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Home My WebLink About06-21-2004 Meeting I I I FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - June 21, 2004 2:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Boyles, Chairman; Beard, Co-Chairman; Grantham and Williams, members; North Williamson, Tax Commissioner's Office; E. W. Reece, Tax Assessor; David Persaud, Finance Director; Fred Russell, Interim Administrator; Ron Crowden, Fleet Manager; Errick Thompson, Public Works Asst. Director; Mark Johnson, Landfill Manager; Steve Shepard, Attorney; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. ABSENT: Hon. Bob Young, Mayor. Also Present: Hons. Smith, Sims, Cheek and Colclough, Commissioners. 14. Motion to renew the Sec. 5311 Rural Transit grant application between the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Augusta, Georgia. (See background informati~n under Item 6 on Public Services agenda) Ms. Beard: I so move. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 12. Consider abatement of 2002 Tax Account on Map 166, Parcel 24.05. Mr. Williams: I move that we approve the abatement. Ms. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 13. Motion to approve refunds on six accounts. Mr. Chairman: On item #4 would this be for more than three years back? ~. Reece: If it is more than three years, we would not refund it. Mr. Grantham: What would be your recommendation? Mr. Reece: My office recommends that you give the refund. We have a legal opinion that says you don't give the refund so I would suggest that you go with your legal advisor but the law says that if it is paid, you go back three years from the date that it was actually paid. Historically, you have not done that. Ms. Beard: I move that we approve all six. 1 Mr. Williams: I second. I Mr. Grantham: I'm not going to vote for #4. I'll make a substitute motion that we vote #4 separately from the others that are listed and that we vote to approve those four and I ask that we vote to deny #4 and approve 1,2,3 and 5. Ms. Beard: Second. After additional discussion, Mr. Grantham: Did you find number four as an inventory overstatement or a delinquency of taxes. Mr. Reece: An inventory statement. Mr. Grantham: Then that's a different matter. I'll withdraw my motion. (Vote on original motion) Motion adopted unanimously. 1. Consider a request from the Richmond County Board of Health for an allocation of SPLOST Phase IV funding for the design and construction of the South Augusta Clinic Facility. Mr. Chairman: They requested $1,000,000 for 2004 and $600,000 for 2005 and they are asking that it be allocated now so they can begin construction. I Ms. Beard: I so move that we approve the $1.6 million for the Board of Health. Mr. Williams: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 2. Consider a request from T. W. Josey Comprehensive High School Vocational Department for funding to defray expenses for the FCCLA Club's trip to the National Competition in Chicago, IL. Mr. Russell: Ifwe give them any money, they need to sign a contract. Mr. Grantham: I'd like to know how much the Board of Education is giving them. Mr. Williams: I make a motion we refer this with the information requested to our July 1 meeting. Ms. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I 2 I I I 3. Consider request for Commission approval to transfer $170,890 from General Fund Contingency to the 1945 Pension Plan. Mr. Persaud: Based on the actuarial report, this is the first time you have to fund the 1945 plan and it is mandated by state law that you fund it. Ms. Beard: I so move. Mr. Grantham: I'll second to put it on the floor. Mohon adopted unanimously. 4. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Sign Truck for the Public Works Department - Traffic Engineering Division from Allan Vigil Ford of Morrow, Georgia for $48,249.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-078). 5. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Sewer Rodder Truck for the Utilities Department - Construction Division from Bobby Jones Ford of Augusta, Georgia for $53,847.46 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-087). 6. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Portable Air Compressor for the Utilities Department - Construction Division from U. S. Equipment, Inc. of Augusta, Georgia for $10,200.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-085). 7. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Bucket Truck for the Utilities Department - Construction Division from Altec Industries of Elizabethtown, Kentucky for $54,485.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-086). Mr. Williams: I move we approve items 4,5,6 and 7. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 8. Declare the Landfill Grinder (Asset: 980679) surplus, to be sold for scrap, and approve the lease/purchase of a replacement grinder not to exceed $600,000 (six hundred thousand dollars) using the GMA Lease Program. After a lengthy discussion, Mr. Williams: I'd like to talk more about this and defer it to the full Commission on July 1. Mr. Grantham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 3 9. Amend Ordinance 4-2-6 to reflect Solid Waste fees at the Landfill per the attached fee schedule. I After a discussion, Mr. Williams: I so move. Ms. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 10. Report from staff regarding a possible funding source for the National Science Center. (Referred from June 7 Finance) Mr. Russell: The only money we would have available would be out of contingency or out of the Promotion Account. At this time Mr. Rich Slaby appeared before the Committee regarding the above item and requested funding in the amount of $20,000. Mr. Grantham: I'll put it in the form of a motion that we make a commitment up to $20,000 and that we do some serious study in finding what amount that we can and support this effort. Mr. Hankerson: I think we need to identify the funding source. I Ms. Beard: Second. Mr. Persaud: We have a balance of$15,000 in the promotion account and in the general fund operating contingency we have $394,000. With the appropriation of $171,000 for the 1945 pension plan, we would have an adjusted balance of $223,000. After additional discussion, Mr. Grantham: The motion was for us to look into possible funding for up to that amount of dollars and if we can certainly find some, we'll certainly help. Motion adopted unanimously with Mr. Williams out. Mr. Chairman: Perhaps we could also look at a resolution to send to the Governor if that's possible. 11. Consider a request for funding of the Boshears Skyfest in the amount of $5,000 from the Promotion Account. Mr. Chairman: This event is in October. I 4 I After a discussion of possible means of funding, Mr. Russell: Maybe between now and July 1 we could look at some in-kind services that would be less expensive than the $5,000. Mr. Grantham: I'll make the motion that we receive it as information and review it and see what we can do. Ms. Beard: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission nwm I I 5 I I I I I I: 1 ~ ,~ FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS AGENDA COMMITTEE ROOM - June 21,2004 2:00 P. M. 1. Consider a request from the Richmond County Board of Health for an allocation of SPLOST Phase N funding for the design and construction of the South Augusta Clinic Facility. 2. Consider a request from T. W. Josey Comprehensive High School Vocational Department for funding to defray expenses for the FCCLA Club's trip to the National Competition in Chicago, IL. 3. Consider request for Commission approval to transfer $170,890 from General Fund Contingency to the 1945 Pension Plan. 4. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Sign Truck for the Public Works Department _ Traffic Engineering Division from Allan Vigil Ford of Morrow, Georgia for $48,249.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-078). 5. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Sewer Rodder Truck for the Utilities Department - Construction Division from Bobby Jones Ford of Augusta, Georgia for $53,847.46 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-087). 6. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Portable Air Compressor for the Utilities Department - Construction Division from U. S. Equipment, Inc. of Augusta, Georgia for $10,200.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-085). 7. Approve the acquisition of One (1) Bucket Truck for the Utilities Department- Construction Division from Altec Industries of Elizabeth town, Kentucky for $54,485.00 (lowest bid offer on Bid 04-086). 8. Declare the Landfill Grinder (Asset: 980679) surplus, to be sold for scrap, and approve the lease/purchase of a replacement grinder not to exceed $600,000 (six hundred thousand dollars) using the GMA Lease Program. 9. Amend Ordinance 4-2-6 to reflect Solid Waste fees at the Landfill per the attached fee schedule. 10. Report from staff regarding a possible funding source for the National Science Center. (Referred from June 7 Finance) 11. Consider a request for funding ofthe Boshears Skyfest in the amount of $5,000 from the Promotion Account. 12. Consider abatement of2002 Tax Account on Map 166, Parcel 24.05. 13. Motion to approve refunds on six accounts. 14. Motion to renew the Sec. 5311 Rural Transit grant application between the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Augusta, Georgia. (See background information under Item 6 on Public Services agenda) /1 \, ~} \,