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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission Meeting October 2, 2007 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER OCTOBER 2, 2007 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., October 2, 2007, the Hon. Deke Copenhaver, Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Holland, Smith, Harper, Hatney, Beard, Williams, Cheek, Bowles and Brigham, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. ABSENT: Hon. Grantham, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission. The invocation was given by Pastor Baxter Stanley, First Assembly of God. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor: Pastor Stanley? Would you care to do it, Reverend? Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, please note that that’s the second time we’ve had in a row that we’ve had to call on Commissioner Hatney. If we could move on to the presentations. The Clerk: PRESENTATIONS A. Presentation to the Augusta Commission from the Georgia Forestry Commission. Mr. Abbott: I want to thank y’all for inviting me here and to come before. Before I start off my presentation I’d to give you some history about the South Georgia fire. All the conditions were right. We had a drought going on, low humidity, high winds, low fuel moistures and all we th needed was an ignition source. Well, April 16 we had a wind event in Ware County that a tree fell on a power line and history began. What I’d like to do is show you the map of the fire area that destroyed Waycross, timber industry to give everybody a perspective. This is the Waycross fire. For the ones that don’t know that um, everybody probably knows somebody in Waycross, family friends but this particular fire made history. Now this particular fire was um, it burned 18 homes, it was over a half million acres, 660,000 acres. We had 3300 different people, we had 44 states represented in Georgia and the fire cost over $25 million dollars to suppress. And the governor declared 21 counties disasters. So why am I here? As the local chief ranger um, I wanted to express my appreciation to the commissioners and Chief Bubba Willis and his staff and, Chief, I’d like to have you come up front, please. So history was made, ladies and gentlemen. How did Augusta Richmond County Fire Department play a role? Well, we didn’t have enough people in the forest industry to help so we had to call on our structure firefighters, allies, some of our best friends. Well, these guys what they do is, they do the best at structure protection. When we invited those guys down there to help us we formed several task forces, which is a different size of resources from a type Class A engine to a wild engine tenders hand crews and these were called a MUK task force, Mop Up Command. And these folks were so vital the operation and suppression of that fire in South Georgia that I want to personally thank Chief Willis and all his staff for the guys who participated in South Georgia and the ones that 1 had to stay home and protect our land, our property here in Richmond County. I just can’t thank them enough. They’re very professional. I think they opened their eyes up a little bit on how bad these wild fires can get and we hear about them everyday in the west, every summer in the west. Well, it can happen here in our back yard. So um, it can happen in Georgia so we saw that. So that’s kind of the history of the Waycross fire in Georgia and um, and one major thing. We had no fatalities. That’s a remarkable achievement. We had injuries of course. Fender- benders people spraining their ankles, cuts bruises burns that we had no fatalities and that’s th remarkable. And this thing went on from April 16 to the middle of July but um so, enough of the history. I’d like to get on with my presentation so, Chief Bubba Willis, I’m going to read this out loud to you. The Georgia Forestry Commission, Richmond County Unit would like to honor the Augusta Richmond County Fire Department for the service given during the largest wild end fire in Georgia history the Sweat Farm Road fire and um, Chief Willis, something to hang in your office for a long time. It’s a special piece of wood. It’s a pine tree. It’s one that survived. (APPLAUSE) Thank you very much and for the individual fire fighters, Chief, I’ve got some pins and a coffee cup. It’s not much but those guys you know a small token of appreciation but if you’ll see that the fire fighters that went down south get a pin or a cup I sure would appreciate it. Thanks, Chief. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Mr. Abbott: That’s all I have. I’ll be glad to answer any questions for the South Georgia fires. Okay. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir, for coming. Mr. Abbott: You’re very welcome. Mr. Mayor: And thank you for recognizing the city and for the Fire Department. That means a lot to us. Madam Clerk, if we could move on to Presentation B. Mr. Kuhlke, actually I think just because B might take a little bit we’ve got some young men who we want to recognize here in item number C so I think we might do that before we move to the presentation if that’s okay with everybody. Madam Clerk, recognition C. The Clerk: RECOGNITIONS Augusta Championship Winners C. Augusta Junior First Tee Championship Winners Shepherd Archie and Jeffery Tran. (Requested by Commissioner Calvin Holland. The Clerk: Would you please join the Mayor and Commissioner Holland along with your family members? To give a little insight on the presentation today. Two junior golfers set up to team with the pros. Two local junior golfers who have been paired with champion true professionals who will compete in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach this weekend. 2 Augusta Junior Championship Winners Sheperd Archie and Mr. Jeffery Tran. At this time we’ll allow the Mayor and Mr. Holland to make those presentations individually. Presentation. Augusta City Junior Championship winner. For your outstanding contributions to the game of golf and your participation in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open paired with champion true professional Hale Irvin at the Pebble Beach Golf Link and Delmonte Golf Course in Pebble stst Beach California from August the 31 to September 1. On behalf of the City of Augusta we wish you continued success on your future endeavors. Deke Copenhaver, Mayor. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Holland: First of all I’d like to ask Shepherd and Jeffery for some lessons. Let me just take this opportunity to say we want to commend the First Tee for their outstanding job that they’re doing with these young people. I’ve had an opportunity to see these young men play in the tournament that we have called the Masters City Association Golf Tournament and they do an outstanding job. Not only are they representative of the City of Augusta, the State of Georgia, but they’re representatives of their families. I want to commend the parents for doing an outstanding job of supporting these young men. We see you on the golf course following them all over the course and without your support we know that they would not be the young men that they are today. So we want you to continue to support them and continue Jeffery, continue Sean, continue to do what you’re supposed to be doing, Shepherd, and just continue to work hard because it’s a breath of fresh air to see two young men come forward today with all the negative publicity that we’ll be getting, it’s a breath of fresh air to see you all come forward doing something positive. So keep up doing what you’re doing in the community. Okay? Congratulations. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: I’ll go ahead and read this one. Certificate of Recognition presented to Shepherd Archie Augusta City Junior Championship Winner. For your outstanding contribution to the game of golf and your participation in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open paired with Champion Tour Professional Mark Johnson at the Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Delmonte Golf Course stst in Pebble Beach California from August 31 through September 1, 2007. On behalf of the City of Augusta we wish you continued success in your future endeavors. (APPLAUSE) I’m just going to be real brief and then if y’all want to say anything you’re welcome to. But obviously what Commissioner Holland expressed we are as a community and as a city are so proud of you guys. In running for Mayor one of the things I said I wanted to do was lock down the city on the best and brightest. So I hope y’all go on to professional careers but if you do please remember to stay local, stay in Augusta and continue to represent your community and you family as well. But congratulations again. (APPLAUSE) Y’all want to say anything? Any of the family members want to say anything? All righty, Madam Clerk, back to “B”. The Clerk: PRESENTATIONS B. Receive a presentation from the Chairman of the Judicial Center Subcommittee. Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor, commissioners. The committee met with some of the st commissioners on September the 21 and made a presentation on the four different options that may be available to you to move forward with the Judicial Center. At that meeting we were given a book that gave all the details involving the presentations. And rather than going through 3 that book today I think Ms. Bonner passed out a one-page sheet that pretty much summarizes the presentations that we made. And what I’d like to do is just go through the four different options for you to consider and then we would like to ask the commission to give us some direction on how to move from this point forward. The first option and it’s the, some of the details on Page 7 and 8 of the book that was given to you was to build the entire facility which would include 206,000 square feet at a cost of $81,807,628.00. The project includes all courts, related agencies and departments. Option 2, which is found on Page 32 and 33, is a reduction in size to 128,631 at a cost of $54,486,657.00. That’s within the budget that you gave us to work with. That phase, and let me mention this at this point. When we go into the design stages for construction we are going to design the full facility but it will be done in Phases I and Phases II. Phase I, and that would include the Superior Court and Civil and Magistrate Courts, chambers, the Clerk, the Sheriff, beachhead space for the DA and Public Defender, partial court and building support. Phase II will provide all the additional areas. Option 3 is basically the same size building and it would include Superior Court, Civil and Magistrate Court, chambers, Clerk, Sheriff, full PA program for the DA, partial space for the Public Defender, court support and building support. Phase II at that point would include everything else. Phase III which is very similar to the other two but would include State, Juvenile, Probate Courts, hearing rooms, chambers, Clerk, Sheriff, full program for Solicitor General and Public Defender, full court and building support. Phase II would include everything that was not included at that point. If you go with Phase I, if that’s the option that you like that exceeds the budget that we’ve been working with by $27,320,971.00. So at this point we have Mr. Oscar Harris, the principal with Turner and Associates, Frank Green who’s associated with the firm Bob Woodhurst and Bob Munger is here with Heery International. So we’ll open it up at this point for any questions that you might have. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. In the phasing say we should have to build this in two phases, is the initial phase include infrastructure such as motor control centers, fire distribution centers and other things that would be sized to incorporate the Phase II construction and would that include the full design package for Phase II construction when funds become available for that. Mr. Kuhlke: Yes. Mr. Cheek: So all we would have to do is add the shell, add the shell to that and then run the pipes and electrical from the existing --- Mr. Kuhlke: And the finishes in Phase II, yes. And I think, Commissioner Cheek, what we’re trying to give to you is um, mixing it up on which courts really go in there on Phase I. So we start off with in Option 2 and 3 with the Superior Court and then Option 4 would be to go with all State Court. One thing that I might mention to y’all is the discussion was that if we go with Superior Court or if we go with Option 2 as far as phasing goes, once the judicial moves out of this building that on a temporary basis maybe we could move State Court into this building and get them out of the situation they’re in over on Fourth Street. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams. 4 Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Bill? Mr. Kuhlke: Hey, Marion. Mr. Williams: You and me again. Mr. Kuhlke: Yes, sir. Mr. Williams: You know I’ve been proposing to try to build something that’s somewhat different but at the same time and I hear you talking about phases. I say it somewhat different. You know I hadn’t seen the last proposal. You’re talking about building in phases and you build so you can add to it because you’re building in phases, I understand that. But is this is going to be an upright building where we can go upward. When you build in phases are you going to the side, I mean how will that initially phase because I’m thinking now you know we don’t have but so much room, so much land and um, I’ve been a proponent of trying to get us to build up. We talk about the 26-story and then shelling it out and use what we need, that whatever time it was that we even had to rent the space out. But when you’re talking about phasing you’re talking about building so you can add to it. I understand that much. Would that going to be building outward or that would be upward. Which way is that? Mr. Kuhlke: We’ve got several scenarios in there but one is um, in Option 1 we would be going with a six-story building or a four-story building. But I think when we talk about the phase part of it we’re talking about going with the building and then with the second phase would be a building to the side of it with connecting corridors to the building. We’re going to be developing a 7-acre tract. We’ve actually got 12 acres over there but the proposal at this point is to start basically at the canal, railroad track going towards Walton Way. Mr. Williams: Okay, and my other question is everybody’s been added to the equation. Everybody’s been phasing and all of the offices that we’ve talked about before that wasn’t considered before because I mean you know even though we’re talking about phases --- Mr. Kuhlke: Yes, sir. Mr. Williams: --- we’re going to build this facility that everybody’s going to be inclusive even with Commissioner Cheek just brought another like to this entity with the safety aspect of it but have everybody been inclusive? I guess the best thing, are we leaving anybody out that ought to be in there while we’re building this thing? Mr. Kuhlke: Well, actually I think what we did when you start an Option 2 through Option 4 we gave those three scenarios and each one of those options somebody is going to be left out and go to Phase II. Mr. Williams: I understand that and what I’m asking about is and I know Option I and Ms. Bonner just pointed out again about the $81 million. If we’re going to build a facility and I’ve an advocate of it all the time, I’m trying to see who’s going to be, because if you say you’re 5 going to leave the State Court out, you’re going to leave anybody out until the next phase then it grows, it’s gets bigger or they end up being left out for good. I’m trying to figure out a way that we build a facility that’s going to be able to house everybody and have everybody inclusive and be in there and won’t have to worry about that when we get down the road. The commission’s going to change pretty soon, Bill, in November but you know everything changes, that’s all I’m saying. So I would like to build something that’s going to be effective and efficient that we won’t have to go back and keep adding to it, adding to it so. Mr. Kuhlke: To answer your question, Marion, is that to do that initially which would be Option number one, then the commission based on our estimates would have to come up with $27 million dollars more and that way we could include everybody. Knowing what budget we had to work on we had to come up with some options to stay within the budget and we tried to list those that are included in each option. And those that are left out would then be in Phase II. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Kuhlke, I’ll go back to my question I asked you last week. Is it better to add to or subtract from when we’re doing this in your opinion. Because we all know we’ve got a fixed amount of dollars. Mr. Kuhlke: Right. Well, I, let me answer your question this way. Is, within our estimates we have built an escalation in there because the projects going to take about two years and we know we’re going to have some escalations as we go through construction. The cheapest way would be to do exactly what Marion’s saying is to build it all because when we get to Phase II, I’m not sure that once you add the cost of Phase II to Phase I that we’re going to be at $81 million dollars. It’s going to be more expensive. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor I’m going to make a motion that we go out for Option 1 for bids so we can have some idea where we’re not running off the estimated costs but we’re running off actual costs and I would like the Administrator to evaluate it when those are back in and present us a budget at that time with some options. Mr. Mayor: Is there a second on that? Mr. Williams: I’ll second that, Mr. Mayor, but I’d like to ask, make it a motion that we can consider not just having the Administrator to come up with something and bring us some figures back but is there any other option, any other way we can get those funds. So we need to build this thing and get it over with. We’ve been talking about it, Sylvia even done wrote about it. I looked over there and saw her. She done wrote about it a hundred times, Bill, but we need to go and build this and get it up. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Williams: I mean we should be on the way but is there any other option, Mr. Russell, that we can be drawn into that, I’ll second his motion that we can use to help get this on and bring all that back to us when --- 6 Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: I would suggest that you modify the motion to include a funding package that would be available for that. My good friend Mr. Kuhlke and I disagree on the size of the building necessary and the ability to put things in that building at this particular point in time. Until we move forward with what you just recommended the motion that you made I won’t ever know the answer to that question as we start looking at the actual floor space of what we have dividing that by the dollars that we have and whatever. I think Bill and I can speculate in these estimates for right good while but until we move forward with this I think we both agree we won’t come up with a final number that we have to deal with. That final number I think might be less than what we anticipate it might be more. But I would suggest you do is direct me and Bill to move forward with the architects, to include all the people included in the building to shoot for a funding level of $60 million dollars and then if there’s additional costs above and beyond that we bring back a package and a recommendation of how to seek additional funds to finish the complete building. I agree with each and every one of you it’s time to not talk about building a courthouse but start building a courthouse and I think that’s the best approach to take. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Brigham, would you like to amend your motion to include? Mr. Brigham: I have some reservations in this. I don’t want to tie a sum specific to this contract or this proposal. I don’t want to know what the bid is and I’m willing, I as one commissioner is willing to work on the additional funding if there’s additional funding needed after we get the true estimate of the cost. Mr. Kuhlke: Can I ask this question? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Kuhlke. Mr. Kuhlke: Just for clarification, Mr. Brigham, I think we can do what you want to do but out of the fear that when we come back if our number one option is accurate, the number is accurate is that we still design this project in phases because we need to be able to if the funding is not there when we finish that we can drop back to Phase 1. And I’d like for maybe Frank Green to come up here for just a minute and see if I’m saying the right thing here. I don’t want to get out there a year from now and we’ve got a facility that we have very little flexibility to drop back. Mr. Brigham: And I’m in agreement. Mr. Kuhlke: Does that make sense? Mr. Green: That’s correct, Bill. What you’ll have is the drawings and the price for the entire facility but if the price is $81 million dollars or something more than the $54m then you’ll also have the price for Phase I and you can sign contract for Phase I and build Phase I. You’ll have something that’s useful that will work, that all the entities are in it that need to support the courts that are in the building. And then you could proceed with Phase II immediately after or 7 after some years whenever you can come up with the funding. We would hope that it would be soon after so maybe you could get some of the same contractors. Mr. Mayor: Okay, I did want to hear from Commissioner Smith then Commissioner Beard and then Commissioner Hatney then Commissioner Williams. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My finger’s got a cramp in it it’s been up so long. Mr. Mayor: I --- Mr. Smith: I need you to look down this way every now and then. About fifteen years ago we tried to get the county to purchase Regency Mall and it would bring all our departments in there, a one-stop shopping for everything, everybody included and I still think that was the best thing to do. It wasn’t done but I think that we would be making a mistake if we didn’t do that this time with this Option 1, go ahead and try to get this thing going. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: I’d just like to say I support Option number 1 too and the citizens have requested this and I know we put a cap on the amount but you know we have a wonderful thing now. We have SPLOST and that’s a way for us to get things done. And I, I have no doubt in my mind that we cannot do this project. We don’t just want it for now we want it to serve five generations from now. This is going to be with us not just today but for a long time so we want to do it right. I’m saying let’s go with number one and let’s figure out a way to get it done and I think the Administrator will be making some recommendations that may lower the cost but we want a nice solid building that we can enjoy for years to come. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney, you had your -- Mr. Hatney: (INAUDUBLE) Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams then Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Bill, I got no doubt that we need to go and do Option 1, I guess, and find the funds and do whatever. I’m sitting here remembering when gas was thirty cents a gallon, Bill, and I was driving then and that’s been a long time. And it ain’t going down now I mean it drops but it’s going up, I mean back and forth. It’s the same thing with building materials. If we do this in phase whatever phase the next time around it’s going to be even more than the difference. We need to bite the bullet we need to find the funds. We need to go ahead and build it and build it one time. So I said all I need to say. I’m in support if you can bring us back some figures and hopefully the plan with everybody included. I think we need to go ahead and do that but to put it off, to get up there and say well we don’t have the money to finish it Fred, we got to go back to doing a phase. Because when we get ready for the next phase it’s going to twice as much as it is right now so we need to go ahead and kind of and get started. I mean everything’s escalated, everything and it’s steady going up so we need to get I think moving with this. That’s my comment, Mr. Mayor. 8 Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, thank you. Not to come as a news flash to the members of the commission or the public but the price is $81 million dollars and change since day one. We’re not building a facility for what we can afford we’re building a facility for $81 million dollars. Yes, the costs of things are going up like utilities, staffing costs, benefits for that staff to take care of this building. This is going to be twice the size of the Montgomery Ward building at Regency Mall. Two of them stacked on top of each other. And it’s taken us how long to renovate and repair this building. The elevator is still a year plus in getting a contract in here to get those done. I’m not convinced that the figures for the square footage for some of these offices are consistent with future needs because there’s going to be a compression factor on buildings to reduce the square footage because of the sheer cost of energy to heat and cool these buildings. Columbia County has designed and built a courthouse in the period of time we’ve talked about this. North Augusta is building a new administration building and will have completed, designed and completed it and acquired land in the period of time is takes us to do this. We’ve kicked this around the price hasn’t changed since day one until we pushed the budget down. We’ve done very little in the way of adjustment. What we’ve been offered here is an option to spend in two phases $81 million dollars instead of in one phase $54 million dollars. Just to add one other thing to this, Mr. Mayor, is if you look around the City of Augusta today, court business is still going on, people are still having hearings, the DA still has an office, the solicitor still has an office so things are, this is not a crisis situation. The greatest cost benefit we need to achieve is to get people out of rental properties and sick buildings which would have us build a facility to remove people from 401 and get people out of the leased structures and save about a half million dollars a year. I’m still not convinced that what we’ve got today with the $81 million dollar figure is exactly what we had four years ago and we’re no better off, we’ve kicked the ball around for four years and we’re back to square one with everybody agreeing that we need go ahead and spend the $81 million dollars. And if we, in closing, Mr. Mayor, if we allocate future sales tax money that will mean more money going for jails and courtrooms. Things that don’t improve the quality of life in the City of Augusta, the very things that people are wishing that we would do will be spent on more things that will cost us more to operate and keep up. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Russell, did you have? Mr. Russell: I think that the, while I agree with Mr. Cheek I think you’re not allocating the $81 million at the moment you’re directing us to come back with a plan that would include everybody that’s included in our initial want list at the most economical cost that we can find. And I think the estimates are eighty-one but I think our comments have been until we actually do that we don’t have a number that’s real. We’ve got guesses and estimates from consultants on both sides. I think what we want to bring back to you and what I’m suggesting we bring back to you is a plan that may be phased if necessary but may not if we can figure out a way to reduce the structure or the size of some of the building internally or whatever to include everybody but whatever. But what I don’t want to bring you is a building that’s ineffective and inefficient. I won’t do that. 9 Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles, did you? Mr. Bowles: I’d like to call the question, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Madame Clerk, could you read back the motion please? The Clerk: The motion was to bid out Option 1 and ask the Administrator to come back to the commission with the budget and a funding package. Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Motion carries 9-0. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Kuhlke. Thank you all for being here. Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor, if I could just --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Kuhlke: --- take one more second. Our next step is that we have a contract with the architect now to get us to this point. We need to extend that contract for him to go into the design on the building. And I think that we need the approval of the commission for the committee to move ahead and enter into a contract with the architect who can complete the plans. Mr. Brigham: So moved. Ms. Beard: I second it. Mr. Cheek: Substitute motion, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, in light of the four years of progress that we’ve made I’m going to make a substitute motion that we put this out for bids for qualified firms across the country to have the opportunity to bid on this particular project. Mr. Kuhlke: Do you mean bid on the architectural work, Andy? Mr. Cheek: And the architectural work, yes. Mr. Mayor: Is there a second to that motion? Mr. Williams: I’ll second it. 10 Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a substitute motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote on the --- Mr. Kuhlke: Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Excuse me. Mr. Kuhlke: I’ve got to tell y’all. You’re delaying this project longer. We’re talking about, we’re probably two months to go out and advertise for bids on this project and we can’t do anything. This firm has been working with us since we started it. They know what the deal is. They’ve met with every department in the county government. They’re ready to go ahead with design drawings. And to go out and do what Mr. Cheek is talking about is just a further delay and um, I hate to tell you but you’re making a mistake. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: If I’m not mistaken the original bid I thought included the design portion. Mr. Kuhlke: The first contract --- Mr. Hatney: I mean the motion that we just voted on. Mr. Kuhlke: The motion that y’all voted on was which option we were going to move forward on. Mr. Hatney: Excuse me, could you read that back one more time? The Clerk: It was the option. Mr. Kuhlke: But we only entered into a contract for the architectural firm to get us to this point so that you could make a decision on where we were going to go and then they are ready to move ahead with the design of the building. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, if it took us four years to get where we are today with some scale blocks on different sheets of paper that a pre-engineering student at A.R. Johnson could do for how many thousands of dollars? I don’t have a lot confidence that leaving this will, we might actually save time if we proceed at the current rate of progress that we’ve achieved these past four years. We have done little or nothing to move this process forward and now we’re asked to give, put this back in the same hands of the people that gave us four years of some sheets of paper with conceptual drawings and things on it that quite frankly are unimpressive at best. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams. 11 Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor I’m a little bit disappointed that that wasn’t known up front. Now I’ve been an advocate of trying to make sure that we bid and go out for proposals on anything when we’re spending money. This is no different. I wished that we were informed prior to know that after we voted on the option that we’ll have to go out. Because I was thinking like Commissioner Hatney that once we voted on this that was going to be a continuation of going through with what we had. But now we’re talking about not informing folks and being held back. Bill, I hear you talking about another two months but if we’re going to take SPLOST money any government money and do that, I’ve been an advocate of trying to make sure that we get someone else to come in and give us a price whether this firm here wouldn’t be excluded I don’t think but before we disagree to a contract that I don’t know, I mean the rest of y’all may have some idea about what the costs is going to be but that scares me. Mr. Kuhlke: We’re going to bring the contract back to you. We just need to be put in a position to negotiate the contracts so that we can move forward. And we can do that in a matter of about a week or by your next meeting I’m sure. But if we go out and advertise and the first thing we’re going to have to do is we’re going to have to get requests for qualifications. Then we’ve got to interview the firms then we got to go out and get a bid on it. That’s going to take some time. And you know I got to tell you this folks. I’ve been on this thing since the inception and I can’t blame the architects for the delay on this. We were delayed because the SPLOST that was passed that give us the ability to bring this budget back to you was done by you and we could not do it until the funds were available in SPLOST. You didn’t go out and sell bonds so we could move ahead. You only did that with two projects so the blame of the delay is not on the architect. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have --- Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: And, Mr. Mayor, when we started with this project didn’t it go out for bid? Mr. Kuhlke: We did this years ago. We went through the process of interviewing everybody --- Ms. Beard: Aren’t we just moving forward at this particular point? Do we stop? Will we begin to move forward? Mr. Mayor: Well, I would just for one say that I, we need to move forward with the project. I understand that it would be very much I mean it would hold the whole process back to bring somebody else so, but we’ve got a substitute motion and we’ve got a primary motion. Mr. Cheek: Have I had my two times, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: You actually have. We’ve got two motions and I’m going to have the Clerk read back the substitute motion first, please Ma’am. The Clerk: The substitute motion was to put out for RFQ for architectural services for the design of the Judicial Center. 12 Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Cheek: Point of clarification, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: During the first round of sales tax there was $25 million dollars in the account to go ahead and do the design work and the site prep and the other things. So the second round of the $40 million dollars whatever we have allocated after that came at a later date. But there was funding available to move the project forward but the committee chose not to do that. Mr. Mayor: Okay, there’s a substitute motion. If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote on that substitute motion by the substitute sign of voting. Mr. Brigham, Mr. Hatney, Mr. Smith, Mr. Bowles, Mr. Harper, Ms. Beard and Mr. Holland vote No. Motion fails 2-7. The Clerk: The original motion was to enter into a contract with the existing architect for the design of the Judicial Center. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Williams and Mr. Cheek vote No. Motion carries 7-2. Mr. Kuhlke: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Thank you all. All righty, Madam Clerk, we will now move on to the consent agenda. The Clerk: The consent agenda consists of items 1-24, items 1-24. For the benefit of any objectors to our alcohol petitions I will read those and once they’re read if there are any objectors would you please signify your objections by raising your hand. Item 2. Is a request for an on premise consumption Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Rebeck’s Hideaway Lounge located at 3165 Gordon Highway. Item 3. Is for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Smart Grocery located at 3221 Wrightsboro Road. Are there any objectors to those alcohol petitions? Mr. Russell: None noted, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Consent agenda items 1-24. Mr. Mayor: Okay Ladies and Gentlemen do we have any additions to the consent agenda. 13 Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Holland. Mr. Holland: For the consent agenda I’d like items 27, item 30, item 31 and item 33. And I’d like to take item 28 and refer it back to the committee to review for some of the language in that particular policy. Item 28 to refer it back to committee. The Clerk: Mr. Holland, is the Administrator prepared to identify the funding for item 31 today? Mr. Russell: Thirty-one I was prepared to identify funding for. Thirty I believe we need to discuss. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thirty we need to discuss? Mr. Russell: Thirty-one I have funding for. Thirty I’m not, hold on a second. Mr. Wheeler: Item number 30 --- Mr. Mayor: Mr. Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler: Item number 30 will come back before you in the department 2008 full th budget which will be presented on October the 29 in Administrative Services Committee. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Russell: And that’s my fault. Thirty-one is a 2007 issue that I can fund. Thirty is the item that would be discussed as part of our general budget presentation to Administrative Services and I think it would be appropriate to wait until then. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Mr. Mayor, upon discussion with Historic Preservation Commission and Summerville Neighborhood Association I would like to add number 35 with approval for the variance for the PVC type fence for number 35 please. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Do we have any further items to be added to the consent agenda? Mr. Smith: Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith: What did Mr. Bowles say about number 35? Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles. 14 Mr. Bowles: They want to go ahead and adopt every, take an inventory of all the fences and approve everything that’s existing, the PVC fencing and the ordinance now reflects anything from this date forth to be not approved. Mr. Smith: So the lady can keep her fence. Mr. Bowles: Yes, sir, that’s what it was. Mr. Mayor: Yes. Bottom line. Okay, do we have, if there are no further additions to the consent agenda I would look for items to be pulled for discussion. Are there any items to be pulled for discussion? Oh, Mr. Russell I was looking at Jimmy. Mr. Russell: I need you to look this way occasionally, too, sir. Item 20, which is a condemnation in reference to Paine College for 861 feet of right-of-way. I had a conversation thth with the president of Paine yesterday morning. They have a board meeting on the 11 and 12 and it would be at my request that we allow them to discuss it at their board meeting. There’s no th intimate, or no immediate need for this. We can move it to our October 16 agenda. Mr. Mayor: Okay, if there are no other items to be pulled I’d look for a motion to approve the consent agenda. Ms. Beard: So moved. Mr. Smith: Second. CONSENT AGENDA PUBLIC SERVICES 1. Motion to approve request to accept MECO of Augusta as low bidder for the construction of the new airport fuel farm in the amount of $275,150.00. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 26, 2007) 2. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 07-43 a request by Richard William Rebeck for an on premise consumption Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Rebeck’s Hideaway Lounge located at 3165 Gordon Highway. District 3. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007). 3. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 07-45 a request by Ana K. Bae for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Smart Grocery located at 3221 Wrightsboro Road. District 3. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) 4. Motion to approve a professional services contract for improvements to Blythe Community Park to Nick Dickinson & Associates, P.C. for $12,750.00. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) 5. Motion to approve Campbell & Paris Engineers contract with Augusta Regional Airport pending legal review and approval. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) 15 6. Motion to approve an agreement with the Sandridge Community Association for a Capital Improvement Project at the Jamestown Recreation Center. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) 7. Motion to approve A/E services for Lake Olmstead gazebo area improvements to Davis Design Group for $18,700. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) 8. Motion to approve a professional services contract for improvements to Wood Park to W. K. Dickson & Company, Inc. for $18,235.00. (Approved by Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) PUBLIC SAFETY 9. Motion to approve the purchase of a conveyor system for jail. (Approved by Public Safety Committee September 24, 2007) 10. Motion to approve the installation of fiber optic infrastructure for the Fire Department Administrative Office and Training Center Facility. (Approved by Public Safety Committee September 24, 2007) 11. Motion to approve a request to transfer funds from the 9-1-1 Fund Balance and the Wireless Phase Fund Balance Unreserved. (Approved by Public Safety Committee September 24, 2007) 12. Motion to approve updated Public Safety Answering Point Agreement with Ft. Gordon. (Approved by Public Safety Committee September 24, 2007) FINANCE 13. Motion to approve a request from the Augusta Mini Theatre for an abatement of 2007 property taxes for property at 2546 Deans Bridge Road. (Approved by Finance Committee September 24, 2007) 14. Motion to approve Resolution creating additional Board of Equalization to support current Board of Equalization in hearing and determining appeals from assessments and denials of homestead exemptions. (Approved by Finance Committee September 24, 2007) 15. Motion to approve funding for Fire Department Fleet Management Budget from existing budget. (Approved by Finance Committee September 24, 2007) 16. Motion to approve a request from the Garden City Rescue Mission for an abatement of 2007 property taxes for property at 828 Fenwick Street. (Approved by Finance Committee September 24, 2007) 17. Motion to approve a request from SAFEhomes of Augusta for an abatement of 2007 property taxes for property at 904 Merry Street. (Approved by Finance Committee September 24,2007) ENGINEERING SERVICES 18. Motion to authorize condemnation of a portion of property #139-0-131-00-0 3856 New Karleen Road, which is owned by Terry Lee Duff and Charlean M. Duff, for 901.5 square feet of permanent easement and 500 square feet of temporary easement. AUD Project: Horsepen Sanitary Sewer, Phase 2. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee September 24,2007) 19. Motion to authorize condemnation of a portion of property #128-0-116-00-0 3652 Karleen Road, which is owned by Pamela A. Grant, for 1,709 square feet of permanent utility and maintenance easement and 859 square feet of temporary construction easement. 16 AUD Project: 50202 – Horsepen Sanitary Sewer, Phase. 2. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee September 24, 2007) 20. Motion to authorize condemnation of a portion of property #045-4-022-00-0 1235 Fifteenth Street, which is owned by Paine College, for 861 square feet of right-of-way and 740.21 square feet of permanent easement. GDOT Project No. – STP-0003-790)/ACR Project No. 327-04-203823122. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee September 24, 2007) 21. Motion to approve a request from Horizon Group Investments, Inc. for an easement right and quitclaim deed for the J.B. White Building Skybridge. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee September 24, 2007) 22. Motion to approve a request from the Richmond County Historical Society to construct a low curving wall with bronze markers honoring veterans at Riverwalk facing the existing Hero’s overlook and authorize funding in the amount of $20,000 from a source determined by the Administrator as the City’s contribution to this project. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee September 24, 2007) 23. Motion to approve an option for Right-of-Way between Doris Gaines Hughes, as owner, and Augusta, Georgia, as purchaser for the purchase of 0.096 (4,176.25 sq. ft.) of permanent construction and maintenance easement (PIN: 013-3-001-0; 1060 Alexander Drive) for the Alexander Drive Widening and Relocation Project. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee September 24, 2007) PETITIIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 24. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held September 18, 2007 and Special Called meeting held September 26, 2007) ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 27. Motion to approve an Ordinance providing for the demolition of certain unsafe and uninhabitable structures in the Hyde Park Neighborhood: 2008 Willow Street, (District 2, Super District 9); South Augusta Neighborhood: 2532 Miles Street, (District6, Super District 10); South Augusta Neighborhood: 2030 Martin Luther King Blvd., (District 2, Super District 9); Laney Walker Neighborhood: 1238 Florence Street, 1215 Pine Street, ND 1255 Pine Street, (District 1, Super District 9); AND WAIVE 2 READING. 30. Consider a request from St. Stephen’s Ministry of Augusta Inc. regarding reconsideration of 2008 allocation of funds. 31. Consider a request from Melinda Rider regarding the allocation/rebudgeting of funds for the Neighborhood Improvement Project, Inc.’s after school program Building Exception Students Today (BEST). (Referred from September 10 Administrative Services) 33. Approve retirement of Mr. Frank Glover under the 1949 Pension Plan. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 35. Consider appeal request from Ms. Emily Beck, 1439 Heath Street relative to the Historic Preservation Commission’s denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness regarding a PVC fence on the property. (No action vote taken by Commission on September 4 & 18, 2007) 17 Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Motion carries 9-0. [Items 1-24, 27, 30-31, 33, 35] Mr. Mayor: All righty, Madam Clerk, I guess we’re on to the regular agenda. The Clerk: PUBLIC SERVICES 25. Motion to approve the solicitation of a RFQ for a consultant to provide assistance in helping the city achieve ADA compliance. (Referred from the Public Services Committee September 24, 2007) Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Mr. Mayor due to many different items that come up when ADA compliance issues around the city the EEO officer had been dealing with these but I think it would be in the best interest of the citizens of Augusta that we go out and hire a consultant that specializes in ADA compliance for cities and I’ve requested the Administrator to send out and I RFQ and that we some candidates to come back and interview with the commission. recommend approval of this item. Mr. Cheek: Second. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles, was that in the form of a motion? Mr. Bowles: Yes, sir. I’m sorry. Mr. Mayor: And a second, Commissioner Cheek. Is there any further discussion? If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Harper out. Motion carries 8-0. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 26. Discuss/update from staff on the abandoned school buildings. (Deferred from the Commission September 18, 2007 meeting) Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell. 18 Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, members of the commission, over the past several weeks I’ve had several discussions with the superintendent of schools in reference to the buildings that they have currently unoccupied and unused. As you note last summer we had several concerns about those buildings themselves and the upkeep of them. After a conversation with Mr. Fletcher at that point in time they had done I think at least in the case of several of the buildings done some re-fencing, done some grass cutting, some mowing and some maintenance in those particular areas. And they have assured me that they will continue to monitor those buildings and continue to work with them. I think part of the question too is what was going to be the usage of some of those facilities that had been abandoned. I have today a list of properties that are being circulated among the school board as surplus properties that they are attempting to move back into the tax roles by declaring those surplus that they have no need for and providing some kind of service for them and some kind of mechanism to get those back into the tax roles and sales. If I could ask Ms. Bonner to distribute those I would appreciate it. The conversations I’ve had with Dr. Bedden have been very positive. He’s very concerned that as members of the community the schools play a integral part in those communities as they are and recognize that they set the tone for the upkeep and the condition of the schools and he is agreed to continue to monitor those and make sure that we continue to move forward and make sure that they don’t develop into eyesores and bring down the community. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams. Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is an item I had put on the agenda because it came to, it came to be quite a concern with some of the neighbors about the reasons on this list here. And the board went in and I think boarded up and did some re-fencing as Mr. Russell said on some of those properties but if you’ll notice there was a serious fire there the other night in an abandoned building over here on Fenwick Street I believe, 11 Fenwick Street. And these areas, there was a change it’s getting to be cold. People already got access into these buildings and if nothing else the school be able to make sure they’re not able to gain entrance into these buildings and not just go on and cut the grass and maintain them. Now if there are some facilities that somebody can use them I’m sure that will work with whatever entity that will come along that could possibly be make a use out of it. But when you let stuff sit for a long time in certain areas especially the area that’s not been conducive for people to come in and to invest in it, it just helps it come down further and I don’t the board or this government or any government ought to be allowed to just let this happen and not do anything. I know Dr. Bedden just got in town and a lot of it was already on the table when he got there. He’s taking time to I guess sort it out. But something needs to be done right away with these kinds of problems to make sure they’re not be able to gain entrance in to be set on fire or something happen with some of the residents around these facilities, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: Commissioner Williams, if you’ve got one specific I’ll get with you later to make sure that I’m aware of that, sir. Mr. Williams: The one I got the most calls about was the one at Turpin, H.C. Gregg I think, 1000 Turpin Street and Grand Boulevard. There’s an area I think the media’s been inside. 19 They had a chain on the door but you can just pull it and still walk in. The chain wasn’t serving the purpose. Some of the ones are being broken out and it makes for an eyesore. It’s a drug infested area behind the school where was there, it’s just something that’s got to be done. People can’t continue to live and think that we won’t address those issues. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner Williams. If there’s no further discussion, can I get a motion to receive this as information? Mr. Cheek: So moved. Mr. Bowles: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Motion carries 9-0. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 29. Approve renewing the contract with BlueCross/BlueShield of Georgia as Augusta’s Health & Dental Insurance Provider. Mr. Cheek: Move to approve. Mr. Bowles: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: I believe someone is here to speak in reference to that, one of our employees. Mr. Mayor: Okay and I’ll, if you could, no ma’am. You can come forward and state your name and if you could just keep it to five minutes. Ms. Washington: Sure. Mr. Mayor, commissioners, thank you so much. My name is Cindy Washington. I’m an employee of the Augusta Utilities Department located on Bay Street. I come to you to discuss with you our health care coverage on behalf of myself and the 315 employees that have signed a petition I have concerning the plan of coverage that will go into st effect as of January 1, 2008. Now I only have 315 names because I actually put this together on Friday afternoon and I asked that it be returned to me no later than 5 o’clock Monday. That was yesterday. I ask that you the commissioners and the HR Department please consider renegotiating our healthcare coverage plan. We the employees depend on you to do what’s right on our behalf. And the new plan is simply unfair to us all. How can we afford it? I personally cannot afford the cost of the proposed plan. Co-pays $50.00 for office visits, $80.00 for specialty fees and just to that fact the reason why I state that is because I have a daughter. She’s six-years old and we do have to see specialty doctors. She’s diagnosed with ADHD; this is an 20 issue that we have tremendous problems. I actually had to visit the school today. It’s an on going occurrence so we do visit specialty doctors on a very, very high occasion. I am sure if given the time all the 315 names that are on this petition that I have here with me will be able to share similar stories if given the opportunity to talk with someone concerning this issue. Perhaps we need to have a wellness program like an article that I read in the Augusta Chronicle and it th pretty much was talking about and this was on August, excuse me September the 28 Friday with University Hospital. For an awareness meeting among our employees regarding how we can help hold down the cost. I stand before you pleading with you to please consider us the employees. We work for you. We represent Richmond County, City of Augusta. Give us a better option a better healthcare plan that will meet the needs of us all. In light of our concerns enclosed in this attachment document I have here 2008 Renewal Summary with brief benefit changes. The following has become apparent to Augusta employees. The Human Resource Department has recommended renewing the contract with BlueCross/BlueShield. The renewal costs are estimated to increase a total of 11.2% of which the employer would shoulder. 3.5 of the burden in the remaining 7.7 will be left to the employee. Consider this information the signatures of the petition respectively request that the Augusta Commission consider the following two things. We request HR to obtain information from another insurance company perhaps United Healthcare for rate comparison. That’s just one. We ask that the commissioners consider shouldering a greater percentage of the increased costs of whatever plan is eventually adopted. We the undersigned thank you for your service and your consideration in this matter. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, ma’am. Mr. Russell, did you? You’re standing at a microphone and at any time anybody stands at a microphone I figure they want to speak. Mr. Russell: Maybe I should’ve stood someplace else, sir. I think our employee brings up a good point. Unfortunately she brings up one that we’ve talked about over and over and over again and that’s the increased costs of healthcare that we provide to our workers here. There are obviously options that we have available to us. Those are that the city itself can pay more of the burden of the cost or we can spread that among our employees as best we can. The Human Resources area, myself have worked diligently to try to make sure that keep that as low as possible. And that’s the program and that’s the recommendation you have in front of you. There are things that can be done as I spoke before and we continue to do that. As a matter of fact we th have a health-screening clinic scheduled for November the 7. We have opportunities for our employees to do things and we will continue to do that. BlueCross/BlueShield has a nurse program where you can call the nurse and do that. Our employees occasionally take advantage of that or don’t. We firmly recognize the need for health awareness situations and have arrangements with various, with the gym the YMCA you know if you participate in that it reduces the cost to a point where if you go enough and exercise enough it’s free because that is one of the things that shows as moving towards better health and better fitness and that means that our experience is going to be reduced. It’s the same dilemma we face every year when you start talking about raising taxes. Nobody likes it and none of the employees want to have to pay more and I understand that and neither do I but as the cost of healthcare continues to rise and as the options continue to narrow I think the program before you is the one that I’m recommending it’s the one that I think provides the best level of service that we can get for the dollars we spend. And while it’s not perfect it does provide a level of service that a cost that is not overly 21 burdensome to the taxpayer and does, it’s pretty bad but it’s what the cost reflects based on our, based on our usage and that’s where we’ve got to do better. I complement the employee for going forth and finding 315 people that don’t like and I don’t disagree that she could probably find another 315 more. But as you go back into your constituencies one of the options that she had was that the city obtain more of that burden and that involves increasing in my mind the budget that the city pays and that involves increasing taxes to get there, a dilemma we face but one I think the program you have in front of you is the best approach we can take to solve that dilemma. As long as we continue to move forward and recognize the need to continue to work to eliminate the usage cost. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to ask Mr. Russell a question regarding University Healthcare Plan. They implemented a plan two years ago, three years ago that is a sliding scale based on health information and kind of like taxes. Those that have larger houses, pay more taxes and in this case it would be those that use the physicians more because of health issues would pay a higher premium than those that are, you know with, that use it just as preventive and take care of themselves. So I’d just like to get his take on that and see why we couldn’t implement something like that here. Mr. Burns: Well, that’s similar to what we’re doing now. By increasing the co-pays people who use more are going to pay more. We currently have a wellness program and we about 38% of our employees who are enrolled in our wellness program. We have four gyms that we have contracts with around town. If an employee goes 15 times a month it’s free. So and we’re also in November we’re going to implement a wellness program through BlueCross/BlueShield that we hope will bring down the experience. But you know if what you’re looking for is to make people who use more pay more than move into this new premium that we’re trying to give you. It’s going to give you that because if you use it more --- Mr. Bowles: The goal there, Mr. Burns, is not those who use it to pay more it’s those who cause the majority of the claims to pay more. And just because somebody has to go see a specialist that doesn’t mean that those claims are going to be astronomical. When you have people that have obesity problems and lack of exercise they cause the catastrophic claims, which you’re well aware of. Mr. Burns: Well, the driver for us is not big claims, it’s those office visits. That’s what causes our experiences to be high. We don’t have a lot of major large claims, it’s a lot of office visits. That’s where our claims come in. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Smith and then I’ll come back to this side. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was in a meeting at University Hospital the other day, ma’am, and I heard all that was discussed and it did have a big impact on the dollars, what they did out there. The premium year before last was sixteen million something and with the wellness program they put in place it dropped to twelve million in two years. 22 Ms. Washington: Yes, sir, 12.4%. Mr. Smith: And one of them was a non-smoking part that they struggled with. The people found out they’d rather pay less and not smoke and this may be something that we can consider. But I know we’re going to have to give as well as take. I realize that but I do think that we’re going to have to have a good health program and right now this is probably the best out there. Mr. Burns: And also keep in mind they also added deductibles and co-pays for the first time. And that’s probably a big reason those claims went down. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Williams and then Commissioner Beard. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, if we and I thank Ms. Washington for coming and bringing those issues and those signatures that she got, those names she got to let people know. We depend on HR to do the best job they possibly can. Now this is for this year, this ’08 that’s coming up right. Will this be negotiated for another year after this, Robbie? Mr. Burns: No, sir, we’ll probably do a Request for Proposals next year. Mr. Williams: Okay, but we’ll do a Request for Proposals and try to compare and see what price, what we can do. I’m just trying to figure out how to get a perfect insurance agency whether it’s going to be BlueCross/BlueShield or whatever entity is going to take it over. I think we talked about this in committee that there’s some specialties that Ms. Beard mentioned and Ms. Washington brought some today that I wasn’t really aware or hadn’t been brought to my attention. And I think that’s something we have to look at. But if we keep changing, I mean if we keep waiting and waiting then where is that going to put us. I guess that’s what I’m trying to figure out. We’ve got to go with something. Have you given this your best effort your best resources? Have you believed that from the previous insurance we had? We changed one time the whole city went into a frenzy because their previous health cover we had was really off the chain so to speak. I got calls from everybody. I mean it just wasn’t something we could deal with. Now we’re going back to a unit that we had at one time before, is that right? Mr. Burns: This is what we currently have. Mr. Williams: Okay, but we had this previously so that changed I’m saying. Mr. Burns: Yes, sir. Mr. Williams: And we’re going back to that. Mr. Burns: Yes, sir. Mr. Williams: But we’re going to out for proposals next year to see who can compare to keep the prices down as best we can, right? 23 Mr. Burns: Yes, sir. Mr. Williams: Okay, I needed an answer. I wanted to make sure that we just didn’t get somebody that came along. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Ms. Beard then Reverend Hatney and Mr. Cheek. Ms. Beard: First of all I would like for you to know I do not have health insurance with the city. But when I looked at it I said the employees will not be able to afford this. And this is what I thought then and this is what I think now. Suppose you have a child with a chronic illness who will have to go to the doctor three or four times a month then what will that parent have to pay each time she goes for a visit. I’m asking you, Mr. Burns. Mr. Burns: Well, Ms. Beard, I do have a child with a chronic illness and that’s just one of the prices we have to pay. I mean that’s part of doing --- Ms. Beard: Everyone is not making what you’re making. Now I understand I listened all weekend and I know we’re having this problem all over the country but it doesn’t help the people here. And we have to do something about it. My recommendation would be to go back out for bids on this and between now and next year come up with some type program because the one we have is not effective to cut back on the illnesses that we have at the city. And they do. They have a scale they use for payments. For example, if you smoke or if you’re not following through with whatever the plan is for you then you pay more. But something has to be done because everybody cannot pay the same amount in this city, or with this insurance. So if for nothing else but to protest I’m going to vote no. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, ma’am. Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Quick question. How many companies do we have to give us a proposal? Mr. Burns: We didn’t do an RFP this year. We spoke with two consulting firms. They reviewed the renewals and they said that they were acceptable rates because of the experience we have. There are several companies in the Augusta market but none of them are competitive right now because only one has all four hospitals and that would be United Healthcare and that’s the company we had the difficulties with two years ago. Mr. Hatney: The reason I asked this, man, this is awfully high. It’s awfully high. This is a group of 2800 folks. It’s 2800 folks to cover all the employees. Mr. Burns: We cover about 6,500 lives. Mr. Hatney: Six-thousand. Mr. Burns: The employees and their families, the retirees and their families. Mr. Hatney: This is awfully high, man, for a big group. Awfully high. 24 Mr. Burns: Because of our experience about 94% of the premiums it goes to pay claims because our experience is so high. People are going to the doctors a lot. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, the co-pay to me is just completely outrageous. If you’ve got two or three children and this flu bugs due it gets spread throughout the family and you make three visits and then go pay for some of the notorious $100 a bottle antibiotics that they have to our already strapped employees will basically end up spending their entire months wages in healthcare. I’m not for one not satisfied with this particular plan and it seems to me with 6,000 employees or people that we’re covering that we should have some greater bargaining power. One question I do have. Are these primary visits maybe you have the statistics on these. Are these based on illness or injury? Mr. Burns: A primary care visit? I couldn’t tell you which, what the visits would be for. I don’t have that with me right now. Mr. Cheek: There’s another reason I asked that. Will discuss it another day. Mr. Mayor, I’m going to withdraw my motion if the seconder of the motion will agree to withdraw my motion. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I don’t have any problem withdrawing but I’d like to know before I did that. What are we going to do? I mean I think we’re here because what Mr. Burns in committee we talked about we’ve got to move forward. So if we withdraw this motion I got no problem doing that, Commissioner Cheek, but, Mr. Russell, can you tell me what’s our next step? I mean I hate that people come up that ain’t got no coverage and then saying hey --- Mr. Russell: You’ve got some options in front of you. If you don’t like the co-pays you can increase the cost overall to each employee. But the bottom line is at the end of the day we’ve got to make a payment to BlueCross/BlueShield. We can get that money by decreasing the co-pay to what it was and increasing the regular payment, which means everybody pays more not just the people who go to the doctor but that was an increase in that too so I mean you’ve got some flexibility there. You can have the city absorb the entire increase, which is about $2 million dollars. Which is approximately $2 million dollars which would include almost .25 mill increase in the taxes if you want to pay for it that way. That’s an option you have available to you too. We’ve explored all those options. We’ve looked at that. We find it just as distasteful as some of you do that those costs are going to have to go up. But in our estimation and my recommendation is this is probably the fairest way to do it. Unless you want to absorb it all and then we need to talk in the budget or where we come up with an extra $2 million dollars. And that’s the bottom line. Do we take it out of you know we could well, we can speculate on all kinds of ways to find that $2 million dollars but you know maybe, I don’t want to go there. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham. 25 Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I need to ask Mr. Russell a question. This is the one I think that really is before us today. If we don’t renew BlueCross/BlueShield today what happens the first of January? Do we have health insurance for our employees at all? Do we know have any idea whether this cost is ridiculous or not? That’s my question, I need to know an answer because that’s I think what we’re being faced with voting on whether or not we’ll have health st insurance come the 1 of January. st Mr. Russell: The contract expires December 31. At that point in time unless we make a decision prior to that we have no health insurance. Mr. Brigham: Okay, and if we make any other decision as far as getting any other bids how long does that normally take, ninety days? Mr. Russell: Approximately. Mr. Brigham: What you’re basically telling me --- Mr. Russell: If we rush to jury we could maybe do it in 35-60 if we rush. Mr. Brigham: So basically what you’re telling me is we’re going to either decide to renew this or we’ll gamble with whether or not we have health insurance. Mr. Russell: As I’ve said before there are other options available to you. You can decide to renew this as our recommendation. You can decide to seek other funding sources to pay for the difference, which is not my recommendation, or you can gamble. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: Mr. Mayor, I would like to suggest that we go out for other bids and we may have to take into consideration that all of the hospitals will not be used because we need to do everything in our power to keep the costs low. Okay, so let’s get something and then work up plans for next year. Mr. Mayor: Would you like to put that in the form of a motion? Ms. Beard: So moved. Mr. Hatney: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Mr. Mayor, when we’re talking about keeping the costs low it doesn’t matter who our carrier is. We’re a self-insured plan. Are we not a self-insured plan? We’re fully insured? Why in the world are we fully insured would be my first question with 6,000 lives. 26 Mr. Burns: Because of the experience. We looked at becoming self-insured because our experience is so high you don’t want to take on that extra risk. Mr. Bowles: So we’re going to pay them a premium to take that risk for us. Mr. Holland: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Holland. Mr. Holland: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You know being a people person I think one of the things that concerns me more that anything is when we have representatives from our employees to come forward and share information with us like this lady has come and shared with us. It just concerns me about our employees because I know I believe we can do a much better job than what we’re doing in reference to this insurance. Ninety days, I don’t think it would take any 90 days to renegotiate this insurance. There’s a possibility it could be done in much less than that. So why don’t we just give someone an opportunity to renegotiate and see if we can’t get it done less than 90 days because a plan like this, this is too much for these people. This is too much for this particular government. So I think there’s a better way for this to be done. But it just concerns me when we have our employees coming forward and sharing information with us and let us know that they cannot afford these kinds of plans. Some I’m going to ask Mr. Mayor if it’s possible that Ms. Sams from the Procurement Department if she could share some information with us in reference to this pertaining to this particular plan or if there’s any way that this plan could be renegotiated in discussing this plan. Mr. Mayor: And bearing in mind that we do have a motion and a second with regards to going out to bid for other carriers. Mr. Russell: I think Ms. Sams is probably going to share with you the potential to go with professional services which is always an option we have available to us. What you’d end up doing is looking at four or five potential providers in our community, tell them what you want and ask them to come up and do that for you. We basically dealt with United Healthcare in that similar kind of situation. Our consultants have basically told us that they can’t do us any better, that our rates are probably agreeable or probably reasonable at this particular point in time. The other two that potentially might be available to us do not have present contracts with all four hospitals. For those of you that remember the dilemma we had several years ago where we did not have contracts with University or MCG and the pain that caused some of our employees and I’m not to sure we really want to go back threw that again. Is that a fairly accurate, I mean I didn’t want to cut you off but that’s fairly accurate at this point as far as what they can do. Mr. Mayor: Ms. Sams. Ms. Sams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, commissioners. Mr. Russell is right in that we can go out to get other professional services to present a proposal, 2-4-6-8 providers if they are available and we can identify a timeline or set a timeline for them to give us a response. And that of course will reduce that time turnaround by a month because you could do it within ten days. 27 And you know that’s one of the beauties of having a free enterprise market in a competitive way of solving some of the problems that Augusta-Richmond County has as it relates to the insurance providers. You always get a better price when you open the market but now I don’t know in this case whether the other circumstances that we have tied to it. But turnaround can be as few as 10- 15 days. Mr. Russell: But I think as we talk about that which you’ve got to be cognizant of if the first requirement that you have is if they have contracts with all four hospitals that we use in our major market you eliminate two of the four. You end up with United Healthcare, which is the people we had previously, and BlueCross/BlueShield, which we’re dealing with now. So to go through that exercise you’re dealing back with the two people we already talked to again and in my mind this is the best deal we’ve got. So I’m not trying to be obstinate about it I’m just trying to tell you that and you know it’s tough and we’re doing the best we can with what we got and it’s up to you to make some decisions about where we go from here. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I need a ruling on whether or not insurance services are professional services. I don’t believe they are. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Boudreaux. Mr. Boudreaux: Under that particular code section insurance services are not enumerated but it is left open. It does enumerate accountants, architects, attorneys or other similar services. So that would be open to interpretation under the guise of professional services however I do think that’s correct. Insurance is more of a product than a service and so I would tend to agree that it wouldn’t fall under professional services. Mr. Brigham: If it’s a product we’ve got to go out for a bid. Mr. Boudreaux: That’s correct. Mr. Brigham: And I believe it is a product. It is a company that produces a product. Mr. Boudreaux: It certainly has the characteristics of both a service and product but it is not clearly defined under the county codes. Mr. Brigham: It is not clearly included either. Mr. Boudreaux: That’s correct. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: I’m just --- Mr. Mayor. What I need is some more figures from somebody else. That’s all I need. This is just so expensive. It’s ridiculous and to tell me there’s nobody 28 else out there it’s hard for me to believe that. All we’re asking for, what I’m asking for is to get more bids out there. Mr. Burns: I’m sure we’ll come back with better rates than these the problem is they won’t give you those rates for one year and the next year you got to get the --- Mr. Hatney: BlueCross/BlueShield’s gonna do the same thing. Mr. Burns: It’s not the same as what we received. We received a 35% renewal when we moved two years ago. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Hatney: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Hatney: All I want is an opportunity to look at other bids sir. Don’t kill the --- before you get out the gate, okay? Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Thank you. Mr. Burns, what are the co-pays the employees are currently paying? Mr. Burns: $30.00 for office visits and $50.00 for specialists. Mr. Bowles: Mr. Mayor, I think that’s the major issue right now are the office co-pays and I would like to postpone this decision until we meet with the Administrator to go over next year’s budget and see what we can as a commission work out to absorb with our increased tax . I’d like to make a recommendation base and see what burden we can take off the employees to postpone this until the next meeting. Mr. Mayor: Is that in the form of a substitute motion? Mr. Bowles: Substitute motion, yes, sir. Mr. Cheek: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a substitute motion and a second. Okay is there, Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: Mr. Mayor, I mean if we don’t go out we will not have the time. I’d like to know what the employee feels in reference to this. Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am. 29 Ms. Washington: I really thank everyone for their input and your opinions but however we’re truly suffering. Based on my salary, financial situation true I do not have the money like other employees to go out and pay these doctor fees, not along with the medication. I really think it would be fair if we can get other options. We go out and we actually bid and see what can other companies provide us. I just truly cannot believe in my heart that this is the best that we can have. There must be a better coverage. And I do understand what you’re saying in reference to health issues. You know my daughter, she’s not ill she’s really not. We just have those problems but unfortunately we do have to go the doctor and take care of this matter. You know I thank God I work for a company that is so supportive where I have to leave work sometimes everyday to go to the school and take care of this issue. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Well, and let me just put this, an overview on this. A: Obviously Augusta is not the only place that is dealing with these issues. B: Whatever decision this commission makes is going to tic some people off. There’s not going to be one size fits all with this. So I just wanted to say that. Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: To put this off to a budget discussion begins to create some problems for us from an administrative function. We have open enrollment that’s, will be starting here shortly if not already to allow people to modify their plan. We also have if we do make changes in the plan the necessity of about 60 days or so BlueCross/BlueShield to make those arrangements so that they can implement those changes as we move forward. So it’s not, unfortunately is not a discussion that becomes strictly dollars it becomes dollars plus implementation time plus ability to implement the plan and move forward. So that once again limits your ability to explore other options. Mr. Mayor: Okay, and we do have a substitute motion and a second but one thing I did want to clarify on Ms. Beard’s motion which is the primary motion. But, you had said go out for bid. I would just want to clarify that you meant going out with professional services to expedite the timeframe. Ms. Beard: Yes. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, just a question. While we’re gathering information it would be advantageous to me and to the remainder of the commission to do a comparison on doctor visits versus off the job injuries and other statistical information that might indicate that our doctor visits aren’t what’s causing this it’s perhaps our lack of an off the job safety program and other things that are causing us big bucks that prevent us from performing and self-insuring. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All righty we have a substitute, Ms. Beard, I’ve actually recognized you twice. We have a substitute motion and a second. Madam Clerk, as there’s been a great deal of discussion about this issue if you could please read back the substitute motion for clarity. 30 The Clerk: The substitute motion was to postpone the renewing of this contract until budget discussions. Mr. Mayor: If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the substitute sign of voting. Mr. Bowles: Mr. Mayor, that was postponed to the next meeting. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Clarifying that to postpone it to the next meeting. Is everybody clear on that? Mr. Williams: That changes everything, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Cheek: We’ve got to have this closed up by the end of October. Mr. Williams: Okay, I need some clarity now. We going to the next meeting or can --- budget. Mr. Mayor: Can you, Madam Clerk, with the vote started to be taken after the way the motion was first read if we clear and, Commissioner Bowles, if you could restate your substitute motion. Mr. Bowles: The original motion was to, original substitute motion was to postpone until the next meeting so we could have some budget discussions with the Administrator. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right, that is the substitute motion as submitted by Mr. Bowles and seconded. Commissioners will now vote by the substitute sign of voting. Mr. Hatney, Ms. Beard and Mr. Williams vote No. Motion carries 6-3. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 32. Discuss personnel issues in Augusta Utilities. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams) Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I don’t mind going to legal to talk about some of this. We have had a sub-committee proposal put together to address the uh, pay difference in Augusta Utilities. At this point we have not had any other discussion. I got several calls, there’s some legal issues I think that’s going to come up that we probably need to talk about in legal but there is a lot of pay differences that been going throughout the years in Augusta Utilities. We have 31 said that we couldn’t provide funds for the Augusta Utilities because of the enterprise situation and other employees but there are some employees that we have out of there. The upper level management has been paid out of there but the people who are really keeping the water flowing in Augusta who are actually doing the work are not being able to be paid and I think it’s going to become a serious issue with us and even a legal issue if we don’t do something. And I talked with Max on yesterday he called to discuss some of this to talk with Mr. Harper for a minute who was a sub-chairman for the group to look at this. If we want to go to legal and talk about those I guess any names to be called any thing to be addressed be done in legal if you want to. But unless Max got some information that he wanted to bring forth to us you know right now, Mr. Mayor, I see him at the podium I’m like you a man walks to the podium and he’s got something to say. I’d like to hear want he got on his mind. Mr. Hicks: I just wanted to say and I appreciate it, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Hicks. Mr. Hicks: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to let you know that it will be coming. That is “it” being a reclassification and an increased proposal will be coming to Administrative Service Committee on the 29th. As it turned out it won’t be ready by next week but it will be th coming to the Administrative Services Committee on the 29. We appreciate Commissioner Holland letting it come directly to the committee and Commissioner Harper for saying yes, go ahead and send it directly to the committee. So that will come forward again for your consideration. And I’ve had my foot with Commissioner Williams we’d love to see it, you know th approved and go on through but it will come to you in committee on the 29 and so it will be before the full commission the first meeting in November. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, over two years ago we have addressing this issue. Now this employee just came, Ms. Washington came and talked about insurance and finances and that situation. We met at Central Avenue office up there with the Assistant Administrator along with myself and Mr. Hicks and some of the employees. We’ve been addressing this issue, we had a sub-committee put together and I’ve been at the first meeting. Mr. Hicks did tell me that he talked with Mr. Harper and Mr. Harper agreed to just send it straight to Administrative Services so we can talk about it. But that’s why the sub-committee was put together so we can kind of iron out or discuss some of those issues and find out where we are and what needs to happen. Now I’m hearing it’s going to come to Administrative Services and I guess to the full commission. We have not had an opportunity to discuss any of that in none of those committees. There are some legal issues that’s going to come up as well. Hopefully and I, you know we don’t want to expose any of that out here. Hopefully we can get Ms. Darris and those other interested parties that being in legal and help put this on the table. But for the last two years we’ve been talking about it but nothing has been done and I understand. I mean people want to say it’s going to go away but it ain’t gonna go away until we do something about it. And we need to address those issues. And I’m waiting to get into legal so we can really lay it on the table and get out where (INAUDIBLE). 32 Mr. Mayor: Okay. All righty 32 will be discussed in legal, the personnel portion of it. All righty Madam Clerk, number 34. The Clerk: ENGINEERING SERVICES 34. Authorize a Supplement to Option Year 1 of Amendment No. 7 to the existing Program Management Services Contract with CH2MHILL. The supplement will provide additional Program Management Services for the 2004 Series Bond Capital Improvements Program approved by Commission on February 1, 2005. (No recommendation from Engineering Services Committee September 24, 2007) Mr. Cheek: Motion to approve. Mr. Smith: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioner Williams. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, another professional service. We talked about going out and getting proposals and not bid. Here we are now with another option. We’re talking about the called meeting we had last week when we talked about signing the affidavit to go ahead and take stuff to Fort Gordon infrastructure and water system out there. They had three entities that brought to the table Augusta being one and two private firms. They didn’t just select Augusta to give it to Augusta. I think we need to be mindful of a Request for Proposals to see. Now I keep saying this firm had done a great job and I asked for some figures. I hadn’t got those figures yet as to how much money we done paid this firm up until this date. I have not got that information as of yet. But I can’t see how we can take and do a supplement an amendment to the existing program without coming and seeing were there any local, I mean specify not disadvantaged but local businesses that’s able to come to the table and do some of this work. Now I’ve got that embarrassing letter at home about how many employees are going to be affected and all the employees that are working for this firm have been working for this firm for quite some time. And hopefully if the firm stays in business they ought to be working for them. Ain’t no way they can bring people in from all over to do the work they’ve been doing for us. I got a problem. I’m gonna make a substitute motion that we go out for Request for Proposal to see if there’s anybody else able to come in and this firm ought to be able to give a proposal as well. I don’t think we ought to limit them from a proposal on this thing. But I don’t think we ought to turn around and take taxpayer’s money the thing, the same two items we talked about earlier, how we need to go out for proposals and get somebody else. Insurance company was one, here it is again that a firm that we’re taking taxpayers money and spending with a firm that we have not asked anybody else to come to the table. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Williams: So that’s my motion is to get a Request for Proposal. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Smith. 33 Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. In speaking with Mr. Larry Scott from CH2MHILL, the percentages they were proposing were 45% local participation and he’s agreed as we talked today to up 55% and I would like for him if he would allow Mr. Scott to come up and rectify that. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Scott. Mr. Scott: Yes, sir, the minimum amount that we mentioned was forty-five and we would like to change that to fifty-five local participation. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, not to belabor the point but highlight the reason we were able acquire the contract to operate at Fort Gordon was because the Utilities Department had been brought to a level of competitiveness equal to or exceeding the most private sector firms. The Messerly Plant operated for over 20 years out of conformance with the Clean Water Act and has been brought on line by OMI and has conformed for the last several years meeting Clean Water Act standards. These changes did not occur overnight. They occurred because of the administrative leadership and the operational culture brought to our Utilities Department, which has taken hold but brought to us by CH2MHILL in their operational culture. It has been engrained in our Utilities Department. We are going on eight years into a 10-year half billion- dollar capital improvement program. They are asking us that we allow them to go to 55% or 54% local participation, which means local companies to the jobs. We do not need to change the administrative oversight that is being provided to our bond program construction projects. At this point in time we need to see this through. The reason that we have become competitive safer with a higher quality product at a reasonable price to our citizens is because of their involvement and partnership with our utilities company in this city. Changing horses in the hopes of saving a few bucks will throw the operational culture into a tail spin or cause a great deal of unnecessary confusion with two years left to go in a 10 year program. Mr. Mayor, I urge the commission to see this through and continue to work towards having the finest water and sewer system in the city’s history and in the country which is a large part, due in part to the participation of CH2MHILL in partnership with our Utilities Department. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Williams. Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, our Utilities Department are not doing absolutely zip, zero, nothing. CH2MHILL is doing all of the work. Now I don’t to, this is not a time and I’m not here to bash that company and any other company. I think they’re doing a great job but our Utilities Department is not doing anything. They’re running our whole show and I’ve got no problem with that. But you’re going to take taxpayers money and you’re not going to even go out for a proposal. Now this is a same scenario Mr. Cheek was very adamant about a few minutes ago. We talked about the judicial system some now for four years. He’s saying we ought to go out for proposals and I agree with that because I think we ought to stick to handling the taxpayer’s money like it ought to be handled. Now this is the same group who had a written document for participation and we approved the contract on one day. Two days later they fired 34 the employee. So if Mr. Scott and staff can tell me that 55% participation don’t mean nothing. Not to me. I think we ought to go out for proposals. I’m not saying this firm cannot give one. They ought to go out for proposals and be able to come back like anybody else and make a fair and equal opportunity for them and anybody else to be able to. When we sit here for a called meeting and voted on taking in Fort Gordon. I asked the question were we rushing to do something else now? Or are we just going put up against the 8-ball and we got to hurry up and speed existence. Our water works is not doing anything but coming and presenting to us and we’re paying and as much money as we’re paying now they’re doing a good job but they ought to be doing a good job for that kind of money. And I find it very offensive, I think the taxpayers of Augusta-Richmond County ought to have the opportunity to make sure that we’re getting the best for our bucks. And my motion still stands to go out for proposals. And let them give a proposal as well. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Mr., what’s his name again? Scott. Mr. Mayor: mm-mm Mr. Hatney: What mechanism, what do we have in place that would ensure us or secure those numbers. How do we check that? When you say 45/55, how do we check? How will we know? Mr. Scott: Well uh, every, every month on our invoice we have a tally of all the subcontractors that are working for us. Their names and the amount of, you know it’s invoiced on that month and then there’s a running total on that. We also have on there another section that shows the salaries or the percent of the work that’s being invoiced to you, being done by people, our local people which are the majority of our team. It’s just a couple of us that are not local it’s simply because I live in northeast Georgia, my retirement home. So what we’re saying here is you know, we are local and of course CH is a local firm and uh, you know a hundred some odd people. And we’re trying to increase the number of people. We’ve been working on that increasing. We would list for you, sir, the names of the people and the firms that are involved and their participation so you could check, you can call them direct with whatever documentation you would need. I understand your concern. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: Mr. Mayor, I have a few concerns about the Utility Department but that will come at another day. I want to say one thing. I remember what this water system was like, Okay? I remember pipes bursting all over Augusta almost everyday of the week. And I remember this company coming in and uh, I look and I see how things have been turned around. And not only have they done well locally we have received awards from all over for our Utility Department. You know it’s something I’m very proud of and I am proud that we could get this contract from Fort Gordon when many others were trying to get it. And this is what happens when you have good departments. And I just uh, we are well into this contract. I don’t know 35 whether my husband was here, I was here, I think he was here. But they have done a great job for us and uh, it would really just not be an interest of this city to change at this point. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second to approve. I believe Mr. Williams’ motion was not seconded. Is that correct, Madam Clerk? The Clerk: Right. Mr. Mayor: Okay, if there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Harper out. Mr. Williams votes No. Motion carries 7-1. Mr. Mayor: Next agenda item, Madam Clerk, which I believe is final one on the regular agenda. The Clerk: PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 36. Consider proposal from Mike Griffin regarding the sale and lease of city property. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, and if you could state your name and address. Mr. Griffin: Mike Griffin, 412 Greene Street. Mayor and commissioners, thank you for your time. I have some rates for 2008/2009 tepee camping. I just wanted to pass these out and show whoever had not seen the tepees and canoes and such last time. The pictures of the tepees and such on this are sold out for 2008. I know this sounds kind of odd that somebody would come all the way across the country, all the way across the world to camp in a tepee but, Dad, this is Mr. B.H. Griffin of (INAUDIBLE). This is the gentleman, come on up, Dad, this is the gentleman who brought Signal Towers to Fort Gordon and he really never has been thanked for it but he’s my Dad and he’s really a wonderful man. Now whatever I brought you to these places that you’ve never seen in Augusta before, Dad, you said you shown me places around Augusta I’ve never seen. Mr. Griffin Sr.: That’s right. Mr. Griffin: That’s right, you’re from McDuffie County. Mr. Griffin Sr.: Right. Mr. Griffin: You’re bringing McDuffie County money to Augusta now. Mr. Griffin Sr.: Right. 36 Mr. Griffin: This is the world’s tightest man, thank you, Dad. I appreciate that. We’re going to make proposals. All day we’ve been talking about spending money, spending money. My expertise if finding the money, bringing the money, keeping the money, that’s what I do. I brought the money for the lawyers. I brought the money for the doctors now I’m bringing the money for the city. The city simply needs more money. If you have a bigger pizza everybody gets a bigger slice of the pizza and it’s amazing how that can solve so many problems. These primitive camping things are just red hot. They’re sold out. People can’t get in them fast enough. They’re designed to pit the will of the forces of nature against man and women to bring families together. Showed Dad a place where we cleared out some underbrush around an area where Andy worked on it and someone overheard Andy say the uh, the things on his body from there were badges of honor. These people will come in and they will spend their money here in Richmond County. But where’s the money going right now? Right now Columbia County money is floating down the river and going to the North Augusta boat ramp. Whenever they put their bikes in here at the water works, they ride their money up to Columbia County. This money is going right by us in two different directions. We want to capture this money, put it back into Augusta, get the tax money, be able to pay better benefits. Be able to pay more expenses and this is our proposal. To build and operate a campground ground multi-use recreational outdoor conference center on Lot #020-0-002-00-0. Buy the estimated four acres running behind Warren Pond for the average sum that unimproved and inaccessible non-plumbed or powered or phone access flood plain normally has sold for in the past. ARC sales are such property. The remaining free and clear of one bike path running behind Warren Pond from there operate a multi-use campground and outdoor recreation area on the surrounds Lot #020-0-002- 00-0. We built the road, plumbing, electrical, phones, the campsite pads, the parking, furnish the tepees, commons, restrooms, maintenance structures, built websites, register all camping and outdoor recreation listings. Launch worldwide advertising campaigns, book conferences, church groups, families, friends and other groups. Meet and greet above to receipt in all proceeds, settle them into their sites, secure their needs and refer them to local merchants for their needs. Look after security and public image, assist all bike path visitors, allow portage of anyone wanting to go from river to canal and back and river to road, etc. etc. Each sale ARC would receive 10% of the net proceeds coming from all of our efforts on Lot 020-0-002-00-0 with no expense to the city. Only profits for use of the lot with no liability or expense whatsoever. Then we have another proposal. Now personally I really don’t like to use tax money. I’m in the free enterprise system. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Griffin, you’ve got 10 seconds left. Mr. Griffin: Okay, I have number two. It gives you guys 50% but you would build the infrastructure. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir, and I know that you made the presentation before. Really, generally if we’re going to vote on something I look in my packet and I didn’t see where there was a proposal in writing. Is there? Mr. Griffin: I do have this in writing and I brought it today. 37 Mr. Mayor: Okay that’s, but generally I mean, maybe you misunderstood at the last meeting. But my hope would be that you had presented to the Finance Committee, a proposal in writing so that the Finance Committee could then make a recommendation and move it on the full committee. Mr. Griffin: We’ll do that. Mr. Mayor: Because I’m just thinking the commission can share in this conversation. But we haven’t had anything in writing to look at prior to this meeting and, Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, and for those I know out there that are concerned that we can operate this on a couple of years lease. But I would be in favor and I think Commissioner Brigham had mentioned having a meeting between the Administrator and company here to see if we can come up with the numbers to present back to the full commission. This land is unutilized it’s absolutely beautiful and this may get us an in into opening that land up for public use. And also at the conclusion of this particular item, Mr. Mayor, I’d one minute of personal privilege, please. Mr. Mayor: Okay, would you like to put the statement you just made in the form of a motion? Mr. Cheek: Jerry, is that consistent with what you want? Mr. Brigham: We can make it to Finance but I want the Administrator to review it before we get it. I make a motion we send this to Finance Committee and have the, Mr. Griffin and Mr. Russell sit down and present us a package at the next committee meeting. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion, is there a second? Mr. Bowles: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay, if there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Okay, Commissioner Cheek. Mr. Hatney and Mr. Harper out. Motion carries 7-0. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 37. Motion to approve authorizing the Administrator to move forward with cleanup activities on the towpath and the Canal and report back to the Commission to proceed with the work. Mr. Cheek: Mr. Mayor, and thank you and just as a note as weather cools off my family and I will be camping on some of the islands in the river here in the next couple of months and anyone that’s interested we’ll give you notice and you can attend. Mr. Mayor, it’s come to my 38 attention that the contracts that this commission passed are requested to be passed for the, to rd come back to us for the cleaning of the 3 level of the Canal have gone nowhere. Once again the Canal Authority is taking no lead in helping pursue this. Neither have they come back with any efforts to clean up the area between the towpath, on the towpath between the pumping station and I-20. What I would ask the commission to do at this point in time since we’re going to get into this never ending never do anything cycle that we’ve been in with this before is to authorize the Administrator to move forward with developing those plans for those clean-ups activities and So I guess I’ll have to ask to add and bring it back to this commission and to proceed. approve instructing the Administrator to move forward to developing those, that clean-up initiative. Mr. Bowles: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we need unanimous consent to add, correct, Madam Clerk? The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign to add and approve. Mr. Cheek: Come on, man, I need your help on this one. Mr. Williams: You used it up on the last one. Mr. Hatney and Mr. Harper out. Motion carries 7-0. OTHER BUSINESS 38. Motion to go into a legal meeting. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Boudreaux, are we looking towards a legal meeting? Mr. Boudreau: Yes, sir, we have items of litigation, personnel and real estate to discuss in legal session. Mr. Mayor: Do we have a lot? May I ask that question? Mr. Boudreaux: No there are three items and at least two of them are fairly quick. The other would be the one that we touched on in the regular meeting. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Can I get a motion to that affect? Mr. Cheek: So moved. Ms. Beard: Second. 39 Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Hatney, Mr. Harper and Mr. Bowles out. Motion carries 6-0. Mr. Mayor: We’re in Legal. [LEGAL MEETING] Mr. Mayor: I’m going to go ahead and call the meeting back to order. Mr. Boudreaux. ADDENDUM 39. Motion to approve the purchase of 12.21 acres on Birdwell Road from Mike Regan for $5,406.00 per acre for a total of $66,007.26. Mr. Boudreaux: Thank you. We need a motion to add and approve an agenda item for the purchase of 12.21 acres on Birdwell Road from Mike Regan for $5,406.00 per acre for a total purchase price of $66,007.26. Mr. Cheek: So moved. Ms. Beard: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Hatney, Mr. Harper and Mr. Bowles out. Motion carries 6-0. 40. Motion to approve execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act. Mr. Boudreaux: We need a motion for a closed meeting affidavit as well. Mr. Cheek: So moved. Mr. Mayor: Do we have a second? Ms. Beard: Second. Mr. Mayor: Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Harper and Mr. Bowles out. Motion carries 7-0. 40 Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, I believe that passes. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: All righty. With no further business and a motion to adjourn, we stand adjourned. [MEETING ADJOURNED] 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 October 2, 2007. ____________________ Clerk of Commission 41