes too.
Mr. Mayor: I love those rhetorical questions.
Chief Willis: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Next agenda item, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: We’re on our regular agenda item 36. Is that where you are?
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
The Clerk:
FINANCE
36. Discuss/approve the recommendations from Administration regarding enhancements
to the James Brown Statue. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I asked for this to be placed back on the agenda
for the third time. I was contacted by a private investor who wants the Authority to come and set
it up since the city don’t have the funds to do that but I was approached by someone who is
willing set it up themselves, pay for the expense and whatever funds that is raised that it made
there it would keep those. So I said I would bring it back to the agenda again since we didn’t
have the funds or think it was a good project. We got somebody who’s interested in doing it
themselves. That would enhance people for coming downtown, we talking about increasing
tourism, people coming. I’ve got two letters where people stopped in off of I-20 just to go down
to take pictures with the statue. And I proposed that we put a couple of lights across there like
stage lights and some kind of sound with one of the many songs that James Brown have made
top hits and have people to come in to take pictures on First Friday. Folks were all over the
statue taking pictures all night long. But that’s my proposal I told the gentleman I would bring it
and see if I could get this body to approve, have him come in and set it up since we’re not able to
do it ourselves. And if I need to make that in the form of a motion, Mr. Mayor, I can just to get it
approved for that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion. Is there a second?
Mr. Holland: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion?
Commissioner Brigham.
Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I don’t think it’s appropriate to be voting on a proposal that
. I think that it ought to be
we have not seen the proposal we know nothing of the proposal
referred back to committee and that the entire commission seethe proposal.
Evidently Mr.
Williams has seen this proposal. I haven’t. I want to know what I’m agreeing to.
Mr. Mayor: Would you like to put that in the form of a substitute motion?
Mr. Brigham: So moved.
Mr. Bowles: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a substitute motion and a second. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. This was a concept. I said in my brief talk that I
would have the young man bring something back. I don’t, I wouldn’t appreciate a voting on a
piggy in a bag so to speak Sylvia so I think that to bring, to bring a concept back with someone
who’s already uh, knowledgeable about doing it and willing to do it then we can accept that
concept. So Mr. Brigham I appreciate your thoughts on this but I wouldn’t ask you to vote on
something that’s not before you. But you got to get a concept first and since you know it
wouldn’t make sense for the young man to bring something in and we have already decided not
to so just on the concept, Mr. Mayor, that we bring the proposal back to the committee or back to
wherever it is with a private investor, somebody’s who’s going to be able to do it. And we’re
talking about economic dollars. We’re talking about tourism in Augusta. We need to do some
things that’s going to create and generate people coming in this city and spending their sales tax
dollars. We just got through voting on a fire training center.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a sub, um, Commissioner Hatney.
Mr. Hatney: Commissioner Williams, you’re saying your motion was on a concept ---
Mr. Williams: That’s right. Concept, to bring something back.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a substitute motion on the floor to refer this back to the
appropriate committee so the gentleman can bring his concept in and a second. If there’s not
further discussion commissioners will now vote by the substitute sign of voting.
Mr. Williams: What are we voting on, Ms. Bonner? Are we voting on my motion?
The Clerk: The substitute motion. No, Mr. Brigham ---
Mr. Mayor: No, we’re voting on the substitute motion.
Mr. Williams: I’m sorry than I need to change my vote.
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Mr. Bowles: You can change mine too. I voted the wrong way.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, everybody.
Mr. Hatney: What are we voting on?
Mr. Mayor: We’re voting on the, and I --- yeah, please clear it. The substitute motion ---
The Clerk: The substitute motion and the original motion ---
Mr. Hatney: Is the same thing.
The Clerk: Is the same thing.
Mr. Mayor: Pretty much.
Mr. Hatney: Why don’t we just vote on one or the other ---
Mr. Mayor: Procedurally we’ve got to vote on the substitute motion first and, okay. So
now, Madame Clerk, can you read back the substitute motion just for clarification?
The Clerk: Mr. Brigham’s motion was to refer this back to committee for consideration
and review.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioners will now vote by the substitute sign of voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Hatney?
Mr. Hatney: Huh?
The Clerk: Are you going to vote?
Mr. Hatney: What’re we doing? (LAUGHTER) I’m not being funny.
Mr. Mayor: Same motion first motion.
Mr. Hatney: And what is this going to do to his motion?
Mr. Mayor: It’ll go ahead and pass and we would have to vote on his motion second but
it basically refers it back to committee so the young man can bring in his concept.
Mr. Hatney: I’m going to vote yes on both of them.
Mr. Williams, Mr. Harper, Ms. Beard and Mr. Holland vote No.
Motion carries 6-4.
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Mr. Mayor: Next agenda item, Madame Clerk.
The Clerk:
OTHER BUSINESS
37. Discuss the First Friday Event. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I talked with Ms. Durant, she’s here about the
First Friday Event which this last First Friday was I think exceptional. We had some of the
vendors was, was told instructed by the law enforcement officers to cut their lights off. There
was some people who was eating at the time of their eating the law officer came and turned the
lights off on them. They got very upset. I think that’s the only problem. I asked Ms. Durant to
come to talk about maybe extending the First Friday hours to eleven or maybe twelve o’clock
something in that nature and she’s here so I’ll let her address whatever issues.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Ms. Durant. Not that we all don’t know who you are but if you state
your name and address for the record and I’ll give you your five-minutes.
Ms. Durant: Well, you never know I might move someday. I’m Brenda Durant. I live at
1314 Glenn Avenue. I’m thinking of putting up a bamboo fence. I mean I’m here to talk about
First Friday. I appreciate the opportunity to come and give you a report on the first part of our
year of First Friday. I will include the information about the hours in this report if I could handle
it that way. We were handed First Friday as an event for the Greater Augusta Arts Council to
manage on started in January of 2007. We established a First Friday committee and meet
regularly on the third Friday of every month at the Gallery on the Row. Virginia Culbreath who
is our community programs director is a main First Friday coordinator. She is responsible for
vendors, entertainment, volunteers and logistics and we do work on this as a team in the office.
So we hold our regular monthly meetings, we’ve established goals, vision and applications for
First Friday. We produce the monthly broad sheet and information for special offers, performers
and restaurants which were handed out before and during the event. We determine themes from
May through August. Our goal which we spent a lot of time on working with the downtown
merchants on what the goal for First Friday is. First Friday is a festival, it’s a family friendly arts
event designed to bring people downtown to visit the galleries, enjoy the music and
entertainment, eat in restaurants, drink in the clubs and return during the month to shop, eat and
drink again. Our goal is to increase business downtown. We do not judge the event by the size
of the crowd alone rather we evaluate how the established businesses are doing each month. We
have created a First Friday web page on www.augustaarts.com and on My Space. That’s
Virginia’s contribution. I’m not a My Space person at all. Our vendors applications are
available online. Non-profits do not pay a fee but must register with a vendor application to
participate. The time of the event. We currently program from 5-10 p.m. We work hard to
ensure that music and vendors are up and ready by five o’clock. Vendors agree via the vendor
applications to be closed up and gone by 10 p.m. This has worked exceptionally well in the past
four months. Once the vendors are gone attendees have a plethora of shops, restaurants and
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clubs to visit. After receiving the call from Commissioner Williams airing his feelings about
extending the event we did poll the downtown merchants and the Sheriff’s Department. We
received mixed reviews from the merchants. Many already stay open past ten o’clock if business
is steady. The Sheriff’s Department has been pleased with the way the event has run the past
four months but made it clear they would protect us to whatever time we leave. If someone does
want food after 10 p.m., it is available at Luigi’s, Blue Sky, Bees Knees, Tap Tap, Silla Café,
Nacho Mama’s, 1102, White Elephant and any permanent licensed downtown vendors. And
st
now on the fun part, the plan for the next three months. In um, on June 1 the theme is Augusta
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Georgia Power to South. We will set up a sidewalk café on 10 Street between Broad and Ellis.
Wachovia is sponsoring tables and chairs and supplying crafts for the kids. We’ve ordered
twenty-five berets for the volunteers to wear and we’re working on strolling musicians and great
th
outdoor music for the evening in July, it happens right after July 4. So we are inviting everyone
to come downtown in their red, white and blue, in their patriotic best and we requested music
thrd
from the Signal Corp Bank for 10 Street. August 3 we are planning a back to school beach
party, so I left my sunglasses in the back. We hope to have a truckload of sand delivered
downtown, possibly McCartan Street for a weekend of sand castle building and beach activities.
The Arts Council has contacted the Saturday Market on Broad and the new um, what is it called,
it’s something Square. It’s a downtown square. It’s a planned activity for the Downtown
Alliance to plan activities we would handle Friday Night, the Saturday Market would be
Saturday morning and um, the DA Square, the DA Squared would handle Saturday afternoon.
We hope this collaborative effort would bring people downtown for the two days and then the
sand will be offered to the attendees to take home on Saturday afternoon to fill their sandboxes.
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We’re looking for beach music for 10 Street.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Brenda, I appreciate that. And thank you for the great job that
you’re doing. Mr. Grantham.
Mr. Grantham
: Mr. Mayor, I applaud Brenda and the efforts that they’ve done I think
I make a
they’ve really cleaned up this situation we’ve had with late hours in the past and
motion we receive as information and ask her to continue the efforts in which they’re
doing.
Mr. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Holland.
Mr. Holland: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Durant, I must commend you also on all that
you’re doing with the program downtown. But one of my concerns is that I was down last
Friday, during First Friday and I think somewhere down the line we have a break down of
communications especially with some of our police officers and our police officers along with
some of the our vendors. Some of them feel that exactly at ten o’clock they need to stop doing
what they’re doing and a lot of them have food that’s already cooked on their grills and are
sitting out there and had several people come up to me as we were leaving they felt that they had
been disrespected in reference to the way some of the police officers talked to them. So perhaps
maybe we need to get with the Sheriff’s Department and let the police department know, the
police officers know that if you’re going to stop at a certain time that does not necessarily mean
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that the people will have to leave at that particular time because a number of them were leaving
and some people were, some vendors or some of the businesses open up their business to take
people inside to eat their food because some of the people already paid for their food. So I think
we need to communicate a little better along with the policemen, the police officers that are out
on the street with the vendors to let them know that uh, if they’re going to cook food at least give
them the opportunity to finish selling all of the food that they have on the grill. So I don’t know
what the rule is in reference to that but I think they should at least have an opportunity to extend
the time for them to finish selling the food because some of them have food out there and they’d
have to take it and throw it away.
Ms. Durant: If I could address that?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, please.
Ms. Durant: The Greater Augusta Arts Council does manage the event and will, although
we promote what is happening in the Augusta common we only put vendors, we’re only
responsible for the vendors that are on Broad Street and the side streets. We are not responsible
for the vendors who are placed in the Augusta Common. We currently do not approve any food
vendors for Broad Street and until the restaurants tell us that they are so busy that they need help
we have not approved any vendors. So if there was a vendor who was closed down it was not a
vendor on Broad Street. We didn’t have any, it was in the Augusta Common. I will certainly,
Mr. Beck is here, will certainly share the information on closing down. I did check because Mr.
Williams also brought up the fact that a food vendor was closed down although they were I think
it was reported that is was a vendor who was on Broad Street, it was the vendor who was on the
top of the Common, if you can do east and west they were on the south side of the Common, the
west side of the Common and they were facing east and west. But their table, their prep table
was located across the front which was on Broad Street. And I believe someone had purchased
food from them, it was a stainless steel, I consider it the kind that goes to a construction site, you
know that pulls the sides down. It has a name that I won’t call but it is a construction type food
trailer and um, someone must have been sitting at their prep table having dinner when they were
closed down at little after ten o’clock when the music ended and they complained. But that was
not although I’d like to think I’m queen of everything, I am not. So um, ---
Mr. Mayor: Have you asked your husband about that one?
Ms. Durant: He would say, he might say I thought I was queen of everything but I will.
Mr. Beck is in the room and I’m sure that together we can work on doing a gentler closing down.
The vendors who do come out for Broad Street have filled out an application, they understand
that they are closed up and gone, packed up their tents and gone by ten o’clock. We don’t start
closing at ten o’clock and that is what has worked very well for us the last four months.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and, Brenda, thank you too. I got a little more
education because I thought that the Friday Event was in the Commons and on Broad with all the
First Friday deals. I had no idea all of this time that there was a separate group doing something
42
whether it be Rick or any other group. I thought all that came under the same tent but uh, since
learning that I think we might be able to do some things a little bit differently. I do appreciate
what’s been going on with the First Friday I do think First Friday’s growing I think people are
enjoying it I don’t think you ought to tell people who paid money to be vendors that cooked “x”
amount of hotdogs, chicken or whatever to just leave at ten. If they have paid money to provide
a service they ought to be entitled to sell but that’s through Mr. Russell I think we made a deal
with that. And I did tell you that it was on Broad but it was, it was the Common and the officer’s
the one that gave the problem but I think we’ll able to get it straight from here. I just think the
hours ought to be lifted where people will feel good about coming and enjoying and not feel like
they are going to be herded off the street like cattle something like that so.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second to receive this as information. Any
further discussion? Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Holland: We had one incident.
Motion carries 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: Magnanimous.
Ms. Durant: Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: Thanks, Brenda. Madame Clerk?
The Clerk:
OTHER BUSINESS
38. Discuss/status report Hyde Park. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, again Hyde Park is another issue that’s been lingering for a
long time. Workers have been in and out disturbing the soil, moving the soil back. The Garret
Fleming report have not yet been discussed to it’s fullest. Tom Clark, I think, came in reported
to the committee that it was contaminated. Mark Smith came in and said that it wasn’t
contaminated that much. Well either it’s contaminated or it’s not. And the people of Hyde Park
are just tired. Now I know Mr. Grantham is Chairman of the sub-committee that these people
have been waiting patiently. We have got to make a decision one way or another to say what it
is or it is not at Hyde Park. I mean this thing has been dragging on for too long. We done
approved some property downtown that nobody lives on to clean it and we got children and
seniors living out here from 25-35 years and we have yet to say what it is. And I’d just like to
get some clarity from this body when are we going to do something, make a decision one way or
the other and I’m not worried about where the people going or what we’re going to do with
them. The only concern I have is to let the constituents in that area know that it is not or it is too
contaminated. And we can’t seem to even do that. I’m not worried about money, I’m not
worried about clean up fees, I’m not worried about where they’re going to go, I’m not worried
43
about who’s going to get what. All my concern is that if it’s contaminated we need to say that or
if it’s not contaminated we need to say that as well.
Mr. Mayor: Any further discussion?
Mr. Williams: Do we get a report from the Garrett and Fleming or do we just look in the
sky and things are going to fall out? What?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, with the sub-committee still doing their report, Mr.
Grantham, can we?
Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor, I can give you a report but I’ve already given Mr. Williams
the information that we had our last meeting on and I’ve also discussed with them in regards to a
potential meeting with Garrett and Fleming and the others and until that time this has been going
on for twenty-five years, I’ve been sub-chairman for six months I’m working with the legislative
delegation with all of the people involved in this project that I just don’t think it’s time right now
to be bringing this up for discussion on the floor until we do get a more definitive decision from
this body that we’re talking about.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Grantham: So I’m not ready to give in any report.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: One more point, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Grantham said that twenty-five years
and he’s right and the six months that he’s been on this committee but the residents is here. The
people are suffering out there. What are we saying to them now? We can’t give them a date, we
can’t get them a time that we’re going to come back and say something. I mean because all of
thth
these meetings and we’re supposed to have a meeting on the 8 or the 9 of this month that
didn’t take place but all of the meetings that we’ve been going to Atlanta calling people in, we’re
still not getting anywhere. Why can’t we have the report from Garrett and Fleming brought to
this body and state whether it’s contaminated or not? And then that way we can save a lot of
these meetings, Mr. Mayor. So do I need to make it in the form of a motion, do I just need to put
it on the committee to have Mr. Tom whatever Tom’s last name to come and bring us that
report?
Mr. Mayor: I would say, Mr. Williams, as a member of the committee you would have
the ability to request him come.
Mr. Grantham: Um, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham.
Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor, we have discussed this and this is already in place and it’s to
the point that we’re not going to bring Mr. Clark before this body right now. We talked about
44
that and we discussed and to the point that we wanted to get with him and discuss the issues at
hand that he presented at first and until we can do that I don’t think it should be discussed on this
floor right now. I understand the need for these people. I told them, I’ve worked as hard as I can
I’ve attended at least 8-10 meetings. I’ve asked our sub-committee. We’ve met four or five
times. We have discussed this. We have brought in the proper people. Right now I think within
the next, I just give you a time if you want one. Within the next three weeks we’ll have a
decision and we’ll have a sub-committee report that will be forthcoming with the
recommendation from this body that I’m speaking of.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Grantham: So until that time I think it’s immaterial to be bringing it up. This is
what’s happened in the past. It’s been brought up so many times it has been so much
misinformation involved that no one knows exactly what they’re looking or looking to. So with
what I’m asking for is this three-week period of time that we can bring forth the information and
hopefully be the proper information that will be available to make some decision on this.
Mr. Mayor: Make a recommendation.
Mr. Williams: I got no problem with that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Williams: It’s just that the work is being done in Hyde Park today. There’s people
cleaning out with equipment moving earth and taking up stuff. If this place is contaminated as it
says nobody should be doing anything and if we’re going to allow that to happen for three more
weeks and I, we have to wait whatever time. But I don’t think any work ought to be done any
earth ought not to be moved or not be transported and where are they transporting it to? Nobody
said that yet.
Mr. Mayor: Y’all, please.
Mr. Williams: Their machines are working, trucks are being brought in there and it
should’ve been cleaned up a lot time ago but the stuff is being moved now. If it’s contaminated,
Mr. Mayor, we know nothing.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, and once again the Chairman of the Committee has said they’ll have a
report in three weeks with a recommendation. Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, just a question of the Chairman. Will this, the report include a
comprehensive sampling map of the area as far as. There just seems to be so much confusion as
you said about the hot spots the total contamination the lack of contamination and I do think we
owe it to the people out in Hyde Park to pinpoint the hot spots or give them some information on
the levels of contamination that are or are not present and um, so I look forward to the report.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
45
Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor, may I answer to that?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham.
Mr. Grantham: Yes, those hot spots were identified in the um, a previous sampling and
there’s been recommendations that additional sampling will be done not only in those previous
locations but in new locations throughout the Hyde Park area to make sure to identify what
contamination is located where.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, can I get a motion to receive this as information?
Mr. Cheek: So moved.
Mr. Mayor: Is there a second?
Mr. Grantham: Second, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion
commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Williams votes No.
Motion carries 9-1.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek.
Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, I’m going to make a motion to adjourn.
Mr. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion to adjourn. Mr. Parliamentarian?
Mr. Shepard: It’s a non-debatable motion, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: It’s a non-debatable motion, commissioners, but it does take a vote of the
commission?
Mr. Shepard: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. We stand
adjourned.
[MEETING ADJOURNED]
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Lena Bonner
Clerk of Commission
CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy
of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Augusta-Richmond County Commission held on
May 15, 2007.
____________________________________
Clerk of Commission
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