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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-13-1998 Meeting I I I ENGINEERING SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - April 13, 1998 2:30 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; Handy, Vice- Chairman; Bridges and Todd, members; Jim Wall, Attorney; Randy Oliver, Administrator; Max Hicks, Utilities Dept. Director; Tom Wiedmeier, Utilities Dept. Asst. Director; Jack Murphy, Interim Public Works Director; Drew Goins, Asst. Director of Public Works - Engineering Division; Richard Acree, Asst. Director of Facilities Maintenance; Michael Greene, Public Works Department; Barry Smith, Trees & Landscaping Director; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission. ABSENT: Hon. J. B. Powell, Chairman. Also Present: Stacey Eidson of The Metropolitan Spirit, Sylvia Cooper of The Augusta Chronicle and Hons. J. Brigham, Beard, Mays, Shepard and Kuhlke, Commissioners. The Clerk: We have a request to add two items to the agenda. Mr. Bridges: I so move we add them. Mr. Chairman: I'll second it to get it on the floor. After a short discussion, Mr. Todd: I still have concerns about item #1. I don't have a problem with number 2. Mr. Bridges: I'll make a motion to add *2. Mr. Todd: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve counteroffer option in the amount of $1,004.00 to purchase easement containing 0.03 acres in connection with the Forest Park, Phase II Project owned by Michael Hall. (Tax Map 14, Parcel 3), was read. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Todd: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve counteroffer option in the amount of $1,000.00 to purchase right-Of-way consisting of 0.19 acre in connection with the McCombs Road, Phase II Project owned by Perry L. Sweeney and Carol P. Sweeney, was read. Mr. Wall: The difference in value is the relocation of the fence and we recommend approval. Mr. Bridges: I so move. I Mr. Todd: Second. Motion failed with Mr. Todd voting "No". A request to approve condemnation of property owned by Mark L. Gilpin and Angela Gilpin, Tax Map 353, Parcel 10, was read. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve Change Order No. 3 in the amount of $14,633.15 to Eagle Utility for work completed on the Kissingbower Road Sanitary Sewer Project, Phases I, II & III, was read. Mr. Hicks: This was incurred due to the soil replacement and the pavement necessary to restore the streets to good condition. We recommend approval. Mr. Bridges: I move for approval. I Mr. Todd: I second to get it on the floor. I'd like to request through the Administrator that we get the original next low bid. It seems pretty high. Mr. Hicks: The soil was totally unsuitable and the roadway had to be reconstructed. After further discussion, the motion failed with Mr. Todd voting "No". A request to award construction contract to Beam's Pavement Maintenance Company, Inc. for the Walton Way Improvements Project in the amount of $1,979,468.10 and authorize the execution of contracts. Also approval of amendment to the Capital Budget in the amount of $293,150.00 for Project Construction and Contingency, was read. Mr. Goins: This will be from 15th Street to Milledge Road with new sidewalks, curb and gutter, driveways, road milling and resurfacing. The contractor will stage his work so that one lane is open in both directions at all times. He will also do some night work. Mr. Bridges: I move for approval. Mr. Todd: I second the motion. I Motion adopted unanimously. I I I A request to approve allocation of funds to renovate the former White Road Shop into an operations base for the Trees and Landscaping Department with $18,801 shortfall taken from capital reserves, was read. Mr. Acree: The White Road facility is currently vacant and it will be renovated to house the offices of the Trees & Landscaping Department. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Todd: Second for discussion. After a short discussion, the motion failed with Mr. Todd voting "No". Communication from the Director of Trees & Landscaping regarding a request from the Sand Hills Neighborhood Association for general maintenance of the Summerville Cemetery, was read. At this time Mr. Isaac Johnson, President of the Sand Hills Neighborhood Association, appeared before the Committee regarding the above communication. Mr. Johnson: We have taken over the operation of the Summerville Cemetery. There are actually two cemeteries, one for white burials and one for black burials, and we are considering the one for black burials. We have spent money trying to clean it and right now we don't have the funds to keep it up. The members of the Board of Directors are all deceased and there is no one to keep it up. It is currently used but there is no way of knowing how many empty grave sites there are and no record of who owns what unless you look at every grave site. The Genealogical Society and the churches of the Hill have decided that they will help with it if the City will help us get it cleaned up. It is by the Country Club and they have agreed to clean the property around it. Mr. Wall: We do have the authority to maintain this if it is an abandoned cemetery. Mr. Todd: Are there any state funds? Mr. Wall: No, not that I know of. Mr. Todd: I'm going to make a motion that we do this within the realms of what's legal and make a request from our State legislators next year for a pass-through fund for maintaining cemeteries in Richmond County. Mr. Oliver: We need to determine what level of care for keeping it up. As I understand it, we would go through there two or three times a year using inmate labor to clean it up but it would not be a high level of maintenance as other cemeteries receive. Mr. Bridges: I'll second the motion but how much would it cost? Mr. Oliver: The cost would be negligible but with our forces cost should be considered. I Mr. Bridges: Would you consider an amendment that this is subject to Jim not being able to find the owner of the property? Mr. Todd: Yes. Mr. Oliver: And subject to the Sheriff providing the labor for doing it? Mr. Todd: I would say subject to Barry finding the labor within the free labor market. Mr. Smith: Commissioner Beard asked us to go over there. It is in such bad shape that the graves are caved to the point of exposure of the caskets. We filled those in but it is so grown up that the inmates can't even get in there. It would take the tree crew to cut the trees out before inmates can start. There is no way to get trucks in there and you have to enter through the country Club. The markers and copings are all broken down and many graves are not identified. I Mr. Todd: a lot of money. way. I'll vote for it if it doesn't cost the taxpayers I think the resources are there to do it that Mr. Wall: The law authorizes us to bill any legally responsible person or levy on the property. If there is someone we can collect from, we have that provision in there. Mr. Johnson: I cannot get any help from any other organizations because it is not clean. Once it is cleaned and kept partially, we can go in and look at what we can do. You can't go in this cemetery with vehicles. There are small gates you walk through and you have to walk down the aisles. We will be meeting with the country Club to ask for their help since they own all the properties surrounding the cemetery. We hope that they will. After further discussion, the motion was adopted unanimously. A request for approval to revise engineering scope of services with Cranston, Robertson & Whitehurst in the amount of $46,885 for the Augusta Canal Third Level Improvement - Phase II I project. Also approval of amendment to the Capital Project Budget to reallocate funds from Contingency to Engineering. I I I Georgia Natural Gas to reimburse half of the additional engineering cost, was read. Mr. Goins: We had not issued a Notice to Proceed on this because of some environmental concerns we had with the Gas Company. We met with them and the Canal Authority and have identified some additional engineering. work that needs to be done and we're recommending that this is be done and the Gas Company will reimburse us for half the cost. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve Georgia Department of Transportation County Contract No. PRLOP 8530-53(245) for their participation in the S.R. 56 @ Phinizy Road Intersection Improvements project in the amount of $44,847.24 and Capital Project Budget Amendment No. One in the amount of $105,000 to come from the Georgia Department of Transportation County Contract and Special 1% Sales Tax, Phase II Recaptured Funds, was read. Mr. Murphy: We also request in this the right to let. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve Georgia Department of Transportation County Contract No. PRLOP 8530-52(245) for their participation in the McCombs Road, Section I Project in the amount of $262,802.61 and Capital Project Budget Amendment No. Two in the amount of $899,802 with funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation County Contract, the Utilities Department and Special 1% Sales Tax, Phase III. Also, approve the right to let for bids, was read. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve draft of Short Term Work Program and Resolution for Augusta-Richmond County and authorize submission to Central Savannah River Area Regional Development Center, was read. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. I After a short discussion, the motion was adopted unanimously. Communication from Commissioner Steve Shepard regarding the addition of Bussey Road to the list of unpaved roads, was read. Mr. Shepard: Bussey Road connects Inez Street with Church Road and it was marked on the tax maps as a private road. But it was actually maintained by the former City over the past 12 years and Mr. Goins recommends that due to the maintenance of the road, it had in fact been accepted, and should be added to the list of unpaved dirt roads and given consideration within that system for ranking. Mr. Goins: The long time residents were specific as to who had been maintaining the road and I also did some additional research and found a letter from 1979 where we had written one of the residents out there and had claimed acceptance of the road and the resulting maintenance responsibilities. Based on that letter, I'm recommending that we add this to the unpaved road list and rank it accordingly. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Todd: Second. I After a short discussion, the motion failed with Mr. Handy voting "No". A request to approve reclassification of Solid Waste Manager position from pay grade 52 to pay grade 57 and authorize hiring of qualified individual up to mid-point of the salary range, was read. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second for discussion. Mr. Todd: I think it's essential that we have someone well qualified for this position and will support bringing them in at the mid-point. Mr. Oliver: The qualifications are a BS or BA degree in Civil Engineering, Waste Management or Environmental Engineering. A PE is desirable but not required and five years of related experience in landfill operations with solid waste management. The mid-point of the range will be about $54,000. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Handy: I have a recommendation. I'd like to change my vote due to some information I found out after I had already I I I I voted. So I'd like to reconsider Mr. Shepard's item and take it on to the Commission with an approval recommendation. Mr. Shepard: Thank you. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission NWM