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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-23-1996 Meeting I I I FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE / COMMITTEE ROOM - September 23, 1996 2:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; J. Brigham, Chairman; Bridges and Beard, members; A. B. McKie, Jr., Interim Comptroller; Glenn Greenway of the Finance Department; Kip Plowman, Acting Internal Auditor; Bob Hayes, Manager, Daniel Field Airport; Drew Goins, Asst. Com. of P.W. & Director of Engineering; Jim Wall, Attorney; Charles Dillard, Interim Administrator for Operations; Linda Beazley, Interim Administrator for Administration; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission-Council and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission-Council. ABSENT: Hon. Freddie Handy, Vice-Chairman. Also Present: sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle, George Eskola of WJBF Television and Hons. H. Brigham and Todd, Commissioners. The Clerk: We have one addendum. Mr. Chairman: It is a request from Faith Christian Church regarding their 1996 taxes. Mr. Bridges: I move we add this to the agenda. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee first considered the approval of salaries for two new Marshal Department employees. Mr. McKie: At mid-year review we forecasted an increase of revenues for the budget for certain areas. In order to accommodate this we really need to make a budget change and increased our project revenues by some amount in order to make this balance out. But there would be enough to fund these two positions. We'll have the third quarter numbers for you at our next Finance meeting and I could better explain it then. Mr. Bridges: I move that we refer this to the next Finance Committee meeting. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted with the Chairman voting "No". The Committee next considered approval of $20,000 funding for the Benefits Package approved Sept. 17, 1996 by the Commission-Council. Mr. Chairman: I think we need to do this in order to make the salary adjustments in the other departments other than Public I Safety if we're going to make them. Mr. McKie: This would come from Risk Management funds. After further discussion, Mr. Bridges: I move that we ~xpend the $20,000 funding for the benefits package subject to identification of funds by the Comptroller. Mr. Beard: I'll second that. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval to raise the minimum wage from $4.25 per hour to $4.75 per hour for the list of employees pursuant to the Minimum Wage Law passed by President Clinton, effective October 1, 1996. Mr. McKie: of which $10,000 December of this variances in our We estimate that this will cost roughly $51,000 to $12,000 will impact us between October and year. This should be absorbed by positive salary accounts. Mr. Bridges: I move it be approved. I Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. An application for purchase of prior year services from Billy M. Eubanks, was read. Mr. McKie: He is requesting purchase of service for the period from 4/78 to 12/89. The cost for this purchase is $14,856 which is 11 years and 9 months of credited service. We recommend that. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered recelvlng as information and approval of Chart of Accounts for the Consolidated Government. Mr. McKie: We have combined the Chart of Accounts for the two former governments into basically the County system so that we could have one reporting system and one general ledger system for next year and we could start running that parallel this year. I / This would be in effect until we go on a new software package. Mr. Beard: I move we receive it as information. I I I Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered a review of the fleet management draft. Mr. Bridges: I'd like to delete item #6. There is a citizens sub-committee that is reviewing our fleet policy and will bring back recommendations on this. Mr. Beard: I second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval of Pension Investment Policy. Mr. McKie: This is a recast of the old County policy. We do not have one formulated exactly like this for the City. Our investment advisors need such a written policy and since the Pension Committee is now composed of the entire Commission, you simply need to adopt and approve a policy. We would recommend this same policy we've been operating under for a number of years which would define our investment objectives, indexes we use and guidelines on minimum/maximum allocations, etc. Mr. Bridges: I move it be approved. Mr. Beard: Second. Mr. Ed May: There is also a provision for an investment committee. The names included would be the Mayor, Chairman of Finance Committee, Comptroller and the Administrator. This should also be established for reporting purposes. Mr. Beard: I'd like to add Mr. Handy's name to that group as Mayor Pro Tempore. Mr. Bridges: I'll second that. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered a Bond Progress Report. Mr. McKie: There have been two documents meetings on this and the deliverance of the engineering report, the forecast - the eighth month numbers have all been delivered to the appropriate professional parties for review. Counsel is working on the preliminary official statement. The one outstanding issue is whether we will have an open system or a closed system which means that as the County was, it was a closed system which was not allowed to transfer money to the general fund except allocation of costs and charges or the City system whereby any funds as dictated by the Council could be transferred over. It's either one or the other; we could have something of a mixed metaphor here where we set limits or set a time period in which we would transfer funds. We will probably have some more information to present to you at the special meeting on Thursday. I Mr. Chairman: Do you have a recommendation? Mr. McKie: I recommend that we leave it open with some priority of fund allocation and minimum funding. After further discussion, Mr. Beard: I move that we consider this at the special meeting on Thursday. Mr. Bridges: I second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval of the date for Pension Review. Mr. McKie: We're asking that you set a specific date so that our money managers can come to you on a periodic basis and report their performance and you can quiz them. We would recommend the second meeting in the month after the end of a quarter in order to give them time to prepare. Mr. Beard: I so move. I Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. At this time a preliminary report on this subject was given to the Committee. Mr. Bridges: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval of funding for handicap ramp on Riverwalk. Mr. McKie: We are required to build a handicapped ramp there. This ramp will take part of the property owned by the 1949 Pension Plan. It has been appraised. Mr. Goins first presented it to the Pension Committee and was asked if it could be reworked to possibly take less of the property so as to diminish any impact on market value and he has a report on that. Mr. Goins: The redesign to rework this would be an impractical design. I I I I Mr. McKie: It appears that the first design is a better design. Mr. Goins: I agree and the second design would also cost an additional $138,000 because of the retaining walls and the length of the ramp itself. We recommend that we be allowed to purchase the property at appraised value of $12,760.00. Mr. Dillard: This project involves ISTEA funds and there is a time limit on getting this paperwork completed and back to them so we can initiate the project. Mr. Beard: I move that we authorize them to purchase the property and proceed with the project. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval of budget parameters. Mr. McKie: We ask that these be approved and referred on to the full Commission. After a brief presentation by Mr. McKie regarding these parameters, Mr. Beard: I move that it be approved and referred to the full Commission. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee considered approval of Amendment 73 allocations. Mr. Bridges: The sub-committee that you appointed met but Freddie was not there so he hasn't had any input yet. You can see the recommendation we came up with. We did move some items that we felt like were not legal under Amendment 73 over to the City side and you see those out to the right with an asterisk. These include the Laney Walker Museum, the Boy Scouts and Heritage. We came up with three recommendations for Amendment 73 and that was to be a maximum of 10% of the total amount allowed to be funded, which is $7,500, to anyone organization, that we contribute to them for the first three years of operation only and that they provide all the necessary services and forms, a budget of their organization, written goals, objectives, accomplishments and what is to be done with these funds, an audit report and a written contract. That was the recommendation from that sub-committee and I move that it be accepted. Mr. Beard: I second it. Mr. Wall: Some people commented how internal auditing did some of the auditing as to the use of these funds which benefited I their organizations since they are so small. Mr. McKie: We have done this in the past and I think that would still be acceptable. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval of funding in the amount of $500,000 for the remainder of 1996 for Springfield Village Foundation, Inc. from the Phase II sales tax budget for the former City of Augusta. Mr. McKie: We have done a report for Phase II sales tax for the City. This includes a status report on the projects which shows a balance of $3.3 million dollars. All of the projects have been completed with the exception of the 3rd Level Canal Improvements which would cost $700,000. The Springfield Village Foundation project is listed in Phase III and it might qualify under Phase lIon the City side since it is a historic project. Mr. Goins: We had funds allocated for utility relocations regarding the 15th Street project but this project has not been started by the DOT. Mr. McKie: You could use the remaining funds in here to I reimburse for the CSO projects. You have $2.2 million left in existing funds after expenditures for the 15th Street project and the 3rd Level Canal project. Mr. Wall: We can reimburse because there was a statement of intent for the CSO projects. There cannot be a pledge of sales tax funds for a water and sewer bond but you can use the sales tax proceeds to fund these projects because there was a pre- existing contract between the City and County for the use of those sales tax funds. You can use the $2.2 million to reimburse for the CSO projects or you can fund other qualified projects after you fund all the Phase II projects that were on the referendum. Mr. Bridges: I make a motion that we provide $500,000 out of Phase II sales tax money to the Springfield Village Foundation to complete this project and that the Phase III funds be reduced by that amount. Mr. Chairman: What will we do with that other $1.7 million? Is item B a reallocation of Phase III money? Mr. McKie: Yes. I Mr. Wall: I think the $1.7 million may be needed for the repayment of the CSO. I I I Mr. Bridges: I'll make my motion again and accept the amendment that we reimburse the CSO funds with the balance of Phase II after completion of the projects in Phase II. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The COlnmittee next considered approval of funding for Bethlehem Community Center. Mr. McKie: Mr. Butler from the Mini Theatre has contacted us that they would not be beginning their project this year and those allocated funds could be freed up. We can move Mini Theatre to next year and move Bethlehem money up to this year and allow them to begin their project. Mr. Beard: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered approval of funding request for trees for the parking lot at Daniel Field. Mr. McKie: Daniel Field has a balance of some funds and they are trying to finish up a parking lot project. They'd like to purchase some trees from this balance to complete. Mr. Beard: I move it be approved. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Richmond County Board of Tax Assessors regarding refund recommendations for Stacy Anne B. Barrowman, Gloriastein Williams, Tommie and Nellie Neal, Richmond County Motel Corp., Metro Auto Auction and James M. Hull, et al, was read. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Wall: Item #16 should be deleted. You approved that last week. Communication from the Attorney submitting a letter from Mr. John B. Long regarding the provision for Sally Manning to receive 100% of the pension benefits for her deceased husband, Hamp Manning, without the deduction for survivorship benefits. Under the 1945 pension plan, Sally Manning is entitled to 60% of the current salary of Steve Atha, the current Airport Manager. She is currently receiving 60%, less a percentage being deducted for survivorship benefits, was read. I Mr. Wall: As I read it, she is entitled to the entire pension amount. We could consider changing the Ordinance but it would apply to anyone who fell into that category. Mr. Bridges: I move it be approved. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney submitting a proposed contract for the 1% SPLOST project for the Bethlehem Community Center, Inc., was read. Mr. Wall: This is a standard sales contract but we would need to change the allocation for calendar year 1996 to $286,000 and change the allocation for 1997 to $302,194. Mr. Bridges: I so move with the corrections. Mr. Beard: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney requesting consideration of a waiver of the penalty in the amount of $551.04 for the 1995 tax bill for the Hardee's located on Washington Road. The tenant for this location filed bankruptcy and the owner and landlord, T. R. Reddy, was called upon to pay the taxes. These taxes were delinquent, but have been paid by Mr. Reddy, including interest and costs for advertising. The taxes, interest and costs total $5,832.37. However, the penalty in the amount of $551.04 has not been paid and Mr. Reddy has requested a waiver due to the circumstances of the tenant having the obligation to pay the taxes under the lease agreement, but having filed bankruptcy, and the delinquent bill then coming to him, was read. Mr. Wall: I think it would appropriate to waive the penalty. Mr. Beard: I move that we waive the penalty. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I I I I Communication from Mr. Curtis Merriweather of Faith Christian Church regarding the abatement of his 1996 taxes, was read. The Clerk: You considered this back in August and asked that he resubmit it when the tax bill came in and he brought that in today. Mr. Wall: The property was apparently closed on January 4 and was taxable on January 1. If it had been closed on Dec. 31, it would have been tax exempt. This would be only three days worth of taxes and I would recommend that you waive it. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission-Council ~M