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Home My WebLink About12-08-2003 Meeting I I I FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - December 8, 2003 2:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Bob Young, Mayor; Shepard, Chairman; Hankerson, Co- Chairman; Bridges and Williams, members; Harry James, Staff Attorney; George Kolb, Administrator; David Persaud, Finance Director; Sandy Wright, Risk Management; Donna Williams, Asst. Finance Director; Mike Greene, Public Works Dept.; Rick Acree, Facilities Management; Peggy Seigler, Asst. Administrator; Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission. . Also Present: George Eskola ofWJBF Television, Heidi Williams of the Augusta Chronicle, Stacey Eidson of the Metro Spirit and Hons. Colclough, Mays and Cheek, Commissioners. . CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 4. Accept a 2004 Tourism Grant for $20,500 for marketing Augusta in the southeast. 5. Discuss Sand Hills Park allocations. (Referred from December 2 Commission meeting) 9. Consider a request from Paine College regarding City sponsorship through the purchase of tickets for the Fourth Annual Masked Ball. Mr. Hankerson: I so move. Mr. Williams: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 7. Report from the Internal Auditor regarding Augusta Riverwalk and Riverfront Marina. Mr. J. T. Cosnahan appeared before the Committee and gave an overview of their audit of the Marina. Mr. Kolb: We would like to take some time to discuss this with the Port Authority and put some new procedures into place. After a short discussion, Mr. Bridges: I make the motion that we have the Administrator come back to us with some recommendations of what needs to be done regarding this audit and that it be brought back to this committee at the first meeting in January. Mr. Hankerson: Second. 1 Mr. Mayor: I would ask that the Administrator also consider the option of privatizing this entity as part of his investigation. I Motion adopted unanimously. 6. Approve award of Bid Number 03-146 to General Electric Supply Company in the amount of $118,448.98 to be funded from the 2003 Urban Services Street Lighting Budget (Account # 271-04-1610/54.14410). Mr. Bridges: I move for approval. Mr. Chairman: Second the motion. Motion adopted unanimously. 1. Approve continuing commercial property insurance through Chubb. Mr. Bridges: So move. Mr. Williams: Second. 2. Approve Excess Workers Compensation Insurance with Midwest Employers Casualty Company (an A rated insurer). I Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Bridges: I move it be approved. Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 3. Renew current agreement with Hilb, Rogal and Hamilton for 6 months to allow time to complete the development of an RFP and go through the nec~ssary processes to select a service provider. Mr. Bridges: I move for approval. Mr. Williams: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 8. Discuss Augusta Richmond County public information function. (Requested by Commissioner Williams) I 2 I I I Mr. Williams: The OMI Company donated thirty computers to our local schools and we had a presentation regarding that. Our public relations person was not there and I wanted to know why we didn't have anyone there for that. Mr. Kolb: She didn't know anything about it. The press conference involved the school system and OMI and we were not involved in that. I knew about it but I wasn't here. Mr. Williams: The press conference was set up with OMI and the commissioners. We went to several schools with Mr. Tony Johnson and interviewed the principals and that's how it came about. He called me about a change in the location and he was instructed to go to the school board with it. I thought you and Ms. Seigler knew about it and I was somewhat upset because this would have been a good opportunity for us to publicize what was happening. Mr. Hankerson: The whole project was to get other firms who do business with the city to do this same type of thing to give back something to the community. I had talked to Mr. Johnson previously and thought it would be scheduled to be done here at the Municipal Building but found out that it was to be at the Board of Education. He called Ms. Seigler and she directed him to Michelle Jordan at the Board. Ms. Seigler: OMI stopped by and we talked about it. I think the School Board probably had the same trouble that I did. The commission's involvement was not expressed in meetings with OM! and so when a vendor came to me talking about what they were doing for the School Board, I said, "Well, that's great, congratulations. Talk to the School Board. They're the direct beneficiaries of your program." I apologize, but I did not know the extent to which the Commission was involved with that donation as well as your extent to going forward and getting other businesses to do this for the community. If I had known that, I would have handled it differently but since the School Board was the direct beneficiary of a vendor service and donation I said talk to them and you'll get better press that way. Mr. Bridges: I'm in a fog about this and I don't know anything about it. Is this something we approved? Mr. Williams: This was an effort by OMI to give something back to the community and to get other companies to do something similar. Mr. Bridges: What did they give back to the community? Mr. Williams: They donated thirty computers and some scholarship money to some local schools. Mr. Cheek: This started about three years ago. They started doing this in communities where they do business and OMI picked up the ball and ran with it. Some of us had seen it done in other cities. 3 Mr. Chairman: Perhaps we could pass a resolution of appreciation and present it at the Commission meeting so that they could be recognized at that time. Mr. Williams: I'll make that in the form of a motion. I Mr. Chairman: And I'll second it. Mr. Hankerson: Basically there was a breakdown in the communication. Our goal is to get companies to do the same thing so that is the purpose of getting it out through good public relations. Mr. Kolb: If you will let us know that things like this are important to you, we will definitely get on it. Mr. Hankerson: Mr. Johpson said he had previously talked to you. Mr. Kolb: He did about two or three months ago, and I didn't think anything about it when it wasn't mentioned again. After further discussion, the motion was adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. <> Nancy W. Morawski Deputy Clerk of Commission I nwm I 4 FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS AGENDA COMMITTEE ROOM - December 8, 2003 , . 2:00P.M.' . 1. . Approve continuing commercial property insurance through Chubb. 2. Ap.prove Excess W otkers Compensation Insurance with Midwest Employers Casualty Company (an A rated insurer). . . ' . . 3. Renew current agreement withRilb, Rogal and Hamilton for 6 months to allow time to complete the development of an: RFP and go through the necessary processes to select a service provider. . . 4. Accept a 2004 Tourism Grant for $20,500 for marketing Augusta in the southeast. 5. Discuss Sand Hills Park allocations. . (Referred from December 2 Commission meeting) 6. Approve award of Bid Number 03-146 to General Electric Supply Company in the amount of$118,448.98 to be funded from the 2003 Urban Services Street Lighting Budget (Account # 271-04-16.l0/54.14410). 7. Report from the Internal Auditor regarding Augusta Riverwalk and Riverfront Marina. 8. Discuss Augusta Richmond County public information function. (Requested by Commissioner Williams) 9. Consider a request from Paine College regarding City sponsorship through the purchase of tickets for the Fourth Annual Masked BalL