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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCALLED MEETING JANUARY 18, 2008 CALLED MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER JANUARY 18, 2008 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 10:45 a.m., Friday, January 18, 2008, the Hon. Deke Copenhaver, Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Holland, Smith, Mason, Hatney, Beard, Johnson, Jackson, Bowles and Brigham, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. ABSENT: Hons. Grantham, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor: I wanted to get started shortly so I’ll go ahead and call the meeting to order. Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, Commissioner Grantham is out of town and he’s going to call in at some point if we’re still meeting (INAUDIBLE). SUBCOMMITTEE Construction Manager for the Judicial Center 1. Award contract to the Potts Company to serve as Construction Manager on the new judicial center project. Mr. Mayor: Okay, well let’s get started with the presentations. Mr. Kuhlke. Mr. Kuhlke: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m here representing the Judicial Center Subcommittee. As you know we’ve been meeting with the architect and going through schematic designs and stacking diagrams and so forth. So we’re moving along with the architect. The committee wanted to come back to the Commission to present you a way to deliver the project. And that approach is a Construction Management Contract. The subcommittee interviewed five different construction management firms. We brought that down to what we considered the top two firms. We brought them in and interviewed them again. We asked them to give us their final and best proposal to perform this work and after all of that the committee unanimously selected Potts, the Potts Company. They’re out of Conyers, Georgia. And so we prepared a contract, Mr. Bowles was really involved in that contract and we brought that contract to you for your consideration and recommendations that we move forward with Potts Company. The reason for this is when you go with a construction management concept you need to bring that contract on board before the drawings are anywhere close to being completed. They perform the pre-construction services and that is working with the architect as he does his final design during value engineering as we go through that process. And sometimes at the 60-90 percent phase of the plans he will then come back to us and present us with a guaranteed maximum price for the project. Once we get started, at this point there’s nothing that will be self-performed by the CM. Everything will be bid out. The prices will go to the Procurement Office and the Procurement Office will actually issue those contracts on different phases of the construction. So we presented you with the package of the contract. We gave you an executive summary so that’s a lot of paper work and a lot of legal stuff in there for you to 1 look at. And we also provided you with a brochure of the Potts Company. So we’ll entertain the only person that’s here today is myself. Ms. Beard is on the committee, the other, oh excuse me Mr. Russell, Judge Overstreet and Tom Gunnels make up the committee. So we’ll entertain any questions that you might have, anything pertaining to the contract I’ll let Mr. Wall handle that. And I’d like to introduce Mr. Mike Potts, CEO of the Potts Company and Mr. Bushell who is the President of the Potts Company. So they can answer any questions for you also. So I’ll open it up Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Commissioners any questions? Mr. Johnson: I do have one question. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As far as the contract going out for bid. Who will be in control over the CM’s contract? Mr. Kuhlke: The CM will be the one that will put the packages out for bid and when they go through the department again they’ll then go through Ms. Sams. Once the bid’s received then they’ll go to Ms. Sams. Mr. Russell: Then the commission would obviously approve all the contracts. Mr. Kuhlke: I think, we can throw that on the table but I think once we accept the guaranteed maximum part I don’t know whether the commission has to approve every single sub-contract that goes out. We can do it either way but I think from a standpoint of expediting the job if we use the procedure that they gather the prices and give them to Ms. Sams we look at them and she’ll see if they’re qualified and then through the Procurement Office we will then issue the contract. Mr. Wall: And also this contract with the Construction Manager, they will be bound by those terms so the obligations that are in there will protect you as well. Mr. Russell: I think I misspoke when I said approve. I think it’s the potential to refuse is always there through our Procurement Office. Mr. Johnson: Then how much local participation would be sought (INAUDIBLE). I know most contractors are comfortable with subcontractors they have worked with in the past but as far as (INAUDIBLE) how much local participation would they seek to participate. Mr. Kuhlke: I’m not sure that you can answer that question right now. I mean we’re basically defining the project with the architects for the different (INAUDIBLE) you’ll have in that. I can’t speak for Mr. Potts but you know I would guess that if you’ve got the qualified people here to do the work we’re going to use as many local folks as you can. Mr. Holland: I was looking at, excuse me --- 2 Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Holland. Mr. Holland: I was looking this, the budget for construction of $48,500,000. Is that a deduction down from the $60 million that we started out? Mr. Kuhlke: That forth-eight five is what we have budgeted for the construction costs. The sixty-five includes the purchase of the land, the architect, the fees for the CM and general conditions of the CM so it would be sixty-five over and above the forty-eight five plus the different type (INAUDIBLE). Mr. Holland: For the different --- Mr. Kuhlke: Buying the land, doing the surveys, doing the GEO Technical is part of it. Architects fee and then the CM’s fee. So that’s what that difference makes up. Mr. Holland: Also I would hope that the CM, they would, when they gets these bids when they go out and we have people to come back and make a request to participate with the construction of this center, I would hope that the CM there would really take under serious consideration companies that are, especially that are minority owned companies that would have an opportunity to participate in building this judicial center. I believe that we had some companies that have all of the qualifications and I would hope that they would take serious consideration you know in making the choice when they get ready to get someone to work with them. There’s a possibility that they can work with them or a minority company can work with the Potts Company as a partner and they would be able to mentor a minority owned company as they are building the Judicial Center you know of the future. So I would just hope that they would take this under consideration because we’re speaking about inclusion, which our Mayor Pro Tem so eloquently mentioned a few weeks ago in our commission meeting. And since we’re speaking about inclusion we would hope that they would take that under consideration when they’re looking at the different contracts that are coming in so that the people of Augusta, the City of Augusta will be able to see that we are able and capable of working together and including all of those persons who are qualified to work with building this Judicial Center since we’re going to have a diverse group of people going into the center we want to have a diverse group of people working to build the center. So I would hope that the inclusiveness would take place and would really, really take under consideration you know the contracts that come in from some of the, especially some of the minority owned companies. Mr. Kuhlke: Would you like to speak to that? I know that y’all have been involved in that in the Atlanta area. Mr. Potts: Sure, thank you. In response to that it is our intention over these next twelve months before construction begins to actually hold some local workshops here. Not only promoting the project within the local community but trying to identify and qualify exactly the local firms whether it be minority based firms or local firms or the like to gain their inclusion and participation in the construction process. So you will see some very public events if you will occurring over the next twelve months. 3 Mr. Mayor: Mr. Jackson. Mr. Jackson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The only question I’ve got is I know that when you get into some building of projects that even the subcontractors aren’t bondable. They seem to go bankrupt in the middle because (INAUDIBLE). Is there any type of bonding we can request that, any contractor that you know, at least we’re protected. Mr. Wall: The contract provides for bonds by the CM. So this is a bonded job just as if you had a general contractor. So you’ll those paper bonds and performance bonds in place. Mr. Mayor: Bill, I have a question. I strongly hope we can approve this today. We’ve had a lot SPLOST projects that have stalled and when we’re looking to another SPLOST next year it’s very important to me that we get these things coming up out of the ground to build the trust within this government to see that we can get these projects seen through to completion. But what would you, and I know you can’t give an exact date, but when would you anticipate, and you can just give me a range, breaking ground on the project? Mr. Kuhlke: Well, what I’m hoping is by early fall of this year that we, we’re pretty much through with the plans and that we have agreed on a guaranteed maximum price for the project. And if that’s the case let’s assume by the end of September, Mike, that we have completed all of that don’t you think we could get started sometime towards the last part of this year? Mr. Potts: It’s possible. I know some of our discussions are ready but the designers, the program managers the like. Probably leading us to, probably in the first quarter of ’09 starts, somewhere in that area. Mr. Kuhlke: We’ll be able to up that date as we go through the process. We are at the point of starting schematic designs or done some of it already. So the next phase with the th architect is to design the drawings. Our next meeting is the 28. That’s the reason for calling this meeting today. We appreciate y’all showing up because we need that CM on board for that next meeting and then begin to work with the architect. So we can update but Mike might be closer to where we’re going to be. Mr. Wall: Well, I think that also what he’s talking about breaking ground I think what Mike’s been talking about building talking about the actual building. I think the --- of our plans to have or an early release of the package as far as --- is concerned. But I think that by the fall you will see dirt being moved over there but no building or foundations, things of that nature. Mr. Mayor: And one thing too I’m sure y’all will be giving periodic updates to the commission because I know we all continually, particularly on issues like SPLOST projects we get the questions out there on a daily basis and be able to give good information to them about how the project is progressing is important to me and I know it’s important to everybody. 4 Mr. Kuhlke: The Administrator and I talked about that and we talked about it from the standpoint of this committee. And our job during this year is to keep the commission completely updated on where we are in this project. And probably once construction begins with the exception of Tom Gunnels this could probably go away because I think then Heery will jump in. Mr. Russell: We’ve had conversations with Heery and what you’ll be getting from now on out is a monthly update on all our SPLOST projects and developments now that we are beginning to have things that are worth talking about. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mason. Mr. Mason: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Actually I have several questions but initially I just want to start out with the fact that what would be, what is the advantage of this Contract Management at Risk, Construction Management at Risk versus us going out and doing a regular bid for this contract some of the pros for that? Mr. Kuhlke: Well, I think the two prominent things that are an advantage. One is by having somebody come on and working with the architect. We think we will develop some savings as we go through that process. And the second thing is from a timing standpoint. Once the plans are completed the CM is ready to go to work. You can have some early bid packages I think that go out that you really can’t do the design bid type of program so that’s the reason that we’re coming back to you. We think it’s important to have a contractor involved with that architect to do some value engineering as we go through the design of the project and we think we can get it done anywhere from 4-5 months earlier than we could do otherwise. Mr. Mason: You’d be able to do some phased in construction --- Mr. Kuhlke: Right. Mr. Mason: --- is what I’m hearing you say without the designs being totally complete. Mr. Kuhlke: Right. Mr. Mason: I want to go to the dollar value that I’m looking at here. In reference to this lump sum payment of $192,455 I believe it is. And it’s probably looking at the contract Document 565. On article two I’m thinking this is where the $192,455 is covered under the construction manager’s pre-construction phase --- Mr. Kuhlke: Pre-construction. Mr. Mason: --- and that’s what the 192 will cover. What will we get for that 192 lump sum payment? Mr. Speaker: Is that right? 5 Mr. Wall: That’s correct. That plus you’ve got supplemental conditions. That is a part of it as well but yes that’s for pre-construction. Mr. Mason: Okay now when you mention supplemental conditions what exactly are --- Mr. Wall: It should be attached to that document. It shows it at the end right there, scope of work. The scope of work of pre-construction services is there as well. Mr. Mason: Now the 1.7 that was 192. The 1.7 mill I believe it is and some change --- Mr. Kuhlke: That’s there. Mr. Mason: --- that’s the construction phase. That’s during the actual construction phase. Mr. Wall: That’s correct. Mr. Mason: Now I’m trying, and the reason why I’m bringing that up is I’m trying to get a clarification of the difference between the two fees. Mr. Wall: The pre-construction would be what they’re doing as the schematics are being prepared. They will be actively involved in looking at those schematics and looking at the cost savings, looking at the type of materials that are being proposed, type of foundations. All of those things to try to insure that when they go out for the guaranteed maximum price that we get the most bang for the buck and get a $48 million dollar building that is, that’s got as much in it as possible. Mr. Mason: Under the Administration portion, whoever is going to answer the question but it’s under the Administration portion of the Document 565 back in 2001 it says basically the only designate specific persons or entities from whom the construction manager shall attain bids. However the guaranteed maximum price has been established and the owner may not prohibit the construction manager from attaining bids from other qualified bidders. I’m trying to figure out is the bidding coming from the Procurement Department or is the bidding coming through the construction manager. Mr. Wall: The bidding is coming through the Procurement Department in the sense that all bids will be turned into the construction manager, I’m sorry to Procurement. The construction manager will be responsible for putting the packages together and getting those out, getting those advertised and so they would come in through the Procurement Department. This is the same process that is being utilized currently as far as the construction manager on the water treatment. Mr. Mason: So if the Procurement Department receives bids as far as the selection process who has the final authority on who gets selected? 6 Mr. Wall: The owner has the final selection. But it’s anticipated that will done at the Administrative level through the Administrator in the office. But the owner has the ultimate authority to select that. Mr. Mason: And just so that we’re all clear the owner being the government. Mr. Wall: The owner being Augusta Georgia. Mr. Mason: All right. Very good. Um, there was a $3 million and some change there and that’s a time and materials contract? Mr. Wall: That’s correct. Mr. Mason: Which is basically being billed by the hour? Mr. Wall: Being billed --- Mr. Mason: And of course the materials probably exceed costs? Mr. Wall: Correct. Mr. Mason: How long, what is your expected time frame? In other words there was, this $3 million came so there had to be some sort of break down of the labor categories. Mr. Wall: Twenty-four months. Mr. Mason: Okay twenty-four months and ‘x’ amount of hours within that twenty-four months per individual. You can see where I’m kind of going with that. I think there would be some kind of breakdown of description of labor categories like an hourly rate and how you came up with the $3 million there. Mr. Wall: Well, they submitted a proposal, which had detailed information included in that and then a total. It was broken out in five various categories such as safety, job site, office and things of that nature. As far as actual listing of personnel and the number of hours we did not get that. We got a not to exceed bid amount in their best proposal. They were the low one, low submittal. So based upon the general conditions and costs that was submitted that was the selection, or part of the selection. Mr. Mason: Well, one of the things that concerned me and it’s cleared up, I certainly don’t have any issues with that but on a time and materials contract there should be in my mind a break down of labor descriptions that fall up underneath there. And I’m not talking in terms of materials. There should be a not to exceed there but there should be a breakdown of labor descriptions, hourly amount for that description and a estimated number of hours that person worked which will give me a dollar figure and how many people on there will give me a total figure which will come up to and you see what I’m saying? So there will be a cost estimate if 7 you will. It would break that out it will let me know how you came up with the $3 million estimate. Mr. Wall: That was a bid item proposal by them. Again they were the low of the two firms that were at the final. In the pay request that are made for reimbursement of those expenses that type of detail will be there. We’ve got requirements that it’s open for inspection by anyone on behalf of Augusta that wants to look at those materials, audit those materials, question the breakdown of hours, etc. Mr. Mason: I guess my other question which actually goes with this one as well is the quality assurance and quality control from the government’s standpoint on the time and materials contract. Who from the government is a representative here that will ensure that the government is getting what it is that they’re paying for versus and certainly not against any of the particular contractors here. But who would watch out for the government in terms of assuring that we get what it is that we’re paying for? Mr. Wall: You’ve got several layers in my opinion. First of all you’ve got the construction manager because they’re not self-performing the work, they’re subbing it out. So they will be inspecting the sub-contractors work. So you’ve got that level that you would not possibly have in a regular design building project. Then you in addition have Heery who is working under the direction of the Administrator, Mr. Johnson I am told beyond part of this job on a daily basis. So he will be the eyes and ears of the Administration in so far as the construction that is going on. You also have the architect who makes inspections and be sure that in general terms that the building supplies with the drawings. So you have that level. And so you’ve got multiple levels that will look at the quality of the work as you go through the project. Mr. Kuhlke: The other thing is Tom Gunnels who’s on the committee and he is the court administrator and he’s very familiar and Tom is going to be active as the project goes on. Mr. Mason: Okay because I’m hearing the construction manager and Mr. Johnson and the architect. Those are external sources. I’m really kind of looking for an internal source. Mr. Speaker: It’s basically Heery. Mr. Russell: Heery is our, it’s a separate contractor over arching with responsibility on quality on all our SPLOST projects. This is, and they will report directly to me to make sure that I understand what’s going on and keep y’all informed. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: One question. Looking at this package $192,000 figure lump sum at what juncture will this body know what this $192,000 and change represents? At what juncture? Am I to assume that is to be paid up front? 8 Mr. Wall: No it’s not paid up front. It will be paid periodically during the, where services that are rendered. Mr. Hatney: I’d be happy to have had something to come up with this figure so there should be some method or some means by which they posted what they’re going to be doing to total this $192,000. Mr. Wall: Well, again, when we submitted the request for the best final proposal we asked for a lump sum fee in so far as pre-design services. And as a part of the pre-design services we laid out a scope of work. They had an idea of the scope of work to be involved in that pre-design service. And so you know they would be foolish not to devote as much time as they can because they ultimately are going to be the ones responsible for the GMP and being sure that what is being designed by the architect can be built for that $48,500,000 construction budget. Mr. Hatney: You still didn’t answer the question. Mr. Wall: We did not ask for --- Mr. Hatney: Excuse me (unintelligible) to bring $192,000 for labor. You have no real knowledge of construction. Bring that lump sum money to me you’re going to show me how you came to that amount of money. To me I think that’s not doing me better. I don’t know what this money represents. What you’re asking for is not important to me (unintelligible) for this body to have a number this size. How did you reach that number? There’s got to be some things that going to be done to total this. My question is what are those? Mr. Kuhlke: Ms. Sams is going to get it for you right now. Ms. Beard: And there’s another pre-construction phase --- Mr. Kuhlke: Yes, ma’am. Ms. Beard: --- where they’re working with the architects. Mr. Kuhlke: That’s $192,000 that Rev. Hatney’s talking about. Ms. Beard: Right, that’s what it is. Mr. Hatney: I just think that if that had been with this I wouldn’t have asked the question. Mr. Kuhlke: Yes, sir. Mr. Hatney: (unintelligible) to bring these big old figures to us but there not itemized as to how you came about giving us those numbers. You don’t have no problem presenting these 9 big old numbers. Maybe the rest of them understand but I don’t. All I’m asking for is an explanation. Mr. Kuhlke: Yes, sir. Ms. Sams: That line item was not one of the ones that we require but we have agreed that we will get that information by the end of the day. Mr. Hatney: By the end of the day. You want me to vote on this before I see that? Mr. Kuhlke: Do you happen to have the, what went with the proposal that asks for that one fee, what the scope of work was? Rev. Hatney, while he’s looking at that what I will tell you is this. That amount of money is for the construction manager and his people to work with the architect in coming up with the final design of the building. That’s basically what it is and that is a flat fee to do that. Ms. Beard: They could explain that if necessary. Mr. Potts: Basically that’s a summation of all the anticipated costs that we will have in the form of personnel, incidental costs whether it be copies, brochures, copies of information that I alluded to earlier that we will be having local meetings here. Our expenses to have local meetings here to create interest from the local community with the sub-contractors, any information that has to go out to communicate back. It will be for reproduction of the plans, specifications during that period working up to the guaranteed maximum price. So it’s a sundry of things that we have to sit down and analyze ourselves. What would our costs be during that time of pre-construction before the final guaranteed price is put together. That’s a quick description of what it is. There’s a tremendous amount of meetings that we will be attending with our people during that period of time. A tremendous amount of information will be shared during that period of time and those are the sums of those costs. Ms. Beard: Bill, how much time to do spend with the architect --- Mr. Mayor: Ms. Beard. Ms. Beard: --- during, oh I’m sorry. Mr. Mayor: No, ma’am, go ahead. Mr. Potts: It literally will be continuous. It will be continuous because the objective here is that, you heard Bill talk about we bring --- aboard very early with the design of the project. We will literally going to be spending a tremendous amount of time whether it be physically in person, over the phone, electronically as we all continue to assess the design, work with the design. We’re continually costing the workers. We have estimators in a layman’s term we will be assessing the cost for the design to move forward. There will be many scenarios. What if we change this material, that material. There’s a tremendous amount of expense on our part, personnel primarily. We may make visits to different areas to determine what some of the best 10 materials to bring to Augusta for this facility. It’s just the amount of time that we will spend in an effort to make sure that when this particular contract is amended in the form of a guaranteed maximum price that we have done all we can do to bring the most economic, efficient facility to Augusta. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Do we have an allotted amount of time for the pre-construction phase? In other words is it five months, three months? Mr. Wall: That is actually a part of the architect’s contract that was included in the information furnished to the CM and their time periods are a part of that and basically by November if I’m recalling correctly and I don’t have that schedule in front of me. November of this year they are to have the documents to the CM that will be utilized as a part of developing a guaranteed maximum price. So that’s what you’re talking about now until roughly November. Please don’t hold it exactly to November. That’s my recollection. I think that’s the date. Mr. Johnson: But it would not be no additional costs if it runs over the amount of time. Mr. Wall: It’s a lump sum for the pre-design. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mason. Mr. Mason: Yes, can you explain the risk of the Contract Manager at Risk that the contractor takes in this instance? That will help me understand the risk that they’re actually taking that requires them to get a sum of this magnitude. Mr. Kuhlke: Which figure are you talking --- Mr. Bowles: GMP risk. Mr. Kuhlke: Well, let me sum it up this way. Once we get that that GMP if he, if he is included in the capital contract that backs out and the next contract he’s got is a million dollars higher that he was he’s got to eat it. Mr. Mason: So this in essence can cut down on the number of change orders that may --- Mr. Kuhlke: We hope so. Mr. Mayor: It provides incentive for him. Mr. Kuhlke: I would say any change orders that happen, any change orders that happen would be initiated by the government. 11 Mr. Mason: What happens when we get to a point that hopefully we don’t exhaust our resources but we’re at a point where the resources are not there what the facility perhaps would not be completed. Mr. Kuhlke: Our hopes are and this bid feels this way Mr. Gunnels feels this way and Heery feels this way that we’re going to get everything we want in that building. I told Mr. Brigham the other day I am cautiously optimistic that that’s going to happen. But we won’t know that until we get the guaranteed maximum price. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Sir, the reason why I’m so concerned about this (unintelligible) it’s done I realize (unintelligible). The reason I’m so concerned about this, it’s been my experience if you except the way things start you can’t expect change. You start out like this with a lump sum figure without any (unintelligible) everything that going to be done. But some way or another sir you have to put a figure to all of those categories to reach this $192,000. So that’s the information I hoped would have been with this and then we wouldn’t have to be asking these questions. Mr. Kuhlke: Rev. Hatney, they’re not to blame on that by giving a breakdown because what we did is develop the scope of work and we asked for a lump sum figure for that scope of work. So, correct, Ms. Sams? Mr. Mayor: And I would think in moving forward knowing the level of detail that we’d like to look at that would provided in going forward. Commissioner Holland. Mr. Holland: Thank you. Two things and then what would happen if we exceeded that amount, $192,455. What would happen if you exceed that? Mr. Kuhlke: Their contract is specific and that’s the amount that they’ll get. Mr. Mayor: They can’t exceed it. Mr. Kuhlke: They can’t exceed it. Mr. Holland: The other question is this. You mentioned something about a change orders just a minute ago. Can you go back to that and explain that in reference to the change orders that you were talking about? Mr. Kuhlke: Well, you know, y’all are going to be brought up to date. It may be something that the committee or Heery or somebody comes back with a suggestion. It may a change in the finish in a room or it may be different type doors and make a suggestion that you go to that but it’s going to cost you $100,000 for it. Then you as a commission are the ones that are going to say we’re going to do it or we’re not going to do it. So that’s basically it. Occasionally what you’ll run into is if an architect may leave something off of a plan and but with them being involved all the way through the project that should be very unlikely to happen. 12 But those, in the conventional way that’s how a change order arrives, unforeseen type things that come up. Mr. Mayor: Would somebody like to make --- Commissioner Mason? Mr. Mason: I’d like to make an observation here. If we have an opportunity to get something started, turn some dirt here but at the same time obviously there’s some legitimate concerns as we move forward. One of the things that’s forefront in my mind is that we’ve lost in my mind billions of dollars over time with this particular issue from when it was passed back in SPLOST what three, four whatever it was. It’s been awhile. So the dollar today is not worth the dollar it was some four or five years ago whenever this was initially passed. So we’re increasing cutting down our ability to bring anything to the forefront if we continue on in this manner. But at the same time there are some legitimate concerns. But here’s an opportunity in my mind for us to potentially start fresh and put whatever happened in the past behind and start from here. And so I was hoping to be the mindset and the thought process of all of the individuals involved because we’re dealing with a large monetary value here on this contract that we, you know we move forward from today and start fresh regardless to what issues people had in the past or what was causing those issues. I really don’t want to get into that. But at the same time here’s an opportunity for everybody in the room to really put their best foot forward and moving this project forward. But at the same time realizing and hearing the concerns of all the individuals sitting at this table that may be brought to the forefront and try to address those in the best manner possible so that as we continue on and bring more projects to the forefront and do more business we can have a reasonable assurance that we’ve got a good working relationship going on there. And I don’t mean to preach but I just want to try and put that out there. I think here’s an opportunity for us to start today to be more transparent and open in terms of how we’re doing business and be more inclusive. So I would hope that would be the desire of all the folks here in the room and uh --- Mr. Mayor: Would you like to put that in the form of a motion? Mr. Mason: Well, I will put it in the form of a motion. Mr. Smith: I’ll second it. Mr. Mayor: That we approve and move forward. Mr. Mason: I will put in the form of a motion that we approve and move forward, absolutely. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’ve got a motion and a second. Rev. Hatney. Mr. Hatney: At what, I don’t have no problem with us going forward. When will we see the information I asked about because I’m not asking for --- Mr. Mayor: Today. 13 Mr. Mason: An amendment of that motion then to include having that documentation. Mr. Holland: Itemized. Mr. Mason: Absolutely. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Beard. Ms. Beard: Geri, I talked with you about the timeliness of payments. Did you speak with anybody in reference to that on a monthly basis? Ms. Sams: Yes, ma’am, in fact I did and thank you for that question. Ms. Beard called our office to see if we we’re going to be able to make this payment in 16-17 days and I did follow up with that question with Mr. Russell and he has checked into it and the Accounting Department guaranteed to me that that would take place. Ms. Beard: Okay. And all of our other questions have been answered? Ms. Sams: Yes, ma’am, they have. Ms. Beard: And I would like to mention to you in your information you said all of you had a number of projects and all of them have been on time and I know it doesn’t mean it will happen this time but on time and under budget. Is that correct? Mr. Potts: Yes ma’am. We’d like for that to happen. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to go on record commending Mr. Kuhlke for what he’s done and is doing and what and will be. Thank you, Bill. Mr. Kuhlke: I appreciate it. Mr. Smith: Bill has worked very hard and I just wanted --- Ms. Beard: And I concur with that. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. If there is no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting by a show of hands. Mr. Grantham out. Motion carries 9-0. Mr. Mayor: It’s unanimous. With no further business to come before the body we stand adjourned. 14 [MEETING ADJOURNED] Lena Bonner Clerk of Commission CERTIFICATION: I, Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Called Meeting of the Augusta Richmond County Commission held on January 18, 2008. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 15