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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMMISSION MEETING - July 20, 2010 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER JULY 20, 2010 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 5:00 p.m. July 20, 2010, the Hon. Deke Copenhaver, Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Lockett, Smith, Mason, Grantham, Hatney, Aitken, Johnson, Jackson, Bowles and Brigham, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. The invocation was given by Dr. C.W. Joyner, Pastor Broadway Baptist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor: Dr. Joyner? I just want to say thank you for that wonderful invocation. Office of the Mayor. By these present be it known that Dr. C.W. Joyner, Jr. Pastor, Broadway Baptist Church is Chaplain of the Day. For his civic and spiritual guidance demonstrated throughout the community. Serves as an example for all of the faith community. Given under th my hand this 20 Day of July 2010. Thank you, sir. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk on the recognitions. RECOGNITIONS Employee of the Month Award A. Sgt. Perry Fogle, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. The Clerk: Yes, sir. At this time we would like to recognize our employee of the month, Sgt. Perry Fogle with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department. Would you please join the Mayor along with Mr. Jackson? Are there any Sheriff’s Department Employees? Sheriff Strength, is he in the chamber? Mayor Copenhaver. The Employee Recognition Committee selected Perry Fogle as the June 2010 Employee of the Month for the City of Augusta. Perry Fogle is employed as a Sergeant for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department. He has been employed with the city for 29 years. Mr. Fogle was nominated by Mark Johnson, the Director of th Solid Waste. Mr. Johnson, would you like to join Mr. Fogle here? On June 5, 2010 Mr. Fogle was traveling to the sheriff’s department training facility off Dean Bridge Road and noticed smoke in the valley as he passed Fort Gordon in the landfill entrance. He wanted to confirm where the smoke was coming from so he took his personal vehicle from the training facility and traveled on a trail through the woods to reach the landfill property. Once he confirmed the fire location at the landfill he contacted 911 and met fire department. As Mr. Fogle and the fire department proceeded to the area of the fire he observed the situation and noted a $750,000 dollar piece of equipment that was in danger of the fire. Mr. Fogle used a nearby bulldozer to create a buffer between the equipment and the fire. He then continued to cut a firebreak around the burned area and spread additional dirt to keep the fire from spreading. After the fire was controlled he assisted the solid waste department working an additional four hours spreading dirt to smother any hot spots. He used his off duty training and passion to assist the landfill staff. 1 Mr. Perry’s action and proactive measures exemplify an employee going well above and beyond the day-to-day responsibilities of an Augusta Richmond County employee. His actions prevented potential damage to nearby equipment saving the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in replacement costs. The Employee Recognition Committee felt that based on this nomination and Mr. Perry Fogle’s dedicated and loyal service to the city of Augusta we would appreciate you in joining us in awarding him the June 2010 Employee of the Month. Congratulations. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: And I just want to say thank you personally just to see you know what you’ve done what that young man did was save a life. That’s an inspirational way to start a meeting I can guarantee you that. Dear Sgt. Fogle. On behalf of the city of Augusta it is with great pleasure that I congratulate you for being recognized as the Employee of the Month for June 2010. Your contribution to your organization, Augusta Richmond County Government and the citizens of Augusta has earned you this recognition. I appreciate your willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty and your outstanding work ethic. You are truly and asset to the Augusta Richmond County Sheriff’s Department and the citizens of Augusta Georgia. Please accept my personal congratulations on this wonderful award. You are truly deserving of this recognition. Sincerely yours, Deke Copenhaver, Mayor. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Jackson: I just want to say that there are truly good employees that we have. And it’s a great thing that we honor them for the mere fact that it shows that we’re truly considerate about our employees and where we want the best government. And I think we’re getting there. So thank you very much for your dedications. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, on to the consent agenda. The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of items 1-32, items 1-32. As you can see on your consent agenda the Planning Commission is asking that item one be deleted. It was sent to our office in error so our consent agenda technically will be, consist of items 2-32. For the benefit of any objectors to our planning petitions, once those petitions are read would you please signify your objection by raising your hand. Item 2: Is a Special Exception to allow public parking for the Masters Golf Tournament affecting property known as 355 Berckman Road. Item 3: Is for proof of Special Exception to establish transition housing affecting property at 718 Weed Street. Item 4: Is a request for a Special Exception to establish a Telecommunication Tower affecting property known as 1601 Johns Road. Item 5: Is a request for a change of zoning from a Zone A (Agriculture) and a Zone R-IC (One-family Residential) to a Zone B-2 (General Business) The Clerk: Are there any objectors to those planning petitions? Mr. Russell: None noted, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Our consent agenda items 2-32. 2 Mr. Mayor: Okay, do we have any additions to the consent agenda? Commissioner Brigham. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, I think we could add items number 35, 36, 37 and 38 to the consent. I’d add 34 but I think we need to have, go through the process of at least being introduced in licensing in that way. Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, sir. Do we have any more additions? Okay I know we have two additions, requested additions to the agenda. Would anybody like to add those? Do we have unanimous consent to add those? The Clerk: Mr. Smith --- Mr. Mayor: Mr. Smith. Okay. The Clerk: Okay --- Mr. Mayor: Adding those to the consent agenda? Do we have any items to be pulled for discussion? Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Thank you. Item number four please. Mr. Mayor: Do we have any further items to be pulled for discussion? The Clerk: Mr. Administrator would like to be recognized. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell. Mr. Russell: --- under the Administrators office we have the budget calendar. In addition to that I would like to have discussion on the mill rate and a report from the auditor in reference to last year’s audit as we move forward with our budget process. Mr. Mayor: I believe we have unanimous consent on that? Okay, thank you. Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Item number 42 we ask that it be sent back to committee for further review and study by the committee that’s working for it. They’re not quite ready to bring it forward yet. So it will stay in committee until they let us know when to bring it out. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Do we have any further items to be pulled for discussion? Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t add items 40 and 41, Mr. Mayor. 3 Mr. Mayor: Is everybody okay with that? Okay, if we’ve got nothing further to --- The Clerk: On the addendum agenda the delete item can we add that to be deleted? Item one? Mr. Mayor: Unanimous consent to delete? Okay. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, if I may, on item forty. If we could amend that to have the Legal Session start at 12:00 and the first committee noted at 12:45 it would give us a little bit more time. If we could do that I would appreciate it. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All righty, hearing nothing further, can I get a motion to approve the consent agenda? Mr. Hatney: So moved. Mr. Jackson: Second. CONSENT AGENDA PLANNING 1. Z-10-25 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission to approve a petition by Toole Engineers, on behalf of The Salvation Army, requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-3B (Multi-family Residential) to Zone P-1 (Professional) and a Special Exception to utilize property as part of the Kroc Center per Section 20-2 (a) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property containing three tax parcels totaling .49 acres and are known as 126, 128 and 132 Grace Street. (Tax Map 027-4-080-00-0, 027-4-081-00-0 and 035-2-002-00-0) DISTRICT 1 2. Z-10-40 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission to approve a petition by Patrick J. Rice, on behalf of Berckman Residential Properties LLC and the Augusta National, requesting a Special Exception to allow public parking for the Masters Golf Tournament per Section 8-2 (b) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property described as follows: Tract A – located on the northwest right-of-way line of Heath Drive, opposite where the southwest right-of-way line of Cherry Lane extended intersects; containing 2.85 acres and is known as 351 Heath Drive. (Tax Map 018-0-078-00-0) DISTRICT 7: Tract B – located on the northwest right-of-way line of Berckman Road, 100 feet, more or less, northwest of Heath Drive; containing approximately .39 acres and is known as 355 Berckman Road. (Tax Map 018-0-113-00-0) DISTRICT 7 3. Z-10-41 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission to approve with the condition that the transition house be limited to six women; a petition by Kshatriya Priester, on behalf of Mark McClure, requesting a Special Exception to establish transition housing per Section 26-1 (g) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property containing .33 acres and is known as 718 Weed Street. (Tax Map 034-1-211-00-0) DISTRICT 1 4 5. Z-10-43 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission to approve a petition by Civil Design Solutions, on behalf of Michael Abbott, requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) and Zone R-1C (One-family Residential) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property located where the east right- of-way line of Jimmie Dyess Parkway intersects the north right-of-way of the CSX Railroad line containing approximately 21.84 acres. Part of Tax Maps 066-0-065-00-0, 066-4-008-00-0 and 081-0-009-00-0) DISTRICT 3 PUBLIC SERVICES 6. Motion to approve Temporary Banner Program Ordinance and Guidelines. (Approved by Commission July 1, 2010 – second reading) PUBLIC SAFETY 7. Motion to approve an agreement with Department of the Army regarding 911 Services. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 12, 2010) 8. Motion to approve an Agreement between the City of Augusta and the East Central Health District to form a network to respond to local public health emergencies resulting in deployment of the Strategic National Stockpile. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 12, 2010) 9. Motion to approve the 2010 Performance Partnership Agreement between Augusta, Georgia and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency – Homeland Security. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 12, 2010) 10. Motion to enter into an agreement with the Richmond County Board of Education to provide an Inmate Work Detail. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 12, 2010) FINANCE 11. Motion to approve declaring 11 vehicles of Augusta Public Transit surplus and approve their sale using the Internet auction service. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 12. Motion to approve the purchase of one bomb team emergency response truck for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office using GEMA Grant Funds. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 13. Motion to approve a request to declare one trailer mounted Radar Traffic Monitor of the Sheriff’s Office surplus and authorize its sale to the Harlem Police Department. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 14. Motion to approve Alveno Ross as Chief Appraiser. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 15. Motion to approve the creation of a resolution with the following as furlough dates for the 2010 fiscal year: September 3, 2010, October 15, 2010, November 24, 2010 and December 22, 2010. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 16. Motion to deny the request in the amount of $25,000 from Christ Community Health Services in association with their building renovations (Widows Home) Capital Campaign; and allow the Administrator and the Attorney to meet with the organization, and allow them to receive information provided to other non-profit agencies for their participation in the upcoming budget process. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 5 17. Motion to deny a request from Cross Atlantic LLC regarding a refund of penalty and interest concerning 2009 taxes for Map/Parcel Number 111-3-092-00-0. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 18. Motion to approve refund for tax year 2008 for Tax Map 045-3 Parcel 393 (1930 Turknett Spring Rd.) (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 19. Motion to approve request for refund for tax years 2007 and 2008 in the amount of $444.96 for Tax Map 039 Parcel 138 (1429 Luke Rd.). (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 20. Motion to approve refund for tax year 2008 in the amount of $263.79 for Tax Map 152 Parcel 333 (2266 Carrington Dr.). (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 21. Motion to approve refund for tax year 2008 in the amount of $98.94 Tax Map 11-3 Parcel 60-107 Kinds Chapel Rd. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) 22. Motion to adopt a resolution approving an Intergovernmental Service Agreement with the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority (the “Authority”), an Agreement of Sale with the Authority, and a Bond Purchase Agreement with the Authority and R.W. Baird & Co., as underwriter, all in connection with the issuance of the Authority’s Revenue Bonds (Coliseum and TEE Center Project), Series 2010, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000, and to authorize the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tempore and the Clerk of Commission to execute same as well as such other ancillary documents that may be necessary to consummate the transaction. (Approved by Finance Committee July 12, 2010) ENGINEERING SERVICES 23. Motion to approve the list of streets proposed for submittal to the Georgia Department of Transportation for inclusion in the 2011 LMIG – Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant Program (formerly LARP). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 24. Motion to approve Contract Amendment for Messerly Design Group in the amount of $413,244.00. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 25. Motion to approve the plan to investigate the alternative of building the inmate intake/processing facility and expanding the administration building in the Phase II Expansion at the WDC instead of a new male pod, with the intent of closing the JLEC when the Phase II construction is completed. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 26. Motion to authorize execution of Change Order #1 in an amount not to exceed $4,316,000 to Tetra Tech Inc. for expediting work on the Ft. Gordon CM@Risk contract. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 27. Motion to approve Utilities Signing of Mutual Aid Agreement-GAWARN (Georgia Water & Wastewater Agency Response Network). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 28. Motion to approve the Deed of Dedication and Road Resolution submitted by the Augusta Engineering Department for a portion of Northwood Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 29. Motion to approve funding in the amount of $47,115.00 for the purchase of wetland mitigation credits to offset wetland areas disturbed during the Fort Gordon Forcemain 6 Sanitary Sewer Connection project. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 30. Motion to approve a component to the existing Purchase Order (P179109) and to authorize Construction Manager, R.W. Allen, LLC, to proceed with sitework and temporary measures package in the amount of $1,796,647.00 by July 21, 2010 and complete demolition of existing parking structure and perform all related sitework at the Marriott Suites Hotel related to the TEE Center construction. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) 31. Motion to authorize Traffic Engineering to submit application t update the County RADAR permit. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 12, 2010) PETTIIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 32. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held on July st 1 and Special Called Meeting held on July 12, 2010. PUBLIC SERVICES 35. Motion to approve Augusta Public Transit’s purchase of the following items through Grant Project GA-90-X235-00 (54609-1206): Two (2) Transit Vehicles from Daimler Buses North America (391,764 ea) $783,528. 36. Motion to approve an increase in the number of continuous days of occupancy for charging excise tax on hotel, motel, inn, lodge, tourist camp, tourist cabin or other places in which rooms, lodging or accommodations are regularly furnished for value. 37. Motion to approve A/E services contract for Lake Olmstead Park Julian Smith Casino new roof system to Davis Design Group for $15,600. 38. Motion to approve A/E design services with the Davis Design Group in the amount of $17,700 for a new multi-purpose building at Pendleton King Park. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 40. An Ordinance to amend the Augusta, Ga. Code Title One Section 1-2-2 relating to the time for Commission meetings of the Augusta-Richmond County Board of Commissioners; to repeal all Code Sections and Ordinances and parts of Code Sections and Ordinances in conflict herewith; to provide an effective date and for other purposes. 41. Approve compliance amendments to retirement plans. ADDENDUM 48. Motion to approve a Resolution authorizing the settlement of the appeal filed by Joseph E. Smith in the pending condemnation lawsuit styled Augusta, Georgia vs. Joseph E. Smith, et al., Civil Action File No. 2002-RCCV-717, for the payment of forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) in addition to the earlier payment of $4,624.00 made into the registry of the court on or about March 27, 2003; authorizing the County Administrator to disburse the amount of forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) to the Clerk of Court to satisfy the consent final judgment to be entered in the case; waiving Augusta-Richmond County Code of Ordinances section in conflict for this instance only; and for other purposes. 49. Motion to approve the authorization of a salary adjustment for the position of Senior Staff Attorney to set this salary at the grade midpoint grade for 64. 7 Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Motion carries 10-0. [Items 1-3, 5-32, 35-38, 40, 41, addendum items 1 and 2] Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, one of the items passed on the consent agenda was the employment of our new tax assessor. The chairman of that board’s here. You might want to give him a second just to introduce the gentleman. Mr. Mayor: I would be more than happy to. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Commissioners. We have had as you know since November we’ve been without a Chief Appraiser and we have done a lot of work to get that done and to bring somebody forward. Thanks to the Finance Committee who approved that recommendation last earlier this month we are pleased to present to those of you who have not had an opportunity to meet him, Mr. Alveno Ross who is now will become well now is the Chief th Appraiser to assume responsibility on the 26 of this month. Mr. Alveno Ross. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Ross: Thank you, Chairman Smith, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners it is indeed a pleasure to have honored with your confidence and vote to become the next Chief Appraiser of this wonderful county, a great part of this state. Beatrice and I, my wife is with me, pleased to be a part of this team. (APPLAUSE) We are committed to the services of the citizens of this community and certainly the doors are open not only to the Commissioners but every citizen of Richmond County. Thank you so much for the opportunity to come to be a part of your community. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir, and welcome to the team. Mr. Mason: Mr. Mayor, can I have a point of personal privilege? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem? Mr. Mason: Yes, before Mr. Smith leaves I would just like to say to you a very heartfelt thank you for the job that you did in the absence of the assessor. And we’re really proud to have someone like you on board and we really appreciate the job that you done. I’m sure I speak for my colleagues up here what a great and wonderful job that you did for us and the City of Augusta. Thank you so much. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, a point of personal privilege, please. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Lockett. Mr. Lockett: I’m not going to let the Mayor Pro Tem speak for me. 8 Mr. Mason: That’s right, that’s right. Mr. Lockett: I was down there at that Board of Assessors when Chairman Smith took over for I don’t know how many times. But you know for a young man to have a full time job and then devote full time to run the Tax Assessors Office I mean that’s an amazing thing to do. And let me tell you something. If you don’t know the Board of Assessors in Richmond County is recognized as the best throughout the State of Georgia. And I just want to thank you, Chairman Smith, and I want to welcome Chief Appraiser Ross to Augusta Richmond County. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, let’s go to the pulled item first. The Clerk: PLANNING 4. Z-10-42 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission to approve a petition by Barinowski Investment Co., on behalf of Henry B. King Trust, requesting a Special Exception to establish a Telecommunication Tower per Section 28-A of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County affecting property containing approximately 1 acre of a 15.98 acre parcel that is known as 1601 Johns Road. The Tower compound would probably be a .23 acre leased area within the one acre described in the file available at the Planning Commission. (Part of Tax Map 044-3-273-00-0) DISTRICT 2 Mr. Mayor: Mr. Patty. Mr. Patty: This is the old Kind Estate which was a large property at one time that included Pendleton King Park it’s down to a smaller area now down around St. Joseph’s Hospital. And in order raise revenue to maintain the property the applicants want to put a 140- foot model tower essentially in the middle of the property, which would make it several hundred feet from all the surrounding roads. And they’re here to present their case if necessary. We did have a couple of objectors. I would say they were probably soft objectors and they may be here as well. But the Planning Commission after listening to both sides unanimously recommends approval. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m just wanting some clarification. I have a couple of concerned citizens in that particular area and they had a question about the entrance of that particular property. It was stated here 1601 Johns Road and from what I’m understanding that some how they’re using Stovall to enter this property. So if somebody can give me some explanation on how this property would be I guess addressed as far as the entrance and so forth and I can better suit them and let them know exactly what it is. Mr. Speaker: Yes, sir, my name is Mark Barinowski and I represent the tower company owner. And we have looked at the property and there are two basic entrances we can gain. One 9 is off of Johns Road and the dirt road that you’re talking about and I’m not one hundred percent what that dirt road is called but there’s a paved road that dead ends that kind of does a left hand turn. The dirt road is actually on the Pendleton King Estate property although it may be possibly maintained by the city at this time just for the trash trucks still to come through. Our idea was to go through there because it’s the heaviest wooded property in that tract and can be go straight in and turn left where from the roadway you wouldn’t see anything. So that’s the general idea at this time. Mr. Johnson: So you will enter the property through Stovall? Mr. Barinowski: If you let me. Mr. Johnson: That’s the concern that they had entering from Stovall. Mr. Barinowski: And keep in mind also that this is a private drive and it will be when you say access, once it’s constructed you’re only talking once a month in a pickup truck. So the city will have larger trucks on this road than we will --- Mr. Johnson: Okay. Mr. Barinowski: --- on a weekly basis where as we would have a monthly basis. So as far as traffic increase you’re talking basically none if that answers your question. Mr. Johnson: Yeah, I kind of figured that but I just wanted to get a better answer from you all because I tried to contact George and I kind of missed his call back in regards to that. Because she came out and of course she was saying that I think they’re going to use Stovall and that’s a dead end and I don’t see how they’re going to do that. Of course I knew it wasn’t going to take much road traffic at all to enter the property. Mr. Barinowski: Like I say theoretically it’s not a dead end but the estate has kept it open specifically for the city of Augusta not to have to go down there and turn the trash trucks around. So they have kept that open specifically for that. Mr. Johnson: So they can travel there. Mr. Barinowski: Yes, sir. Mr. Johnson: Okay, that answers my question. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Barinowski, what type of tower is this going to be, one of the stealth towers that Mr. Mason was so fortunate enough to get one in his neighborhood? 10 Mr. Barinowski: Well, at this time we have not planned that due to a couple of reasons. One the cost factor and to the estate and the effort and try and keep the estate liquid. And then also it’s only going to be 140 feet. I know that sounds like a lot, but in theory it’s not. So at this time we’re asking that we get a little relief from that because it doubles the cost in what we have to do. And it is not, you know, like we said a heavily trafficked area. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham. Mr. Grantham: Thank you. Mr. Barinowski, was there any conversation from the airport regarding the FAA in regards to the height? Mr. Barinowski: We had Mr. Steve Gaye that was here at the Planning Commission meeting and his comments to us was as long as the FAA gives approval which we certainly have to do before anything, Mr. Grantham: Right. Mr. Barinowski: --- he’s fine with it. Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: Okay, any more questions? Can we get a motion on this? Mr. Smith: So moved. Mr. Mason: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Motion carries 10-0. Mr. Mayor: All righty, Madam Clerk, on to the regular agenda. PLANNING 33. Z-10-44 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission to approve a petition by Vantage Mercer, on behalf of Beulah Grove Baptist Church et al., requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-2 (Two-family Residential) to Zone R-3C (Multiple-family Residential) affecting property containing approximately 1.33 acres located on the southeast corner of McCauley Street and Roulette Lane and consisting of multiple tax parcels on McCauley Street. A complete list of all parcels is available in the Planning Commission office. DISTRICT 2 Mr. Mayor: Mr. Patty. Mr. Patty: We had a couple of objectors to this. This is a project Mr. Robinson’s here to present to you Vantage Realty. It’s a multi-family residential project. It’s part, it’s consistent with the plan that the city has for that area. And it’s a tax credit project that involves ten lots. 11 Initially it was going to involve a larger area but they had not closed on some of the lots on the opposite side of the street at the time this came forward. So we had to limit the area to ten lots, which I think we figured was about 3.1 acres or something, I’m sorry 1.3 acres. But Mr. Robinson’s here to present it to you if you wish and we recommend you approve it. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Speaker: Good afternoon, Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, and if you could just state your name and address for the record and keep it to five minutes. Mr. Robinson: Okay, Paul Robinson is my name. I work on behalf of Vantage Development and Mercy Housing and also in conjunction with the city of Augusta. We’re attempting to develop affordable housing units off of the Augusta Foundry and McCauley Street. And there’s just ten pieces of property along McCauley Street that we would like to get rezoned to allow us to develop that property. Vantage Development is one of the premier southeast developers and Mercy Housing is one of the national affordable housing non-profit developers. And us in conjunction with the city we think that we can put together a property that, a piece of property that the city would be proud of. Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, sir. Do we have? Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Okay, I have a few questions Mr. Robinson on this matter here. Now as far as and you say affordable housing do you have any visual of what type of housing this will be or is anything around that is similar to what ya’ll? I mean I do applaud you for wanting to take some initiative to do some things in that community with the Laney Walker and Bethlehem redevelopment. That’s key but can you give me a little bit more specifics on the style houses. And when you say affordable housing is that --- Mr. Robinson: Yes, basically the program is with the Department of Community Affairs. It’s an affordable housing program that uses tax credit to develop properties. I mean so there’s all kind of regulations that go along with that in terms of standards that are being met. What we plan on doing is eighteen multi-family units and the type of housing that you see traditional market rate apartments --- Mr. Johnson: Right. Mr. Robinson: --- that’s what we’re talking about in terms of affordable housing. It’s just that with market rate apartments all the site amenities which really kind of blow out the cost of those apartments. Whereas in an affordable you don’t have the same kind of flexibility with costs. So minus the site amenities we’re talking about affordable housing that would basically be capped at 60% of area meeting income. Anything below that people can afford. And we’re talking about targeting 50% and 60%. So 20% of the units will be targeted 50%. 70% will be targeted at 60% and then 10% will be market rate. The concept is that if the area medium comes in an area of $50,000 we’re talking about people that make $30,000. We think this is a very 12 good program that the Department of Community Affairs supports all across Georgia. And again it’s a very, very competitive process between all the cities in the state. Mr. Johnson: How many units are we talking about? Eighty units? Mr. Robinson: Right now, yes. Mr. Johnson: And that’s going to encompass McCauley --- Mr. Robinson: And the Augusta Foundry. I don’t know you’ve been in this area but the Augusta Foundry is right there and it’s kind of a tough site. You’ve got the railroad tracks right there and that’s been a concern of ours also. Because you’ve got the Augusta Foundry which is about 3.2 acres and 1.33 acres that’s along McCauley Street. We believe that and in conjunction with the Augusta Community Development Department that this could be the new gateway into the Laney Walker area. We’re talking about connectivity between the Medical College of Georgia. We’ve been working very closely with Beulah Baptist Church and talking to them about their integrated services with Mercy Housing which has one of the largest supportive service organizations in the country. So we look at this holistically. We look at it trying to really do a neighborhood-changing event here. And because we’re affordable housing tax credit developers we always think about community development. Really just community development. Mr. Johnson: Okay. Is George still here? Do you have a plan of what these properties are going to look like? Mr. Robinson: I’ve got a plan here if you don’t mind how I --- Mr. Johnson: That’s fine. They can maybe put it on the screen so we can take a look at it. Mr. Mayor: Okay while y’all are talking for a minute I’m going to get Mr. Mayor Pro Tem and then Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You mentioned I got two things. You mentioned minus the site amenities what site amenities won’t be there that normally would be? Mr. Robinson: Well, when you’re talking about in site amenities and the market rate you’re really talking about the kind of retaining walls that you see or the landscaping that really fills up the cost of those kind of developments. In affordable house you know we have limited resources --- Mr. Mason: Right. Mr. Robinson: --- so that you just can’t do all that kind of site work. When you see a market rate development there’s, the clubhouses are another thing that are kind of really blown out of proportion to you know what we think affordable housing would be necessary. 13 Mr. Mason: Okay and --- Mr. Robinson: In terms of the site amenities you know we’ll have barbeque, grilling pavilions. We’ll have state of the art earth craft designs. So those kinds of amenities will be within the concept. It’s just that the market rate has a lot more flexibility in terms of financing. Mr. Mason: Okay and you said 80 units --- Mr. Robinson: Eighty units, right. Mr. Mason: --- on 1.33 acres? Mr. Robinson: It’s actually going to be the 1.33 acres that the Augusta Foundry. And then the 1.33 acres is including the property we’re trying to get rezoned. Mr. Mason: Okay, so today this, because I’m seeing 1.33 and I hadn’t heard the 3.2 or whatever --- Mr. Robinson: That’s already zoned. Mr. Mason: --- already done, okay so this I’m trying to conceive 80 units on 1.33 acres. So that’s good. And this is a tax credit program through DCA? Mr. Robinson: Exactly. Mr. Mason: And it fits with the master plan for the area. I don’t see a problem with it. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: I’m good. Mr. Mayor: You’re good? Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Paul, are there any similarities between this project and your Sibley Road/Gordon Highway project? Mr. Robinson: Yes, it’s going to be similar in the sense that it’s the same financing structure. We really benefited from the stimulus package on the south Gordon Highway property but this is probably going to be outside investors in terms of banks are back in the game of buying tax credits now. And so that’s a good thing. And Augusta actually is one of the markets that where investors want to participate. There’s a lot of markets in other areas of Georgia that investors do not want to participate. The only other difference is this is going be multi-family as opposed to elderly. Mr. Lockett: Okay. Thank you. 14 Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Bowles. Mr. Bowles: Mr. Mayor, I’m just glad to have somebody up here that’s talking about affordable housing that’s actually going to have housing that’s affordable. So thank you for what you’re doing. Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. And I like the part about where you said people want to invest in Augusta. You could say that two or three more times if you like. Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Well, I’ll agree and I concur with my colleague on that. I’m asking these questions because I’m going to get a ton of phone calls regarding this and I want to be able to thoroughly explain it and it how it works. Do you have a timeline on when are we talking about once this is done as far as moving forward on this? Mr. Robinson: What the timeline consists of now is basically just getting on site control and putting then putting in the application in 2011. Mr. Johnson: Okay. nd Mr. Robinson: And DCA moved their application period back to July 22 but I think they’re going to move it back forward to May. Then that’s when we’ll put the application in. DCA takes anywhere from between five and seven months to decide on which deal will get funded. Like I stated before it’s a competitive process. So it’s based on scoring and so people they can get a chance to bet out all the due diligence that we’ve done with the deal. And four months after that is when we actually try to close the deal with all your equity investors. Again this is not like market rate so you’ve got to jump through a lot of different hoops. And you’ve got the Federal Government, you got two entities the federal government regulating you and also you’ve got private investors --- Mr. Johnson: Right. Mr. Robinson: --- regulating you so you kind of go through the sniff test two at a time. Mr. Johnson: Gotcha. Mr. Robinson: And so I think it’s one of the best programs in the country --- Mr. Johnson: Right. Mr. Robinson: --- as far as joint ventures. Anyway the time frame from getting funded will be about a year. Mr. Johnson: Okay. 15 Mr. Mayor: And I’ll just say as a board member of the DCA and I think our departments would agree DCA’s been very good to Augusta. Commissioner Brigham. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Mayor, did I hear Mr. Patty say there were objectors to this? Mr. Mayor: Mr. Patty? And we can call for objectors if anybody --- Mr. Patty: We had a couple ladies that family owns the house just south of this property that was not included in it. And they were very concerned, had a lot of questions. I’m not sure in the end they were objectors but as I remember they were very concerned. Mr. Mayor: Do we have any objectors present? Okay. Mr. Russell: None noted. Mr. Mayor: Do we have any further questions? Can I get a motion? Mr. Lockett: Motion to approve. Mr. Jackson: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Motion carries 10-0. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item, please. The Clerk: PUBLIC SERVICES 34. Transfer Application: A.N. 10-33: A request by Kyong Gleason to transfer the retail package Beer & Wine license used in connection with Yeung Grocery located at 1478 Wrightsboro Rd. to 1671 Olive Rd. District 2. Super District 9. The Clerk: Mr. Sherman? Mr. Sherman: Number thirty-four is a transfer application. It’s a request by a Kyong Gleason to transfer the retail package Beer & Wine license used in connection with Yeung Grocery located at 1478 Wrightsboro Road to 1671 Olive Road. District 5. Super District 9. Please state your name and address. Ms. Speaker: 1671 Olive Road Augusta Georgia 30904. Ms. Gleason: Kyong Gleason, K-y-o-n-g. Last name is G-l-e-a-s-o-n. 16 Mr. Mayor: Okay. Go ahead. Mr. Sherman: I was just going to say the Sheriff’s Department and the License Department has reviewed the application and recommend that it be approved. The Clerk: Any objectors? Mr. Sherman: Inaudible. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Lockett, did you? Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Yes, Mr. Mayor, thank you. I think we have an error here on the district. That is District 2, 1671 Olive Road. Mr. Sherman: Our mistake. Mr. Johnson: That is actually the old Gurley Supermarket correct? Mr. Sherman: Inaudible. Mr. Johnson: Yes. There was an error on that. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Can we get a motion on this? Mr. Lockett: Move to approve. Mr. Johnson: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Mr. Hatney abstains. Motion carries 9-1. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 39. Discuss and receive as information amending the 2010 Action Plan due to a change in the 2010 allocations for the Community Development Clock Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Wheeler. 17 Mr. Wheeler: Good evening, Mayor and the Commissioners. The agenda item today is brought to you to start off with a comment period is only brought to you as information it does th not require a vote from you today. You approved our End of Action Plan on November the 5 2009. That was for the program year 2010. At that time you approved $4,129,000 in funding. We actually received $4,351,000, which is an increase of $185,000 dollars. So our action today is to bring back to you and acknowledge that we received an additional $185,000 dollars. All of our projects were brought to you before and there was a small increase in down payment assistance, fair housing and the HOME program. The document was included in the packet and I just bring that to you today to ask you to accept the information and allow us to go out and advertise. Mr. Hatney: Move for approval. Mr. Mason: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and second. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Motion carries 10-0. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Mr. Wheeler. The Clerk: Mr. Wheeler, he’s got to address item forty-four while he’s still here. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Let’s take forty-four. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 44. Motion to authorize the execution of contracts relative to all Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NDP) projects. Mr. Wheeler: Thank you so very much. Item number forty-four brings to you the projects that are slated for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program focus on abandoned, foreclosed, blighted and vacant properties in certain zip codes within Richmond County. We’re asking you today to authorize us to sign contracts to go ahead and commit the funding. But I’d also like to acknowledge is that signing the contract does not authorize us to issue a notice to receive. One of the reasons is there’s one project in particular that Mr. Russell had asked that I do some additional due diligence on. So we will not be moving forward with that one until we come back before Mr. Russell subsequently to the Committee. So I just wanted to let you know that. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Mason: Move for approval. Mr. Grantham: Receive as information. 18 Mr. Mason: Oh yeah this is information pending due diligence. No this one needs to be And move for approval pending due diligence on the one that you voted on. This is a vote. had. Mr. Mayor: Okay we have a motion and a second. If there is no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Motion carries 10-0. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 43. Discuss delay in the departmental review and approval of submitted Muni Agenda items. (Requested by Commissioner Cory Johnson) Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Johnson. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This was actually an issue that came about probably, well I don’t know how long it’s been going on but I know about three weeks ago I was hit with the task of dealing with some agenda items that had been held up I think in our Finance Department. And as a result of it they didn’t make the agenda in time so we had to get together with Tameka and get these items pulled out of queque. But the purpose of this is to make sure that we understand once these items are put into queque it is important to get these items out. Kind a few of them are very time sensitive and the departments really need these folks to make sure that they get these items out and get them on to the agenda and the amount of time it shouldn’t take seven days to do that. So I just wanted to bring it to the attention. Hopefully Fred can address it and make sure that when they get these items out to be placed on the agenda in due time. Mr. Russell: If I may, Mr. Mayor. Lena and I have actually talked about that a little bit this week and we are looking at that process. We’ve sort of come to the situation where we’re moving things a lot faster than we ever have before. Part of that has created some backlog in some of the particular areas. I’ve had conversations with those areas to make sure that we are attentive to that as much as we can. You will see a couple of things coming about because of the speed in which we’re doing things. But we don’t want to, I don’t want to use up all my please Lena put on the agenda things over the routine matters there basically. So we’re attempting to do is make sure we clean that up and thank you for bringing that to our attention. We are working on it. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Fred. I appreciate it. Mr. Hatney: Move to approve as information. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion to receive as information. Is there a second? Mr. Johnson: Second. 19 Mr. Mayor: If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Motion carries 10-0. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATOR 45. Present 2011 Budget Calendar for approval. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell, you’re on. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission we’ve got three items that we need to talk and wrap into this particular item here basically. You have before you the budget calendar proposed for this coming year and that’s just something we approve as routine --- The Clerk: Routine? Mr. Mayor: Rowtine? Take your coat off get comfortable. Mr. Russell: You know I’ve been practicing this all day and when they told me we were going to be doing this live I got scared. That’s all it is. But it’s a routine matter which we adopt the budget calendar and I’d like for you to do that. The next item would be a presentation from Bonnie Cox our auditor on the last years audit and Bonnie’s available right here to my right should she be chosen to do that. She’ll go over the audit with you. There are some findings as there are every year areas we need to continue to work on. But I think basically the news is good on that and Bonnie will share that with you. Ms. Speaker: Thank you. Hello, I am Bonnie Cox. Mr. Hatney: Could I ask just one question? Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Excuse me this item here says budget of 2011 calendar approval. That’s what it says. It ain’t asked for all this other stuff. The Clerk: You added it. Mr. Brigham: We added it when we voted on it earlier. Mr. Hatney: We did all that. We gotta quit that. That’s why he wanted some (inaudible) many stuff added on. Mr. Russell: I’ll explain that to you as we (inaudible). 20 Ms. Cox: I am Bonnie Cox from Cherry, Bekaert and Holland. I am the audit partner for the City of Augusta here. I also have with me over here in the corner Bobby Smith. He’s our assistant manager of the engagement and frankly I couldn’t do my job without him and the rest of the team doing the audit. What we’re going to do today is meet the audit center requirements for my communication to you as the auditor based on the audit results and then we’re also going to spend a little time just some very high level financial highlights from the financial statement. The summary of the audit results is here and we have issued an unqualified opinion that’s a clean opinion. That’s the kind of opinion you’ve gotten every other year since Cherry, Bekaert and Holland has served as your auditor and we’re pleased to present the clean opinion this year. The adjustments, we did have year-end adjustments, we had year-end adjustments in previous years and there was nothing that was inconsistent with the types of year-end adjustments that we posted in prior years. We didn’t have any disagreements with management. If we had difficulties in getting the audit evidence we needed in order to complete our audit I would tell you that. Audit standards require me to tell you that if we had problems getting the evidence we needed and so I’m telling you here we were able to get the evidence we needed to issue that opinion. We did get great cooperation in getting that audit evidence that we needed. We were able to we met the state deadline. You’re allowed an extension but that extension was not filed. th We submitted, your management submitted the audit report by the June 30 deadline that’s required this year. Audit standards require me to tell you that we get a signed representation letter from management. What that means is that there’s a letter that’s a lot of accounting and audit language that your management assigns to us telling us as the auditors that things that they told us during the course of the audit the documents that they gave us the evidence that they gave us was truthful and they didn’t withhold anything that should would have been relevant to the audit and the financial statements as well. Audit standards also require me to tell you if we had if we were aware of consultations with other independent accountants. Audit standards are written such that if we knew that they were out there talking to other auditors perhaps saying, okay, if we did this particular accounting transaction how would you as an auditor see that. Would you be okay with that or we had a finding would you be okay with that. If I knew that they were out there talking to other auditors than it would be my responsibility to tell you as the body of government that that communication was happening. To my knowledge management’s not out there talking to other accountants such as that. And I again I mentioned we did file the audit report on time with the state of Georgia. All right again audit results. That’s what I focused on first and then we’ll talk about the financial highlights. Internal control testing you, the city of Augusta is subject to government auditing standards in such we test the internal control process here. We had three findings related to the financial statements related to that that were issued in our reports that is the inconsistency that’s why we’re hitting the highlights here. The first finding was in our testing of payroll transactions. We select a sample and test the payroll transactions to make sure that the amounts people were paid were consistent with the supporting documentation. We did note two instances where the supporting documentation for those were not retained for the changes that were made. The form was there but the supporting documentation related to that was not there. At the end of the day what got recorded is what the people got paid and so there wasn’t an error in the financial statements from that standpoint. The payroll transaction was a correct transaction it reflected what was paid but the supporting documentation was not there in the Human Resources function. The second finding we had is we test bank reconciliation’s. As you are aware you have many multiple bank account for the 21 city of Augusta and we did have propose some journal entries to make adjustments to the journal ledger due to some unresolved items that were noted on the bank reconciliation. It just had not been corrected there so we had an audit adjustment there. Capital Assets we also proposed an entry to capitalize a significant amount of construction in progress. As you know much of your SPLOST money is spent building capital projects and it’s something that only happens at the end of the year and it really isn’t something that is a year-end financial statement classification to move it out of construction progress when the project is substantially complete. From an accounting definition that’s when an asset is actually placed in service. It’s not every single PO ever issued on the project being closed out. That’s kind, it’s more of a substantially complete that asset is being. And so we did propose an entry to reclassify those and place those assets in service. We also do federal compliance testing. There are federal guidelines, not guidelines compliance requirements that are required because the state of Augusta does spend federal money. We select to test major programs and at the end of the day we did issue an unqualified compliance opinion. If these findings had been such that they were significant to qualify an opinion I would tell you that so we did issues an unqualified opinion because these are what we call significant deficiencies but not material weaknesses. Not you know, they were big enough that I was required to report to you but not big enough to qualify my opinion based on that. The first two items in that federal compliance testing related to Daniel Field Airport. They spent money in an airport improvement program. Bush Field also has money in those funds and we tested those airports from that. Bush Field there was no findings there but there were a couple of findings there at Daniel Field. One related to a match requirement that was required and the money was drawn down to 100% rather than deducting out the match that was to be required on those expenditures. And then also the federal compliance required certain reports to be filed in conjunction with that improvement program and those reports were not prepared and submitted to the FAA, as a federal compliance requires. The Transit Department they also received federal funding this year for some capital acquisitions and there was an $84,000 dollar disbursement that th was cut on December 30 for some purchase of engines and when we were doing the audit testing there was not the evidence of that procurement process as requirement by the federal process requirement for the purchase of those engines. The last finding for federal compliance testing was related to the aging cluster, which is actually housed out of the Recreation Department. It’s been related to the meals provided to senior citizens. This finding it was, there was several findings issued last year and 2008 was the first year the aging cluster was tested just because of the way we pick which programs are tested. And there were several findings last year related to the aging cluster. Those were communicated to management to begin implementing changes to correct those. And in 2010 I believe that most of those should be corrected. But during the period under audit that we were auditing for 2009 those problems still be exist there. So that’s kind of that one finding related to the update of the previous year findings. That’s it on the findings for financial statement and compliance testing. This is boring which most people like. There were no new accounting standards that had go into effect. I will tell you that will not be the case next year. (Unintelligible) has been busy and has written several pronouncements that will be impactful and we are currently trying to evaluate the impact of the financial statements one does play into fund type definitions which might reorganize the way some of the funds are presented in the financial statements based on the accounting standards. But for this year it was nice and boring. No new accounting standards that were a material impact in this, the statement there. All right now just some, although hold on I’m going to back up. I do have a letter here. Everything that I just told you is the required communication of the audit results and 22 I summarized it that way because it’s more meaningful in my mind than something like this. But there is a letter here that you guys are welcome to a copy of it. You kind of see those headings. It bullets through those same things that I just told you about in the eloquent accounting and auditing language that we have to speak most of the time. So anyway that letter is available to you. All right? All right financial results highlights. General fund cash, cash is king. This tells the story that started last year and is continuing on into 2009. 2008 there was a big transaction we’re all aware about, about $10 million dollars with MCG and it did impact both the cash balance and the fund balance for 2008. What you see in 2009 is money coming back into the general fund. It was just something that was anticipated and so as you can see there the levels of cash in the general fund including the amounts from the other funds that are owed to the general fund is back to the levels that it was in 2005 and 2006. Not quite to seven but definitely replenished a significant portion of that cash in the general fund. Again that’s inwards of what we just saw and these are the same thing a 45% increase in the general fund operating cash and st short-term investment at. At December 31 the unreserved fund balance which is what’s left over in the general fund that is not been restricted for legal purposes again you see that money being replenished there. You can see it about $18 million in 2008 and up to about $29 million almost $30 million in 2009. So again that’s that $10 million dollars swing of being replenished again almost back to the levels of what it was in 2007. Number of days operating cash reserve is just kind of a rule of thumb. It’s not anything that’s a compliance requirement or anything like that. We think a good rule of thumb is a 70-95 days of operating cash reserves, number of days in cash on hand at a particular point in time. And again you can see that in right in excess of 80- days, about 85-days there in operating cash reserves in general fund which is a positive financial trend. General Fund Revenue and Expenses. This is as you know the state of Georgia does require that the balance budget and some years there’s a plan use of fund balance in that balance budget. You can see that in 2008. The expenses did significantly exceed the revenues there and that bluish bar for expenses and the yellowish bar for revenues. Every other year it’s pretty even and this year it’s pretty even as well. And so that is a, it’s what you would expect in a government is that the revenues are about even with the expenses in the general fund. This is not just your general fund. This is a picture of your total cash and short-term investments on hand at st December 31 2009. You can see the biggest portion of that is your SPLOST money. And as you know that is can only be used for what the referendum said it could be used for. So while it is the biggest portion of the cash that you have on your hand it’s not where you can spend it. It’s already planned spending there for the most part. You can see the other significant pieces, water and sewer there on that bottom blue box. The airport has some there. Other enterprise funds that’s your garbage, transit, golf course there and then your other governmental funds. Other governmental funds that little small box up at the top that is your Special Revenue Funds other money that’s generally restricted for those particular special revenue purposes. I will say this. The biggest, the reason that the total cash is down is because you’ve been doing your capital projects. As your spending that SPLOST money then that total cash is coming down but that’s what that plan is used for there. Expenditures for today this is just an informational piece. Again 2008 was spiked because of that number does have that $10 million dollars in there. But you can see 2009 still was, the average expenditures per day was up from (unintelligible) but as we saw earlier the net fund balance was still increased. So even the average expenditures per day were up as were the revenues, which is why the net increase was so positive increase there. These last few slides I believe they’re my last few slides. This is gutter line. It’s just a snapshot of where the government is spending it’s money. This one is on expenditures and then the last one I have 23 is on revenue. You can see in 2008 42% of the total expenses were on public safety. In 2009 that was 46%. I’m not so sure on your fire there. Everything else is pretty consistent, 18% being general government that’s your overhead. That’s all your other departments that are making all the other things happen. The other blossom in ’08 was twelve and in ’09 8% which we know that’s where the, these different there from the ’08 to nine expenses were, all the others were pretty right consistent. Recreation spending at 11% and judicial spending right there at 8% versus 9%. The rest is source of revenues. You can see a quarter of your revenues come in from property taxes and about a third of your revenues come in from charges for services. That’s your water and sewer revenue. That’s your airport money coming in there. And then your sales tax in about 15% it’s hard to see but that’s that other largest chunk of money coming in. So those are just the significant sources of your funding and that’s what I have. Mr. Mayor: Do we have any question? Well, Bonnie, I want to say thanks. You guys do a great job but I did want to clarify that based from an accounting perspective we are on strong footing financially. Ms. Cox: Yes, I would say that the trends, financial trends that we would look at were positive this year. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Fred? Mr. Russell: And that’s what I was going to do, Mr. Mayor, for those of us who aren’t accountants not only in the audience but on TV, Bonnie, can you tell us how we are? Ms. Cox: Better than last year. Mr. Russell: In pretty good shape then right? Ms. Cox: Pretty good shape. Yes, all the financial indicators that we look at which I would say is not always been the case. I mean you’ve heard me from here tell you that I’ve seen negative financial trends and decreases but this year is very positive financial results from that standpoint. Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you so much. Ms. Cox: Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Russell, you are up again. Mr. Russell: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission I would like to thank Bonnie and her staff and Cherry, Bekaert and Holland and our Finance Department and all of the department heads and everybody that was involved in that audit. You know in these tight financial times you had to look at your dollars and pennies and nickels a whole lot harder than you’ve ever had to in the past. And I think we’ve developed a very good track record on that. With the fact that we are adding money back to the rainy fund at this particular point in time and the numbers and dollars that we have would be my recommendation that we do that we carve out 24 I think it a portion of that. We’re putting back a little bit in excess of $12 million dollars. would be appropriate at this time that we designate $400,000 of that to pay for the first two furlough days as opposed to making our employees take those two days. As you know you approved four days in the past. Those days have been set. We’ve been working very hard to go I’d like to do is ask you go ahead and take of those particular days and as we go forward what ahead and eliminate the first two based on an expenditure from the fundbalance of $400,000 dollars . This reflects the hard work that the employees have done maintaining the cut in expenses, maintaining the duties that they’ve done and I think it would be appropriate to do that. What that means though is we need to continue to look at the other two days that are still the table. And if we could come back with savings in there you will hear the same speech again but at this point I would like to go ahead and ask for you to eliminate those first two days. Mr. Hatney: So moved. Mr. Mason: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and second. Is there any further discussion? Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Motion carries 10-0. Mr. Russell: Okay, with that in mind what I’d like to do is go to the next step in that as you approve the addition to the agenda would be to have a discussion on the millage rate. As you know, but you don’t know we received the millage rate, the millage and the digest on Monday morning. The Finance Department has worked diligently for the last 48-hours to give me some numbers we can talk about at this particular point in time. The digest has risen a little bit. Not a whole lot. But because of that rise if we were to maintain the current rate we would have to advertise a tax increase. In lieu of that we have an option available to us which would be what I would recommend and that we take the rollback available of that and actually reduce the tax numbers for the tax, for the millage rate for next year. For this year they pay in November basically. As you know you adopted a rate at the beginning of the budget process last November. That rate was the same as it was in prior years. For those of you interested in history in 2007 we adopted a, that M&O millage rate of 8.419. That’s been the same for 2007, 2008, 2009. My recommendation for 2010 is to reduce that millage rate to 8.056. That still gives us sufficient dollars to operate with. It helps our citizens to some degree as we continue to move forward. It shows a recognition of the fact that you know we’ve still I think been good stewards of the dollars that we were given and that you’ve done a good job managing those dollars. And it would be my recommendation that we do that. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Mr. Russell, did the fact that we were in such beautiful shape that we decided to waiver those two days? Would rolling back the millage rate have any effect on the possibility of doing the same thing later on? Or does this have nothing to do with that all together this is for next year? 25 Mr. Russell: It would reduce the amount of dollars that we have with the reduction that’s somewhat insignificant in the overall picture. And I think given the fact that what we did with the money from the fund balance would offset that. The reduction would be fairly small. It would be significant for the individual taxpayer, or not significant would be small for the individual taxpayer but the game would such that it wouldn’t be help us a whole lot either. So to answer your question this kind of move would not have any impact on those days. Mr. Hatney: And if we left it as it is you said we would do what now? Mr. Russell: It would not have any impact on those days. Mr. Hatney: No, you mentioned that if we don’t I think rollback we’d have to --- Mr. Russell: Advertise the rate increase. Mr. Hatney: --- without you voting on it. Mr. Russell: Uh, yes pretty much. So I mean just the way --- Mr. Hatney: How do you do that? Mr. Russell: It’s just the way the system works because the rollback number would allow us to roll it back if we maintain what it was. It would be an increase over what would potentially be the rollback. You’ve got to advertise it as a tax increase. Mr. Hatney: The reason I asked the question I would just hate to sit here and roll back taxes. Whatever insignificance it may sound and then later on in the year you’ve got to take two days pay from the employees. Mr. Russell: That might be a possibility. If you do not do the rollback the number there is not significant enough to help us do that at all. So I mean we need to find those dollars someplace else and we’re trying hard to do that. You know what this does is give a positive impact to our citizens but it has no real impact on that question. Mr. Hatney: But if by chance we’re in this predicament again I would appreciate seeing the numbers though you know. I don’t know about nobody else but I would if it happens to be that way again. Mr. Russell: Like I said we’ve got those Monday and that’s why we didn’t do that. What th I’d like to do is be able to vote on this August the 9 to do the advertisement. So that’s why I’m getting in front of you today. And I understand what you’re saying. The timing was such that --- Mr. Hatney: But we will see the numbers before the vote. Mr. Russell: Yeah uh, ask me that again, I’m sorry. 26 Mr. Hatney: Will we see the numbers before the vote? Mr. Russell: Today? Mr. Hatney: You mentioned we had to have a vote in August. Didn’t you mention that? Mr. Russell: What we’ll have to do is advertise it for two weeks --- Mr. Hatney: Okay. Mr. Russell: --- then vote on it in August. You’ll see that the numbers before --- Mr. Hatney: Before then that’s what I’m asking. Mr. Russell: --- I’m sorry. This is just, what I’m asking for today is permission to go ahead and advertise this. The final vote would in August on those numbers. Mr. Hatney: Right, okay. Mr. Russell: Okay I’m with you. Sorry. Mr. Hatney: It’s all right. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grantham. Mr. Grantham: Thank you Mr. Mayor. Mr. Russell, can we determine with your information in the tax digest where if there were any significant change? And if so, where that might be as to guarding against a decrease or possibly approving an increase in the future. Mr. Russell: Yeah, we have not had a chance to look at the digest at that level of detail. We’ll be doing that as part of the budget process to move us forward for next year to make sure there are no holes there. We’re working with our gross numbers at this point in time to get that on the table. Mr. Grantham: Okay. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I certainly understand the concerns of Dr. Hatney. But I think this the way this is being laid out here today is probably the fairest way to operate. Because not only are we given those two furloughs back, or taking back those two furlough days for our city employees but we’re also looking our for the remainder of the tax paying citizens in Augusta Richmond County by doing the roll back. So we’re taking care of employees and we’re taking care of citizens who are not employees. So I think from that standpoint I think that’s the fairest way to do it and I’m happy to see that we’re in this particular position to be able to do that. And I think that shows we’re taking some giant steps within this 27 government to look out for those that we’ve been elected to look out for. So I can appreciate your efforts there and the efforts of the Finance Department as well and everybody else that’s been involved. Mr. Hatney: Is that a motion? Mr. Mason: And so --- Mr. Russell: If I made the motion would be to advertise the millage rate presented on the general and all funds to allow us to use $400,000 of the fund balance to do any with the two furlough days and the general fund and to use sufficient dollars in the other funds which aren’t really impacted to do away with those two furlough days too. So that would take care of not only the general fund but the other funds available, to accept the report of the auditor as given and --- Mr. Mason: Anything else? Mr. Russell: --- adopt the budget calendar. Mr. Mason: Adopt the budget calendar. Mr. Hatney: So moved. Mr. Mason: Second. 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 10-0. Mr. Russell: Thank you, gentlemen. Mr. Mayor: I just want to take a quick point of personal privilege. You know based on the fact that we’ve been experiencing the worst recession our nation has seen since the Great Depression for us to be able to for the three years prior to hold the millage rate at the same and then to roll it back even a small portion this year speaks very highly of the strong fiscal management of this city as well as to I think the great job that I think this body’s doing. Commissioner Hatney. Mr. Hatney: Mr. Mayor, in view of the fact that we just recently agreed to move the Legal Meeting to Monday I think we ought to do just that. Have our first Legal Meeting Monday. The Clerk: Sir, we haven’t had a second reading on the ordinance. You didn’t waive the first reading. 28 Mr. Hatney: Well, we’ve got to wait ‘til the second reading? The Clerk: Yes, sir. You didn’t waive the second reading on that ordinance. Mr. Hatney: Then I waive the second reading then. Mr. Russell: I do have a couple real estate issues that should take a couple minutes if we could do that and get them over with. LEGAL MEETING A. Pending and Potential Litigation. B. Real Estate. C. Personnel. ADDENDUM 46. Motion to approve going into a Legal Meeting. Mr. Mayor: Can I get a motion, Mr. Attorney, that would be a motion to go into Legal to discuss --- Mr. Mackenzie: Real Estate, Pending Litigation and one Personnel issue. Mr. Lockett: So moved. Mr. Mason: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Bowles, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Smith vote No. Motion carries 7-3. Mr. Mayor: We’re in Legal. And Madam Clerk other than the vote going into Legal I think that there was not another no vote all day long. [LEGAL MEETING] Mr. Mayor: You ready? I’ll go ahead and call the meeting back to order. Mr. Attorney. 50. Motion to authorize execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act. Mr. Mackenzie: I listen for a motion to execute the closed meeting affidavit. Mr. Hatney: So moved. 29 Mr. Johnson: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign of voting. Mr. Bowles, Mr. Grantham and Mr. Smith out. Motion carries 7-0. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Attorney? ADDENDUM 48. Motion to approve a Resolution authorizing the settlement of the appeal filed by Joseph E. Smith in the pending condemnation lawsuit styled Augusta, Georgia vs. Joseph E. Smith, et al., Civil Action File No. 2002-RCCV-717, for the payment of forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) in addition to the earlier payment of $4,624.00 made into the registry of the court on or about March 27, 2003; authorizing the County Administrator to disburse the amount of forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) to the Clerk of Court to satisfy the consent final judgment to be entered in the case; waiving Augusta-Richmond County Code of Ordinances sections in conflict for this instance only; and for other purposes. Mr. MacKenzie: I look for a motion to add and approve a resolution authorizing the settlement of the appeal filed by Joseph Smith the pending condemnation matter. Civil Action No. 2002-RCCV-717 for payment in the amount of $40,000 in addition to a previous amount of $4,624.00 to settle this suit. Mr. Hatney: So moved. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion. Mr. Johnson: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Bowles, Mr. Grantham and Mr. Smith out. Motion carries 7-0. ADDENDUM 49. Motion to approve the authorization of a salary adjustment for the position of Senior Staff Attorney to set this salary at the grade midpoint grade for 64. Mr. MacKenzie: And the final item would a motion to add and approve the authorization of a salary adjustment for the position of Senior Staff Attorney to set this salary at the grade midpoint grade for 64. Mr. Hatney: So moved. 30 Mr. Johnson: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Mr. Bowles, Mr. Smith and Mr. Grantham out. Mr. Brigham votes No. Motion carries 6-1. Mr. MacKenzie: Is that both to add and approve or just to approve? Mr. Brigham: I’m going to let you add it but (inaudible) Mr. Mackenzie: Okay. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Okay if there’s no further business to come before the body 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 July 20, 2010. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 31 32