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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-27-1998 Meeting I I I FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - January 27, 1998 1:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Bridges, Chairman; H. Brigham, Vice- Chairman; Beard and J. Brigham, members; Lori D'Alessio, Attorney's Office; Randy Oliver, Administrator; Glenn Greenway, Acting Comptroller; Mary Grady of the Comptroller's Office; Harrison Sears, Tax Assessor; Lynn Bailey, Elections Director; Heyward Johnson, Transit Director; Keven Mack, Housing & Neighborhood Development Director; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission. ABSENT: Hon. Larry Sconyers, Mayor. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of The Augusta Chronicle, Stacy Eidson of The Metropolitan Spirit and Hon. Powell, Commissioner. The Clerk: We have a request for seven items on the addendum agenda. Mr. Beard: I move that they be added. #7. Mr. ~r. Brigham: The only ones I want to add are #1, #6 and I'll second it to add those. Mr. Chairman: All right. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: There are some things I think this Committee should be involved in as far as accounting goes. I know that you are working on some of these such as the two- or three-year budget as opposed to one year at a time. We need to develop some kind of cost accounting program which would be beneficial in budgeting by departments. We may need to see if departments are properly allocated and the costs are proper throughout the organization. And in those instances where we can, where it's feasible, do some activity based costs involving the constitu- tional officers to give us an idea when they come and ask for money what we're looking at there. I'd like to see some kind of financial warning system for this Committee so that we would get information any time different accounts are way out of line with the income or expenses. I would also like to see implemented a one-page s:tatement that shows what you have coming in and what you've got. going out in different categories. We may also need to look at. the existing organizational chart and determine what positions are necessary and if there are other areas that can still be consolidated. We also should see if the organizations we give tax breaks to are keeping their part of the bargain. Some work also needs to be done on the fixed assets. Mr. Oliver: There was an editorial in the paper regarding positions. If you take the 64 positions we cut and subtract out the constitutional officers, which was not addressed, we roughly have about 1250 positions that work for you and 64 as a percentage of 1250 is 5% and that's a lot. I would challenge any company to do a 5% reduction in their overall staffing. It will be critical to limit the growth in the constitutional areas. Mr. Chairman: I think we need to start now on next year's budget and talk with everyone about areas where money can be saved. After further discussion, the Committee proceeded with the agenda. A request to approve annual appropriation of GMA 1990 Lease Pool Program, was read. Ms. Grady: This is an annual appropriation we make each year where we lease some equipment through GMA and this states that we have to budget it. Mr. Beard: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A refund of 1996 taxes in the amount of $173.45 for overpayment of taxes on Map 43-1, Parcel 117, was read. A refund of 1995 and 1996 taxes in the amount of $346.90 for overpayment of taxes on Map 26-1, Parcel 10, was read. Mr. Beard: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to fix and public qualifying fees for offices to appear on 1998 ballot, was read. Ms. Bailey: This is done every two years for the election and it designates the appropriate qualifying fee. Mr. Beard: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Clerk: On item #5 Mr. Nichols has the flu and he requested that this be postponed to the next meeting. Mr. H. Brigham: I so move. I I I Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve abatement of penalties on property located at 14 Highgate West in the amount of $437.02, was read. Ms. D'Alessio: The Tax Commissioner is recommending the waiver of only the penalty and not the interest. The taxpayer was getting information together for his taxes and noticed that taxes had not been paid on the house. He contacted the tax office and immediately made payment before they contacted him. The Tax Commissioner went ahead and apparently waived penalties up to his authority but that is a limited amount. Mr. Oliver: I would recommend that this be denied because of the precedent it may set. After a short discussion, Mr. Beard: I move it be denied. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted with Mr. J. Brigham voting "No". A request to approve abatement of penalties and/or interest for late payment of taxes by Pontiac Master, was read. Mr. J. Brigham: I move it be denied. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A Resolution authorizing the Tax Commissioner to waiver penalty and/or interest up to $350.00 for payment of delinquent taxes, was read. Mr. Oliver: We want to make this to waive the penalty only up to $350.00. Mr. Brigham: How many cases have we had? Mr. Oliver: Jim worked with Mr. Saul on this and I don't know. Mr. Brigham: I move that we postpone this to the next meeting until we get more information. Mr. Beard: Second.. Motion adopted unanimously. A contract between Augusta-Richmond County and Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center which is part of the Capital Improvement Plan of Phase 3 of the 1% Sales Tax, was read. Mr. Oliver: Jim wrote the contract and we haven't had an opportunity to discuss it. I would like to hold it until Jim comes back if that's agreeable. After a short discussion, Mr. Beard: I move that we hold this until the next meeting. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to deny a request from WCI Shared Services for waiver of penalty in the amount of $2,971.76 and interest in the amount of $353.63 regarding ad valorem tax account #1228049, was read. Mr. Oliver: We recommend that this request be denied. Mr. H. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve Partridge Inn payoff debt in the amount of $738,243.20, was read. Mr. Oliver: This City did a UDAG loan in 1984 to the Partridge Inn to renovate that hotel. As part of that they took a second mortgage on a portion of it and something else on another piece where there was participation in the profits if there were any upon sale or subsequent earnings. The loan bore an interest rate of 6% so they're proposing to refinance at an interest rate of 9 1/2%. We made calculations and in concert with trying to clean up another little piece that they've offered us $30,000 for which is a participation in future profits after the year 2015, we value this total transaction at $738,243.20. This was somewhat of a tenuous venture when it was entered into and this would be money we can use for economic development purposes. Our recommendation is to approve accepting that amount but I wanted you to know that it is discounted from 9 1/2% to 6%. Mr. Beard: I so move. Mr. J. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A Quit-Claim Deed for 258 Reynolds Street, was read. Mr. J. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Beard: Second. I I I I I I Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena .:r. Bonner Clerk of Commission NWM