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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-21-2001 Meeting I DELINEATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES SUB-COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - February 21, 2001 1:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Cheek, Chairman; Shepard and Williams, members; Walter Hornsby, Interim Administrator; Chief Bernard Mack, Fire Department; Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of CoI?mission. Also Present: George Eskola ofWJBF Television, Stacey Eidson of The Metropolitan Spirit and Heidi Coryell of The Augusta Chronicle. I Mr. Cheek: After our last meeting I think we wanted to focus on the firewall language and see if that was something we wanted to send over to the Commission. There are several paragraphs in the Administrator's job description that discuss the visioning process, that is, preparing for the coming year. We need to read through this whole document. On page 15 is the firewall language from the Athens Charter. I don't have a problem with it but we should clearly define us being able to talk to department heads, inquire about projects and discuss needs. In this document there is nothing like Augusta Cares. We need to make sure that's in there. Bullet 3 is somewhat different from what's in our Administrator's language and his job description regarding budget preparation. Section 7 makes the Manager act as Purchasing Agent for Athens-Clarke County and under Section 9, it has him appointing the Clerk of Commission and that staff with the approval of the Mayor, Chairman and Commission. These things differ considerably from the way we do things and we can look at them. Concerning the firewall, is this something we want to pass this on to our attorney and try to come up with something workable that we can submit to the Commission? Mr. Shepard: I think so. We start with the Athens language and circulate something like this and say, "except for the purposes of inquiry and investigation, the Mayor and Commission shall deal with employees of the government" and then I struck "who are subject to the appointment and removal by the Manager" and then put, "through the Administrator, Assistant Administrator, department heads, or assistant department heads" and then what I want to keep from Athens put "shall not give orders or directions to any such employee either publicly or privately, directly or indirectly." I think that's the firewall. We don't want to be ordering the employees around. If the employees are not doing their job, we need to go to management and there are several levels of management. I think because of our efficient structure at the top we should allow permitted contact at the department head and assistant department head level because otherwise we don't have enough administrative people at the top level to process all these inquiries. Mr. Wall would know where we should insert this in our code, and I think we should circulate it beforehand among our fellow Commissioners and see what their comments are. I Mr. Cheek: I would like to see us consider if we want to have disciplinary action which would involve censure by the Commission for violating this and a process by which Commissioners meet with department heads and the manager or Augusta Cares to get things done. I think .we're ready to pass this on to the City Attorney for rewrite to come back to us or the Commission. Mr. Williams: I so move. I Mr. Shepard: I'd second that. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Cheek: The Athens Charter shows that the Mayor has no vote except in the case of a tie. He has veto power and he presents the budget. This just shows some differences with our system. There is a difference in the time of the fiscal year and it also provides for continuing audits on a monthly basis on the financial state of the city. We would probably also like to have that. Under services, it says that the government shall attempt to provide efficient utilization of community resources. Some of this language is very good and we may wish to include it. Mr. Shepard: I think Al will be presenting us with detail about our financial condition and we have asked for that in a concise form. Mr. Cheek: I'd like to see us come back at the next meeting and review the language of disciplinary measure and a process by which we get things done in our districts. We can revisit some of these other sections, the fuewall and fiscal year. We may want to revisit that and make a recommendation. Also, continuing audits and provision of services, maybe revisit those. I think if we insert the firewall language into our policies then that will solve a past problem. In the Administrator's job description, it states, "The Administrator shall keep the Mayor fully informed and shall coordinate with the Mayor to ensure that all laws, ordinances and resolutions of Augusta Richmond County are faithfully executed." Again, this language puts the Mayor as the chief point of communication between the Administrator and the Commissioners which is consistent with the Athens document but it's not consistent with reality. It also states basically that the Administrator has discharge responsibilities. There are some things in here that compared to what we're doing versus what this document says, we need to either do what it says or change it to make it consistent with the law. I Mr. Shepard: I agree with that. Mr. Cheek: There is some language on page three that says, "Section 7 - prescribe the duties and supervise the work of ARC employees." There is no way one man can make sure that the entire government is functioning as it should without the support staff. "Require reports from department heads." That is something we have not been getting like we should. "Make such recommendations on the ARC affairs as the Administrator deems necessary for the efficient operation." It has him interfacing with other agencies not under him. We are not doing some of the things that this document I I sets out. Is it your pleasure that we come back and review this document in the next two week period and come back with recommendations? Mr. Williams: I so move. Mr. Shepard: I'll second that. ~ Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Cheek: So we will further review the Athens document and the Attachment A which is the Authority and Responsibilities. We may also want to consider forwarding at some point a copy of our suggestions to the committee that is looking at the development of the Charter for them to review during the course of their deliberations. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Nancy W. Morawski Deputy Clerk of Commission. NWM I I