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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-21-1996 Meeting I I I FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - October 21, 1996 2:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; J. Brigham, Chairman; Handy, Vice-Chairman; Bridges and Beard, members; A. B. McKie, Jr., Interim Comptroller; Glenn Greenway, John Mitchell and Cheryl Nelson of the Finance Department; Tom Beck, Asst. Director of Recreation Department; Kip Plowman, Interim Internal Auditor; John Etheridge, Human Resources Director; Linda Beazley, Interim Administrator for Administration; Jim Wall, Attorney; Donna Williams, Asst. Comptroller; Nancy Bonner, Director of Computer Management Services; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle, Rosemary Forrest of the Metropolitan Spirit, Gale Mino of WBBQ Radio and George Eskola of WJBF Television. The Clerk: We have a request to delete item #17. Judge Hamrick has jury selection today and he has asked to be placed on the agenda for the November 11th meeting. We also have a communication from JAM Ministries for a tax waiver which would be an addition. Mr. Beard: I move we add these. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee first considered approval of the purchase of prior years services for Margaret Mollohan. Mr. Beard: I so move. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. McKie: The next item is to introduce for information only the procedures for Central Services and Print Shop cost accounting to be followed at the beginning of the year. It is a job order type cost system and it is presented now for you to review and then we'll come back next time to answer any questions and ask that you approve the system. Mr. Bridges: I move that we receive it as information. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously with Mr. Handy out of the room during discussion. ) The Committee next considered 1996 Ad Valorem Tax Billing and Budget Comparisons. Mr. McKie: These are the ad valorem taxes that were billed for this year and we've prepared a comparison with budget for you to show some idea of where we'll end up for the year. On the suburban side we are some $910,000 billed more than budget; on the urban side it is much smaller, only $52,000. I After a short discussion, Mr. Bridges: I move we receive it as information. Mr. ~andy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. McKie: On University Hospital ambulance billing for 1996 through seven months, we have a comparison for you with 1995 and 1994. The bill this year for seven months is $631,000 and the typical year is $750,000. We'd recommend that we use our Internal Audit staff to take a look at these bills. Mr. Handy: I'd like to make a motion to accept this for information and also ask our Internal Auditor to investigate and then come back with a recommendation. Mr. Bridges: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next discussed new software for Computer Management. Mr. McKie: Before consolidation we began to look at software to replace what we had in the County. We had pretty much settled on Bi-Tech at that time but when consolidation came along, we decided to hold off. We have looked at them again; they have made some significant improvements and have had demonstrations to the staff and we are basically in agreement that this is the way we should go. I think we want to present it as information at this time and give you an opportunity to ask questions of the staff over the next couple of weeks. After a short discussion, Mr. Beard: I move we receive it as information. Mr. Bridges: Second. Mr. Chairman: Lee, would you amend your motion to include a sub-committee on this to report back to us in November? Mr. Beard: Yes. I Motion adopted unanimously. I I I Mr. Chairman: I'd like to appoint a sub-committee composed of Mr. Handy, Mr. zetterberg, Mr. Bridges, Mr. Plowman, Mr. Wall, Mr. McKie and Mrs. Bonner and let them report back to us on the 11th with Mr. Handy serving as Chairman. Mr. McKie: We'd like to recognize some employees who have received the Certified Government Finance Manager designation. That would be Cheryl Nelson, Johnny Mitchell and myself. Mr. Handy: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered a list of equipment to be declared salvage. Mr. McKie: This comes from Mr. Harry Hartley and Mr. Dillard and we recommend this equipment be taken out of service and sold as salvage as it is not safe to operate on the street. . Steve Reed and Ron Crowden assisted in this with Mr. Hartley. Mr. Bridges: I so move. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. At this time Mr. Greenway presented the Third Quarter results. After a discussion, Mr. Handy: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. McKie: We have another information item. It is a summary of audit review for the City of Augusta. Mr. Bridges: I move we receive it as information. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. McKie: We would like to begin a discussion of alternative pension plans for the new government. We have representatives from Pepsico here to bring you some general information as to some broad options and actions that we are currently taking concerning the type of pension plans that we might offer next year. At this time the Committee heard a presentation regarding the different alternatives for pension plans which might be considered. I Mr. Handy: I move that we receive this as information. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. McKie: We need to set a date for a budget workshop for the Commission-Council. We would recommend sometime in the first two weeks in November. Mr. Chairman: What about at 5:00 p.m. on November 7? Mr. Handy: I move that we set November 7 at 5:00 p.m. as the date. Mr. Bridges: Second. L Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: Let's delete item #12 about the bond issue. We will be discussing that later this afternoon. Communication from the Richmond County Board of Tax I Assessors recommending approval of refund recommendations to Edna Green wright, Karen L. Oliver, Eddie F. Hughes and Barbara & Franda Elmy, was read. Mr. Bridges: I move we approve the refunds as recommended. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney submitting a proposed ordinance changing the date for the submittal of the budget for calendar year 1997 only, was read. Mr. Wall: For 1997 only the adoption of the tentative budget will be on the third Tuesday of December. Mr. Handy: I so move. I . Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney submitting a proposed I "Agreement of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance" whereby NationsBank is allowed to resign and SouthTrust Bank of Georgia becomes Successor Trustee, Paying Agent, Registrar for certain I I I bonds issued by The Downtown Development Authority of the City of Augusta, Georgia. I am also enclosing a proposed resolution, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Human Resources Director submitting a list of participants in the Enhanced Early Retirement Program, was read. Mr. Handy: I move it be approved and allow the Administrator to review the positions to determine whether or not they should be refilled. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from JAM Ministries requesting a waiver of the taxes at the Racquet Ball Center building at 2805 Wylds Road. We are a church that has been leasing the building since April 1, 1995, was read. Mr. Wall: This is consistent with what you've done in the past. Mr. Beard: I move that we approve the waiver of the taxes. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Bridges: I'd like to add the matter of adding bleachers to the Belle Terrace Swim Center. Mr. Beard: I move we add it. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Beck: At last Tuesday's meeting you approved the contract for the Belle Terrace Swim Center and you asked that we study the possibility of adding on to the building in order to get more seating for swim meets. We have done that and Precision Planning has come up with an estimate of $900,000 to add on to the existing plans. This would take the seating from 250 to 500. We would be left with a $64,000 deficit in order to do this. After a short discussion, Mr. Handy: I move that we approve the extra $64,000. I Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission NWM ~ ., I I