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Home My WebLink About01-21-2004 Meeting o~, ~ I I I .... ...,.~. - FlNANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - January 21, 2005 10:30 A. M. PRESENT: Hans. Bob Young, Mayor; Boyles, Chairman; Beard, Co-Chairman; Grantham and Williams, members; Steve Shepard, Attorney; Fred Russell, Administrator; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. 10. Approve plan of Airport improvements financing with Augusta Regional Airport Bonds, 2005 Series - total not to exceed $21,990,000.00. Series 2005A - not to exceed $7,425,000.00 (Secured by the Airport Passenger Facility Charge and General Revenue) Non-AMT (alternative minimum tax); Series 2005B - not to exceed $8,000,000.00 (Secured by the Airport Passenger Facility Charge and General Revenue) AMT; Series 2005C - not to exceed $6,565,000.00 (Airport General Revenue Bonds) AMT. (See background information under Item 2 of Public Services agenda) Mr. Boyles: Can I get a motion that we refer this to the full Commission to approve? Mr. Grantham: I so move. Ms. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena 1. Bonner Clerk of Commission The Finance & Appropriations Committee reconvened at 3 :30 p.m., Friday, January 21,2005. PRESENT: Hans. Bob Young, Mayor; Boyles, Chairman; Beard, Co-Chairman; Grantham and Williams, members; Steve Shepard, Attorney; Fred Russell, Administrator; David Persaud, Finance Director; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. 6. AuthorHze Public Works & Engineering Department to create a new Code Enforcement Officer II position (pay grade 43) to be funded by NPDES fees and by the fines collected through the Magistrate Court. (See background information under Item 5 on Administrative Services agenda) 1 8. Authorize the Board of Assessors to work with Information Technology to develop RFP's and accept bids on a new CAMA and a complete revaluation of all real estate parcels. The final contracts would be brought back to the Commission for approval. (See background information under Item 8 on Administrative Services agenda) I 9. Authorize the Board of Tax Assessors to advertise and accept bids to perform a business audit by an outside vendor. Once the vendor is selected the contractual agreement would come back to the Commission for approval. See background informatio'n under Item 9 on Administrative Services agenda) Mr. Chairman: Item 10 was previously approved in Finance and Items 6, 8 and 9 were approved in other committees. The Clerk: The petitioner on Item 5 has requested that we defer this to the next . committee meeting. [5. Consider a request from Rev~ Dr. Reginald D. Simmons for the waiver of 2004 and 2005 property taxes for the Universal Ministries Christian Fellowship Church on Highway 56.] Mr. Williams: I move that we approve those items as consent. Mr. Grantham: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. 12. Discuss letter from 1945 Pension Plan participants who retired prior to January 1. (Requested by Commissioner Boyles) Mr. Jack Long appeared before the committee regarding the above communication and asked that the benefits for the pension participants be increased by '$150 per month retroactive to January 1,2004. It would be about 19 people and a cost of about $34,000 cost per year. Weare talking only about those people who retired prior to 1996. Mr. Persaud: I would like for the actuary to look at it. Mr. Grantham: I make a motion that we approve the request by the 1945 pension plan and that we do receive the information from Mr. Persaud and our attorney and the letter from Mr. Long and that it be retroactive to January 1, 2004. Mr. Williams: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. 2 I I I 11. Presentation from Dr. Terry Cook concerning Project Access. (Requested by Commissioner Boyles) At this time Dr. Cook presented the annual report on Project Access. He noted that they would like to expand the program to include Columbia County. Mr. Grantham stated that he would like to see Columbia County adopt this and then present it back to the Augusta Commission. Mr. Williams: I move that we receive this as information. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 4. Motion to approve refunds on eight accounts from Tax Assessors Office. Mr. Williams: So move. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 2. Discuss 2004 Water & Sewer Revenue Bond issues. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) Mr. Mark Widener with Merrill Lynch addressed the role of their activity as an underwriter with the bond issue. ' After a lengthy discussion about the procedures for the sale of the bonds, Mr. Boyles: Mr. Hankerson has appointed me as chairman of the sub-committee to look at some legal things and I would like to expand it to look at this also. Mr. Williams: I'll make it in the form of a motion. Mr. Grantham: I'll second it. Mr. Chairman: I would also like to ask Ms. Sims to serve on that sub-committee. Motion adopted unanimously. 1. Discuss Commissioners' suggested budget cuts pertaining to Commissioners' expenses. (Requested by Commissioner Grantham) 3 Mr. Grantham: It was requested that we send in any recommendations we had regarding budget cuts for this year and I submitted some information myself for some suggestions that we could cut from our own expenses. I think that we should make some cuts for ourselves if we are asking departments to do the same. I Mr. Chairman: I would just ask commissioners to send in any suggestions they might have. Mr. Williams: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 7. Consider the request for surplus police vehicles from the East Central Regional Hospital (Gracewood) and the Richmond County Board of Education. Mr. Chairman: I think the recommendation coming from the Administrator through the Fleet Manager is saying that we don't need to do this. Mr. Williams: I move that we not do this at this time. Mr. Grantham: I'll second it. I Motion adopted unanimously. 3. Approve the contract and payment of $2,000,000 to Augusta Neighborhood Improvement Corporation for the completion of the Phase IV SPLOST ANIC Hopkins Street Improvement Project. Mr. Williams: So move. Ms. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 13. Discuss time schedule for 2005 SPLOST deliberations. (Requested by Commissioner Boyles) Mr. Grantham: A motion that we receive this as information. Mr. Cheek: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I 4 I I I 14. . Discuss disposal of chairs in Commission Chamber. (Requested by Commissioner Cheek) The Clerk: The idea here is that we would allow commissioners to purchase their chairs so that we can bring in the new ones. We have a legal ruling from the attorney and the Finance Director that there is zero value on our books and you need to determine if that is the way you want to dispose of them. Ms. Beard: I move that anyone can buy their chair for $25.00. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission nwm 5 I . - . FlNANCE & APPROPRIATIONS AGENDA COMMITTEE ROOM - January 21,2005 10:30 A. M. 1. Discuss Commissioners' suggested budget cuts pertaining to Commissioners' expenses. (Requested by Commissioner Grantham) 2. Discuss 2004 Water & Sewer Revenue Bond issues. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) 3. Approve the contract and payment of $2,000,000 to Augusta Neighborhood Improvement Corporation for the completion of the Phase IV SPLOST ANIC Hopkins Street Improvement Project. 4. Motion to approve refunds on eight accounts from Tax Assessors Office. 5. Consider a request from Rev. Dr. Reginald D. Simmons for the waiver of2004 and 2005 property taxes for the Universal Ministries Christian Fellowship Church on Highway 56. 6. Authorize Public Works & Engineering Department to create a new Code EnflJrcement Officer II position (pay grade 43) to be funded by NPDES fees and by the fines collected through the Magistrate Court. (See background information under Item 5 on Administrative Services agenda) 7. Consider the request for surplus police vehicles from the East Central Regional Hospital (Gracewood) and the Richmond County Board of Education. 8. Authorize the Board of Assessors to work with Information Technology to develop RFP's and accept bids on a new CAMA and a complete revaluation of all real estate parcels. The final contracts would be brought back to the Commission for approval. (See background information under Item 8 on Administrative Services agenda) 9. Authorize the Board of Tax Assessors to advertise and accept bids to perform a business audit by an outside vendor. Once the vendor is selected the contractual agreement would come back to the Commission for approval. See backb'found information under Item 9 on Administrative Services agenda) 10. ....... ...... Approve plan of Airport improvements financing with Augusta Regional Airport Bonds, 2005 Series - total not to exceed $21,990,000.00. Series 2005A - not to exceed $7,425,000.00 (Secured by the Airport Passenger Facility Charge and General Revenue) Non-AMT (alternative minimum tax); Series 2005B - not to exceed $8,000,000.00 (Secured by the Airport Passenger Facility Charge and General Revenue) AMT; Series 2005C - not to exceed $6,565,000.00 (Airport General Revenue Bonds) AMT. (See background information under Item 2 of Public Services agenda)