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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-11-1997 Meeting I I I PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - Augusta 11, 1997 4:00 P.M. PRESENT: Hon. W. Mays, Chairman, Kuhlke, Todd, Zetterberg, members; F. Handy, Mayor Pro Tern; J. Brigham, Commissioner; R Oliver, Administrator; J. Wall, Attorney; Moses McCauley, Interim Transit Director and Juriah Lewis; Tom Beck, Director Recreation; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. ABSENT: Hon. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor. ALSO PRESENT: Sylvia Cooper, Augusta Chronicle; Rosemary Forrest, Metro Spirit; George Eskola, Channel 6. A request from the Acting Transit Director to approve $1,879.00 to supplement grant funds ($5,400.00) to purchase computer equipment. Mr. Kuhlke: So move. Mr. Todd: Second. Mr. Oliver: Can you get this out of your budget? Mr. Greenway: I think it's possible based on urban, non urban transit. But they have enough in laps salaries, and everything else that they will have some extra money at the end of the year. There will be about $5,000 left in the budget that could be used to subsidize this. After further discussion; Motion carried unanimously. A request to accept counteroffer from Blair Properties, L.L.C. to sell approximately 34.89 acres at the intersection of Highway 88 and Bath-Edie Road to Augusta-Richmond County for $5,000 per acre. Mr. Todd: I move that we disapprove. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Mr. Todd: I think it's wrong that we allow people to profit on the County as far as properties go. This property changed hands less than three months ago for $3,500 an acre. It's ridiculous that we would go out and pay $5,000 an acre. The bottom line is that we are all painted with one brush. I think we need to make very sure that here that we have no conflicts and even if it was at $3,500 an acre. I can't see and will not support paying $5,000 an acre. Mr. Zetterberg: Tom, I'm a little bit confused on this particular project versus the enormous project that we are putting out on Windsor Spring Road. Also, the size of what we intend to put between Hephzibah and Blythe. Mr. Beck: As far as the proximity, I haven't actually I measured it but I would imagine it would be at least 8 to 9 miles from the big site, maybe even more, that would be the minimum I would think. It actually sits about 4 1/2 miles from the Hephzibah City limits. And the property sits about 1 1/2 miles from the Blythe city limits or less. As to what's going out there, I think a lot of it would depend initially, what our thought process is for that area of the county, which does include Blythe. Fortunately, in this case it does include the area of Hephzibah that's growing out that way, which does make this property much more feasible to look at. The area and the main facility that we are looking at is a community building. Mr. Zetterberg: Is that what we intend to build, is a building? When I went out there with Mr. Powell, I got the feeling that 35 acres was being, 35 acres is a lot of acres, you can put a lot of ball fields on that. And I was getting the feeling that that was what it was for, but if it's for a building, why are we buying 35 acres? Mr. Beck: The main priority would be a building as to where the needs are. Because, right now in Blythe, we are operating out of a community that the city of Blythe owns, that was built in the 1930's, that we have had an agreement with for the last 15 years where we go in and make repairs to this building. We are putting good money to bad. We can not offer the programs that are being I demanded out there. We've got eighty five kids on a waiting list right now for an after school program that just registered last week. Our day camp programs out there have been very successful. We have any request for aerobics, for health screenings. The Health Department moved their facilities from Hephzibah all the way back down to Windsor Spring Road. There is nothing out in the Blythe area for those kind of community services that a community building could serve. So in saying that, yes, there is a need for a community center in the Blythe/Hephzibah area of the county. Now we have many other needs to. There are no outdoor basketball facilities in the Blythe area. We have about six youth basketball teams that register out of that area. I'm not talking about building a gym, we're talking about building outdoor courts so that kids can go out and practice ball so that they don't have to drive all the way into town. Practice baseball facilities, we have five baseball teams out there, no fields in Blythe to practice. Mr. Todd: I understand the need for basketball courts. But how much money is in the one penny sales tax for this project at Blythe? Mr. Beck: $550,000. Mr. Todd: And we're spending what percentage of it to do the land. And we are buying more land in my opinion than we need. And I we're paying an inflated price for it. If we're looking at the market, the market is $3,500, that's what it was bought for six months ago, and that's what we should be paying for the land, than I I I the $5,000 an acre. I didn't think that we had the right to condemn on land that dealt with recreation. I understand from the attorney that we do. Certainly there is other land in the Blythe area that's suitable for such a project for less than $5,000 an acre. The bottom line is that we have some people that are making a profit on land. The money was in the one penny sales tax, they knew it was there. They bought the land with the intent in my opinion, to unload it on the County government. Mr. Beck: I understand your point. The point that you have to understand, or I hope you do, is that as far as my being Recreation Director, what I'm doing is recommending the best site that we have been able to find out there. Now the money issues and the appraisals that is an issue that you all will have to decide on. What I think my mission was, was to review the site, evaluate the site, look at the needs that we that we have. And we have looked at eight or nine sites and parcels in the Blythe area. This is far and away the best site for the citizens for recreation. Mr. Todd: The money in the one penny sales a community center for Blythe. And I think that buy land for, a community center for Blythe. needing 34 acres of land to do that one, and necessarily needing to pay $5,000 an acre for it tax was there for is what we should I don't see us I don't see us too. Mr. Handy: Mr. Todd, I'm not against what you're saying, but unless you know that someone is land jumping, it's not right to say the things you're saying, unless you have proof of that. If you have proof of that, then it's fine, you can present it. If you don't have proof of that, you shouldn't put things out there like that. Mr. Todd: I said that because I was talked to before the land was actually bought by Blair. And I've said this in a legal and I'm saying it publicly and if someone has a problem with it I represent myself. Mr. Kuhlke: I'm familiar with the area out there. This is a good piece of property. I think Tom, it fronts on two roads, 88 and Bath-Edie Road. I have been told that Jefferson Electric, just right across the street, paid $8,000 an acre for their property. I frankly don't begrudge anybody for making a profit. People in business are suppose to make a profit. Jim, I thought we had talked one time about taking the three appraisals and averaging those appraisals and going back and making an offer. Was that ever done? Mr. Wall: Yes that was done. Offers have been made. $5,000 is there bottom. Mr. Kuhlke: Well, I don't like to pay more than a piece of property is worth. I think that this location, and I would like to offer a substitute motion, Mr. Chairman, that we authorize the purchase of this property with the understanding that the existing center in Blythe will be discontinued,'. personnel cost will be transferred from that facility to this facility. And this become I a multi communitdy recreatdiofnal ahreabforbboltlhfBIYltdhe and Hephzibhah. . And I understan the nee or tease a le s. I thlnk t at maybe it should be looked at as you get into the planning process of whether the County spends off some of the high profile property, and maybe sells that and recoup some of the cost of the money, which you should be able to do, if it's not needed. Mr. Mays: Second. Mr. Todd: I think that the public records or at least business records will show why I can't vote for this, based on my recollection and one of my colleagues that's pushing this and his relationship with the company that's selling the land. I think that there is enough to tell me to stay away from this, and that's what I intend to do. After further discussion; Mr. Mays: Tom, have you all thought about if you spend this money and pay the full land price, say we buy all the acreage, what are you looking at in terms of a building. Mr. Oliver: How many square feet do you need? Mr. Beck: We'll need about 6500 to 7000 square feet, very similar to the size of Savannah Place or the Senior Center at Belle Terrace. I Mr. Zetterberg: Is there anyway that the community of Blythe and the community of Hephzibah would like to help participate in the cost of this? I have looked at the property, and it is a central area. After further discussion; Mr. Todd: The city of Hephzibah, participates in the one cent sales tax special project. They have money in there. The city of Blythe does not get a percentage, but they have the community center. Ever how the two Commissioners want to work out the deal as far as that goes that's the bottom line. I'm not going to try to project what the city of Hephzibah would do as far as participation. Mr. Mays: If you have people that are interested project, and if we have a debate about how the money is going spent, we should hear from them. in a to be Mr. Wall: I think that we need to get the illegality and the suggestions about folks going to jail and things of that nature off I the table. I have absolutely no reason to believe that anybody has done anything illegal or involved in any aspect of this land transaction. I I I Mr. Mays: Bill, would you accept an amendment to your substitute that and I think that Tom has the mechanism for doing it, since we have a situation of where there maybe a reduced situation in magnitude of this project of asking him of dealing with people in that affected area to come before the Commission when that decision is made. Meaning, more than just the three Commissioners from that affected area need to be taking that message back. I would like to know from folk in that area that if they are not going to be getting what they thought they would be getting, then they need to know that, and it doesn't need to be where we get a transferred message in it. Mr. Zetterberg: This is a business deal. We don't even know what the requirements are right now. There is no plan for putting that out there. All we know is it was for a building. .Tom now says we need basketball courts. I looked at the property and it's a very large piece of property, 35 acres is a very large piece of property and I don't think we need that. I don't think the requirements are there, I don't think it justifies it. I think it's terribly under capitalized. Mr. Kuhlke: My interest is getting this to the Commission. Go through the debate, let the two direct representatives of those areas speak to it. Mr. Zetterberg: Couldn't we at least have a plan of what this thing is suppose to look like before we vote on it. Mr. Wall: In fairness, when they originally started looking for land, they were not looking for 35 acres. And we tried to buy approximately 10 acres and they were unwilling to out the 10 acres. And it was an all or nothing situation. And so that's the way the discussion has gone. Because quite frankly the corner property is the more valuable part of the property and we don't need that for the community center. Mr. Zetterberg: able to sell it. So what would we do with it? Would we be Mr. Wall: Possibly. Mr. Beck: I think the plan would probably show some of the property not ... Mr. Zetterberg: How much acreage do you think you need? Mr. Beck: Right now as to what we might develop maybe half of that, that we may develop. You need a lot of property for parking, practice fields. It would be nice to have a walking track around the property. Mr. Mays: All in favor of the substitute motion, 2-2. Motion fails with Todd and Zetterberg voting no. All in favor of the original motion 2-2. Motion fails with Kuhlke and Mays voting no. A discussion of potential route changes for the Transit Department. Mr. Kuhlke: Do we need to have a public hearing before we actually take any action on this. I Mr. Lewis: This is in response to a memorandum from Mr. Oliver. These are old suggested changes that we tried back in March of last year. We weren't really thinking that we were going to present this in terms of current changes. This is a response to a memorandum, this is for general information so that Mr. Oliver would be up-to-date on it. It fact these are not the total changes that were submitted in March 96. There were about 12 changes in all. This is being submitted as information. Mr. Kuhlke: I move that we accept this as information. Mr. Oliver: We have lost $300,000 more in Federal funding. Obviously we are going to pickup that portion if we do nothing in the budget. And so, consequently you add that $300,000 to the Sheriff's $1.2; or whatever and this and that, we've got severe budget creep. What I would like to suggest is that we come up with something that you all can buy into, at least conceptually first on a public hearing, because the people that will turn out for these public hearings will be the ones that will be most severely effected. After further discussion; I Mr. Todd: How are you going to get your cost down $300,000 so we don't have to take it out of the General Fund? Mr. Lewis: The $300,000 is operating cost. problems in capital funds. We have no Mr. Zetterberg: Why don't we put it on the slate so that Finance will come back and show us how we can save money. Mr. Todd: I don't want to do that way. We have situation where we have a short falling budget because of losing Federal Funds. We need to decide whether we are going to eat that or whether we are going to subsidize another $300,000. And it's my position that we don't subsidize a total $300,000. The Administrator made a recommendation, would you accept an amendment for Transit to bring us back a recommendation to save the $300,000. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion carried unanimously. With no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission I