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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-09-1998 Meeting I FINANCE.& APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - November 9, 1998 1:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Bridges, Chairman; H. Brigham, Vice-Chairman; 1. Brigham, member; Harry Siddall, Fleet Manager; Rob Sherman, License & Inspections Director; Randy Oliver, Administrator; Jim Wall, Attorney; Lon Morrey, Comptroller; David Collins, Finance Department; Max Hicks, Utilities Dept. Director; Tom Wiedmeier, Utilities Dept. Asst. Director; Mary Williams of the Utilities Dept.; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission. ABSENT: Hons. Larry Sconyers, Mayor and Beard, member. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of The Augusta Chronicle, George Eskola ofWJBF Television, Stacey Eidson of The Metropolitan Spirit. The: Clerk: We have a request to add two addendum items. Mr. H. Brigham: I so move we add them. Mr. J. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I Thle Committee first heard a presentation by Mr. Richard Leach, Library Director and Mr. Tom Sutherland, Chairman of the Library' Board, regarding an overview of the activities at the Library and their budgetary needs for the future. A request to approve overage and uneconomical City/County equipment as excess for the purpose of removing such equipment from the fleet through an equipment auction, was read. Mr. H. Brigham: I so move. Mr. 1. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to award a purchase order for one (1) full size, 4-door automobile for the District Attorney at a total cost of $20,551.00 (Bid # 98-188), was read. Mr. Siddall: We have replacement funds for this through our capital accounts. His automobile was totaled in a weather-related accident. I Mr. 1. Brigham: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to award a purchase order for one (1) compact extended cab pickup truck for the License & Inspections Department Code Enforcement Division at a total cost of $16,467.95 (Bid # 98-189), was read. A request to award a purchase order for the lowest bid for a three (3) year lease of two (2) Articulated 30 Ton Dump Trucks for the Public Works Department Landfill Division for a total lease cost of $360,671. 76 (Bid # 98-183), was read. A request to award a purchase order for the lowest bid for a three (3) year lease of a Hydraulically Operated Excavator for the Public Works Department Landfill Division at an annual cost of $50,467.32 (Bid # 98-184), was read. Mr. 1. Brigham: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve the transfer of property at 210 Horton Drive (Tax Map 87-2, Parcel 99) to the Richmond County Land Bank Authority, was read. Mr. 1. Brigham: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to waive 1998 taxes on Map 54, Parcel 62.09 (Request by New Life Christian Center), was read. Mr. 1. Brigham: I so move. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next discussed the Internal Auditor position. Mr. Oliver: Several months ago there was some discussion about filling this position. At that time it was decided to wait until the end of the calendar year. If we wanted to fill the position, we would need to advertise it now in order to fill it by the first of the year. I Mr. Chairman: My concern is that we do need to get moving if we want to fill this position. Mr. 1. Brigham: I'll make a motion that we put it up for debate at the Commission and let everybody have full participation in it. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. The Committee next discussed the reserve funds for the water and sewer system that were previously in the old County system before consolidation. Mr. Chairman: We're trying to get an accounting of those funds and their status now. Mr. Collins: We had approximately $18 million in cash in the former Richmond County water and sewer system. Within about three to six months, we spent $11.8 million on some CSO projects. Also, upon consolidation of the two water and sewer systems, there was a $6 million receivable that the former City's water system owed to the General Fund. I Mr. Oliver: The CSO is being replaced with sales tax money. Mr. Wiedmeier: $10.5 million in Phase III sales tax. Mr. Collins: Let me explain the $6 million. The former City transferred out approximately $15.2 million for the FY95. The water and sewer system only had about $9.2 million to cover that transfer which left it owing the former City of Augusta General Fund $6 million and that was covered on January 1 with the consolidation of the systems. Mr. J. Brigham: Is the $6 million the money that was used to consolidate debts which involved fund balances that had liabilities outstanding that had no sources of revenue? Mr. Collins: That's true. There were a lot of receivables. Mr. 1. Brigham: How much money was involved? Mr. Collins: I honestly can't remember. I know there were quite a few receivables that were due the former City that really they had no ability to pay and we had to write them off. I can get back with you on that. I Mr. 1. Brigham: Okay. I think you need to get back with us on that. Mr. Chairman: As a short history about this, I understand that when Jesse Carroll was Commissioner he wanted to extend some water and sewer lines into the old County system and was unable to do it. When he asked how we could do it, he was told that the rates should be increased. The rates were increased about 20% and the money was put into a reserve fund and that is the $18 million. The projects were never done prior to consolidation and after consolidation, this money was loaned to them with a promise, at least a verbal promise if not a written promise and I'm not sure about that, that this money would be paid back into the County system. So I'm looking for this money to come back to that pot and an accounting of these funds. I think if the Utilities Department will work with the Comptroller's Office and get back with us on this in a reasonable amount of time. I A request to waive penalties on various personal property accounts for R & H Manon, Inc., was read. Mr. 1. Brigham: I move that we defer action on this until the next meeting. Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. A request to approve declaring surplus parcel 40.1 of Tax Map 47-2 located on Reynolds Street and parcel 37 of Tax Map 47-2 located on Fifth Street, was read. Mr. 1. Brigham: I move we add this to the agenda. I Mr. H. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. 1. Brigham: Can this be transferred to the Land Bank Authority? Mr. Wall: I don' know. I'll have to research that to be sure. Mr. 1. Brigham: I move that we declare this as surplus to be sold and either transferred to the Land Bank Authority or sold at public auction as deemed appropriate after research by the Attorney. Mr. H. Brigham: I'll second that. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. NWM Lena 1. Bonner Clerk of Commission I