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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-09-1998 Meeting I PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - November 9, 1998 4:00P.M. PRESENT: Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; W. Mays, Chairman; J. Brigham, R. Colclough, B. Kuhlke, members; H. Brigham, F. Handy, Commissioners; R Oliver, Aclmini~trator; J. Wall, Attorney; R. Sherman, S. Walker, L. Harris, License & Inspection Department; H. Johnson, Transit Director; H. Siddall, Fleet Manager; A. McDill, Director Bush Field and J. Miller, Chairman, Air Service Task Force, Chamber of Commerce; T. Beck, Recreation Director and R Houck; S. Davis, Roger Davis & Assoc. ALSO PRESENT: P. Simon, Georgia Golf Hall Of Fame; S. Cooper, Augusta Chronicle; S. Eidson, Metro Spirit; J. Bamyard, Channel 6; L. Bonner, Clerk of Commission and B. Brown of the Clerks office. Clerk: Mr. Chairman we have a request to add one addendum item: Approval of post Marketing Director position at Bush Field Airport to hire at the midpoint of the salary range. Mr. Kuhlke: So move to add. I Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion carried unanimously. Presentation by Mr. Paul Simon regarding The First Tee Program. ." Mr. Simon: I'm here today representing the Georgia Golf Hal! of Fame and The FORE Augusta Foundation, Inc. The purpose of The First Tee program is to create facilities and programs that make golf more affordable and accessible, with a strong emphasis on introducing kids of all races and economic backgrounds to golf. We will provide a teaching facility with a putting green, a chipping green, a driving range and three golf holes, a Par 3, Par 4 and a Par 5. We're asking the city to let The FORE Augusta Foundation, Inc. have twenty-seven (27) acres of property on a lease basis for $1.00 a year, as a contribution to the project. The FORE Augusta will raise the money to build out the facility and operate it. We would also like for the city to maintain this property and we will reimburse you for any cost. '- Mr. Kuhlke: How much property is it total? Mr. Simon: It' a total of twenty-seven acres. I Mr. Oliver: We also talked about the possible need for a hotel out there because of I the tennis center, the aquatic center and the golf course. He indicated tome that he felt that could be incorporated to leave that potential element there. Mr. Kuhlke: Did I hear you say from an operating cost standpoint, maintenance and management that the FORE organization would reimburse the city for whatever that cost is annually? Mr. Simon: Yes. Mr. Oliver: And I would expect a reversionary clause in this agreement so that it comes back to us and voids the lease if that does not occur. Mr. Simon: In addition First Tee wil! give us $100,000 toward the cost of the construction. Mr. Kuhlke: I would like to make a motion that we pass this on to the full Commission next week without a recommendation. That would keep the process going and maybe by that time some of the questions could be answered. You hear what the concerns are and maybe you could get with Mr. Oliver and put together the program and Tom Beck needs to be involved in this also. Motion carried unanimously. I Mr. Brigham: Second. Discussion: Renewals: Approval of 1999 alcohol beverage license renewals for license holders in Augusta Richmond County. This includes dance and Sunday sales. Mr. Kuhlke: I would like to move that we pass this recommendation the full Commission with no recommendation, including all items. Mr. Colclough: Second. Motion carries 3-1 with Mr. Mays voting present. A request from the Bush Field Director for approval ofthe LPA Group, Inc. Work Authorization No. 3A for professional services during the construction of the Loop Road Extension and Consolidated Toll Plaza project, subject to the approval of the County Attorney. Mr. Kuhlke: I so move. Mr. Brigham: Second. I '!:" I Motion carried unanimously. A request from the Recreation Director to approve reprogramming SPLOST Phase ill funds for Wood Street Park from 2000 to 1998 for $47,000 and to reprogram Chafee Park from 1998 to year 2000 for $47,000. Mr. Beck: This is necessary because the National Bicycle League has indicated that Augusta is a prime site for BMX racing. They NBL came in about four months ago and actually constructed a bicycle motor cross track with their own equipment and labor. For the facility to be competitively ready for the NBL races, there are some certain things that we have to do to enhance the facility. We do feel that this would enhance the park, it would enhance our ability to get these events in Augusta. There is a local BMX club here in Augusta with over fifty members. We would recommend the reprogramming of those funds for that purpose. Mr. Brigham: So move. I Mr. Colclough: Second. I would like to know how can we move funds from 2000 to 1998 to do a track for outside people when I have a park that I can't get done in Woodlake? You told me that it is on the schedule for 2000, why can't we do the same thing for that park? Mr. Beck: The only answer I can give to that is that in the order of the priorities in the department, we thought this a little higher priority right now due to the situation with the NBL having indicated to us that we can host some regional racing. Mr. Mays: What is the schedule dates for Woodlake Park as they are right now? Mr. Beck: It's on the schedule for the year 2000, as an approved project. Mr. Mays: What are the chances of not going back into Chafee Park until we deal with the master plan on that or maybe going abead and looking at the possibilities of swapping both situations, if we're not doing that project until possibility the same period of time. Do we have some replacement money from Wood Park that we would be swapping to go back into Chafee Park? Ifwe could do two things out of one and take those two back to 2000 and put them in with the Chafee Park money in 2000 when the master plan money comes through. I Mr. Beck: Mr. Chairman if you choose to deal with the Woodlake issue today I think we could take some funding out of the Chafee Park project because we have $110,000 left in that project. It is going to be tied up in a Master Plan for at least another year and a half because we are in conjunction with the Canal Authority doing a Master Plan project for the Chafee Park project. Those funds are basical!y held until that Master Plan comes back and it can be presented to the Commission. We do have some funds there if you so choose to deal with putting some of those funds over to Woodlake today as part of this agenda item. I Mr. Brigham: I would like Mr. Beck to bring us back a recommendation on Woodlake Park at the next Committee Meeting and separate these two items. Motion carried unanimously. A reqnest from the Recreation Director to approve and award bid and contract to A.T. Max, Inc. for $178,000, which includes Alternate No.1, for Savannah Place Park Improvements with $80,000 to be funded by 1997 Community Development Block Grant. Mr. Brigham: So move to approve. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Mr. Mays: When can we come back and talk about the alternates and revisit Woodlake and Savannah Place? Mr. Beck: We can come back in two weeks and discuss the figures and bid awards. Motion carried unanimously. I A request to approve and award professional services for Construction Testing and Inspection Services to Graves Engineering Services, Inc. for a fee not to exceed $15,000. Mr. Colclough: So move. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion carried unanimously. A request from the Transit Director to approve the creation of two (2) lead Mechanic positions for Augusta Public Transit (Salary Grade 45) with positions to be advertised. Mr. Johnson: We can save the government some money by doing this. Basically with the new federal regulations the government can write off eighty percent of the maintenance cost for the public transit system. Back in January of this year the mechanics I and one supervisor was eliminated from the transit department and moved to the TECOM 1 maintenance contractors. I would like for these positions to be eliminated from the TECOM contract and placed back on the city roles. That way the city can take advantage of the eighteen percent funding. Mr. Brigham: So move. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Mr. Handy: I would like a contract for everything we've furnished and everything TECOM has furnished. Motion carried unanimously. A request to approve the return of one (1) Shop Foreman position and six (6) Mechanic positions, effective 1/1/99, to Augusta Public Transit from TECOM Fleet Services with positions to be advertised. Mr. Brigham: So move. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. ,I Motion carried unanimously. A request from the Director of Bush Field for approval of post Marketing Director position and hire at up to the mid-point of the salary range. Mr. Kuhlke: I move we approve this position to get it on the floor. Mr. Brigham: Second. Mr. Brigham: I think we should hire within the salary range and if you can't find a qualified applicant, then come back and discuss with us about going to the midpoint. Motion carried unanimously. With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission I Ibb