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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-09-1996 Meeting I I I PUBLIC SERVICES MINUTES COMMITTEE ROOM - April 9, 1996 4:00 P.M. PRESENT: Mays, Chairman; Kuhlke, vice Chairman; Zetterberg, member; Todd, member; Handy, Mayor Pro Tem; Mr. Burnside, Attorney; S. Walker; C. Attaway, H. Johnson, C. Dillard, E. Montgomery, L. Bonner, M. King. Also Present: Wayne partridge and Sylvia Cooper, Augusta Chronicle; George Eskola, Channel 6 News; Michael Milkosovic and John Weather. Mr. Chairman: The meeting is called to order. 1. Communication from Mr. Michael Milklosovic with reference to his appeal of the denial by the Historic Preservation Commission of his application for a demolition permit for 726 Hickman Road and 2097 Heckle Street. Mr. Augusta, I am not Miklosovic: Michael Miklosovic, GA. I am also here with the owners, sure what the procedures are. 3204 Wheeler Road, Mr. & Mrs. Weathers. Mr. Burnside: The Committee is established by Ordinance and they have the power to issue recommendations, which can be appealed as you have done, then it goes to the full Commission-Council to either affirm it, modify it, or change the decision all together. So you have the right to present whatever evidence you want to present to the Committee. They will make a recommendation to the Commission-Council whether the ruling should be modified or changed all together. After lengthy presentations by Mr. Miklosovic, Mr. Weathers, Griff Polatty, Mary Lou Garren, Erick Montgomery, respectively, it was determined that the Committee did not have enough information to make a decision. Mr. Todd: I move that we table this until the next Committee meeting so we get all the information. Mr. zetterberg: Second. Motion carried. 2. Communication from Ace Marketing with reference to the ADOPT- A-BUS Program for the Transit Department. Mr. Childs: Allen Childs, 141 Lakemont Drive, Augusta, GA. I am here to present an idea to the Committee today about billboard advertising on city buses to help raise money for the City Transit Authority. I would like to place billboards on the sides of city 1 buses, but I also want to promote the City Transit Authority through T.V. advertising, radio advertising, direct mail. and I newspaper in order to bring about public awareness about riding city buses. My proposal to you is that ACE Marketing would pay for all the up-front preparation for the buses, would pay rent on the buses at a total of $45,000 per year with a 10% increase each year for a total of five years. At the end of the five years I am guaranteeing the City $274,730 in income for the City. I will also guarantee a minimum of $20,000 a year in promoting the City Transit Authority through T.V. advertising, radio, newspaper, and direct mail. Mr. Todd: I move that we take Mr. Childs' proposal as information and give him a response in 30 days. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 3. New application: A.N. 96-15: A request by J. W. Jones for a consumption on premises liquor, beer and wince license to be used in connection with Malibu's Lounge located at 1557 1/2 Gordon Highway. There will be a Dance Hall. District 5. Mr. Walker: This application meets all requirements with the exception of being approved by the Fire Department. No objectors. Mr. J. W. Jones: 2119 Lake Avenue. I Mr. Todd: Move that we approve subject to the Fire Department's approval. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 4. New application: A.N. 96-16: A request by Dan D. Troutman for a consumption on premises liquor, beer and wine license to be used in connection with Treybon, Inc. located at 520 ReynOlds Street. District 1. Mr. Walker: This application meets all requirements with exception of being approved by the Fire Department. No objectors. Mr. Mitchell: Mr. Troutman was called away on a emergency. I am Steve Mitchell of Martinez. I am one of the major partners in Treybon, Inc. The renovations will not be completed on the building for approximately three weeks. Mr. Todd: Move that we approve subject to the Fire Department's approval. 2 I I I I Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion carried. 5. New application. A.N. 96-17: A request by James A. Lewis for a consumption on premises liquor, beer and wine license to be used in connection with Harpo's Lounge located at 2864 Deans Bridge Road. There will be a dance hall. District 2. Mr. Walker: This application meets all requirements with exception of being approved by the Fire Department. No objectors. Mr. Lewis: James Lewis, 2117 Shamrock Drive, Augusta, GA. Mr. Todd: Move that we approve subject to the Fire Department's approval. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 6. New Application: A. N. 96 -18: A reques t by Dorothy Inez williford for a retail package beer and wince license to be used in connection with Depot Food Store #133 located at 1494/96 Jones Street. District 1. Mr. Walker: This application meets all requirements with exception of being approved by the Fire Department. Construction will start once the application is approved. No objectors. Mr. Stebbins: reference to this Depot Food Stores is vice President I am Clay Stebbins and I spoke with Mr. Wall matter. Ms. williford who is an employee of is on leave at this time. I have Jim victor who of the Company here today. Mr. Victor: I am Jim Victor of 342 Barn Avenue, Aiken, SC. Mr. Todd: I so move to approve subject to the Fire Department's approval. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 7. New application: A.N. 96-19: A request by Louis Joseph Anthony Fruehauf for a consumption on premises liquor, beer and wine license to be used in connection with Rio Bravo Cantina located at 2821 Washington Road. There will be Sunday sales. District 7. Mr. Walker: This application meets all requirements with exception of being approved by the Fire Department and Sunday 3 sales. No objectors. Mr. Fruehauf: Louis Fruehauf, 904 Bon Air Drive, Augusta, GA. Mr. Todd: I move that we approve the license with the exception of Sunday sales and also approve the license subject to the Fire Department's approval. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 8. New application: A.N. 96-20: A request by Donald Clay for a retail package beer and wine license to be used in connection with Shop & Gas located at 1738 Old Savannah Road. District 2. Mr. Walker: This application meets all requirements with exception of being approved by the Fire Department. No objectors. Mr. Clay: 1617 Hilda. Mr. Kuhlke: I move that we approve subject to Fire Department's approval. Mr. Todd: Second. Motion carried. 9. New ownership: A.N. 96-21: A request by Mary Ann Pope for a retail package beer and wine license to be used in connection with Pope's Grocery Store located at 830 Stevens Creek Road. District 7 . Mr. Walker: objectors. This application meets all requirements. NO Ms. Pope: Mary Ann Pope, 3107 Greensboro Way, Augusta, GA. Mr. Todd: Move we approve. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 10. New application: A.N. 96-22: A request by Ronald R. Russell for a retail package beer and wine license used in connection with the Corner Store located at 1801 Marvin Griffin Road. Formerly in the name of Kyu Choi. District 2. Mr. Walker: objectors. This application meets all requirements. No 4 I I I I I I Mr. Russell: Ronald Russell of 3721 Mossoit Drive. Mr. Todd: Move we approve. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 11. Discussion: A request by Sandi Watkins for a one day beer license to be used in connection with the Sports Center located at Ellis & Monument Street. District 1. Mr. Walker: This meets all requirements of a one day sale. No objectors. Ms. Watkins: Sandi Watkins of 2811 Bethel Place, Augusta, GA. Mr. Kuhlke: What is this for? Ms. Watkins: For the past five year the Harley Owners Group get together and has a Block Party. All the proceeds are donated to charity. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 12. Discussion: A request by In Kyu Choi to transfer the retail package beer and wine license from the Corner Store located at 1801 Marvin Griffin Road to be S & S Food Store located at 2657 Barton Chapel Road. Marvin Griffin Road. District 2. Barton Chapel Road. District 4. Mr. Walker: This meets all of the requirements of the Code. No objectors. Mr. Choi: In Kyu Choi of 3717 Massoit Drive, Augusta, GA. Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 13. Discussion: A request by the Richmond County Sheriff Department for Susan Griffin to show just cause why her Alcohol license and Game Room license used in connection with Jade Palace located at 2064 Gordon Highway should not be revoked, suspended or placed on probation for commercial gambling. District 3. 5 MS. Griffin: Susan Griffin, 3311 Cockatoo Road, Augusta, GA. I Ms. Yu: I am Helen Yu, Ms. Griffin's attorney, 3540 Wheeler Road, Augusta, GA. Mr. Turnage: Stoney Turnage, Richmond County Sheriff's Department, Vice Division. On February 13, 1996, an undercover officer went to the Jade Place and while inside he played a gambling devise which discharged a certain number of tickets per points accumulated. The officer received nine tickets from the machine and he took them to the cash register area where Ms. Griffin was and laid the tickets on the counter. She counted the tickets and then gave him a total of $45 in cash for the nine tickets or $5 per ticket. Mr. Todd: What is the maximum that one can give for ticket on a game? Mr. Turnage: You can only redeem the tickets under the Georgia law for a novelty gift, toy or prize. Mr. Todd: what is the value of that prize? Mr. Turnage: It's not supposed to be more than $5 per ticket and in this instance they were given cash. Ms. Yu: The Game Room license has already been surrendered and she does not have any intention of redeeming that Game Room license. She also has an alcohol license which is only a beer license. This business has been placed up for sale. She expects to have the business sold in about two months. Our request at this time is to place her beer license on a probationary period until her business is sold. We do not want to jeopardize the license for any future owner. I Mr. Todd: I move that we place the license on probation for three months. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 14. Discussion: A request by the Richmond County Sheriff Department for J. B. Newberry to show just cause why his Game Room license used in connection with LO Game Room located at 3265 Deans Bridge Road should not be revoked, suspended or placed on probation for commercial gambling. District 5. Mr. Newberry: wife's name, J. B. speaking for her. I am Otis Newberry and the license is in my._ Newberry. My wife has had a stroke so I am 6 I I I I / , Mr. Turnage: On February 13, 1996, an undercover officer went in to the LO Game Room at 3265 Deans Bridge Room. He played one of the gambling devises and was able to receive two tickets from the machine for the points he had accumulated. He gave the two tickets to Ms. Verner who was an employee at the time. She then gave him $10 in cash for the two tickets. After a brief discussion: Mr. Todd: I move that we place the license on a 90 day probation period. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion carried. 15. Discussion: A request by the Richmond County Sheriff's Department for Tom Nguyen to show just cause why his Game Room license used in connection with C K Game Room located at 2852 Deans Bridge Road should not be revoked, suspended or placed on probation for commercial gambling. District 2. Mr. Walker: I received a call from Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Nguyen's attorney, saying that the business was closed and was closed as of the day the Sheriff's office made the case. They said they would bring me the license but I have not seen it. Mr. Nguyen was not present. Mr. Kuhlke: I move that the license be revoked. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion carried. 16. Discussion: A request by the Richmond County Sheriff's Department for Tom Thuan to show just cause why his Game Room license used in connection with Joe's Game Room located at 2326 Lumpkin Road should not be revoked, suspended or placed on probation for commercial gambling. District 2. Mr. Thuan was not present. Mr. Turnage: This business is also closed. ~_Mr~-Todd: I move that the license be revoked. , ~ Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. 7 17. Communication from the Acting Transit Manager with reference to Smaller Transit Vehicles. Mr. Johnson: There has been some interest from the members of this Committee to possibly look at some smaller transit vehicles. I contacted the State of Georgia and the vehicles they have on contract with the State are similar to the one in your brochure. The base price is about $37,000 off the contract with the State. This vehicle is also being used in Albany, Georgia and I have spoken with Rome, Georgia, and they are presently reviewing and possibly going with this vehicle as one of their transit vehicles. The price of this type of vehicle would run approximately $70,000 compared to a 30-foot regular transit bus being about $210,000 and a 35-foot bus similar to the ones we are using now would run $230 - $250,000. The local share of this vehicle would run about $7,000 per vehicle. Presently, we have the funding from the Federal Transit Administration and the State of Georgia that will pay 90% of the purchase price of a vehicle of this nature. In the long- range plan these vehicles are considered a 18-passenger bus that would have a 7.3 Ii ter International Diesel engine in it. The approximate amount per gallon is about 10-miles per gallon versus about 3 to 4 gallons on a large full size transi t bus. This vehicle will take 11 quarts of oil versus 40 quarts. The long-range plan is that we have the monies on hand now. We have approximately $1.3 million which is already approved by the Federal Transit Administration in which to purchase these vehicles. The plan is to give this type vehicles a try and by 1998 we should have a good record of the maintenance cost and the reliability of these vehicles. At that point, if we feel that this vehicle can not stand up to the transit system there is also a low floor design bus call the "ELF" which is a $100,000 bus. So I am trying to phase in the smaller bus so if the it does not work we can go to a larger bus but will still be a more efficient bus than a full size bus like we use now. Mr. Zetterberg: routes that we have, completely. With the present riderShip and the number of how many of these buses would meet those needs Mr. Johnson: We have approximately six routes at the present time that could meet the needs of this vehicle. After a brief discussion: Mr. Zetterberg: Can you mix and match? Can you get three of the smaller ones and two "ELF's". Mr. Johnson: Yes, sir. We would just have to go through the bidding process to purchase the "ELF". Basically, my contract says that I can purchase five less than 30-foot vehicles. 8 I I I I I I Mr. Zetterberg: Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that if we are going to use these as demonstration purposes to eventually change our strategy on size of buses, that it would be prudent for us to get good experience with two types of buses. Mr. Chairman: That is a point well noted. Because if there is not a track record on both of these buses, they can show you better than they can tell you. Mr. Kuhlke: I move that we authorize Mr. Johnson to purchase three small buses and two of the larger buses. Mr. Todd: Second. Motion Carried. 18. Communication from the Acting Transit Manager with reference to Augusta Public Transit Short Range/Long Range Plan. Mr. Johnson: After the public hearing, I gave those Short Range/Long Range Plans out to the old Public Transit Committee. I apologize for not providing this Committee with those plans. Mr. Todd: I move we receive this as information. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. Under other business: Mr. Chairman: Just for information, Mr. Johnson, could you give us an update on the Hydrogen Bus. Mr. Johnson: The City Council of Augusta, SRS-Westinghouse, Georgia Power, Georgia Tech are in the process of procuring a Hydrogen Fuel Bus. The bus is presently is manufactured by Blue Bird Corporation as an electric bus. By May 1st it is scheduled to go to Atlanta to the Georgia Tech Research Institute. At that time Georgia Tech will convert it to a hydrogen fuel bus. Hopefully, we will have a presentation at the Olympics and when I can confirm a date I will be sending a letter to each of you letting you know the date. The information I have is that it will be put in operation to transport Georgia Tech employees from the main campus to a research institute out in Marietta, Georgia. After being used during the Olympics in the early fall, the bus will come to Augusta and will be used in transit operations for a year. After that time it will be the decision of the Commission-Council to either continue with the project or to have SRS pay to convert it back to an electric bus. We will end up with an electric bus if we so desire at no cost to us. The cost of the bus is $247,000. The Federal Transit Administration and Georgia D.O.T. is paying 90% of 9 the cost of the vehicle. Since the bus will be used at schools and at different media events I have procured a marketing grant to off- I set the City's share of the cost of the vehicle. Basically, it will be a free vehicle except for the upkeep, however, it will be maintained by Georgia Tech during that one year trial period. If there is a problem Georgia Tech will correct it here or take the bus back to Atlanta for maintenance. We are talking with some of the local hydrogen people to try to get them on board so we can reduce the cost of the hydrogen. Mr. Chairman: Also, Mr. Johnson, you may want to mention that while it is at the Olympics it will have our name on it. Mr. Todd: I move we accept this as information. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carried. With no further business the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission-Council mrk I 10 I 4:\pub'lIftr.409