HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-25-2003 Meeting
FINANCE & APPROPRA TIONS
AGENDA
COMMITTEE ROOM - August 25, 2003
2:15 P. M.
1. Motion to approve the transfer of$150,000 from the FY 2003 Contingency Fund
to the Marketing Operating Fund at Augusta Regional Airport.
2 Motion to approve the transfer of $50,000 from the FY 2003 Contingency Fund to
the Marketing Operating Fund at Augusta Regional Airport.
3. Motion to approve the proposal from Best Food Equipment for a new vent and
hood system in the amount of$l4,643.00 for Augusta Regional Airport.
4. Approve request from Laney-Walker Development Corporation for waiver of
liens on property located at l230 Tenth Street.
5. Approve an adjustment of budgets in HND and General Funds to correctly reflect
funding for inspectors.
6 Discuss demolition, lot cleaning, liens and mobile home permits on tax bills.
(Requested by Commissioner Shepard) (Referred from August II Finance)
7. Update from the Senior Citizens Council regarding the senior nutrition monthly
report. (Referred from August II Finance)
8. Report from the Finance Director regarding policies and procedures related to the
collection of monies owned to the City. (Referred from August 11 Finance)
9. Report from the Tax Assc~sor regarding the number of property owners out of" the
l,337 who have appeals in progress who have not paid their tax bills. (Referred
from August II Finance)
10. Motion to approve amendment to Augusta Richmond County Code Section 2-2-
32 ( e) and (f) so as to provide for the distribution of a portion of the Hotel and
Motel Tax to the Greater Augusta Sp()rts Council, Inc. and the Augusta
Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. (Referred from August 5
Finance)
ll. Approve sale of surplus benches and tables to the Augusta Canal Authori ty for
$1.00.
l2. Approve the acquisition of One (I) Brush Chipper for the Public Works
Department - Trees & Landscape Division from Vermeer Southeast Sales and
Service, Inc. of McDonough, Georgia for $28,360.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 03-
lll).
13. Consider request from Southside Outreach Community Program, Inc. for the
amount of $10,000 to continue operation of tutorial outreach program of 65
children. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson)
l4. Consider request for $1,000 appropriation for Community Partnership Children
Week to cover the use of amphitheater and 8th Street Plaza in October.
(Requested by Commissioner Hankerson)
l5. Discuss quarterly report. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson)
16. Discussion of Audit Force SPLOST Accounts. (Requested by Commissioner
Cheek)
17. Motion to approve the increase of 2003 budgeted rent for Housing &
Neighborhood using Urban Services Fund as a source of revenue. (Referred from
August 19 Commission meeting)
l8. Adopt Budget Resolutions for the General Fund, Law Enforcement Fund, Fire
Protection Fund, Capital Outlay Fund and Urban Services District Fund for
budget amendments.
19. Discuss urban services tax district. (Referred from August 19 Commission
meeting)
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FINANCE & APPROPRATIONS
COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE ROOM - August 25, 2003
2:15 P. M.
PRESENT: Hons. Shepard, Chairman; Hankerson, Co-Chairman; Bridges and
Williams, members; Jim Wall, Attorney; George Kolb, Administrator; E. W. Reece, Tax
Assessor; North Williamson and Jack McAdams, Tax Commissioner's OffIce; Ron
Crowden, Fleet Manager; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission.
13. Consider request from Southside Outreach Community Program, Inc. for
the amount of $10,000 to continue operation of tutorial outreach program of
65 children. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson)
At this time Mrs. Mary Bogan and a delegation appeared before the committee
regarding the above request.
Mr. Hankerson: I'd like to put it in the form of a motion that we award them the
$10,000 from the recaputured UDAG funds we had for Project Success.
Mr. Chairman: I'll second the motion for purposes of discussion.
Motion adopted unanimously.
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1.
Motion to approve the transfer of $150,000 from the FY 2003 Contingency
Fund to the Marketing Operating Fund at Augusta Regional Airport.
2 Motion to approve the transfer of $50,000 from the FY 2003 Contingency
Fund to the Marketing Operating Fund at Augusta Regional Airport.
3. Motion to approve the proposal from Best Food Equipment for a new vent
and hood system in the amount of $14,643.00 for Augusta Regional Airport.
Mr. Williams: So move.
Mr. Bridges: I'll second it.
Mr. Wall: Regarding Item 3 there is a contract in place with Very Vera for
catering to the airport since the restaurant is currently closed. That one-year contract will
go through July of next year.
Motion adopted unanimously.
4. Approve request from Laney-Walker Development Corporation for waiver
of liens on property located at 1230 Tenth Street.
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Mr. Wall: Laney Walker can either pay $2,000 for the property in which event
$1,000 would go to the estate and $1,000 would come back to the government to clear up
the liens or what they're asking for is a waiver of$l,OOO on the liens and they in turn
would pay $1,000 to the estate to get clear title to the property. That's what's being
requested.
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Mr. Williams: I make a motion that we approve the Laney Walker request to
waive the fees for 1230 Tenth Street.
Mr. Hankerson: I second it.
Motion fails with Mr. Bridges voting No and the Chairman out.
5. Approve an adjustment of budgets in HND and General Funds to correctly
reflect funding for inspectors.
Mr. Williams: So move.
Mr. Bridges: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
6 Discuss demolition, lot cleaning, liens and mobile home permits on tax bills.
(Requested by Commissioner Shepard) (Referred from August 11 Finance)
After a short discussion, Mr. Chairman: I would like to see you develop a policy
on this to make the abstractors more aware of the mobile home permits.
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Mr. Williams: I so move.
Mr. Hankerson: Second.
Mr. Williamson: Regarding the lot cleaning we institute a lien or a fI fa for that as
a separate item on the records of the Clerk of Court.
Mr. Wall: We've got three we are taking to court this month.
After further discussion, Mr. Chairman: I think regarding the lot cleaning and
demolition liens that we should let the new procedure operate with the fIrst cases and
then we've made the right motion to try to make the abstractor community more aware of
the mobile home permits. And they can write up the policy and bring it back to the
committee.
Motion adopted unanimously.
7.
Update from the Senior Citizens Council regarding the senior nutrition
monthly report. (Referred from August 11 Finance)
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Mr. Lawrence Hammond made a presentation regarding an updated report from
the Senior Citizens Council.
Mr. Hankerson: A motion to accept the report as information.
Mr. Bridges: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
8. Report from the Finance Director regarding policies and procedures related
to the collection of monies owned to the City. (Referred from August 11
Finance)
Mr. Chairman: I think we discussed this at the special called meeting.
Mr. Bridges: A motion to receive it as information.
Motion adopted unanimously.
9. Report from the Tax Assessor regarding the number of property owners out
of the 1,337 who have appeals in progress who have not paid their tax bills.
(Referred from August 11 Finance)
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Mr. Reece: We had the 1,337 appealed properties and the 85% bills were mailed
out in May.
Mr. McAdams: If all of the appeals were settled, all the 85% bills that went out
were settled today at the full amount, we could expect just under $87,000 additionally.
The unpaid portion on the 85% bills that did go out is about $l24,OOO. So you would add
those two together to come out with what is still outstanding and what might be
outstanding if all of the appeals are settled at 100%. That represents about 300 bills still
outstanding.
Mr. Bridges: I move we receive this as information.
Mr. Williams: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
10.
Motion to approve amendment to Augusta Richmond County Code Section
2-2-32 (e) and ({) so as to provide for the distribution of a portion of the Hotel
::nd Motel Tax to the Greater Augusta Sports Council, Inc. and the Augusta
Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. (Referred from August 5
Finance)
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Mr. Kolb: I would suggest that you defer this again and delete from the agenda.
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Mr. Bridges: I move that we delete it from this agenda.
Mr. Williams: Second.
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Motion adopted unanimously.
11. Approve sale of surplus benches and tables to the Augusta Canal Authority
for $1.00.
After a discussion, Mr. Bridges: I make a motion that we approve this as written
subject to no other departments in the city needing any of the benches or chairs.
Mr. Williams: I'll second that.
Motion adopted unanimously.
12. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Brush Chipper for the Public Works
Department - Trees & Landscape Division from Vermeer Southeast Sales
and Service, Inc. of McDonough, Georgia for $28,360.00 (lowest bid offer on
Bid 03-111).
Mr. Crowden: The funding for this is from sales tax.
Mr. Bridges: I make a motion we approve.
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Mr. Chairman: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
14. Consider request for $1,000 appropriation for Community Partnership
Children Week to cover the use of amphitheater and 8th Street Plaza in
October. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson)
Mr. Hankerson: I'd like to move for approval subject to the Administrator fInding
a source of funding for this and report back to the Commission meeting.
Mr. Williams: I'll second the motion.
Motion adopted unanimously.
15. Discuss quarterly report. (Requested hy Commissioner Hankerson)
Commissioners discussed the numbers in the quarterly report. Mr. Kolb stated
that in order to take $2.5 million out of the budget, it was done through attrition, not
fIlling 62 positions and maintaining a certain vacancy level. He noted that they are ahead
of schedule and doing well.
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After a lengthy discussion about the numbers in the report, Mr. Chairman: We
had asked the administration to bring us the millage rate today and we wanted quarterly
reports of the status of the digest and to see some plans for getting out of this year with a
balanced budget using a combination of targeted cuts and fund balance. I would suggest
that that plan come forward by the next Commission meeting and perhaps the Finance
Committee should have a work session before that on that same day.
Mr. Hankerson: I move that we receive this as information.
Mr. Bridges: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
16. Discussion of Audit Force SPLOST Accounts. (Requested by Commissioner
Cheek)
Mr. Cheek: I would ask the committee to consider forwarding a motion to the full
Commission to conduct an audit of our SPLOST accounts. The purpose would be to fmd
the unspent SPLOST money, to recommend adjustments where necessary and to confIrm
that things are improving in our Finance Department.
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After a discussion of the matter, Mr. Persaud: We did do a report a few weeks
back on the current SPLOST where we looked at the accounts with the total
appropriations, fund balances and existing resources.
Mr. Chairman: Jim, we had talked about having a report back in October. Would
it be possible to have an example of your report at the next Commission meeting?
Mr. Wall: I'm not certain. (remainder of comments inaudible)
After further discussion, Mr. Bridges: I move that we receive this as information.
Mr. Chairman: I second that.
Motion adopted unanimously.
17. I\1otion to approve the increase of 2003 budgeted rent for Housing &
Neighborhood using Urban Services Fund as a source of revenue. (Referred
from August 19 Commission meeting)
Mr. Bridges: I so move.
Mr. Williams: Second.
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After a discussion, the motion was adopted with Mr. Williams voting Present.
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18.
Adopt Budget Resolutions for the General Fund, Law Enforcement Fund,
Fire Protection Fund, Capital Outlay Fund and Urban Services District
Fund for budget amendments.
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Mr. Chairman: I would recommend that we make a no recommendation on this to
the next full Commission and try to reach a consensus of some cuts and use of fund
balance because I don't think we can continue to use fund balance.
Mr. Bridges: I so move.
Mr. Williams: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
19. Discuss urban services tax district. (Referred from August 19 Commission
meeting)
Mr. Mays: I'm content to let staff continue to work with this and plan how we
can work toward moving two governments into one.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Lena J. Bonner
Clerk of Commission
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