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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission Meeting June 26, 2008 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER JUNE 26, 2008 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., June 26, 2008, the Hon. Deke Copenhaver, Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Holland, Smith, Mason, Grantham, Hatney, Beard, Johnson, Jackson, Bowles and Brigham, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. The invocation was given by the Reverend Wilfred C. Hunt, Pastor Burns Memorial United Methodist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor: Reverend, I have something for you. And I will share with y’all that as long as I have known Reverend Hunt I never knew that your first name was Wilfred. By these present be it known that Reverend Wilfred C. Hunt, Pastor Burns Memorial United Methodist Church is Chaplain of the Day for his civic and spiritual guidance demonstrated throughout the community. th Serves as an example for all the faith community. Given under my hand this 26 day of June 2008. Thank you, sir, for that wonderful prayer. (APPLAUSE) Madam Clerk, on to the delegations which I --- The Clerk: DELEGATIONS A. Mr. Scott Hudson. RE: First Saturday Foundation. Mr. Speaker: Mr. Mayor, Scott does not seem to be with us at the moment. Mr. Mayor: Okay, well, I guess we will move on to the consent agenda. The Clerk: The consent agenda consists of items 1-6. They’re all Planning, second readings on planning ordinances that were approved at the last meeting. Mr. Mayor: Okay, do we have any additions to the consent agenda? Mr. Smith: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Smith. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to add numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Mr. Russell: You can’t do 17, sir. 1 Mr. Mayor: We can’t do 17 but the others, Madam Clerk, I believe that there were two items there that you had. PUBLIC SERVICES 7. New Ownership Application: A.N. 08-24: A request for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Jaydev, Inc. located at 1502 Central Ave. District 2. Super District 9. 12. New Ownership Application: A.N. 08-29: A request by Riaz A. Fazalbhoy for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Lasani, Inc. DGA Super Express located at 3150 Wrightsboro Rd. District 5. Super District 9. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Under the Public Services portion we have a request from the License and Inspections Department to delete item 7 at this particular time and to delay action on item 12 until a later date. Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham. Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor, we have a revision to the agenda. I don’t know if you want to get to that one right now. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, if you would like to see if we have unanimous consent to add those two additions to the agenda and potentially add them to the consent agenda. Mr. Grantham:. I’d like to add them to consent. Yes, sir Mr. Mayor: Okay, would you like to put that in the form of a motion? I will. Mr. Grantham: Mr. Hatney: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all in favor vote by the usual sign. Motion carries 10-0. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Brigham. Mr. Brigham: Let’s go back to what Ms., the clerk was asking us about item 7 and 9. I’d like to make that we honor the request of the License and Inspection Department on those. Mr. Mayor: Seven and twelve. 2 Mr. Brigham: Seven and twelve, I’m sorry. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Brigham: I would like to honor that request so I guess I’m going to ask that we delete item 7 and that we postpone item 12 to the next meeting, or after the Committee meeting on Monday. Mr. Mayor: Would you like to put that in the form of a motion passing the consent agenda with those two exceptions? Mr. Brigham: I can do that. Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Mr. Hatney: Can I ask a question? That was a second already. I have a question. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Item 13, I believe the Administrator would prefer this going to, through the Finance Committee first. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: Yes, sir, I would but we do have the actuaries here and several people from that particular group and what I’d like to do is hear the report from the actuary and then uh, so we’ve got that --- Mr. Hatney: (Inaudible). Mr. Russell: Yes. Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion and a second on the consent agenda. If there’s no further discussion commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. CONSENT AGENDA PLANNING 1. ZA-R-188 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning Commission to approve an amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County by amending Section 8-3 (d) to permit family day care homes which meet certain conditions as home occupations by Special Use Permit instead of by Special Exception. (Approved by the commission June 17, 2008 – second reading) 2. SA-043 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning Commission to approve an amendment to the Subdivision Regulations for Augusta- Richmond County by adding to Section 302 related to the GA-NPDES checklist. (Approved by the Commission June 17, 2008 – second reading) 3 3. SA-044 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning Commission to approve an amendment to the Subdivision Regulations for Augusta- Richmond County amended by deleting Section 404 – Sidewalks in its entirety and replacing it with a new Section 404 – Sidewalks. (Approved by the Commission June 17, 2008 – second reading) 4. SPA-07 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning Commission to approve an amendment to the Site Plan Regulations for Augusta-Richmond County by adding a portion of Section 301 (Information to be included) related to the GA- NPDES checklist. (Approved by Commission June 17, 2008 – second reading) 5. ZA-R-187 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta-Richmond County Planning Commission to approve an amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County by amending Section 8-1 to include as a permitted use, in one- family residential zones, facilities for handicapped persons as described at 42 U.S.C. 3602. (Approved by the Commission June 17, 2008 – second reading) PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 6. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular and Special Called meeting of the Commission held on June 17, 2008. 8. New Application: A.N. 08-25: A request by Douglas S. Evenson for an on premise consumption and retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with the New York Butcher Shoppe located at 447 Highland Ave. District 7. Super District 10. 9. New Ownership Application: A.N. 08-26: A request by In Sun Kim for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Coliseum Amoco located at 801 Walton Way. District 1. Super District 9. 10. New Ownership Application: A request by Sung H. Chang for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with K.W. Chang Enterprises, Inc. DBA Time Saver Gro #3 located at 3333 Mike Padgett Hwy. District 6. Super District 10. 11. New Application: A.N. 08-28: A request by William E. Williamson for a retail package Beer license to be used in connection with Broad Street Tobacco located at 2006 Broad St. District 1. Super District 9. ENGINEERING SERVICES 14. Motion to approve a Replacement Housing Supplement (moving expenses) in connection with a purchase of a Right-of-Way between Curtis E. Peters, as owner, and Augusta, Georgia as optionee, in connection with the Alexander Drive Project, for the property located at 2501 Carriage Creek for a purchase price of $46,900.00. 15. Approve the deeds of dedication, maintenance agreements, and road resolution submitted by the Engineering, and Augusta Utilities Departments for Cotswolds Place. 16. Motion to approve a request to extend employment for Wayne Schultz, who is a temporary employee hired in 2007 to assist the Land Acquisition Staff in meeting the demands of their workload. ADDENDUM 17. Motion to approve the reappointment of Ms. Amanda Barefield to the Augusta Richmond County Library Board representing District 8. (Requested by Commissioner Smith) 4 18. Motion to approve the reappointment of Ms. Jane Howington to the Augusta Richmond County Library Board representing District 10. (Requested by Commissioner Smith) Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, Reverend Hatney had a --- Mr. Hatney: Abstain on alcohol, all of them. The Clerk: Okay. Mr. Hatney: Thank you. Mr. Hatney abstains. Motion carries 9-1. [Items 8-11] Motion carries 10-0. [Items 1-6, 4-6, 14-16, 17, 18] Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, I think that leaves us with item 13. The Clerk: FINANCE 13. Receive Information from Actuary Regarding Increase in Benefits Requested by 1949 Pension Plan Retirees. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, as you know over the past several weeks and months, members of the 1949 Plan have presented us with a request to increase their benefits. We’ve prudently asked the Actuary to do a study on that as part of his other studies that he was doing to determine the financial impact not only on the plan but on this government. He’s with us here today and I’d like to receive that information from him and determine whether or not you as a Commission have any additional questions about that. And then I have a suggestion to move forward. Mr. Mayor: Okay. I would like to call forth the Actuary for the report. Mr. Karbon: My name’s Bill Karbon. I’m with CBIZ Benefits and Insurance Services and we are the actuary for both the ‘45 and ‘49 Plans. What I did in putting this study together was look at the cost impact both of increasing $250.00 a month benefit for the retirees as well as the active participants. We looked at doing it in two different ways. One would be just to give the $250.00 a month flat and then the other would be to give the $250.00 a month increase. And that increase would then have the COLA applied to it. Each year there would be a Cost of Living adjustment that would increase that. And that’s why you see two different columns of numbers. The cost impact of just adding a $250.00 benefit addition without applying a COLA or a Cost of Living Adjustment to that would be an increase in the liabilities of about five and a half millions dollars. And the additional cost to the plan would be about $630,000.00 a year. To have a COLA applied to that as well would actually increase the liabilities by almost $7 million dollars, which is about 10% of the liabilities. And that would increase costs by about 5 $786,000.00. A couple comments I’d like to make. One is when in doing this we recently changed our funding methodology that we use in determining the costs for the ’08 valuation, which would actually stretch out the costs a little longer than what was being done under the prior methodology. So under the new methodology this cost is actually much lower than it would’ve been had we not changed our funding methods to the plan. And another comment I’d like to make is just to be aware that we’re in an environment now where you know, with what’s going in the financial market is where a significant decrease in the assets of the plan, that alone could have a significant impact on cost. Just to give you an idea there’s about roughly $75 million dollars in the plan. We’re expecting assets to grow by about 8% a year, which would be about $6 million dollars a year. If they actually decrease by 8% which, in this current environment is highly likely that means not only did you not make the $6 million you lost $6 million. So there’s $12 million dollars less there then we anticipated. So, you know, I just want to caution you in looking at improving Plan benefits you’re doing it at a time when potentially you could be doing it at a time when there’s already a high likelihood that there could be an increase in Plan costs just because of what’s happening in the financial marketplace. That we won’t know until we get to the end of the year but you know just looking at what’s going on now there doesn’t seem to be you know a lot of people predicting that the markets are going to be having a significant upturn. That has to be you know part of what I believe you know the thought process. Not only are you looking at an $786,000.00 increase it could potentially be much higher just because of this marketplace activity. Mr. Mayor: Okay, can I get a motion, thank you, sir. Can I get a motion to receive this as information and refer this agenda item to the next Finance Committee meeting? Mr. Smith: So moved. Mr. Mayor: Do we have a second? Mr. Bowles: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, if I may. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: We had hoped to be able to make a determination at this point on what would be a prudent course of action. We’re familiar with the needs of our retirees and we’ve listened to them and understand the position they’re in. But just given the numbers we’ve got in front of you today I think it will require some more thought and more process on our particular end to come up with a real recommendation. I did want to share with you that the numbers I’m looking at today are very positive and I would hope that they would look better than that but they don’t. And I’d be uncomfortable giving you direction today on which way to go and would like some time and I think referring it back to Finance is very appropriate. I appreciate that. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Commissioner Brigham. 6 Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor when are we due our next report from Finance, our fund advisors? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell, do you? Mr. Russell: We just had one several, and they all run together. Donna? Ms. Williams: (Inaudible). Mr. Russell: The quarter, the June quarter which you should get in the next several weeks. Mr. Brigham: I would prefer us postponing it until after we receive that quarterly report so we can see what we’re actually --- Mr. Russell: What the market’s actually doing? Mr. Brigham: So we have some kind of trend where our investments have been for the last --- Mr. Mayor: Mr. Smith, would you like to amend your motion to --- Mr. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Brigham. Okay, we have a motion and second. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Motion carries 10-0. Mr. Grantham: Mr. Mayor, let me have a follow-up question. This is not on that subject. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Point of personal privilege? Mr. Grantham: Yes. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham. Mr. Grantham: And that is in view of the fact that um, several of our retirees in different Plans are still under the pay that they get money for themselves. And if something were to happen to them then their Plan goes away and their wives do not receive anything. And we’ve talked about this on several occasions. And I think while we’re looking into these things some of these retirees have mentioned to me as well as to other people that they would like to buy back into their Plan so that if something happens to them their wife is included in that Plan. And while I had an Actuary here I wanted to find out what possibilities are there to do that. And if we 7 could look down the road to find out what a cost would be to these people that have retired that would like to come back into that Plan, under those conditions. Mr. Karbon: Just to try to understand the exact question. You’re looking to keep the benefits at the same level and then just provide a survivorship benefit or would you adjust benefits? Mr. Grantham: Well, you would have to adjust the benefits. You would have to. Under those conditions it would allow that particular retiree that elected just to take the single retirement position that he would have to pay back into the Plan based on what he has received and then it would allow him to be reduced at that point along with having an opportunity to put his spouse down the road to be included in the Plan. Mr. Karbon: I’ll answer. You know my one concern here is that we’re getting into a legal issue --- Mr. Grantham: Right. Mr. Karbon: --- and I’m not at this point able to answer whether you could do that. But you know assuming that there are legal issues that we can get through you’d probably be looking at you know reductions of you know 15-20% of benefits to provide somewhere around a 50- 100% survivor benefit. Mr. Grantham: Right. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Grantham: And I think that’s understood. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we actually so ends our agenda but we actually had Mr. Hudson come in. He’s not used to us being done with meetings in 15 minutes. I actually will allow him to do his presentation for the First Friday Foundation. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, if I can. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: The Actuary is willing to stay around after the meeting for a few minutes and I would hope Ms. Nickson would be able to stay too. If any of the retirees have any questions or I know they’re going to call me and ask me to explain what he just said. And I don’t know how to do that. But it would be better if he could do that. He’s willing to do that if y’all would like to stick around and ask him the questions directly. I would make that offer available. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thank you. Mr. Hudson. 8 Mr. Hudson: Where is this camera? Mr. Mayor: There are two behind you. Mr. Hudson: First, I apologize for being late. I believe Steve Cassell changed all the stoplights on the way down here. Mr. Mayor, Madam Pro Tem, Commissioners what I am presenting to you today is our master plan for First Saturday just to kind of let you all know what we are planning in the next three years and what we would like to ask in those next three years from the City. First of all I was down at Aquaduct Park last weekend both Saturday and Sunday and am very pleased to tell you it was filled with people and they were actually using the trashcans. And that’s a very good thing for me. So I know I’ve only got five-minutes so I’ll get through this just as quick as I can. Through December of ’09, January of 2010 we will in July/September finish up an archeological project at Shamrock Mill. All of the artifacts that we find will be turned over to the Canal Authority for display in their museum. Then we’ve been donated 30 hydrangea plants and azaleas. Those will be planted in October which is the right month to put those plants out. What you folks have seen down at Aquaduct Park by next spring it’s just going be nothing by blooms. Then we’re going to begin cleaning the third level of the canal. We’re going to ask on our cleanup days that they stop the water flow completely so we can safely get down into that area. I believe, Commissioner Bowles, you’ve seen about how much trash is down in that area. We’re expecting that cleanup effort to take pretty much all the way through June of ’09 but we do have plans to be able to open that up June of ‘09. Then they’re going to be drawing down the first level of the canal and we would like to assist in their efforts to remove some of the trees that are you know falling into the water. Then we will turn around we would take that entire corridor where they take the Petersburg Boats and plant dogwoods, azaleas, hydrangeas. I’m having no problem getting free plants so that shouldn’t be a problem at all. Then we would like to be able to expand the white water park idea. Right now it’s going to start at Sacred Heart and go down to Hawks Gully. We’d like for it to start at Davidson High School. Just got to figure out the logistics of being able to do that. Then we’re going to be working on Academy Park, right out here behind us where the old Richmond Academy Building is. There’s not a lot of work to do there, just removing a fence and planting some flowers and putting some benches in. And then all the city employees can go out in nice weather and have a picnic lunch as opposed to having to buy a sandwich. So um, this is what we’re looking at in the next three years. If you say I played Augusta you can go on a Petersburg boat and see beautiful plants and uh, and all of the native species that are out there. We’d love to see concerts at the canal and on the Savannah River. You’ll have Aquaduct Park, White Water Park, Academy Park, The Augusta Golf and Gardens, Meadow Gardens and Riverwalk All within the metropolitan Augusta area. That combined with some of these other things on here including some wishful thinking like Miller’s Theater could really be an economic boon to our area. It would give the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau a real sales package to bring more tourism and to fill up the Tee Center when it comes on line. Our continued involvement we will police all of the parks that we have built to make sure that the trash is cleaned up and put in the proper places. All of the flowers that we plant, those will be maintained. We will continue to work with the DDA and the CVB. We are also, we started a student pilot program at Aquinas High School that turned out to be phenomenal where the kids got a little bit of extra credit for coming out before hours and working with us. Those kids, some of them worked harder than the adults. And I would like to expand that to include some of our Richmond County Schools. It’s 9 good for the kids and certainly keeps them off of the streets. We do not require any funding from the City of Augusta. We will never require any funding from the City of Augusta in terms of hard dollars but we will be looking into some Federal money that’s available to citizens groups such as ours. What we would like to ask from you over the long run is some signage to let people know where these parks are. We really need the trash cans to be emptied periodically if they can be because once again people are using them and they’re overflowing. I understand that we do have dumping ordinances especially these businesses along the third level of the canal. They just kind of toss it over the fence. It would be great if we could enforce those. Another problem is going to be the homeless population. I’m going to work with the folks at the Salvation Army to see what we can do even if it means building them an enclosure with a roof over the top so they can stay out of the sun and stay out of our parks. We need a wooden stairway of some kind going down into Aquaduct Park. I estimate that maybe the lumber cost would be somewhere between four and five hundred dollars. It wouldn’t be a whole lot to build that and then Ms. Beard you can get you granddaughter down there without Austin Rhodes’ help. Ms. Beard: (Inaudible). Mr. Grantham: Y’all quit looking at me! Mr. Hudson: Also once we get White Water Park on line we need a wooden launching pad and a wooden pad for people to pull their canoes up and safely get out. And it would be great to have a couple of observations decks along the way so that you know we can have hotdog vendors out there selling hot dogs and coke. And we have enjoyed wonderful, and I wanted to stress wonderful technical assistance from the City of Augusta. Some of the Recreation employees came down and they didn’t sit in their truck and watch us work. They got down in the muck with us and I’m really very proud of them. If we can continue that, having the trash bins brought out, the portalettes that sort of thing. I would love to put our convicts to work so if we can continue to do that. And a warning sign right at the Aquaduct area just for liability purposes and that’s all. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thank you so much, Mr. Hudson. Does anybody, and thank you for your efforts. Thank you for the crews’ efforts. Y’all have done an amazing job and it just shows what can be done in this community. So y’all have set a great example. Ms. Beard. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Beard: Scott, I’d like for you to know we are so appreciative of all you’re doing there. Now I see first level of the canal. Did you mean third level and where is first level located? Mr. Hudson: What July through December? Ms. Beard: Yes. Mr. Hudson: The first level is where they bring the Petersburg Boats down. They are going to drain that area to, I believe they’ll have to run some pipe up underneath it and my understanding is the Canal Authority is going to use that time to get out there and clean the 10 bottom of the canal. I think there’s some cars still out there. They’re going to remove those. A lot of rotting trees they’re going to remove those as well. Ms. Beard: Well, I want you to know I’m excited about everything you’re doing. I think it should be included to include some of our SPLOST funds because the entire community seems to know about it and they are so excited and it’s been here for years and it hasn’t been used. So it looks like this is our time and it’s all because of you. Mr. Hudson: I will take credit for the idea, Mayor Pro Tem, but this was the community. It really was. Ms. Beard: And I’d like you to contact Stacey at Harrisburg so that this could be a part of her next newsletter. Mr. Hudson: Okay, absolutely. Absolutely. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you, Scott, for what you’ve done and uh, it won’t be many times that I sound like a former commissioner Andy Cheek but I’m going to today. Mr. Administrator, the City has donated a half million dollars to the Canal Authority to clean the third level which includes Laney Walker to Walton Way and there seems to have been a no progress in my opinion but probably a lack of progress. So I would like for them at the next meeting to come give us an update on how these funds are being spent if you could work on that for me please. Mr. Russell: --- various committees? Mr. Bowles: Sure. Mr. Russell: I’d be happy to do that for you, sir. Mr. Bowles: Thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: Great. Well, thank you, Scott, and I believe Madam Attorney has told me we do need a Legal Meeting so I would look for a motion to put us into Legal to cover Pending and Potential Litigation, Real Estate and Personnel. LEGAL MEETING A. Pending and Potential Litigation. B. Real Estate. C. Personnel. ADDENDUM 19. Motion to approve going into a Legal Meeting. 11 Mr. Beard: So moved. Mr. Johnson: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Jackson votes No. Motion carries 10-1. [LEGAL MEETING] ADDENDUM 20. Motion to approve reopening the Commission meeting. Mr. Bowles: So moved. Mr. Jackson: Second. Motion carries 10-0. 21. Motion to authorize execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act. Ms. Johnson: Motion authorizing the Mayor Pro Tem signature in lieu of the Mayor. Mr. Hatney: Move to authorize the Mayor Pro Tem signature in lieu of the Mayor. We need a second. Mr. Johnson: Second. Mr. Hatney: Oh, come on. We got to vote on this because the Mayor is not here. The Mayor Pro Tem has to do it. Motion carries 10-0. [MEETING ADJOURNED] Nancy W. Morawski Deputy Clerk of Commission 12 CERTIFICATION: I, Nancy W. Morawski, Deputy 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 of June 26, 2008. ______________________________ Deputy Clerk of Commission 13