HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-29-Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Commission Chamber - 11/29/2022
ATTENDANCE:
Present: Hons. D. Williams, Chairman; McKnight, Vice Chairman; Scott, member.
Absent: Hons. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor; Mason, member.
FINANCE
1. Motion to approve the minutes of the Finance Committee held on November 8, 2022.Item
Action:
Approved
Motions
Motion
Type Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion
Result
Approve
Motion to
approve.
Motion Passes
3-0.
Commissioner Catherine Smith-
McKnight
Commissioner Francine
Scott Passes
2. Motion to approve and accept $2,000,000 ARPA award to address the Augusta Judicial Circuit caseload. Item
Action:
Approved
Motions
Motion
Type Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion
Result
Approve
Motion to
approve.
Motion Passes
3-0.
Commissioner Catherine Smith-
McKnight
Commissioner Francine
Scott Passes
3. Motion to approve funding for the December 6, 2022 General Run off and the December 20, 2022
Democratic Special Primary
Item
Action:
Approved
Motions
Motion
Type Motion Text Made By Seconded By Motion
Result
Approve
Motion to approve the funding in the
amount of $165,000 and charge it to
the Contingency Fund..
Motion Passes 3-0.
Commissioner
Catherine Smith-
McKnight
Commissioner
Francine Scott Passes
www.augustaga.gov
Finance Committee Meeting
11/29/2022 1:10 PM
Attendance 11/29/22
Department:
Presenter:
Caption:
Background:
Analysis:
Financial Impact:
Alternatives:
Recommendation:
Funds are Available in
the Following
Accounts:
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
Finance Committee Meeting
ATTENDANCE:
Present: Hons. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor; D.
Mason and Scott, members.
Commission Chamber - lllS/2022
Williams, Chairman; McKnight, Vice Chairman;
Motion Text Made By Seconded By
Motion toapprove. commissioner Alvin commissioner catherine Smith-
Motion Passes Mason McKnight
Motion
Result
Passes
Motion
Result
Passes
Motion
Result
Passes
Item
Action:
Approved
Item
Action:
Approved
Item
Action:
Approved
Made By Seconded By
CommissionerLOmmlsslonerF.";;j;;s;; Catherine Smith-
McKnight
3. Discuss lapsed salary policy amendments. (Requested by Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr.)
Made By Seconded By
Commissioner Catherine CommissionerSmith-McKnight Francine Scott
F'INANCE
1. Motion to approve additional funding to open Advance voting sites early.
Motions
Motion
Type
Approve
4-0.
2. Discuss Fund Balance Policy. (Requested by Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr.)
Motions
Motion Motion Textrype
Motion to approve drafting a
A __..^_-^ resolution in support of a fund balanceAPProve policy. Mr. Mason out.
Motion Passes 3-0.
Motions
Motion Motion Textrype
Motion to approve receiving this
a __--^__- item as information. Mr. MasonADDTOVCout.
Motion Passes 3-0.
4. Motion to approve the minutes of the Finance Committee held on October 25,2022.
Item
Action:
Approved
Motions
Y:t:" Motion Text Made By Seconded Bv fJ.ii;rype
Motion to
^ approve. Commissioner Alvin Commissioner Catherine Smith- passesApprove votion Passes Mason McKnight
4-0.
www.augustaga.gov
Finance Committee Meeting
11/29/2022 1:10 PM
Minutes
Department:
Presenter:
Caption:Motion to approve the minutes of the Finance Committee held on
November 8, 2022.
Background:
Analysis:
Financial Impact:
Alternatives:
Recommendation:
Funds are Available in
the Following
Accounts:
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
Page 1 of 4
JC/ARPA (11/2022)
JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF GEORGIA
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT GRANT AWARD
CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
Judicial Circuit Name: Augusta
Award Date: November 7, 2022
Section 1. Conditions
All the following conditions apply to the enclosed grant award:
(a) Grant recipients shall comply with the conditions and restrictions in this attachment.
(b) Grant recipients shall comply with all procedures and instructions detailed in the current
Overview and Instructions and Judicial Branch ARPA FAQs (also posted under Quick Links
at https://jcaoc.georgiacourts.gov/arpa/).
(c) The ARPA grants awarded by the Judicial Council of Georgia Ad Hoc Committee on
American Rescue Plan Act Funding (“ARPA Committee”) on November 7, 2022, were
awarded for eligible expenses beginning on January 1, 2023, through the balance of the 2023
calendar year only. Funding in future calendar years is not guaranteed and is subject to
application and the approval of the ARPA Committee in future award cycles.
(d) Any portion of this award that is not expended in the 2023 calendar year shall revert back
to the ARPA Committee on January 1, 2024. The ARPA Committee may award funds that
revert back to the Committee to any and all applicants in a subsequent grant cycle.
(e) Grant recipients shall not submit a reimbursement request for any ineligible expenditure
listed in Section 2 (b) of this attachment.
(f) If awarded funds for court-based mental health diversion services, recipient shall: (1) report
the amount of the funds allocated to evidence-based interventions; and (2) indicate whether
activities are primarily serving a disproportionally impacted community (both for U.S.
Treasury reporting purposes). See Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance, “Use of
Evidence” and “Project Demographic Distribution” sections, pp. 20-21; 33; 37; 42 for details.
Such report shall be communicated monthly by letter accompanying the reimbursement
requests for applicable expenditures.
(g) If awarded funds for court-based substance use diversion services, recipient shall: (1) report
the amount of the funds allocated to evidence-based interventions; and (2) indicate whether
activities are primarily serving a disproportionally impacted community (both for U.S.
Treasury reporting purposes). See Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance, “Use of
Evidence” and “Project Demographic Distribution” sections, pp. 20-21; 33; 37; 42 for details.
Such report shall be communicated monthly by letter accompanying the reimbursement
requests for applicable expenditures.
(h) If awarded funds for court-based eviction prevention and diversion services, recipient shall:
(1) report the amount of the funds allocated to evidence-based interventions; and (2) indicate
whether activities are primarily serving a disproportionally impacted community (both for U.S.
Treasury reporting purposes). See Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance, “Use of
Evidence” and “Project Demographic Distribution” sections, pp. 20-21; 33; 37; 42 for details.
Such report shall be communicated monthly by letter accompanying the reimbursement
requests for applicable expenditures.
Page 2 of 4
JC/ARPA (11/2022)
(i) The enclosed grant award is subject to the following specific conditions: Application
approved as revised on October 11, 2022, on the condition that “Reconnect” communications
platform is precleared by OPB with applicant’s justification letter.
Section 2. Restrictions
(a) Federally Eligible Uses Currently Authorized by the ARPA Committee and the Executive
Branch
Only the following federally eligible ARPA expenditure categories (ECs) are currently authorized
by the ARPA Committee and the Executive Branch:
(1) Personnel. Payroll costs for personnel responding to court case backlogs with a primary
focus on serious violent felonies; backfilling positions requiring less experience to reassign
more experienced staff to expedite the disposition of serious violent felony cases; or personnel
administering the ARPA grant. As used in this expenditure category only, “primary focus
on serious violent felonies” means more than 50 percent of total personnel costs awarded
in each calendar year is dedicated to responding to serious violent felonies, as defined in
OCGA § 17-10-6.1 (a).
(2) Court-based Eviction, Mental Health, or Substance Use Diversion. Payroll costs for
personnel performing court-based eviction, mental health, or substance use diversion services
only if: (i) such services respond to case backlogs; and (ii) a subrecipient provides a numerical
estimate to the AOC demonstrating that such services will conserve staff time and resources
to respond to backlogs of serious violent felony cases, as defined in OCGA § 17-10-6.1 (a).
As used in these expenditure categories, “numerical” means containing one or more of the
number symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9; e.g., 20 hours of staff time per week, 18 percent
of a judge’s caseload, or some other numerical measurement.
(3) Other Program Costs. Reasonable and necessary costs to support a response to court case
backlogs with a primary focus on cases involving serious violent felonies or to perform ARPA
grant administration, as follows:
(i) The purchase of necessary supplies and materials used by personnel funded by the
ARPA grant;
(ii) The purchase or rental of equipment used by personnel funded by the ARPA grant,
including any reasonable and required license, basic operating software, or service needed
to use such equipment;
(iii) Travel costs of personnel and contractors funded by the ARPA grant traveling between
counties in multi-county judicial circuits that are necessary to address the backlog in court
cases with a primary focus on cases involving serious violent felonies;
(iv) Rental of temporary space for personnel funded by the ARPA grant;
(v) Printing, publication, media, or postage costs;
(vi) Jury expenditures for the trial of cases that are part of the case backlog caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic;
(vii) Jury sequestration costs if necessary for jurors in serious violent felony cases;
(viii) Continuing legal education and professional dues for prosecutors funded by the
ARPA grant, as required by the State Bar of Georgia to maintain a law license;
(ix) Mandatory continuing judicial education for judges funded by the ARPA grant, as
required by the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education and uniform court rules;
Page 3 of 4
JC/ARPA (11/2022)
(x) Contracts for professional services or per diem to respond to court case backlogs,
including services provided by interpreters, senior judges, state paid county reimbursed
(SPCR) prosecutors, and court reporters; or to perform grant administration;
(xi) Mandatory training for victim assistance coordinators and victims’ advocates funded
by the ARPA grant, as required by law and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council;
(xii) Mandatory training for district attorney investigators funded by the ARPA grant, as
required by law and the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council; and
(xiii) Other program costs necessary to address a court backlog caused or exacerbated by
the COVID-19 pandemic with a primary focus on cases involving serious violent felonies
may be approved by OPB at its sole discretion following a written request for approval by
AOC prior to AOC’s approval of said costs.
(b) Federally Eligible Uses Not Currently Authorized by the ARPA Committee or the Executive
Branch
All the following federally eligible ARPA expenditure categories (ECs) are not currently
authorized by the ARPA Committee or the Executive Branch:
(1) Professional dues, continuing education, and training for staff (unless an exception is
expressly listed in Section 2 (a) of this attachment) (ECs 3.5, 7.1; 31 CFR § 35.6 (b) (3) (ii)
(E) (4); 87 Fed. Reg. 4,438 (Jan. 27, 2022) (Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200 Subpart E) applies
to ARPA funds); 2 CFR § 200.473 (“The cost of training and education provided for employee
development is allowable”)).
(2) Case management systems and software (EC 7.1; 31 CFR § 35.6 (b) (3) (ii) (E) (4); 87 Fed.
Reg. 4,389 (Jan. 27, 2022) (“improvements to case management systems . . . are eligible”).
(3) ARPA grants to municipal courts (pursue ARPA funds from cities before contacting the
ARPA Committee), public defenders, or conflict attorneys (see funds allocated to GPDC).
(4) COVID-19 testing (EC 1.2; 31 CFR § 35.6 (b) (3) (i) (A)). Contact the Georgia Emergency
Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) for COVID-19 testing assistance.
(5) The purchase of personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer)
(EC 1.5; 31 CFR § 35.6 (b) (3) (i) (A)). Contact GEMA for personal protective equipment.
(6) Expenditures to prevent COVID-19 in congregate settings (e.g., plexiglass, cleaning
supplies or services) (EC 1.4; 31 CFR § 35.6 (b) (3) (i) (A)). Contact GEMA for assistance
with supplies to prevent COVID-19 in congregate settings.
(7) Payroll supplements, stipends, bonuses, “premium pay,” or any other payroll payments to
staff that do not correspond to actual documented payroll time spent responding to case
backlogs or performing ARPA grant administration are not authorized. “Premium pay” is
defined in 31 CFR §§ 35.3, 35.6 (c); (EC 4.1).
(8) Long-term infrastructure (i.e., capital) investments in public facilities, such as physical
plant improvements, permanent adaptations to existing public buildings, or constructing new
facilities to respond to the pandemic or its negative economic impacts (ECs 3.5, 7.1; 31 CFR
§ 35.6 (b) (3) (i) (A); (b) (4); 87 Fed. Reg. 4,389 (Jan. 27, 2022). Grant recipients should rent
equipment (if possible, practical, and cost-effective) to avoid violating the prohibition on
purchasing permanent infrastructure.
(9) Adding or upgrading a court’s broadband connection, including modernization of
cybersecurity for existing or new broadband infrastructure (EC 5.19; 31 CFR § 35.6 (e) (2) (i)-
(ii)).
(10) Offsets to a reduction in government revenue due to the pandemic, which may be used to
maintain existing infrastructure, build new infrastructure, or provide any government service,
Page 4 of 4
JC/ARPA (11/2022)
excluding contributions to a rainy-day fund (EC 6.1; 31 CFR § 35.6 (d); 87 Fed. Reg. 4,423-
4,430 (Jan. 27, 2022)).
(11) General modernization of cybersecurity not related to broadband upgrades, including
hardware, software, and protection of critical infrastructure (falls under the category of
government revenue offsets) (EC 6.1; 31 CFR § 35.6 (d)). See 31 CFR § 35.6 (e) (2) (ii).
Personnel Services Salary Quantity Total
$- $- $- $-
Total Grant Admin and Clerical Request $- 0 $- $- $-
Assistant District Attorney $101,040 4 $404,160 $- $404,160
Assistant Solicitor - State Court $80,104 1 $80,104 $- $80,104
Clerk - Solicitor - State Court $45,684 1 $45,684 $- $45,684
Deputy Sheriff - Court Services $34/hour - 500 hours $17,000 1 $17,000 $- $17,000
Investigator - DA $66,443 1 $66,443 $- $66,443
Data Entry Clerk - Superior $30,000 2 $60,000 $- $60,000
Judge - Juvenile Court $161,009 1 $161,009 $- $161,009
Juvenile Court Attorney $101,040 3 $303,120 $- $303,120
Victim Witness Advocate $49,144 2 $98,288 $- $98,288
Total-Personnel Directly Responding to Case Backlog $651,464 16 $1,235,808 $- $1,235,808
$- $- $- $-
Personnel Court-Based Mental Health Diversion (include in application section (E) (2)) $- 0 $- $- $-
Drug Court Services - In-House Licensed Clinical Counselor $86,162 1 $86,162 $- $86,162
Drug Testing/GPS/Pretrial Release $30,000.00 1 $30,000 $- $30,000
Court-based Assessment and Screening $75,000.00 1 $75,000 $- $75,000
Personnel Court-Based Substance Use Diversion (include in application section (E) (3))$191,162 3 $191,162 $- $191,162
$- $- $- $-
Personnel Court-Based Eviction Prevention and Diversion ( E ) (4) $- 0 $- $- $-
Total Personnel Costs:$842,626 19 $1,426,970 $- $1,426,970
Administrative/Indirect Costs: Amount Total
Equipment < $5,000 (Computers & Printers for add'l staff)$10,114 $10,114 $- $10,114
Paralegal - DA - Contract $62,400 $62,400 $- $62,400
Voice/Data Communications - Reconnect
$16,200 $16,200 $- $16,200
CONDITIONAL APPROVAL- OPB
Pre-clearance required for Reconnect
($16,200)
Juror Expenses $100,000 $100,000 $- $100,000
ARPA-Eligible Administrative Expenses (include in application section (E) (6))
Grant Administration and Clerical (include in application section (E) (6))
Personnel Directly Responding to Case Backlog (include in application section (E) (1))
Personnel Court-Based Mental Health Diversion (include in application section (E) (2))
Personnel Court-Based Substance Use Diversion (include in application section (E) (3))
Personnel Court-Based Eviction Prevention and Diversion (include in application section (E) (4))
Final Approved v.6
JUDICIAL BRANCH ARPA GRANT BUDGET TEMPLATE For AOC Staff Only
Submitted by: Augusta Judicial Circuit
Budget Categories Calendar
Year 2023 Adjustments
Revised
Total Comments
Interpreter $3,600 $3,600 $- $3,600
Contract Court Reporters/Transcript Production $150,000 $150,000 $- $150,000
Work Stations/Desks $4,516 $4,516 $- $4,516
Total ARPA-Eligible Administrative Expenses $346,830 $346,830 $- $346,830
Real Estate Rentals - Juvenile Court $226,200 $226,200 $- $226,200
Total Indirect/Grant Administration $226,200 $226,200 $- $226,200
Total Administrative Costs:$573,030 $573,030 $- $573,030
JC/ARPA-5 (08/2022)
Temporary Facilities or Workspace (include in application section (E) (5))
TOTAL OVERALL BUDGET $2,000,000 $- $2,000,000
Finance Committee Meeting
11/29/2022 1:10 PM
Notice of 2023 ARPA Grant Funds Award
Department:Superior Court
Presenter:Nolan Martin
Caption:Motion to approve and accept $2,000,000 ARPA award to address the
Augusta Judicial Circuit caseload.
Background:The Augusta Judicial Circuit is slated to receive a $2 million ARPA grant,
from the State of Georgia, through the Judicial Council for the purpose of
addressing the judicial caseload backlog. This award covers both
Richmond and Burke Counties, and will be used to fund additional full
time court related positions, as well as other eligible expenses. This is a
continuation of an ARPA grant awarded in 2022.
Analysis:This ARPA Judicial grant will be used to relieve the court case backlog
created by the COVID pandemic. The Augusta Judicial Circuit will fund
additional court related positions such as attorneys, clerks, victims
advocates, investigators, judges, and judicial assistants. Eligible expenses
also include juror fees, freelance court reporters, and interpreters, as well
as rental of the Broad Street Juvenile Annex.
Financial Impact:This grant operates on a reimbursement basis. Richmond County, serving
as the fiscal agent for Burke County, will expense funds and request
reimbursement through the State Judicial Council.
Alternatives:None
Recommendation:Approve and accept $2 million ARPA grant through the State Judicial
Council.
Funds are Available in
the Following
Accounts:
All eligible expenses will be reimbursed; Grant is budgeted in 2023 budget
under org key 220-02-2652
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
Finance.
Law.
Administrator.
Clerk of Commission
Finance Committee Meeting
11/29/2022 1:10 PM
Election Funding request from contingency
Department:Board of Elections
Presenter:W. Travis Doss, Jr.
Caption:Motion to approve funding for the December 6, 2022 General Run off and
the December 20, 2022 Democratic Special Primary
Background:Runoff and Special Elections are not budgeted by the department but
rather money is set aside in contingency for such unexpected elections.
Analysis:Currently there is a need for $220,000 for both the December runoff and
the Special Primary. By making cuts in the current BOE budget, we are
asking for $150,000 to cover poll worker pay, printing of ballots, postage
for absentee ballots and setting up and staffing advance voting locations.
Financial Impact:Current election and operation budgets have funds available to cover some
of the expenses but not all. Asking for $150,000 from contingency to cover
the cost of the runoff and the special primary.
Alternatives:There are no alternatives
Recommendation:Approve the money from contingency earmarked for election expenses
Funds are Available in
the Following
Accounts:
Contingency - Special Elections
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
Finance.
Law.
Administrator.
Clerk of Commission