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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-10-2002 Meeting I PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - June 10, 2002 12:30 P.M. PRESENT: W. Mays, Chairman, U. Bridges, R. Colclough, B. Kuhlke members, Commissioners T. Boyles, A Cheek, M. Williams, G. Kolb, Administrator, J. Wall, Attorney, R. Sherman & L. Harris, L&I Dept., T. Beck, Recreation Dept., L. Bonner, Clerk of Commission. MEDIA: S. Eidson, Metro Spirit, H. Williams, Augusta Chronicle, G. Eskola Channel 6, S. Morris, Augusta Focus. Mr. Mays: Madam Clerk do we have any deletions or addendum's? Clerk: Yes, the L&I Director request that Item 1 be deleted because the applicant has to have a rezoning hearing. We have an addendum item: Discuss collection of business license fees. (Requested by Mayor Young) Mr. Bridges: So move for approval to delete and add. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion carries unanimously. I 1. Motion to approve and award Bid Item #02-122, the color of tennis courts at Newman Tennis Center, to Talbot Tennis Ltd. in the amount of $11,948.00. Mr. Beck: Bids were solicited from nine vendors for the specified work. A total of seven bids were received with Talbot Tennis, Ltd., being the low bidder who met specifications. Mr. Kuhlke: So move for approval. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion carries unanimously. 2. New Ownership: A.N. 02-20: A request by David R. Wilson for a retail package Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with 12th Street Spirits located at 1441 12th Street. Dlstrlct2. Super District 9. Mr. Wilson: David R. Wilson 2519 Carriage Creek, Augusta. I Mr. Sherman: This applicant meets all requirements of the L&I Dept. and the Sheriff's Dept. and we recommend approval. (No objectors) 1 Mr. Colclough: So move for approval. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. I Motion carries unanimously. 3. Discussion: A request by Gregory Tennln for a 60-day extension to purchase the retail package Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Mr. K's Party Center located at 1061 Stevens Creek Road. District 7. Super District 10. Mr. Bridges: Mr. Tennin: Gregory Tennin 1503 Wooten Road, Augusta. Mr. Sherman: Mr. Tennin is asking for an extension on his license because there is a sale pending on the business. If the sale is not successful he will reopen the store. Mr. Bridges: I move we grant the SO-day extension subject to payment of the property taxes before the 60-day extension begins. Mr. Colclough: Second. I Motion carries unanimously. 4. Motion to approve an operational agreement between Augusta Recreation and Parks and MACH Academy, Inc. for operation of the Fleming Tennis Center. Mr. Beck: During the budget process the position at the Fleming Tennis Center was eliminated and the pro shop operation has been closed since March. The park is open, the tennis courts have been open to the public but the in door pro shop operation has been closed. We have actively gone out and sought a partnership just as we have with seven other facilities within our park system to assist in the operation of this facility. MACH Academy, Inc. has been around the tennis industry for many years. They've been associated with our programs for several years and have indicated an interest in doing this. The agreement is consistent with our other six operational agreements. So we would highly encourage you to approve this agreement. Mr. Kuhlke: I move for approval subject to approval of the Attorney. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion carries unanimously. I 2 I Discuss collection of business license fees. (Requested by Mayor Young) Mr. Young: I was quite disturbed when I saw the article in the paper with respect to the uncollected business license fees. We've got ways to keep track of this. We've got employees in that department and we have laws on the book and we have debts that are owed the city. I think we should get out there Mr. Chairman, and collect the monies owed to us. I Mr. Sherman: That information was taken from a report that tells us the businesses that have not paid their occupational tax. The report is generated from the fact that they had a license last year. We're assuming that they'll be in business this year. What we'll find probably towards the end of the year is that a number of those businesses in fact are out of business. One of our responsibilities is to collect the past due occupational tax. We send out a bill to be paid by February 1. Then we send out another notice May 1 , a second reminder that the license has not been purchased. They are given 30-days. Prior to that the inspectors are going out trying to contact these businesses to find out if they are in business. Since the article was written, its been reduced as of this morning to 1,167, with a balance due of $140,900. We will pursue collecting those taxes by contacting them and riding the streets to see if they are in business. At the end of the year we do expect to have most of those taxes collected except for the ones that are out of business. The problem with the software is only with a report that we have that gives us the past due accounts. For some reason it was drawing in accounts that were paid. We've been able to work through that. We did notify IT about a month ago that we were having with it. The inspectors themselves call the business and they say they've paid we scratch it off then we work toward getting it deleted. It was more of an issue for the paper. IT has to get back to Team IA who wrote the software program to get it corrected. I actually think that we're on schedule with collecting the business license tax. In our office we're responsible for collecting the occupational tax, excise tax as well. By the end of the year we feel comfortable in saying that all taxes due to the city that come through our office are paid. We do have a problem with collecting excise taxes for the Water dept, Tax Commissioner, and Tax Assessors office. With roughly eight to nine thousand business licenses we just can't manually go through and check all diligent taxes against our business licenses. We've tried it and it doesn't work. We have been meeting with IT, the Tax Commissioners office and the Tax Assessor's office to look at getting some software developed so that we can track it. But at this point we don't have that. I assure you that the money will be collected this year. After a detailed discussion on the collection process, I Mr. Mays: Once an accurate list is developed with an amount on it that we can manually go through ask law enforcement for assistance. Be it the 3 Sheriff's Dept. or Marshal's Dept. just like you would do with a warrant list. If you are going to massively and expediently do this you'll need folk who are out into all those areas and blanket it at one time. I Mr. Beard: Why don't we let the Administrator work with the L&I Dept. and work this out. Mr. Kolb: This has a short term and a long-term solution. If you just refer this back to us within 30-days we'll get it back to the Committee with some type of report as to what we're doing currently with the current list and what our long term plans are. Mr. Bridges: I would like to make a motion that we ask our Administrator to get with the staff and bring us back a recommendation and an analysis of the collection process at the first Committee meeting in July. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission /bb I I 4 I PUBLIC SERVICES AGENDA COMl\llITTEE ROOM-June 10,2002 12:30 P. M. 1. Transfer Application: A.T. 02-6: A request by Eugene Curry to transfer the retail package Beer license used in connection with E & J Grocery located at 1229 Yz 12th Street to 1219-B 12th Street. District 2. Super District 9. 2. Motion to approve and award Bid Item #02-122, the color coating of tennis courts at Newman Tennis Center, to Talbot Tennis Ltd.. in the amount of$11,948.00. 3. New Ownership: A.N.02-20: A request by David R. Wilson for a retail package Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with 12th Street Spirits located at 144112th Street. District 2. Super District 9. 4. Discussion: A request by Gregory Tennin for a 60 day extension to purchase the retail package Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Mr. K's Party Center located at 1061 Stevens Creek Road. District 7. Super District 10. 5. Motion to approve an operational agreement between Augusta Recreation and Parks and MACH Academy, Inc. for operation of Fleming Tennis Center. I .- - - ADDENDUM PUBLIC SERVICES AGENDA June 10, 2002 12:30 P. M. ADDITION TO THE AGENDA: 1. Discuss collection of business license fees. (Requested by Mayor Young) .-. - - -