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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-12-1996 Meeting I FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - August 12, 1996 2:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; J. Brigham; Chairman; Handy, Vice-Chairman; Bridges and Beard, members; Charles Dillard, Interim Administrator for Operations; Linda Beazley, Interim Administrator for Administration; A. B. McKie, Interim Comptroller; Glenn Greenway of the Finance Department; Tom Wiedmeier, Supt. of Water Pollution Control; Kip Plowman, Interim Internal Auditor; Jim Wall, Attorney; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission-Council and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission-Council. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle and Renita Crawford of WJBF Television. Communication from Curtis & Merriweather of Faith Christian Church requesting the abatement of 1996 taxes for the property at 1215 New Savannah Road. We began renovating the property for our church February 14, 1996. We moved in the office part of the building in March while we continued to renovate the other part of the building. We are a non-profit organization and are presently using the building for religious purposes, was read. I Mr. Chairman: I would like to see the amount of the taxes since they have not received the tax bill yet. Mr. Bridges: I move that we receive this as information and let him come back when he gets the bill. Mr. Beard: Second. (Mr. Handy enters the meeting) Motion adopted with Mr. Handy not voting. Mr. Chairman: We'll exempt Mr. Handy from voting since he wasn't here. Communication from Augusta/Richmond Clean & Beautiful requesting additional funding for 1996, was read. Mr. Jaime Halpin: I'm the vice-chair of the Commission and we are requesting $15,000 in funds which we had previously requested from the City in 1995 and did not receive. We can exist through 1996 but we will have to cancel a number of projects. Mr. McKie: We can add this to item #8. I Mr. Plowman: The City just could not afford this last year. After a short discussion, Mr. Handy: I move that we receive this as information. Mr. Beard: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Interim Comptroller recommending that all agency requests for social services be required to undergo certification by DFACS before submission to Augusta- Richmond Commission-Council for funding. This certification would include but not be limited to the following: Legitimacy of Organization, Financial Status, Non-duplication of services and Inspection of Program delivery at site. If you approve this will become a formal policy and we will work with DFACS to implement, was read. Mr. McKie: There are many demands made on us in this regard and I had recommended that you establish some type of panel who would be knowledgable about these agencies to evaluate the proposals which would be submitted and a decision made by the Commission as to the level of funding in the budget and the Committee could then recommend how it would be dispersed to you. We would like some help in this area from more qualified people. Mr. Beard: Second. I Mr. Handy: I move that we receive this as information. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Safety Training Officer requesting approval of a supplemental list of vehicles to be sold at auction, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Interim Comptroller requesting that the travel policy be revised to follow the Internal Revenue Service guidelines as presented in Publications 917 and 463, was read. Mr. McKie: This has changed to 30 cents per mile for vehicles and we have the attached list for meal allowance. We recommend that we adopt these IRS rates for the higher standard meal allowance for certain areas as indicated in the tables. The mileage will be for 50 miles outside the County. I Mr. Handy: I so move. I I I Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered a request for RFP on copy services. Mr. McKie: We looked at a proposal from Charlotte, North Carolina regarding copy services. We got a copy of their RFP and began looking at our costs for copy services. Charlotte had one firm bid on all copy service costs; they placed the copiers in the facilities and bid a single price for all copies. The more copies that are made, the more the cost goes down. They have also brought in a few other cities to increase the volume and have thereby reduced their copy charge. We'd like your permission to put together an RFP and solicit bids and see where this takes us. Mr. Handy: I move that we receive this as information. The motion dies for lack of a second. Mr. Bridges: I'll move that we allow Mr. McKie to go out for proposals on this to see how they compare to our present expenses and then we make a decision as to whether we want to do it or not. Mr. Chairman: I'll second it but I'd like to amend it that we recommend to the full Commission that we go out for proposals. Mr. Bridges: I'll be glad to do that. Mr. Handy: I'd like to see it before it goes out. Mr. McKie: I'll have it ready for you next week. Mr. Chairman: If we could pass it along as a recommendation from us that we could really look at it next week. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next reviewed the funding of organizations under the Urban Services District. Mr. McKie: The groups which we left out of the Amendment 73 funding could be considered under the City's urban funding program. We have $75,000 in both categories. Mr. Handy: I move that we get a list from the Finance Office of who has applied for funding and that we as Commissioners determine who gets what funding and how much and present it to the full Commission. Mr. Beard: I second it. I Mr. Handy: This would still include the application process through the Attorney. Mr. Chairman: We may have to have a limitation on how much each organization would receive. We also need a policy for some guidelines concerning this situation. Mr. Handy: Those who do not qualify for Amendment 73 will get money from the urban side. Mr. Chairman: I can appoint a sub-committee to look at setting the guidelines which will consist of Mr. Bridges, Mr. Handy along with Mrs. Beazley and Mr. McKie. Motion adopted with the Chairman voting "No". The Committee next considered a review of the bond funding for Capital Improvements. Mr. McKie: This is for information purposes only for your review. There is a total of some $84 million dollars requested and we will probably have to pare that down. Mr. Beard: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Handy: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. The Clerk: The Comptroller would like to delete item #9. Mr. Chairman: That will be fine. Communication from the Attorney regarding the issue of the indigent care contract and the need to make some plan for this for 1997, was read. Mr. Chairman: I'm going to appoint a sub-committee to look at this composed of Mr. Powell, Mr. McKie, Mr. Wall and Mr. Beard to bring us back a recommendation. The Committee next considered a review of financial results and forecast for year end. Mr. McKie: We have some paperwork for you. We are basically in good shape and we ask you to review these documents. Mr. Bridges: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Beard: Second. I I I I Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission-Council NWM