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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-30-2001 Meeting I PUBLIC SAFETY CmvlMITIEE COMJvIITTEE ROOM - July 30, 2001 1:30P.M. PRESENT: L. Beard, Chairman, J. Brigham, S. Shepard, M. Williams, members; W. Mays, Mayor Pro Tern, A. Cheek, Commissioner; G. Kolb, Administrator, W. Hornsby, Deputy Administrator, J. Wall, Attorney, V. Flournoy, Staff Attorney; G. Hewitt, IT, L. Bonner, Clerk of Commission. MEDIA: H. Coryell, Augusta Chronicle Provide update of the filming of the Commission meetings. Mr. Hewitt: On May 1 the full Commission approved televising the Commission meeting. This item was approved with IT personnel doing the filming. During the scheduling of the broadcast we determined it to be more cost effective for Comcast to do the filming instead ofIT. This item is being presented to you today to inform you of the change from your original direction to doing it in-house to outsource it to Comcast. The first year savings would be $4,806. Mr. Brigham: So move. Mr. Mays: Second. I After a detailed discussion, Mr. Wall: Can we come back with a definitive proposal about how this will work. Who will own the film, what cost will be paid and bring that back in 2 weeks. Mr. Brigham: I'll withdraw my motion. Mr. Shepard: I would like to make a substitute motion that we hold this ill Committee for 2 weeks and allow Mr. Wall to check into this. Mr. Brigham: SeCond. Motion carried unanimously. Motion to accept as information the planned program and schedule of events for the 21st Annual Arts in the Heart Festival, September 14-16, 2001 Mr. Shepard: So move to close the streets as requested and the appropriate coordination's be done by EMS with the approval of the Fire Department and the Sheriff's Office. I Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion carried unanimously. I Discussion of recommendations from the Ambulance Service Subcommittee. Mr. Brigham Ambulance Service Subcommittee Chairman details the recommendations of the Committee. Mr. Beard: I think the others are ok. But I do have a problem with the 2-year contract extension. Mr. Brigham: Mr. Kolb's Committee IS the one that asked for the 2-year extension. I'll let him answer that. Mr. Kolb: I think that there are a lot of reasons why we're recommending that. But most of it boils down to time. We don't believe that first of all that we can put together RFP's or RFQ's in time to have the ambulance service on board by January l. Second, even if we could there's only one ambulance service that could service Augusta before we open up the zone for EMS to allow other competitors to come into the market place. Number 3, even though we could sell it through performance standards, we need to have them tested to make sure that they're realistic and that they are appropriate for Augusta and that means that we have to collect a lot of data between now and the time that we actually award a permanent contract to an ambulance service. Those are the most important reasons why we're recommending that we get into a 2-year contract with an ambulance service. I After an extensive discussion, Mr. Brigham: I would like to make a motion that we approve the request for the opening of the ambulance zoning in Richmond County and that we forward the other 2 recommendations to the Commission with no recommendation. Mr. Shepard: Second. Motion carried unanimously. Restructure the system for maintaining a donation acconnt for department volunteers. Create a separate donation account within the Department of Animal Control's budget titled 'AARF (Augusta Animal Rescue Friends) Donation Account'. Require all funds in independent bank account be transferred to AARF Donation Account and transfer accountability for funds to the Finance Department and the director of the Department of Animal Control. Require the volunteer organization known as AARF to elect a treasurer and require AARF to develop an operating budget. Allow the AARF treasurer to seek authorization from the members of AARF to exceed budgeted expenditures. Require final approval for expenditures by the director of the Department of Animal Control. All I I expenditures must be approved by the volunteer group as a whole and by the director of the Department of Animal Control. Mr. Kolb: I think there needs to be some kind of control over how the funds are disbursed. I think that if you can come up with a way it can work more effectively. Mr. Beard: Are you comfortable enough with this or do you need more dialogue with Dr. Bragdon to make sure we're on the right track. I'm not quite sold on this and that's why I'm deferring to you on this. The Committee is willing to give you more time. Mr. Kolb: I would like to have some more time because I have not had the opportunity to talk with any of the volunteers on Dr. Bragdon's report. So if! can have until the next Committee meeting to put together a recommendation. Mr. Brigham: So move to bring this back in 2 weeks. Mr. Shepard: Second. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned. I Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission Ibb I I PUBLIC SAFETY AGENDA COMMITTEE ROOM - July 30, 200 I 1:30 P. M. 1. Provide update of the filming of the Commission meetings. 2. Motion to accept as information the planned program and schedule of events for the 21 st Annual Arts in the Heart Festival, September 14-16, 2001. 3. Discussion ofrecommendations from the Ambulance Service Subcommittee. 4. Restructure the system for maintaining a donation account for department volunteers. Create a separate donation account within the Department of Animal Control's budget titled' AARF (Augusta Animal Rescue Friends) Donation Account'. Require all funds in independent bank account be transferred to AARF Donation Account and transfer accountability for funds to the Finance Department and the director of the Department of Animal Control. Require the volunteer organization known as AARF to elect a treasurer and require AARF to develop an operating budget. Allow the AARF treasurer to administer the budget through the Finance Department and require the treasurer to seek authorization from the members of AARF to exceed budgeted expenditures. Require final approval for expenditures by the director of the Department of Animal Control. All expenditures must be approved by the volunteer group as a whole and by the director of the Department of Animal Control. I a I