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Home My WebLink About2018-04-10 Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Commission Chamber - 4/10/2018 ATTENDANCE: Present: Hons. Frantom, Chairman; Sias, Vice Chairman; Hasan, member. Absent: Hons. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor; Guilfoyle, member. FINANCE 1. Discuss status of Employees /Compensation Adjustments for Augusta- Richmond County Library System. (Requested by Commissioner Sean Frantom) Item Action: Approved Motions Motion Type Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion Result Approve Motion to refer this item to the Administrator with a report back in 30 days. Motion Passes 3-0. Commissioner Sammie Sias Commissioner Ben Hasan Passes 2. Motion to approve the minutes of the Finance Committee held on March 13, 2018. Item Action: Approved Motions Motion Type Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion Result Approve Motion to approve. Motion Passes 3-0. Commissioner Sammie Sias Commissioner Ben Hasan Passes 3. Motion to authorize staff to draft an amendment to the Augusta, GA Code changing the name of the Development Authority of Richmond County to “Augusta Economic Development Authority” and to bring the proposed Code Item Action: Approved www.augustaga.gov amendment to the Commission for consideration. Motions Motion Type Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion Result Approve Motion to approve. Motion Passes 3-0. Commissioner Sammie Sias Commissioner Ben Hasan Passes Finance Committee Meeting 4/10/2018 1:20 PM Attendance 4/10/18 Department: Presenter: Caption: Background: Analysis: Financial Impact: Alternatives: Recommendation: Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: STEVEN L. SANDERS 748 Lancaster Road Augusta, Georgia 30909 706.296.9731; sanders@fulcherlaw.com March 22, 2018 MAIL AND EMAIL: sfrantom(a~au~usta~a.~ov Commissioner Sean Frantom Chairman, Finance Committee Augusta-Richmond County Commission 535 Telfair Street Augusta, Georgia 30901 Re: Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System Status of Employees /Compensation Adjustments Dear Sean, I hope you are doing well. As you may know, I represent District 3 on the Board of Trustees for the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System ("ARCPLS"). The purpose of this letter is to request an opportunity for ARCPLS to address the Finance Committee at a regularly scheduled meeting regarding the compensation of ARCPLS employees and funding for same. The library system currently employs more than 60 people (and has over 30 unfilled positions). Our employees are treated as city-county employees in some respects but not others. One significant way in which our employees are treated differently than city-county employees is that they are excluded from compensation adjustments (increases) given to other city employees. When the Commission recently approved a new compensation system that increased minimum compensation levels and increased compensation levels for certain other employees, ARCPLS employees were not included. As a result, the Board of Trustees was forced to choose between doing nothing, in which case our employees become undercompensated compared to similarly situated public employees, or increasing compensation levels to bring our employees in line with their counterparts at significant additional expense to the system. On at least two occasions in the last three years, the minimum compensation level for city-county employees has been increased. This has put us in a situation where, unless we make a corresponding increase at significant additional expense, we have a number of loyal, long-time employees who will earn less than a new employee who enters the system at the higher, adjusted minimum. Such a result is obviously unfair and unequal —and unacceptable to our Board. The ARCPLS Trustees are committed to supporting and protecting our employees, who do an excellent job providing services to the people of Augusta despite our budget constraints. The public library system is already understaffed — we have fewer employees now than we did in 2010 when we moved into the new, much larger building on Telfair Street. We have not Commissioner Sean Frantom March 22, 2018 Page 2 received a budget increase since 2010 and have been underfunded relative to state standards for years. We have annually requested, but have not received, an increase to our budget to cover, among other things, increased personnel costs and other mandatory expenses like the stormwater fee. It is my understanding that library system employees used to be included in these compensation adjustments, and our annual budget was adjusted to account for the increases. I do not know when or why this changed, but we would like to discuss the possibility of reinstating the former practice. Of course, we are open to other options that would remedy the disparate treatment of ARCPLS employees. I am copying ARCPLS Board Chairman Dave Scott and Director Mashell Fashion on this letter, along with the Clerk of Commission, Lena Bonner. Please let me, Mr. Scott, and/or Ms. Fashion know when ARCPLS will have the opportunity to address the Finance Committee, and if you have any questions or need any additional information in connection with this request. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your service. Re ctfully, tev anders cc: Mr. David Scott, Email: dfscott60(c~comcast.net Ms. Mashell Fashion, Email: fashionm(c~`pls.org Ms. Lena Bonner, Email: lbonner(a,au u~sta~a. o~v Commissioner Bill Fennoy, Email: fennoy(a~au u~staga. o~v 2 Finance Committee Meeting 4/10/2018 1:20 PM Compensation Adjustments for Augusta-Richmond County Library System Department: Presenter: Caption:Discuss status of Employees /Compensation Adjustments for Augusta-Richmond County Library System. (Requested by Commissioner Sean Frantom) Background: Analysis: Financial Impact: Alternatives: Recommendation: Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance committee Meeting commission Chamber - 3ll3l20lg ATTENDANICE: Present: Hons. Frantom, chairman; Sias, vice chairman; Hasan and Guilfoyle, members. Absent: Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor. FINANCE 1. Approve Excess Workers' Compensation Insurance with Safety National With Item Statutory limits and a $750,000 Self Insured Retention (SIR - otherwise known Action: as the deductible) to cover all positions for a premium of $369,658. Approved Motions Motion Type Approve Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion toapprove. Commissioner Commissioner Ben Motion Passes Sammie Sias Hasan Motion Result 2. 4-0. Motion to approve 2018. Motions Motion Type Approve Passes the minutes of the Finance committee held on Febru ary 27 , Item Action: Approved Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion toapprove. Commissioner Commissioner Ben Motion Passes Sammie Sias Hasan Motion Result Passes 4_0. 3. Request Human Resources Department provide the following: l)Detail ltempresentation on the retirement briefing and option that all employees are Action:presented when they retire and 2) Evidence that the Health Cire Plan is Rescheduled offered to the employee that they must either accept or reject and 3)Evidence from our Health Care Plan specifically authorizes the carry over after retirement up to the age of 65 when Medicare/Ivledicaid becomes effective and 4) Provide commissioners all presentation information electronically. (Requested by Commissioner Sammie Sias) Motions f#:"' Motion rext Made By Commissioner Sammie Sias Seconded By Motion Result Defer Motion to refer this item to the next committee meeting, Motion Passes 4-0. Commissioner Ben Hasan Passes www.auqustaqa.gov Finance Committee Meeting 4/10/2018 1:20 PM Minutes Department:Clerk of Commission Presenter: Caption:Motion to approve the minutes of the Finance Committee held on March 13, 2018. Background: Analysis: Financial Impact: Alternatives: Recommendation: Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance Committee Meeting 4/10/2018 1:20 PM Motion to authorize staff to draft an amendment to the AUGUSTA, GA Code changing the name of the Development Authority of Richmond County to “Augusta Economic Development Authority” and to bring the proposed Code amendment to the Commission for considerat Department:Development Authority of Richmond County Presenter:Robert Hagler Caption:Motion to authorize staff to draft an amendment to the Augusta, GA Code changing the name of the Development Authority of Richmond County to “Augusta Economic Development Authority” and to bring the proposed Code amendment to the Commission for consideration. Background:The Development Authority of Richmond County has requested a name chance to take full advantage of the good name the City enjoys nationwide and in the world. It will also help identify the Development Authority in the marketplace. Analysis:This motion will allow staff to draft a Code amendment and bring it back to the Commission for consideration. Financial Impact:No direct financial impact. Improving the effectiveness of the Authority will increase tax revenue as more development is done throughout Richmond County. Alternatives:Decline to consider a name change at this time. Recommendation:Approve. Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: N/A. REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Law. Administrator. Clerk of Commission