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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-24-1996 Meeting I I I PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - September 24, 1996 4:30 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; Mays, Chairman; Kuhlke, Vice-Chairman; Zetterberg and Todd, members; Charles Dillard, Interim Administrator for Operations; Linda Beazley, Interim Administrator for Administration; Tommy Boyles, Recreation Department Director; Tom Beck of the Recreation Department; Steve Atha, Airport Manager, Bush Field Airport; Jim Wall, Attorney; Charles Tant, Director of Augusta Clean & Beautiful; Paul DeCamp of the Planning Commission; A. B. McKie, Jr., Interim Comptroller; Dep. Chester Huffman of the Sheriff's Department; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission-Council and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission-Council. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle and Hon. H. Brigham, Commissioner. The Clerk: We have three addendums. One is to discuss weed and seed, one is a request from Recreation & Parks concerning the reassignment of personnel and a request from Recreation about 1- cent sales tax funds. Mr. Todd: I so move that we add them by unanimous consent. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney requesting approval of a lease agreement with Garrett Aviation Services, was read. Mr. Atha: addition to the lease approved. We went out for bids for the construction of an Garrett Aviation facility and need to get the Mr. Wall: I did have some questions about the lease agree- ment and I do not have a final copy to present to you. I have talked with Paul Dunbar about this and we have agreed upon the changes that will be made before it is brought back to you next week. I would ask that you approve the lease and recommend it to the full Commission subject to final wording on the changes. After further discussion, Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Manager at Daniel Field Airport regarding approval for the Boshears Memorial Fly-In to be held at Daniel Field on October 18, 19 and 20, 1996, was read. Mr. Todd: I so move we approve it. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. A contract between Augusta-Richmond County and Speights regarding her services as an Instructor in sponsored by the Recreation Department, was read. Sharon activities Mr. Todd: I so move. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Recreation Department Director requesting permission to reassign personnel within Augusta- Richmond County Recreation & Parks Department. A temporary transfer was made in June of this year involving the Operations Division, a key section with the department in charge of the maintenance of 53 parks in Augusta-Richmond County. Melinda Moody, Special Activities Supervisor, was placed in charge of the division as Acting Operations Manager and John Bennett, Operations Manager, was reassigned as Acting Support Services Manager. In the four months since the changes were made, Mrs. . Moody has performed her new duties with great enthusiasm and the production of work has increased dramatically within the I Operation Division. Mr. Bennett has functioned adequately in the Support Services role. I am requesting that this temporary transfer be made permanent as follows: *Delete Special Activities Supervisor position (Salary Grade 19) currently occupied by Melinda Moody. Transfer Melinda Moody to Operations Manager (Salary Grade 20) Add Support Services Manager (Salary Grade 18) currently vacant. Reassign Operations Manager John Bennett to Support Services Manager (Salary Grade 18) The Support Services position was vacated in 1994 when James Perkins was transferred to Fleet Management and is a needed productive position in the organization, especially the coordination of electrical and HVAC repairs on athletic and gymnasium facilities. Also, should the transfer be approved, please consider deleting Mrs. Moody's auto allowance of $1800.00 per year and moving her salary - step from grade 20-3 to 20-7 to insure her compensation package would remain intact. * With the addition of Individual Activities Supervisor Tom Moraetes in 1995, the duties of Special Activities Supervisor can be assumed by his position now that the Olympics has concluded and the Boxing Club work load has been reduced, was read. After a short discussion, Mr. Todd: Mr. Boyles to elevate the one individual individual. I move that we allow and transfer the other I I I I Mr. Kuhlke: I'll second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Recreation Department Director requesting approval to hire, on contract, a Project Supervisor to handle the day to day operation of the capital projects during the remaining four years of the Phase III Sales Tax Program, was read. Mr. Boyles: Tom has been handling most of this and as the program grows, it is taking up more and more of this time. We're not asking that you approve it today but that you think about it for the future as I believe it will be something that we really need. After a presentation by Mr. Beck regarding this matter, Mr. Todd: I'd like to make a motion that we accept this as information. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. After further discussion, the motion was put and adopted unanimously. The Committee next considered the Weed and Seed Program. Dep. Huffman: This is a program which brings together members of local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies along with members of the private sector and non-profit groups in an effort to select a target neighborhood and go in and weed out the criminal element and take away the crime. The seeding part is to revitalize the neighborhood and put in some sort of a safe haven incorporating some of the other agencies. We need someone to oversee the day to day operations of this program. Savannah and Atlanta were recently funded under this program and it is 100% reimbursable. The weed side receives $250,000 per year for a three-year period and that's a renewal contract after three years. The seed side receives $750,000 per year for a three- year period. I'm here representing the Sheriff and we fully support this effort. This will require a full-time manager from the start and funding for this position can be reimbursed through asset forfeiture funds, which is where all the money comes from for the weed and seed. Mr. Todd: When we receive the grant, we would have to have a full-time director but I believe we can start out with a part- time person. Dep. Huffman: We need someone to direct the efforts at the beginning. Mr. Todd: A number of agencies and groups have been involved in this effort and the target area will be the Barton Chapel community. I believe Mr. Tant is interested in doing this as a part-time, independent contractor until we can get the grant I secured. I talked to Mr. McKie and we can get the initial funding from the general fund and would be reimbursed when we obtain the grant. I would ask that the Committee approve the recommendation of up to $15,000 to hire the executive director or independent contractor to manage this operation until we can obtain the grants and it would be reimbursed by the grants. I so move that we approve the concept of Weed and Seed and request $15,000 in funding and go to Finance if necessary. Mr. Kuhlke: I'll second it to get it on the floor. Mr. Zetterberg: I don't quite understand about Mr. Tant. Mr. Todd: The reason we talked with him is that his department is in need of funding. We felt we could tie it in this way and he is willing to put in the hours required to do the work and give him some additional funding to allow him to continue the mission of Augusta Clean & Beautiful also. The funding would probably have to come from the general fund's reserves. We would probably hire a full-time person once we get the grant. Mr. Tant would oversee the grant writing and the day- to-day operation on a part-time basis in the beginning. Mr. McKie: If we expect to be reimbursed within 12 months, I there would be no budget process to go through. We would just advance the cash and then be reimbursed by the grant. Mr. Chairman: We will send this on to the full Commission. After further discussion, the motion was put and adopted. Communication from the Augusta-Richmond County Convention & Visitors Bureau regarding their request to incorporate, was read. At this time representatives from the Convention & Visitors Bureau appeared before the Committee concerning the above communication. Mr. Kuhlke: In the interest of time I move that we approve their request to incorporate and discuss the matter if necessary. Mr. Todd: Second. Mr. White: This would enable us to solicit funds in various areas of the community, including parts of Aiken County, Burke County and Columbia County, which we are not able to do at this time. After further discussion, the motion was put and adopted. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. I I I I Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission-Council NWM