HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting August 5, 2014
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
AUGUST 5, 2014
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., August 5, 2014, the Hon.
Deke Copenhaver, Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Lockett, Guilfoyle, Mason, D. Smith, Williams, Fennoy, Jackson,
Davis and G. Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Absent: Hon. Johnson, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Ready, Madam Clerk?
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, as we have established a quorum I’ll go ahead and call the meeting to
order. And I’d like to call on Dr. George Robertson, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, for our
invocation. Please stand.
The invocation was given by Dr. George Robertson, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Mayor: Please join me in the pledge.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: And, Pastor, if you could please come forward. And I would just like to say
thank you for that wonderful invocation and for really (applause) starting the meeting off right.
Office of the Mayor. By these present be it known that Dr. George Robertson, Pastor, First
Presbyterian Church is Chaplain of the Day. For his civic and spiritual guidance demonstrated
throughout the community. Serves as an example for all the faith community. Given under my
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hand this 5 Day of August 2014. Deke Copenhaver, Mayor. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Speaker: (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. G. Smith: Could we give a moment of silence for that Major General that was killed
over in Afghanistan this morning?
Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. I’m sorry, I had not heard about that.
Mr. G. Smith: He was the first General to be killed since Viet Nam.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I would ask that we take a moment of silence for the loss in
Afghanistan. Thank you. Madam Clerk, on to the recognitions.
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The Clerk:
RECOGNITIONS(S)
Augusta River Bandits
A. Augusta River Bandits in honor of the 10U travel baseball team winning the blue
bracket of the USSSA Global World Series in Gulf Shores. (Requested by Mayor Deke
Copenhaver)
The Clerk: Yes, sir. At this time we have the great pleasure of recognizing the Augusta
River Bandits in honor of the 10U travel baseball team winning the blue bracket of the USSSA
Global Sports World Series in Gulf Shores. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: And as we recognize them I would like to read of the list of names of these
fine young men and their coaches and tell you guys how proud we are of you in the way that
you’ve represented Augusta. The young men up here are David Bell, Brandon Bowen, Charlie
Busey, Justin Coleman, Dane Dykestra, Donovan Dykestra, Raquez Parker, Isaiah Range, Colby
Shutner, Bobby Scott and A.J. Troupe. with Coach Dykestra and the Assistant Coaches Marshall
Range, Curt Shutner and Austin Troupe. And with that I have a proclamation for you guys.
Office of the Mayor the City of Augusta. Proclamation. In recognition of Augusta River
Bandits 10U Baseball Team. Whereas established in 2011 by Coach Dan Dykestra to develop
and teach these young athletes fundamental values such as strong work ethic, team work, good
sportsmanship and to play baseball at a more competitive level. And whereas Augusta River
Bandits are currently ranked Number 4 out of 60 teams in Georgia and Number 84 out of 810
teams in the nation in the 10U AAA Division and USSSA Power Ranking Report. And whereas
the Augusta River Bandits won 5 out of 8 USSSA Tournaments played this spring season. And
whereas the Augusta River Bandits competed against 25 10U baseball teams from Arkansas,
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas in the USSSA
Global Sports, I keep wanting to miss and ‘s’ there, Global Sports World Series in Gulf Shores,
Alabama. It sounds like SCC Football the states that ya’ll are playing. Whereas the grit and
determination of every member of the baseball team and coaching staff is a testament to the hard
work that they displayed all season. And whereas the spring season 90% of the team were A, B
Honor Roll students for the year at their respective schools and now they’re, (APPLAUSE) yeah
let’s give that a round of applause. Now therefore I, Deke Copenhaver, Mayor of the City of
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Augusta do hereby proclaim August 5 2014 as Augusta River Bandits Day in Augusta, Georgia
and urge all citizens to recognize and applaud the accomplishments of the Augusta River Bandits
10U Baseball Team for winning their first USSSA Global Sports World Series Championship.
(APPLAUSE)
Mr. Speaker: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Oh, sure.
Mr. Speaker: Can I have these young men to announce their names (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Yes, that’d be great. If you guys just want to come up one by one and I’ll
give you the mike.
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Mr. Shotner: Colby Shotner.
Mr. Dykestra: Donovan Dykestra.
Mr. Bowen: Brandon Bowen.
Mr. Bell: David Bell.
Mr. Range: Isaiah Range.
Mr. Coleman: Justin Coleman.
Mr. Busey: Charlie Busey.
Mr. Dykestra: Dane Dykestra.
Mr. Mayor: And hoist that trophy high ya’ll. All right!
Mr. Dykestra: Coach Dan Dykestra. Thank you guys for having us. This is awesome for
the boys and we really appreciate it.
Mr. Speaker: Coach Shotner.
Mr. Mayor: Coach Shotner is a man of very few words. Madam Clerk, if we could move
on to the delegations, please, ma’am.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
B. Mr. Steven Kendrick, Richmond County Tax Commissioner regarding the
reorganization of the Youth Leadership/ARC Student Intern Programs.
Mr. Kendrick: When you said reorganization I got a little worried. I didn’t know what
was going on.
Mr. Mayor: And if we could keep it to five minutes, please, sir.
Mr. Kendrick: Oh, we’re going to try. We have today the students who have worked as
a part of the Youth Leadership Program in the Summer Internship here with the City of Augusta.
We have eight students who have participated in all of our departments this year. What we want
to do is invite them up and present to them their certificate for working this summer and get them
a nice picture and recognize the effort. These students are from Richmond County high schools.
There are actually nine of them, one couldn’t be here today. I know people have seen the
students walking around the building and wondered who those little people are. But those people
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were put in real work all summer and we want a chance to congratulate them and recognize
them. So I want to ask Lynn to come up and announce and call them up one by one.
Ms. Speaker: And the certificate reads. The City of Augusta and Youth Leadership
Richmond County in recognition of your committed participation your continuing search for
knowledge your inquisitive mind your emerging leadership skills and for your ability to adapt to
any and all situations we congratulate Mr. Jacob Sumter as Outstanding Utilities Department
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Intern on this 5 Day of August 2014 Youth Leadership Richmond County Augusta Georgia.
(APPLAUSE) And the Department Head from the Utilities Department to represent him.
(APPLAUSE) The very next student is Javon McCaster as Outstanding Tax Assessors Intern.
(APPLAUSE) Is someone from the Tax Assessors Department here to represent them? Ms.
Kayla Robertson as Outstanding Procurement Department Intern in her department. Next
student is Jenna Pruitt as Outstanding Engineering Department Intern. Is there someone here
representing the Engineering Department? Yugi Song as the Outstanding Fire Department Intern
and someone representing the Fire Department. Brittany Butler as Outstanding Law Department
Intern and someone representing the Law Department. Lastly Johnny Murphy as Outstanding
Mayor/Administrator’s Office Intern. At this time do any of the students have any comments
they’d like to make?
Mr. Mayor: It’s an open mike.
Ms. Robertson: I’m Kayla Robertson. I was at the Procurement Department. I just want
to thank the City of Augusta for giving me this opportunity and the Procurement Department for
being so kind in teaching me a lot that I will take with me on future endeavors. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. McCaster: Hi, everyone, my name is Javon McCaster I was working with the Tax
Assessors Office. And I want to thank the City of Augusta for giving me this opportunity. I want
to thank the parents for letting me have this opportunity and I’m going to take the responsibilities
that the Tax Assessors Office gave me into my life. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Ms. Butler: Hello, my name is Brittany Butler and I was an intern at the Law
Department. And I would like to thank my parents and the City of Augusta for this internship.
And when I come back I would like to open up a law firm and take what the Law Department
taught me and help myself in it. Thank you. And I learned that attorneys they’re fun, they’re not
boring. They’re fun people.
Mr. Mayor: You heard it here first folks. Attorneys are not boring, they are fun.
Anybody else?
Ms. Pruitt: Hi my name is Jenna Pruitt and I was an intern at the Engineering
Department. I would like to thank the City of Augusta, my parents, Mr. Kendrick and the
Engineering Department for this wonderful opportunity. And I’ve learned a lot and I hope to
come back and work at the Engineering Department in the future. (APLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, Johnny, you’d better get up here.
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Mr. Murphy: That’s right. I’m Johnny Murphy and for the summer I was, had the
pleasure to work with Mr. Copenhaver and Ms. Tameka at the Administrator’s office. And I
want to thank everyone here and I want to thank ya’ll for giving me the opportunity to see all of
this that might, I would have never known. Like you can’t really possibly understand what has
to go on in here until you’re actually in it. It’s the truth.
Mr. Grady Smith: And they’re fun people too.
Mr. Murphy: Oh, yeah, it’s been a pleasure to know all of you. And I want to thank my
parents and your leadership and I can’t wait to come back to Augusta and to further give my
community what I want. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Ms. Song: Hello, my name is Yugi Song and I was with the Fire Department. I’d like to
thank my parents for their support. I’d to thank your leadership and for the City of Augusta for
this wonderful internship. Through the internship I learned the many processes and how much
work goes into the Fire Department and other departments too. And I hope that I have a future
government job maybe in Augusta. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Sumter: Hello, everybody, my name is Jacob Sumter. I worked for the Augusta
Utilities Department for my internship. And what I learned is that the Augusta Utilities
Department is huge. There is so many different job positions that you could have there and the
opportunities are honestly endless. You come in there and you see this board filled with job
applications and you’re just like why haven’t people taken these up. There’s so many options so
I’d like to thank the City of Augusta for offering this internship to me. I would like to thank the
Augusta Utilities Department specifically for being there with me and I would like to thank my
parents for giving me all the support. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Kendrick: I’d just like to wrap by saying we need to thank the students for
participating. And this is what we invest in. This is our future. I think Augusta’s in good hands.
What do you think? (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: And we’ll close it out. I just want to say personally thank you to each and
every one of you. And I know having worked with Johnny it really is a good thing to see the
youth of our community come in and want to learn about local government and want to talk to
their friends and their parents about it. That’s a great thing for the city. So thank ya’ll so much.
(APPLAUSE) After the River Bandits and our interns I think I may as well just adjourn the
meeting now because it’s not going to get any better than that. That’s awesome. Madam Clerk,
please on to the next delegation.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
C. Ms. Bessie Taylor regarding water run-off and who’s responsibility for maintenance of
the area.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am. And if you could keep it to five minutes, please, ma’am.
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Ms. Taylor: I’m here today to have a discussion about the area in which I live which is
the Tanglewood area. And I’ve been there for 30 years or more. I’ve had some problems there,
I’ve some calls. I’ve done several calls to the city to find out what their role is in helping me
solve this problem of water drainage from a retention pond and also from the trees back there
that has grown up and fallen over into my property. We’ve had people to come up and we’ve
had people to leave but we’ve never gotten anything done. Within those years I have replaced
four lawns, four. All of my plants, all of my trees that were right in that area they’ve fallen. I’ve
lost an outhouse with the, so I think it’s gotten to where like I said I’ve been calling and calling
and calling. I’ve been talking and talking and talking so now I’m here today to see if it’s any
responsibility for the city or is this something that is private because to my understanding it’s
city property and even if it’s not city property the area looks like it hasn’t been cleaned for 15-
20 years. And I know if it was my property I would’ve been, you know, a knock on the door and
given a citation (inaudible) so that’s what I wanted, I couldn’t say everything because I left my
glasses I couldn’t find them but that’s the gist of the story. Please tell us what ya’ll thoughts are
about what we need to do and thank you so much for hearing my problem.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, ma’am. Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Taylor, what is your address, ma’am?
Ms. Taylor: My address, sir, 1418 Springfield Circle and that’s in the 30909 area.
Mr. Lockett: And that street again is what, ma’am?
Ms. Taylor: Springfield Circle.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, could I possibly ask Mr. Ladson if he’s aware of that or
whoever would be responsible for that?
Mr. Mayor: I see him standing up there behind the podium so, yes, sir, that would be
fine. Mr. Ladson.
Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission I am familiar with the property.
Now there is some where the drainage is actually coming off, the majority of it, it’s actually
coming from a private property. It’s a huge tract of land. Now there is some drainage that’s
actually coming from Marks Church Road on to that property. That will be corrected on the
Marks Church Road project and that project is we’re actually completed with the design and
we’re almost, we’re, I think, we’re pretty much probably about less than a month away from
completing the land acquisition portion of it. So we will be bidding it by the end of the year. So
once that project is under construction then the 15 inch that’s actually coming off of Marks
Church Road will actually significantly help with her drainage issues. But I think if I’m not
mistaken I think there’s a property, that huge parcel of property there I’m sure if anybody else is
living there. Okay, and that’s where the majority, it’s not a retention pond it’s just the lay of the
land and it’s a huge draw in there and that property pretty much dumps a lot of the water on to
her property which is at the very bottom.
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Ms. Speaker: (inaudible).
Mr. Ladson: It looks like it’s a draw that’s how huge it is (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: But that is private property?
Mr. Ladson: It’s on private property. It’s a huge parcel and like we went, we actually
had some staff, we had staff to go out on different occasions and look at that and research it and
everything.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. But on the city side we should be ---
Mr. Ladson: We’re going to take care of our portion of it.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay. Okay Commissioner Fennoy then Commissioner Williams then
Commissioner Davis.
Mr. Fennoy: Ms. Taylor, is that the only area with your property that you, is that the only
property that you have any issues with the city?
Ms. Taylor: No (inaudible).
The Clerk: Ms. Bessie, come to the mike.
Mr. Mayor: Come to the microphone, please, ma’am.
Ms. Taylor: Not in particular I have a property that’s on Gravel Pit Road as well that I’ve
had a lot of problems with. People entering putting down drainage pipes and this type stuff and
pushing the easement farther back. So it’s not the only property that I’ve had problems with.
Mr. Fennoy: I think when you talked to me we talked about people that were building on
your, building on the property and infringing on your property ---
Ms. Taylor: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: --- and that you had made a complaint to the other than myself that you
made a complaint to I think a Mr. D’Antignac went out and took pictures of it.
Ms. Taylor: He did ---
Mr. Fennoy: And ---
Ms. Taylor: --- I’m sorry.
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Mr. Fennoy: --- go ahead. But, Mr. Ladson, I don’t know who needs to address this but
she has some property out on Gravel Pit Road and people are just, I mean, they are extending
their property lines into her property and I think the bus Board of Education has even created
somewhere where they go in there and turn around without her permission.
Mr. Ladson: I’m not aware of this but I can get with her.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, would get with her after the meeting so she could specifically tell
you what’s going on with her and Gravel Pit Road and we can hopefully get something done
about it?
Ms. Taylor: And I just wanted to say again I appreciate it if we can do something about it
because I do have grandchildren, I have grandchildren who love to play in the back yard and that
won’t happen. We have those, what did I call that, the raccoons, we have snakes coming through
we have all that kind of stuff coming through because it’s just like a big ---
Mr. Mayor: Swamp.
Ms. Taylor: --- swamp is actually what it looks like. And it’s been like that as I stated
earlier a long time and each time I call they say we’re going to send someone. They send
someone but no one gets back with me and say, well, this is what we’ll do and this what we can’t
do right now. So I’m here standing you know at a loss until what I hear what you’re saying that
you guys have started on something. But I wasn’t notified that anything was started.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Williams and then Commissioner Davis.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Taylor, I sympathize with you and I just
need to know from Mr. Ladson whose property is it? Now I heard you say it wasn’t a city
property. So I need to know myself who owns the property because like Ms. Taylor said had it
been hers someone would’ve been knocking on her door or sending a certified letter or you
walking up there you know knocking on her door. But somebody would’ve notified her so I
guess my question is whose property is it and why hadn’t we addressed this to get that person to
maybe do something or to help at least do something. It sounds like we kind of walked away
from it because it ain’t in our backyard. Do you know whose property it is, Mr. Ladson?
Mr. Ladson: Not right off hand. I mean we do have the information on whose property it
is and I think you know I have to check but in talking to staff I think they have tried to make
contact with the property owner. Like I said it’s a huge parcel and it’s vacant and at some time it
is difficult to kind of get with the property owner.
Mr. Williams: And I appreciate that. And I think this body will direct, should direct you
to find out as much as you can to come back to us to at least let me know what can be done. I
mean when people walk away and, Mr. Mayor, we talk about tearing down houses and I’ve got
problem when we tell our other folks how who they done walked off from and if they hadn’t
come back for the house, they sure ain’t coming back for the lot. So I’ve got an issue when
we’re going to tear down other folks houses with government monies that we ought to be holding
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them accountable for to take care of their own property. If not, then we need to take that
property I believe and then we need to put it in the hands of somebody who’s going to do
something with it because it’s not going to change with the same old folks doing the same old
thing, if that makes sense. If Grady Smith had it and he had some people working for him he’s
going to make sure somebody’s going to do something I guarantee you. They won’t be working
for Grady Smith if he had a plumbing job he had to go to and we couldn’t find the owner.
Somebody’s going to find somebody so I’m asking you to find somebody because somebody
ought to be answering for this. And it’s way past time it sounds like. And there’s a lot of, not
just yours, Ms. Taylor, but there’s a lot around the city like that that we have not got aggressive
enough to let, hold those people accountable. And if you own property I don’t care you own the,
how old ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Williams: --- yes, sir. You are, if you own property, it’s your responsibility to take
care of it, it ain’t the city’s responsibility if you own that property. And if you don’t want it then
you need to sign it over to somebody else or sign it over to the city then we ought to do
something with it. So if you can get me something back, Mr. Ladson, I’d like to know what’s
the next step and where we’re going to go so I can get with Ms. Taylor myself and let her know
that we are trying to find out.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, sir. Commissioner Davis.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And, Commissioner Williams, just what you were
talking about I’d like to be involved in that as well. Ms. Taylor and I have spoken in the last
year a few times and she’s been very patient. And I really do appreciate your patience. I know
you came to speak at the last Commission meeting and there was a confusion with the time
change of the Commission meetings so I apologize for that. But I know that you’ve been very
patient so I want us to move forward with this as quickly as we can. And are you satisfied with
what you’ve heard today as far as our action plan?
Ms. Taylor: Well, I’m satisfied with the action plan.
Ms. Davis: You want to see it done.
Ms. Taylor: (inaudible) and also all of the stuff I’ve lost because of that. That’s just a
big situation to us because, you know, (inaudible) don’t work. And everything that gets torn
down we have to replace it. But it’s the other person who’s causing it to be torn down.
Mr. Mayor: And, you know, I’m not a lawyer but I would say if, you know, if
somebody’s lot adjacent to yours that the trees or what’s growing on there is damaging your
property that would sound like to me that you would have some sort of legal recourse there.
Ms. Taylor: Absolutely (inaudible) from all the instructions that I have (inaudible) if it
was city property because if it’s not city property the pond, that retention pond has to belong to
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someone. If it’s the person who purchased that property then walked off and left it for all these
years, it’s been over 15-20 years.
Mr. Mayor: Well, thank you, ma’am. We appreciate you coming in today.
Commissioner Williams, did you?
Mr. Williams: Yeah, I just wanted to make another comment. And I’m agreeing with
what you said if it’s private property it may be a legal matter but we’ve got rules and codes and
guidelines that we’re supposed to hold the taxpayers by. And if we’re letting them get by then
that means that we’re a part of it as well. So where Ms. Taylor may not be able to sue or make
him do anything because of her financial status and I don’t know that but I’m just saying we
have guidelines that we hold a lot of people by and a lot of people we don’t hold. So let’s hold
everybody. You know, if we’re going to hug the trees let’s hug all of them.
Mr. Mayor: Only the pretty ones. Commissioner Mason.
Mr. Mason: Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m hearing about an action plan and I’m not
sure how much action is really a part of this plan so I want to get some clarity as to what’s
actually going to go on here. One, you said that this construction on Marks Church Road has not
been let yet?
Mr. Ladson: No, it hasn’t been.
Mr. Mason: So you’re looking at an estimate which is just that, an estimate of maybe by
the end of the year first of next year.
Mr. Ladson: No it’ll be, we’ll be sending it for letting for bid in probably less than a
month.
Mr. Mason: Less than a month. Well, I mean you and I both know construction doesn’t
start right after that. It doesn’t start the next day so what are we talking about realistically, some
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sort of window as far as the 15, I mean the Marks Church piece.
Mr. Ladson: Realistically we’ll be under construction in I would say no later than
December.
Mr. Mason: December, so we’re talking about the end of the year first of next year
potentially. The other piece of this which I think is critically important that should be a part of
this action plan one, is there anybody from code enforcement here because if there’s what she’s
referring to as a retention pond which we know that that’s not the intent of that site. So what that
tells me there’s more on there that has accumulated over time than necessary and that has not
been looked at and adequately addressed. So from your perspective as the Engineering Director,
is that as far as citing the homeowners and that is that a code enforcement issue? Whose issue is
that to get to the homeowner and state the grievance that we have with the property?
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Mr. Ladson: Well, the Engineering Department doesn’t do that. You know I would
probably say it’s a, you know, it’s more of an enforcement type.
Mr. Mason: Okay and so that was my question, a code enforcement. So when you talk
about an action plan my idea of an action plan you’re actually going to do something. That
there’s going to be several people involved whose ever necessary to get the situation under
control. So question is who’s going to involve those other entities that belong to the city so that
we can correctly rectify the problem or least address the problem in the correct manner.
Mr. Ladson: I mean since we’re, I mean we’re involved right now. We can, our
department can work with Planning and Zoning and get some of the issues rectified. Normally
what’s probably going, it’s a private citizen against another private citizen then you’re talking
about something that’s civil.
Mr. Mason: No ---
Mr. Ladson: I’m not trying to ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m not talking about from what she can do as a
private citizen. I’m talking about a Richmond County parcel that we have codes and regulations
that are being violated. It hasn’t nothing to do in my mind with just a person, personal against
personal. The city has codes, we have rules we have regulations who’s enforcing it and who’s
going to enforce it? Now whatever she does on her own as a personal thing that’s something
totally separate. But if we’ve got an issue where someone’s not in code, it’s like if somebody
leaves a car on the street and it’s not supposed to be there there’s things that we can do about that
as a city. So my question is and part of the action plan that I would like to see as a part of this
because clearly it’s been going on for decades is basically what I’m hearing and nothing’s been
done about it so now it’s been brought to this point and we have the entities in place and we have
codes and rules and regulations in place they need to be enforced. And whomever the enforcing
persons are need to be a part of this whole action plan so we can get down to the bottom of it and
rectify it as quickly as we can.
Mr. Ladson: Yeah, like I said, we’re doing half of this. We’re being in communication
with Planning and Zoning with the code enforcement as it relates to this issue.
Mr. Mason: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Okay, thank you, ma’am, once again. Madam Clerk, on to the next
delegation.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
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D. Mr. Al Gray regarding the CSRA’s TIA 2010 regional government as it relates to
Augusta projects.
Mr. Mayor: And if you could keep it to five minutes, please, sir.
Mr. Gray: Mayor Copenhaver, gentlemen and lady of Commission, today let’s go down
the road of good intentions known as TIA 2010. Here’s a road sign that Commissioners Bowles
and Lockett tried to install on this twisted road before we got to this fiasco juncture. This
program has gone structurally bust in the 13 county CSRA region to the tune of $80 million to
$140 million dollars. Revenues are nearly 10% short versus budget. The investment project
costs are worse and now being reported at $538 million. Those are 2011 costs. They stood at
$630 million dollars when TIA was passed. Worst of all is that the higher number boring
increases 2% a year with the cost of early projects is really increasing more than 5% a year.
What happens to Augusta and its partner counties when funds run out in eight years? Augusta
gets 63% of Phase 1 money so that other counties can see Augusta’s early projects eat up their
funding. Distrust grows from Augusta swapping projects between phases. Augusta was
permitted to move two Berckmans Road projects from the last phase to the second phase but has
a side deal with the Augusta National Golf Club for a loan that moves the main project to Phase
1. The amount funded is just the $16.7 million dollar base cost, 2011 cost of that project. When
the real costs come in those projects could cost two million more. If the funds are capped at the
$16.7 million, Augusta bears that cost. If the escalated costs are allowed to Augusta we and the
other counties will bear that cost. The National’s projects overruns mean promises to the people
will get dropped here and throughout the region. Already there have been broken promises. The
$7.5 million dollars is a separate project for municipal transit was promised but it didn’t get a
dime in 2013. The arrangements with Augusta and Augusta National are a dubious legality.
Nothing in TIA 2010 provides for a private entity to interject itself to secure earlier funding. The
TIA Citizens Advisory Panel we citizens were promised had oversight wasn’t even allowed to
vote on the changes. What are the Berckman’s right of way which is a TIA allowable cost. The
proposed land swap with the National could be a net payment to Augusta that appropriately
belongs to the regional fund. Then how can you separate the complete cost of all the options the
National is requesting like tunnels from the TIA portion of the work? Finally there’s the matter
of trust. We found we can’t trust Augusta. The National paid $1.9 million an acre for its last
purchase but yet the city’s giving up 13 acres bordering the course itself with no attempt to get
the National to pay not loan the $20 million or more the project will cost. Then look at the
Highlands Avenue project where you’re using 90% and other funds over and above TIA to meet
the contracted price. All counties were to report all costs including other sources but Augusta
didn’t. How many other games is Augusta playing with the rest of us? In February reports flew
out about the TIA success here. The press used deceptive TIA funding lists that really had large
amounts of non-TIA funds. Today legislatures are meeting in Atlanta over transportation
thinking this disaster actually works. Let’s douse that notion by loudly demanding concrete
action to secure that the state guarantee the funding we heard about in the TIA campaign actually
is there. For the Augusta National doing business with the last Augusta administration was high
risk pay for your project to get free of the embarrassment now.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Any questions? Commissioner Lockett then Commissioner
Williams.
12
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, I don’t really have a specific question but I just want to applaud
Al Gray again for doing so much work that should be done here in Augusta Richmond County
that’s not being done. So I appreciate you I really do.
Mr. Gray: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams then Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Gray, I’m listening to you and I’m listening carefully but I’d like to
know where you get your numbers from. I need some more I guess information to put, to wrap
my head around the numbers that you just brought out. Can you enlighten me on how this get to
this point or how your numbers get to where they are?
Mr. Gray: Well, in the packet of information that I put out with a picture of Augusta
National’s entrance on Berckmans Road there’s a base case gross scenario that was that came out
at the time of the vote. And just about all of the regional commission in discussions centered
around this set of numbers which came out about $841 million dollars that they expected in
funds. And if you took 75% of that goes into this projects list that I’m talking about so 75% of
that comes back to $630 million dollars. And they had a developed list that came back to that
$630 million. But for some reason DOT has decided when they’re the administrator for this
project they get $10 million dollars to administer this project by the way. And they’ve got a
website which they’re reporting the numbers so the numbers the rest of the numbers come from
there and also the Georgia Finance and Investment Commission reports. In 2013 the collections
were $59 million dollars versus about $71 million that were projected. And this year they’re
tracking on about $64 million versus $74 million that were projected. So you’re looking at a
pretty sizeable bust there. But the big story is the project cost size because DOT is reporting
base 20, they say it’s base 2011 but those numbers are actually 2010 numbers. And then you
take the Riverwatch Parkway Extension that Columbia County and Richmond County are doing
I guess jointly that project was supposed to be budgeted it was budgeted at $30.7 million but it
bid out at $34 million so that’s 10.3 increase, percent increase in just two years. So the numbers
aren’t looking good there. Another handout that Mr. Ladson’s here and he did a wonderful job at
the time the projects were moved around and it’s a schedule that’s kind of the second through
maybe fifth pages of your packet. And Mr. Ladson’s showing the numbers as they were in the
original budget. And he’s actually showing those higher numbers that would total back to that
$630 million. He’s showing $277 million for Richmond County so you see that’s a pretty good
big chunk of what the total would be. And then the other pages that he’s very wonderfully
prepared that shows how much Richmond County is now getting the different bands or phases of
this funding. And so it shows where these projects have been moved but the numbers are smaller
because he’s going along with the DOT method and just using the base cost.
Mr. Williams: Let me say this, Mr. Gray. Now this is was a tax that the voters voted on.
This wasn’t a tax that this Commission implemented the T the T was one that a lot of counties
chose not to and we originally kind of decided to vote on. Is that right?
13
Mr. Gray: Well, nine out of the twelve regions in the state voted it down. And the CSRA
region and the two counties that I’m active in Lincoln County and Columbia County voted it
down but we’re stuck. And our projects and this is one of the reasons why I’m upset is the
projects that we have are in the last three years of $150 million of $180 million that Columbia
County’s got in the last two phases. And McDuffie County it’s worse. $25 million of their $28
million is in the last three years and it looks like that’s not going to happen. And the biggest
thing I mean what really would be on a fence to me is there’s a picture in here a schedule in here
it’s from the TIA website. It says active and completed TIA construction projects and it’s
showing Wrightsboro Road and Augusta’s $19 million but there’s only $2 million in TIA funds
in there. Old Petersburg Road this is where there were three news reports that went across the
state saying that $34 million dollars of TIA funds were being used. But the real TIA funds are
only $20 million. So there’s a lot of untruth out there and propaganda that’s going on that needs
to be dispelled you know across the state.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay and before I recognize Mr. Guilfoyle I do want to say, Mr. Gray, with
all due respect I think very highly of our Engineering Department. I think they’re doing a
tremendous job and to cast dispersions on them and say they’re trying to put out propaganda I
just, that’s they are professionals and I don’t believe they would do that.
Mr. Gray: Absolutely and let me clarify that. I didn’t mean Mr. Ladson and your
engineering department. I’m talking about the DOT component in Atlanta that’s been paid $10
million dollars to administer this project and are putting out these numbers on their website. Mr.
Ladson is as I was trying to say actually did a wonderful job of tying everything back. And he
just did this perfectly wonderful job so, you know, please don’t misunderstand.
Mr. Mayor: Well, thank you, sir, and we found a point we agree on. We both think very
highly of our Engineering Department. Mr. Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Al, Mr. Lockett and me we was trying to decide
who gave this to us but it was apparent when you started showing it which I will pass this on to
our Engineering Department. Augusta’s considered a donor county is that correct with the TIA?
Mr. Gray: And that’s, yeah that’s true. The real the original projection were that you
were going to give up about $59 million dollars on the 25% component that goes to the other
counties. It’s kind of like a bribe to go along otherwise they’d never would’ve done it.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay and what are we giving up now?
Mr. Gray: Since the revenues are down, you know, if you’re down if you’re down 10%
across the board then it’s going to be, you know, a little bit over $53 million.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay. I was steadily writing down while you were speaking and you
spoke about Augusta bears the cost of a project overruns of its original bid. Anything above and
beyond Augusta will have to pay for?
14
Mr. Gray: Well, that’s a decision we can’t get out of, we haven’t been able to get out of
DOT. I asked my chairman to go look into it and he said they really didn’t know at this point.
But, you know, if like on the Berckmans Road thing if it’s $16.7 million then that’s all you get.
Under this transfer arrangement then you’re on the hook to make up that difference when it
overruns. Whereas if you are allowed to get that project started and you experience overruns and
TIA has to fund those overruns then that comes out of the pot for the other counties like
McDuffie County at the end they’ll come up short.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay. I’m going to talk to Steve and Abie in regards to you had brought
up the 13 acres given to Augusta National they guarantee TIA money. Now where they had cut
us 10% it’s not done on a local level for sure it’s done on the state level, is that correct?
Mr. Gray: Well, it’s the collections in the thirteen counties of the 1% sales tax are that
much short.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay, projections is what’s off.
Mr. Gray: The projection, yeah, the projection was off and as Ms. Davis I think noted it
in the newspaper last week on a separate matter the tax increase moving the auto tax from a sales
tax to a property tax just hammered revenues. And so this energy tax is being phased in. The
numbers they put in there were about well less than 50% of a revenue loss in those exemptions.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Al, I appreciate you coming and I appreciate your kind remarks to our
Engineering Department. They are a good staff a good department that I actually lean on quite a
bit. Thank you.
Mr. Gray: Well, this was for the benefit of the other counties. They’re going to hear
from me more than you will believe me. Thank you. Thank you, gentlemen.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Gray, you mentioned the projected revenues that were supposed to
have been generated and the actual revenues you said we’re running about what 10% short?
Mr. Gray: Yes, it was hideously short. It was eighteen at one point but it’s just narrowed
the gap some.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and I guess my question is Richmond County’s still getting 25% of
whatever revenues is generated. We’re not getting projected revenues.
Mr. Gray: You’re getting the 90% that’s been actually collected. I mean you’re getting
25% on the discretionary funds what you’re I guess that’s a question. The 25% funds separate
from what I’ve been talking about in this presentation but that 25% as Mr. Guilfoyle said you’re
getting the 25% less the fifty something million dollars over ten years that was allocated to the
other counties based on highway miles and population. It’s a complicated formula.
15
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, but the other counties including Richmond County are getting their
percentage ---
Mr. Gray: Right.
Mr. Fennoy: --- of the revenues that are generated even though the total amount is not
what ---
Mr. Gray: Right and that’s a fairly fluid process that Georgia Finance Investment
Commission it goes straight to them and comes straight to the county and then it goes back to
DOT which it does for some of the other counties on the project list of 75%.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay so the even though those other counties are losing out because of the
lack of revenues that are generated so Richmond County is losing out also.
Mr. Gray: Yes.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay. That’s all.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, sir. Madam Clerk, on to the consent agenda please.
The Clerk: Yes, sir. Our consent agenda consists of items 1-29. For the benefit of any
objectors to our alcohol petitions once the petitions are read would you please signify your
objections by raising your hand. I call your attention to:
Item 1: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection
with AM-PM Travel Center located at 4706 Deans Bridge Road.
Item 2: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection
with the Phoenix Food & Gas located at 2700 Peach Orchard Road.
The Clerk: Are there any objectors to those alcohol petitions? Our consent agenda items
1-29.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, lady and gentlemen, do we have any additions to the consent agenda?
Commissioner Guilfoyle, you turned down your microphone. Do you have anything?
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, sir, soon as I had it written down I apologize but I’d like to add item
number 32 if that was (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I don’t think we’ve got unanimous consent on 32. Do we have any
other items to be placed on the consent agenda? Okay.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, if I could on ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
16
The Clerk: --- our addendum agenda for additional information regarding Mr. Bill Quinn
he had submitted his Talent Bank questionnaire so we just needed a record to indicate that it was
presented to the commission.
Mr. Mayor: Is everybody good with that?
Mr. Williams: I don’t know what, what is ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
The Clerk: Item 29 the Talent Bank questionnaire for Mr. Bill Quinn to be appointed to
the Transit Citizens Advisory Committee since that item is on the consent agenda.
Mr. Mayor: We’re just adding the ---
The Clerk: Talent Bank form.
Mr. Mayor: --- Talent Bank form.
Mr. Williams: Okay, I’ve got no problem with that. I do want to discuss 28 though but
29 is not ---
Mr. Mayor: We haven’t started going to the pulls yet.
Mr. Williams: Okay, well, we haven’t started pulling yet. But I just wanted to know
because he was, he was mentioned in 28 and I just need some clarity before I ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay, well, if you’re going to pull 28 we can.
Mr. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Davis.
Ms. Davis: The reason why, and I am just trying to figure out, this actually should be
two separate because there was some confusion on the Small Business Citizens Advisory
Council that I need more clarity on. And then the separate appointment was Mr. Bill Quinn and
as of I think, Ms. Bonner, was it Friday or Saturday we had not seen the Talent Bank form.
Well, he did submit it so if ya’ll want more time to look this over I’m fine to push it to the next
commission meeting. It’s just that the Talent Bank form didn’t get in until Friday or Saturday.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams, did you want to discuss both of those
appointments?
Mr. Williams: No, I’ve got no problem with the Talent Bank Mr. Quinn on 29 but I do --
-
17
Mr. Mayor: Twenty-eight.
Mr. Williams: --- I’m sorry on 28 I think he’s mentioned in there too. 29 is something
I’m good with 28 I did need some clarity. Dr. Lori Myles who was appointed to this Transit
Board and I got a call saying they hadn’t been effective or hadn’t been something now I see her
moving on another board which I had not heard from her on the last board.
Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor and ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Ms. Davis: --- Commissioner Williams, I was going to pull that because of that. We just
hadn’t gotten to that.
The Clerk: But for clarification, Mr. Williams, you mentioned that you were going to
appoint Dr. Myles however that action was never officially placed on the commission agenda for
ratification.
Mr. Mayor: So she is not actually on that other board.
The Clerk: Right, right. Your intentions were to appoint her but it never materialized.
Mr. Williams: The road’s been paved.
The Clerk: Yes, sir, absolutely.
Mr. Williams: But anyway I mean I’m under the impression that she had went to the
Clerk’s office, turned in her Talent Bank and I thought the process was done but it had not been
done, I understand but that was my dilemma.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, well, let’s move on to the items to be pulled. Okay and are we pulling
28?
Mr. Williams: Yeah ---
Ms. Davis: Can we separate that, Mr. Mayor, or no, do you want me to pull the whole
item and we’ll pull that ---
Mr. Williams: No, no ---
Mr. Mayor: He’s fine with it. Okay any other items to be pulled for discussion?
Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to pull item number 7, number 8, 9, 12, 13 item 15,
20, 23. That’s all I have, Mr. Mayor.
18
Mr. Mayor: You sure? Okay, do we have any further items to be pulled for discussion?
Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Item number 10 please.
Mr. Mayor: Okay any, are there any, Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Chairman I’d like to pull 19, 24 and 32.
The Clerk: Okay, 19 ---
Mr. Lockett: 24 and 32.
Mr. G. Smith: Why don’t we talk about them all.
Mr. Mayor: 32 is not on the consent agenda.
Mr. Lockett: Well then, I won’t pull 32 then.
The Clerk: Are you going to pull 19 and ---
Mr. Lockett: Twenty-four.
The Clerk: --- and 24?
Mr. Mayor: Why did we bother with committee meetings last week?
Mr. Mason: Why don’t I just pull the rest of them, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, do we have any further agenda items to be pulled?
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, on ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: --- a couple that I pulled I really all I have is a question if you want to deal
with it that way.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, that’d be great if we could.
Mr. Lockett: Okay, on number 19.
The Clerk: Item 19 is to approve the purchase of an IBAK Sanitary Sewer Inspection
System for the bid price of $69,239.00.
19
Mr. Lockett: I just wanted to question the legality of doing this particular item without
going through any type of process.
Mr. Wiedmeier: This is, we did bid this once and bought the first camera off that ---
Mr. Lockett: Right.
Mr. Wiedmeier: --- and according to guidance from Procurement that bid was still valid
so we could go buy a second one off that bid, sir.
Mr. Lockett: So you could still do it without going to jail.
Mr. Wiedmeier: I hope so.
Mr. Lockett: All right. I move to approve on 19.
Mr. Mayor: You can just, if you have no problem we can leave that on consent.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: I’ve got a couple of questions now wait a minute. If that’s the case and
we can use a bid and go test a piece of equipment or use a piece of equipment then we turn
around and we want some more we go back and use the same bid. It don’t say what the law says
to me now. The law says anything over, now if we bought them both at the same time and we
didn’t pick up but one, Tom, I’d have no issue but you done bought one and now we’re going
back to buy another one. The law says everything over $5,000 dollars and Ms. Sams is back
there has to be bidded. Now if we don’t have to do that I just need to know when that’s going to
be in place and when it’s not because if it’s raining and we can’t do it I need it to come with the
sunshine. So, Ms. Sams, explain that, how does that work because if you’re going out for
another piece of equipment and we done bought one, paid for it I’m assuming, and if they’re not
tied together, we didn’t buy them two together how can we go out separate to get an additional
piece of equipment which would be the same equipment or are we going out again? Because Joe
Q. Citizen could say well I’m going to drop my price because you just bought one for $200.00
I’m going to drop mine $200.00. But you go straight back to the manufactory you ain’t giving
Joe Q. Citizen a chance to even get a piece of this pie that everybody ain’t getting.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Sams.
Ms. Sams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, good afternoon. Mr. Williams,
Commissioner Williams, the particular bid item that you are talking about was actually bid this
th
year. Commission approved it on February the 18 2014. And under the Augusta Richmond
County code if a department has the funds within their budget after going out to a competitive
process they can of course go back and purchase that item against that particular bid. In this case
the reason that you’re seeing it on your agenda today is because the item that they are purchasing
20
is over $25,000 dollars. And anything over $25,000 dollars we put it before you. But now as it
relates to can they do it of course they can and they could do it even in cases where there is a
process called Cooperative Purchasing. So with cooperative purchasing in state contracting this
works no different so as it relates to the law, yes, sir, it’s legal.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Ms. Sams, I’ve got no problem with it. I just need to see that. I need to
see that law and what it says because from what I’m understanding is if you bought two
Chevrolets and I own a Ford but I ain’t going to talk about that. If you buy two Chevrolets
today and you want to get two more Chevrolets tomorrow there may be another dealership that’s
setting the same car, same automobile and because you got the price from someone else. And if
that’s what the law says then I didn’t put this stuff together but I’ve been here too long and I
need to make sure we’re consistently doing the same thing every time because too many times
we had to come back and do something different now. Tom, I’m in support of whatever he
needs.
Ms. Sams: Mr. Commissioner and thank you for that interest because you might hear
various reports as it relates to various procurement. But in this case it is legal and it’s legal in
accordance to the Augusta Richmond County code 110-96 and also Augusta Richmond County
code 110-98 which both addresses cooperative purchasing. And if we were to go back and look
at, revisit the budget process there you will find if the commission approves a budget line item,
by line item and the department has the funding for various procurements then that department
can go and purchase those items after a competitive process. In this case that bid contract
belongs to the Utilities Department so therefore they were using or exercising their own process.
Mr. Williams: Okay, I see it you don’t have to give it to me now but I need a copy of
that. Tom, I’ve got no problem and in support.
Mr. Sams: Okay. May I approach the Clerk?
Mr. Williams: Yes, ma’am, you can approach.
Mr. Mayor: Through the Chair yes, ma’am, you may approach the Clerk. Commissioner
Fennoy you had?
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I got a question. Andrew, are you familiar with the codes Ms. Sams is
talking about?
Mr. MacKenzie: Yes, I’m familiar with this method of procurement. I concur with her
opinion on it.
Mr. Fennoy: All right, thank you.
21
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so we’re good with leaving that one on consent. Commissioner
Lockett you said there was ---
Mr. Lockett: Number 24, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Lockett: I really just have a question on it. I guess this will be for the Engineering
Department.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Ladson.
Mr. Lockett: My concern, I don’t really have a complaint or anything but my concern is
we’re going to pave a dirt road when I have a multiplicity of already paved roads with potholes
in them that’s not being resurfaced. Where are our priorities there?
Mr. Ladson: This project is part of a project list which consists of dirt roads and
resurfacing roads. And actually I don’t see, I think it’s in the, it may be in your packet. And it
actually consists of roads from all districts. This was actually approved I think it was earlier this
year. And this is one of the roads that we actually, I mean this was actually done in house. It
was actually designed in house and there’s a couple more as a matter of fact quite a few dirt
roads. The majority of the dirt roads are actually in District 8 and we actually have what’s called
a Paving Dirt Roads program. But to answer your question there are some roads in District 5
that’s on the resurfacing, on the resurfacing list.
Mr. Lockett: Yeah, with that said, excuse me for interrupting. I didn’t have a complaint
I just had a question. I’m trying to find out what the rationale was and I think you pretty much
explained it to me.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so you’re good with that remaining on. Okay. Commissioner
Williams.
Mr. Williams: He may be just a question but while Mr. Ladson’s there I’ve got a
question that I don’t have an issue with ---
Mr. Mayor: On fifteen? Okay. Mr. Ladson or Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Ladson, can you tell me what we’re doing
with Willow Street? Is that the Hyde Park area, is that another Willow Street?
Mr. Ladson: Willow Street is in Hyde Park I think.
Mr. Williams: Okay, so I’m looking at you know the entire parcel. What are we doing
different now when we’re moving those families out of that area. What’s on Willow Street that
we’ve got to acquire this parcel for different from the rest of the streets I guess?
22
Mr. Ladson: I’m not sure, I mean I didn’t put this particular item (inaudible).
Mr. Williams: I mean it ain’t got no initials by it. I don’t know I mean when you said
Engineering ---
Mr. Ladson: It’s on the Engineering it’s on the Engineering Services but ---
The Clerk: That was the Law Department.
Mr. Williams: Who?
Mr. MacKenzie: The Law Department.
Mr. Williams: Why does it say Engineering if the Law Department put it on, Ms.
Bonner?
The Clerk: Condemnation.
Mr. Mayor: So it is a condemnation?
The Clerk: Item 15, yes, sir, it’s the Law Department is to authorize condemnation.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Abie, you’ve got some light to shed on it or?
Mr. Williams: Somebody shed some light on it because if we’re doing condemnation
over there I understand we kind of move those people out. But it popped into my mind why is
this 2015 specified versus the other stuff over there as well. We’ve got several probably
hundreds over there that we’re supposed to be and, Mr. Attorney, I guess you can tell me what,
how to relieve this headache.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. MacKenzie.
Mr. MacKenzie: Is Wayne in the house? This is one that he put on there. You need to
consult with him on that.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Brown, are you out there watching us on the big screen? And, Mr.
Brown, we’re on agenda item 15 on a condemnation.
Mr. Brown: Commissioners?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Williams, he just wanted, Commissioner Williams just wanted to know
what is this, why are we doing this? Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: All the property we’ve got over in that area, Wayne, I’m wondering why
would this condemnation come up on 2015 Willow Street. Is that, I mean what reasoning? I just
need to know what I’m voting on before I vote on it. I mean it’s too late after I’ve done voted.
23
Mr. Brown: I don’t have the details on this file with me but the reason the only reason
that we refer matters to condemnation is a lack of clarity as to title. The only properties that have
been deemed to be, need to be condemned would be the ones where people have deceased and
their heirs are no longer determinable or cannot be contacted. So the city cannot purchase a
property unless you can have the owner to be able to sign that deed to the city. So therefore the
only way you can get it to the city is for the court to entitle it to the city. The heirs, the amount
of money that they city’s going to pay for it is the same whether it’s condemned or if it goes to a
voluntary closing.
Mr. Williams: And that helps me, Wayne, but I mean without an explanation I mean I
couldn’t just vote for that and say I understand because I didn’t understand. I needed to know,
you know, it stands to reason it’s looking better now once you explained that but when it’s just
up here on the item like that it’s kind of it threw me off. I’ve got no problem with that, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Williams: We can add that if that’s the case. He said that’s the only reason. He
didn’t say that’s why we’re doing it but that’s the only reason we would be doing it. So I’m
assuming that’s what we have to do.
Mr. Brown: What I will have, I did not put this agenda item on but what I will have done
and I understand your point. But what I will have done for those agenda items is make it more
specific exactly why we are recommending or requesting condemnation.
Mr. Williams: I would love to have some clarity when you bring stuff for us to vote on.
There may be someone out there that was saying well you voted on something to condemn my
property or condemnation on this property and that’s not what I wanted. There ought to be some
background. Now your chief said, your leader said you had put this on and now you’re saying
you didn’t so it didn’t get on by itself.
Mr. Brown: No, I didn’t, I was not the attorney who put this on. But now that I, I do
have a letter here, now that I see this property I can tell you a little bit more about it. On this title
it was when the title search was done on this property was listed it was listed for Charlie Shields
but Mr. Shields had passed away. Supposedly someone stepped forth and said they had paid Mr.
Shields the money but there was never a deed. There was never a record of that closing that Mr.
Shields had been paid any money prior to him dying. In addition Mr. Shields left a wife and
prior to her dying there was no transfer but there was a person claiming they had paid for this
property. We cannot, even though she’s stating that she paid for the property, the city cannot
take title from her because she acquired title properly.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
24
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Brown, that helps me out a lot and that’s why I’m glad I
asked that question because that clarifies some things. And we sit here and say okay let’s vote
on it. I’m not going to do that. I think that helps me, Mr. Mayor, I’ve got no problem.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Brown. And, Madam Clerk, if we could get back to
the consent agenda ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- and I would just like to for clarity show the items that have been pulled. I
don’t believe we had any additions. Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Ms. Bonner, just to add a little bit more confusion. We’re going to have to
pull 28. There is some confusion on the current appointee on the Small Business Citizens
Advisory. Let’s delete that item and I’ll bring back a further motion for Mr. Quinn.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’re fine and those were both of your appointments, correct? Okay
so everybody good with deleting that item? Okay. So what’d we got?
The Clerk: Added to the consent agenda to delete.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of items 1-29 with the deletion of item 28.
We’re pulling item 7, item 8, item 9, item 10, 12, 13, I think we satisfied you on item 15 right,
Commissioner Williams, Willow Street? Mr. Lockett, you okay with 19. That item stays on.
We’re pulling item 20, 23, 24 ---
Mr. Mayor: Twenty-four I think we got clarity on.
The Clerk: Are you okay with that one, Mr. Lockett?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett.
The Clerk: Item 24?
Mr. Lockett: I think so I’m looking for it here. Yes.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Can I get a motion to approve the consent agenda?
Mr. Guilfoyle: So moved.
Ms. Davis: Second.
25
CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC SERVICES
1. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 14-24: request by Harmit S. Sohal
for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with AM-PM Travel
Center located at 4706 Deans Bridge Rd. District 8. Super District 10. (Approved by Public
Services Committee July 28, 2014)
2. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 14-25: request by Shiva Vuppula
for a retail package Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with Phoenix Food & Gas
DBA Fuel Express located at 2700 Peach Orchard Rd. District 2. Super District 9.
(Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2014)
3. Motion to approve a request by Voncellies Allen for a Dance License to be used in
connection with Club Climax located at 1855 Gordon Hwy in accordance with the amended
business plan and a report from License & Inspections in six months. District 2. Super
District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2014)
4. Motion to approve a student transportation contract with transit fees of $2.75 per
student per quarter for Virginia College students to receive transportation services to and
from campus with valid student identification cards issued by the college at no direct
charge to the student as presently being done with other area colleges. (Approved by Public
Services Committee July 28, 2014)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
5. Motion to approve Year 2014 Revised Annual Action Plan for HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS PROGRAM. Approved by
Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2014)
6. Motion to approve an Ordinance to Amend the Augusta, GA Code Title One Article
Four Section 1-7-51 Relating to the Adoption of Personnel Policies and Procedures of
Augusta, Georgia; To approve edits to the FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF Chapter IV of
THE Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual: 900.001, 900.006, 900.009, 900.011,
900.012 and 900.202; To Repeal All MANUAL PROVISIONS, Code Section and
Ordinances and Parts of Code Sections and Ordinances in Conflict Herewith; To Provide
and Effective Date and For Other Purposes. (Approved by Administrative Services
Committee July 28, 2014)
FINANCE
11. Motion to approve the replacement of 3 vehicles for Augusta Utilities Department-
Customer Service Division. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2014)
14. Motion to approve accepting the recommendation from the Board of Assessors for
payment of $2,975.96 relative to the request made by Pastor Cleveland Garrison regarding
church taxes. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2014)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
15. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of the entire parcel, (Parcel 087-2-
152-00-0) 2015 Willow Street. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28,
2014)
16. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right-of-
way, permanent easement, temporary construction easement, and one temporary driveway
26
easement (Parcel 041-0-020-00-0) 1411 Marks Church Road. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee July 28, 2014)
17. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right-of-
way, temporary construction easement, and two temporary driveway easements (Parcel
041-0-019-00-0) Marks Church Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July
28, 2014)
18. Motion to authorize award of RFP #14-144, Janitorial Services for Environmental
Services Maintenance Building and Scale House to Easter Seals of East Georgia, Inc.
(Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2014)
19. Motion to approve purchase of an IBAK Sanitary Sewer Inspection System for the bid
price of $69,239.00. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2014)
21. Motion to determine that the alley between 1264 Greene Street and 1255 Telfair Street,
as shown on the attached plat has ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no
substantial pubic purpose is served by it or that its removal from the county road system is
otherwise in the best public interest, and to receive as information the results of the public
hearing held regarding the issue of abandonment pursuant to O.C.G.A. §32-7-2, with the
abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the appropriate party(ies), as provided by law
and an easement to be retained over the entire abandoned portion for existing or future
utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering Department and Augusta Utilities Department
and adopt the attached Resolution. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28,
2014)
22. Motion to determine that South Boundary Lane, as shown on the attached plat has
ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by
it or that its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public interest,
pursuant to O.C.G.A. §32-2-72, with the abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the
appropriate party(ies), as provided by law and an easement to be retained over the entire
abandoned portion for existing or future utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering
Department and Augusta Utilities Department and right of way property needs. (Approved
by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2014)
24. Motion to approve CPB #323-041110-5212115/299823786-5212115 and award of the
Construction Contract to Blair Construction in the amount of $166,043.50 for the Paving
Dirt Roads, Phase I-Pats Lane Project, subject to receipt of signed contracts and proper
bonds as requested by AED. Funding is available through SPLOST Phase III and IV
recapture as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28,
2014)
25. Motion to approve CPB #323-041110-5212115/299823786-5212115 and award of the
Construction Contract to Blair Construction in the amount of $166,043.50 for the Paving
Dirt Roads, Phase I-Pats Lane Project, subject to receipt of signed contracts and proper
bonds as requested by AED. Funding is available through SPLOST Phase III and IV
recapture and requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28,
2014)
26. Motion to approve completing funding of Wrightsboro Road and Drainage Emergency
Repair in the amount of $800,000 as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee July 28, 2014)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
27
27. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held July 15,
2014 and Special Called Meetings held July 9, 23, 28, & 30, 2014.
APPOINTMENTS
27. Motion to approve the appointment of Dr. Lori Myles to the ARC Small Business
Citizens Advisory Council and Mr. Bill Quinn to the ARC Transit Citizens Advisory
Committee representing District 3.
29. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Willie Jones to the Augusta Transit Citizens
Advisory Committee representing District 5.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioners
will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Fennoy and Mr. Johnson out.
Motion carries 8-0. [Items 1-6, 11, 14-19, 21, 22, 24-29]
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, let’s go on to the first pulled item please.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
7. Motion to authorize the Augusta GA Legal department to enter in to negotiation process
with ADP to amend the current ADP contract to exclude providing Health and Wellness
services (automated benefits services) and provide only Time and Labor Management
services. (automated time management). Approve the motion to allow HR to add 3
additional benefits specialist positions to handle existing call volume and assist with benefit
functions. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, I believe this was your pull.
Mr. Williams
: Yes, Mr. Mayor, thank you. I’ve got no problem with the negotiations
but I do have a problem with why is it that the Legal department is the one who’s doing the
negotiating? Why isn’t the Interim Administrator the one who is the one to sit down and discuss
or to come back to us with what they’re proposing or may be what the contract that we can get
the Attorney to say this is legal. I’ve got some issues when the Legal department who’s a
registered attorney with the state of Georgia for sure goes into a conversation or debate
agreement with a non-legal or non-lawyer at that point. I’m thinking that the negotiating should
be done, I’ve got no problem with that but I think either the Administrator or some other
department head needs to sit down with another department head and talk. Mr. Mayor, if you
and me had a disagreement and I sent my lawyer to talk to you I don’t think you’d talk to him. I
think you’d send your lawyer to talk to my lawyer. So my people need to talk to your people
who are on the same level and I’m supposing we need to do this but I think it ought to come back
so we can get the Attorney to say yeah this is legal or this is what you can do or cannot do. I
a motion if my colleagues
don’t think they ought to be in that discussion and I’m going to make
got no problem to approve this but get the Interim Administrator to sit down and negotiate
and to talk about what those things could be and to have versus the Legal department.
28
Mr. Mayor: Okay, and you’re putting that in the form of a motion?
Mr. Lockett: I second his motion, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, let’s ask the Interim Administrator. Are you comfortable with that?
Ms. Allen: Yes, sir, I have no problem with that. If I could ask Commissioner Williams
amend it to state the department heads are responsible for it because I also need them at
to
the table to participate in the negotiations as well as the InterimAdministrator
. And then
we would have to get back with the Legal team you’re exactly right in regards to Legal
(inaudible).
Mr. Williams: And I’ve got no problem with that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Okay Commissioner Smith.
Mr. D. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Is the department head here, Ms. Bryant?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bryant.
Mr. D. Smith: Ms. Bryant, you’re wanting us to authorize to hire three people at a cost of
what?
Ms. Bryant: $134,000 dollars.
Mr. D. Smith: And that’s salary and benefits.
Ms. Bryant: Absolutely.
Mr. D. Smith: And that’s not in the current budget. That’s not a budgeted figure?
Ms. Bryant: It is not.
Mr. D. Smith: So we would have to find $134,000 dollars somewhere.
Ms. Bryant: No, sir, I’ve identified the funding stream as far as in negotiating this
contract and eliminating this portion of ADP that’s almost $300,000 dollars that we would
eliminate. $134,000 dollars of that would be to fund these positions.
Mr. D. Smith: Okay, so the overall savings back to the city is $170,000 dollars?
Ms. Bryant: About $154,000 dollars.
Mr. D. Smith: And when would that take affect?
29
Ms. Bryant: That is 2016 and then it goes up from there because there’s about 3.5%
increase every year that we’ve had ADP. So within your first year you’re looking at about
$154,000 dollars savings.
Mr. D. Smith: Okay, so you’re telling me that’s in the 2016 that’s when we start in the
2016 contract.
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir.
Mr. D. Smith: But you’re asking us for three people now which is going to add to the
current deficit, well, we don’t have a deficit because we just raised property taxes to eliminate
that. And so you are asking us to add additional funding that is not currently budgeted.
Ms. Bryant: I am for 2015, sir, and that’s only because the three individuals that I’m
asking for is needed because the impact to my current staff and what they’re faced with
answering approximately 15,000 calls, walk-ins, appointments and doing the day to day. It has
been a very extreme impact on my staff. So having the three individuals beginning January 2015
will allow us to train those individuals as we need to and proceed with implementation that it’s
going to take for that 2015 year. And that’s why I did the five year projection. Absolutely
you’re correct in that’s it’s going to be an overlap in 2015. However five years a savings of
almost $900,000 dollars I think more than pays for that.
Mr. D. Smith: I won’t argue with that but what I will argue with is that in the current in
the budget of 2015 it is going to cause us to have to find a revenue source. And we clearly have
demonstrated that we don’t have that source from last week’s vote so I just wanted to bring that,
I wanted clarity about when that savings would start and it will not start until 2016.
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir.
Mr. D. Smith: You got that, Sylvia?
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Guilfoyle then Commissioner Mason.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Tameka, as far as the you actually used the
wording, return on investment which we did not get from ADP as far as the calls that was going
in and that the HR Department would take in I think three times to ADP’s one?
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir.
Mr. Guilfoyle: How come we did not hold them to their contract?
Ms. Bryant: Well, the contract is up to two calls per the amount of covered employees
which we have about 1,800. So we can’t dictate how many calls, you know, that they actually
take. We do know that those calls are going somewhere and based on our data it’s coming the
HR Department. So the contract was written just to allow an average, to get an average estimate
of the amount of calls that should be taken was based on two calls per covered employee.
30
Mr. Guilfoyle: Have we reached out to ADP and let them know our concerns?
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir, we did. As a matter of fact the first time we started looking at this
was in I think the first time we actually pulled call stats was in August which was just a couple of
months after I got here. And we started looking at statistics and having that information
provided. We have, we took calls that we have with ADP, every Tuesday we have calls with
ADP and we made mention of this in one of our calls as early back of October. So this has been
something that has been communicated that at that point a lot of the calls were even being
transferred from ADP to the Human Resources Department and there’s been some things that
were put in place but however we’ve still not seen a decrease in call volume in our office.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay, so as far as we will not be able to implement as far as reduction to
ADP until 2016. When the contract is up are we going to hire three employees this year and
train them to get ready for the onset of telephone calls? If they are not compliant or keeping up
with their contract it should as far as the Wellness Program we should be able to do that quickly
and not have to wait until the following year. Is that correct?
Ms. Bryant: We can do that quickly, sir.
Mr. Guilfoyle: That way we don’t go a year funding out of pocket when we’re already
paying them to do something.
Ms. Bryant: We could do that. That would not be my recommendation only because
there are still system things that although we’re prepared as far as technology to do that, the
implementation process needs to be a full process. I mean we’d have to start doing a lot of
things now that I don’t know that we’re prepared resource wise to do now.
Mr. Guilfoyle: So ya’ll got to work hand in hand until this process is ---
Ms. Bryant: Absolutely.
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- for the city to take over.
Ms. Bryant: Because when we take over, sir, we want to make sure that everything is in
place so that this transition is seamless. And I’m confident that that could happen if we have
2015 as our implementation year.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Ms. Bryant, I appreciate you answering these questions.
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Mason.
Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Several years ago Commissioner Lockett and
myself was fighting the best fight that we could to keep this from going out of house because it
31
was in our opinion that it would cost the government more than, well, it gets us right to where we
are right now. In addition to that Mr. Shanahan who was our Deputy Administrator a couple of
years ago actually showed us how it would be more efficient for in house and how much money
that we would save. And of course our City Administrator at the time rebuked that idea and we
moved on with the ADP. So here we are a couple of years later seeing the results of, Bill, what
you and I were talking about those years ago. At some point we’re going to have to start
listening so that we can, you know, see the results that we need to see. So here’s where we are as
far as I’m concerned you said it’s about $136 to $146,000 dollars for the three employees. It’s
costing us about $300,000 now. At some point even though it’s not encompassed in this budget
but you stand to gain over $900,000 back over time. So the question becomes do we spend the
$146 now and save over $900,000 or do we continue to spend the $300,000 for this year not
getting the services that we need and we’re still taking the phone calls anyway. That’s a decision
that the body needs to make. I mean that’s basically where we are right now. And so is it cost
effective for us to go ahead and bring it back in house because we’re actually doing it anyway.
At end of the day if we do nothing we’re still doing their business. Do you see what I’m saying?
So that’s really am I wrong in that assessment? That’s really what we’re here for today to
determine what are we going to do and what’s going to be the best path moving forward. And I
would caution those that were here and even ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Mason: --- thank you, Mr. Mayor, those that were here and those that were not here
that we beat this horse a few years ago and we in my opinion made a bad decision. And it’s even
coming back to haunt us even right now. So we need to be very, very careful of how we move
forward and to do the, what we may feel would be the right thing for futuristically because we’re
at a loss even as we speak. So is there a motion ---
Mr. Mayor: There’s a motion that was made and properly seconded.
Mr. Mason: There’s a motion that’s already been made. Now what was the motion, Mr.
Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: It was to approve this agenda item with the Interim Administrator and the
department head negotiating on the city’s behalf.
Ms. Bryant: And if I may add for 2015 ---
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bryant.
Ms. Bryant: --- yes, sir, for the additional staff. That’s 2015 I think that’s key to include
that so we can begin what we need to do for 2015.
Mr. Mayor: And, Mr. Mason, before I recognize my other Commissioners nine years up
here we’ve beaten a whole lot of horses. Commissioner Lockett then Commissioner Smith.
32
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Bryant, I don’t know if you recall or not
but at the last meeting we talked about this and you indicated that ADP actually received and
processed 1,268 calls from June 2013 to June 2014. Did you ascertain how much that’s costing
us per call?
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir, I did. It’s about $297.00 per call.
Mr. Lockett: Per call.
Ms. Bryant: Yes, sir. I’m sorry, $219.00 per call.
Mr. Lockett: Okay and one of those calls was me. The one time I called and inquired
about my benefits a young lady answered the phone and I said this is Commissioner Bill Lockett
and I couldn’t understand her name. And so I tried it again and I still couldn’t understand her
name. And I said where are you located? She said Manila, Philippines. So it’s really difficult to
get a good service and you’re dealing with somebody in the Philippines. Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Donnie Smith.
Mr. D. Smith: Thank you. This question is for the Administrator. Should this be
something that, you’re asking us to approve this today, but this is dealing with money and
shouldn’t this be going through the budgetary process that we’re going to start in a couple of
weeks for the 2015 budget?
Ms. Allen: Yes, this would actually have to be incorporated into the 2015 budget.
Mr. D. Smith: So why are we dealing with this now? This should be dealt with during
the budget process because if we’re going to appropriate money towards this it should be going
through the budgetary process if I’m not correct. So why are we dealing with this now?
Ms. Allen: Well, as it relates to ADP this was basically for us to even to be able to
negotiate because we couldn’t even contact them in regards to contract negotiations without
coming before the Commission.
Mr. D. Smith: So my question is then shouldn’t this, this is a two part motion here.
Shouldn’t this simply be that we allow ya’ll to negotiate and then we hire, that we talk about
hiring the people in the budgetary process which will start in a couple of weeks because you’re
binding this Commission to an action for next year.
Ms. Allen: Yes, sir, you’re exactly right.
Mr. D. Smith: This should be dealt with in two different ways.
Ms. Allen: You’re exactly right. I think she just wants to point out the fact that that is
something that we’ll be saving.
33
Mr. D. Smith: But, I understand but this particular motion tells us that we’ve got to hire
some people and pay some people and this should be handled during the 2015 budgetary process.
And I would make, I would ask my colleagues to restructure their motion.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I thought somewhat but I often disagree with
Commissioner Smith so I ain’t going to change today. I mean, you know, I mean what comes
first the chicken or the egg. It don’t make no difference. We’ve got to do those things. I can
understand going out tomorrow and I think the negotiations got to take place first and I think it’s
got to come back then you got to come back to the Attorney then come back to us. I mean I
don’t mind beating this horse. We can beat him to doomsday ---
Mr. Mayor: We’re going to be accused of animal cruelty.
Mr. Williams: --- yeah but, you know, but it’s seems like we could’ve been on with this.
This is really simple to me now. We should approve this because we need to go ahead and get
this process going. We need to make sure that we go through the proper channels. And I agree
with the Commissioner we ought not go and bring some people in tomorrow and I don’t think
it’s going to happen. But I’m going to call for the question, Mr. Mayor, we go ahead and take
this vote I guess.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, the question has been called for. Is there a willingness, do the
majority of the Commissioners want to extend debate or not? Can I see a show of hands that
would like to extend debate?
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, I don’t want to extend debate but I had a ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, you’re extending debate. The question has been made and called for
and there’s not a majority to extend debate. But, Madam Clerk, could I get you to read back the
motion for clarity?
The Clerk: The motion is to authorize the Administrator along with the HR Director to
enter into a negotiation process with ADP to amend the current ADP contract to exclude
providing health and wellness services and to provide only time and labor management services
and to approve to allow HR to add three additional benefits specialist positions to handle existing
call volume and assist with benefit functions.
Mr. Mayor: And Commissioner Williams, is that your motion?
Mr. Williams: Yeah, I’ll amend my motion just to have those three positions come back
to the Commission. We’re not trying to, we’ve got to start the process now so if that pleases my
colleagues I’ll amend that to be brought back when those positions are necessary.
The Clerk: Okay ---
34
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: --- so you want to amend it to specify that the three additional specialist
positions be brought back to the Commission before hire.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: Is that what you want?
Mr. D. Smith: For 2015.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, the motion’s been made and properly seconded and thoroughly
debated. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
The Clerk: Okay, until we get our technology in order here, Mr. Mayor, could you ask
for a show of hands for me please all those in favor?
Mr. Mayor: Actually we have, we’re missing two.
The Clerk: We’ve got it now.
Mr. Johnson and Ms. Davis out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, on to the next pulled agenda item please.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
8. Motion to approve amending City Code for Augusta Georgia by deleting Article 2,
Section 8-5-11 through 8-5-24 in its entirety and replace it with City Code Article 2,
Sections 8-5-11 through 8-5-42 (Roads and Addressing). The Code was set forth to provide
a system for successfully assigning road names and addresses within the City and conferred
the authority to the Augusta Planning Commission (aka Planning and Development
Department). This request will assign that authority to the Augusta Information
Technology-GIS Division (IT-GIS) and update other aspects of the Code to allow for
current technology to assist in road naming and addressing. Subdivisions and Development
Plans must have received from IT-GIS and approved list of road names and addresses
before submittal to the Planning and Development Department for review. Road names
and addresses have not been properly vetted and public safety issues have arisen.
(Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 29, 2014)
Mr. Jackson: Move to approve.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
35
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioner
Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m not against this motion, I’m probably going
to vote for it but I need to get some explanation. When you bring this kind of motion or agenda
item to the floor and we vote on it and I know ya’ll know what ya’ll are voting on and when I
don’t know what I’m voting on I’ve got to get some clarity. So can you tell me exactly what this
would do to our past and a new amendment to the City Code?
Ms. Wilson: Basically what this is doing is it is assigning the responsibility for
establishing new addressing to the IT-GIS Department. By doing this it helps with regards to
making sure that the emergency services as well as other technology that’s used on your GIS and
your phones to get around are more accurate. We’ve had some problems in the past with regards
to people having the appropriate address and it being posted properly. The IT Department has
been issuing addressing for the past few years and we’re just trying to make sure that those
functions are properly aligned with the appropriate department.
Mr. Williams: And I agree and I understand that. My question was that when we take in
roads and subdivisions and we’ve got a history of taking in roads, Tom, that wasn’t even wide
enough for a fire engine to go down and turn around and we had some issues. And I wanted to
make sure I just wanted to ask those questions would that just not with GIS but would that affect
the type subdivisions coming in when people bring and they build new subdivisions and they
turn them over to the city?
Ms. Wilson: No, no, sir. This has nothing to do with regards to road standards. The only
thing that this does and that we, that I wanted to make sure was in place is that before we
approve subdivisions that we’ve got addresses assigned to them so that it is easier for people to
locate them.
Mr. Williams: Okay and the other side of that to me would be to make sure and I can
name at least five right now off the top of my head where we took in those subdivisions that
someone had built but the roads were substandard I’ll say, was not even wide enough. And I
think we’ve gotten better with that, Abie, I don’t know what’s happening but we had some
history. And when I saw this because I’ve been around here too long, I mean I wanted to make
sure that we cover all of those. I understand the GIS part of it but I thought we was going to
make sure that there’s some standards set and I don’t know what they are, they may be in place
now where we took in those roads those subdivision that will be what the city requires and not
just what the builder requires.
Ms. Wilson: That is currently in place. When we accept roads they are inspected by the
Engineering Department before they’re actually accepted. When we deal with reviews for our
subdivisions as well as final development plans, the design standards meet the current standards
for the city of Augusta as well as the state in some cases. So this has nothing to do with that.
They are two separate issues but what this does do is insure that even in some of the older
subdivisions where people might not have an address when they get a permit we’ll try to make
sure that we’ve got all of those addresses are consistent.
36
Mr. Williams: So moved, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded.
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Ma’am?
Ms. Speaker: (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, we already had it. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. G. Smith and Mr. Johnson out.
Motion carries 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Gremlins, that’s what it is, gremlins. Madam Clerk, next pulled agenda
item, please.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
9. Motion to approve the Augusta Fire Department proposed salary adjustment and
retention program that will address the following issues: Increase retention rates among
newly hired employees; Improve the retention of experienced and qualified leadership
personnel; Equalize salaries within ranks, reducing pay disparities and unfair practices
that have existed in the past; Align pay with rank, eliminating subordinates earning more
than their direct supervisors; Attract qualified personnel. (Approved by Public Safety
Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, this was yours.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I’m in support of the Fire Department 100% but this
particular agenda item we’ve got several departments that’s not, hadn’t been straightened out yet
and the Fire Department is just one of those. I can’t support this at this time. I’m in support of
the Fire Department but I can’t support this at this time. There’s already been some conversation
all around the city of Augusta about which group in here is in support and which group is not and
even those the monies may be there, Chief, I understand that and if you want to explain it to the
rest of the Commission because I’m just one vote but I just know that there’s other departments
who have the money that we hadn’t been able to give those employees those adjustments and
bring them up to standard. I keep looking at my friend Tom Wiedmeier back there I’ve got some
issues where employees have been with that department 25 and 30 years and still making the
same money they started with before he got the job. And now he’s got the job and they’re still
making that same money. And there’s something wrong with that. So I can’t support this
because there’s so much more we got to bring to the table at the same time, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Would somebody like to make a motion?
Mr. Mason: Move to approve Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Williams: I make a substitute motion to deny.
Mr. Mayor: Wait, do we have a second on Mr. Mason’s motion? Do we have a second
to approve?
Mr. Lockett: I have a question.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As Commissioner Williams said, I fully support
the Fire Department and the recommendation but some of us have been under undue pressure for
the last week because we voted for a tax increase. We had no choice but to vote for a tax
increase because the law states that you have a balanced budget. So I think we’re all in this thing
together. If you vote to spend the money, then you should have an obligation to vote to make
sure that we have a balanced budget and do those things that’s not popular. Now you’re here
today, the Sheriff will probably be here tomorrow, but he wants big bucks he wants about one
half million dollars. And the money’s got to come from somewhere. I’ve gone through this over
and over and over about how much money we’ve lost not because of the decisions this body
made but because of the decisions that were made in Atlanta. But no one screams and hollers at
Atlanta for causing this governing body to have to raise taxes to balance the budget. No one
seems to remember that we had an ice storm that costs us a tremendous amount of money. They
don’t remember those things. No one seems to understand that the cost of goods and services are
continuously going up. All of our employees need a pay increase because year after year with
the cost of goods and services going up their livelihood is going down, you know, so I agree with
Commissioner Williams. What we need to do all of us collectively raise the tax, implement the
excise tax so that we can provide all of our first responders and all of our other employees the ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Lockett: --- the pay increase that they deserve. So it’s really difficult, Chief, I’ve
always supported you but unless all of us can step up to the plate and do what we were elected to
do, make those tough decisions, get the revenue in place, when that happens I’ll be the first to
step up and support you. But with things running the way they are now we’ll I’m going to vote
no on it because I have no other choice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, just checking again. No second for Mr. Mason’s motion.
Mr. D. Smith: I will second Mr. Mason’s motion.
Mr. Mayor: Okay and Commissioner Smith you had your hand up as well.
Mr. D. Smith: Yes, sir, thank you. Chief James, tell me how many people you’ve lost
that have less than three years experience in the last two three years.
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Chief James: In the last two or three years we’ve lost a total and this is just to include the
past couple of weeks we’ve lost 142 people, 39 of those due to retirement.
Mr. D. Smith: How many new people that we, first of all, how much does it cost for us to
put somebody through school, through mandate school?
Chief James: $23,000 dollars.
Mr. D. Smith: $23,000 dollars and most of, and we’ve lost a lot of those people after
three years. Am I correct?
Chief James: Or before three years.
Mr. D. Smith: Or before three years to agencies that pay more money than we do.
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. D. Smith: So we’re not losing people that have been 20 years we’re losing people
that we hire, train and then they go to work somewhere else DSM Chemical someplace else.
Chief James: I’m not losing a 10 or 15 veteran ---
Mr. D. Smith: Yes, sir.
Chief James: --- I’m losing a below five year (inaudible).
Mr. D. Smith: As far as revenue your revenue comes from what funding source. Explain
the funding source, please, sir.
Chief James: We’re a Special Revenue Account so the fire department, fire protection is
not funded out of the General Fund. So it comes from insurance premium tax, franchise fees
from the business and the fire tax that is charged to the citizen for fire protection.
Mr. D. Smith: And that’s through the state. The state imposes that on the homeowners
and then it’s reimbursed to the county. That money’s made available to the county. Am I
correct?
Chief James: Yes, insurance premium tax ---
Mr. D. Smith: Through the insurance premiums and tax.
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. D. Smith: Last week’s vote about the millage rate had absolutely nothing to do with
what we’re trying to do here to help you today nor your salaries in the future. Is that correct?
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Chief James: That’s correct. The fire millage rate is a separate millage rate.
Mr. D. Smith: Is a separate different thing so I want everybody to understand that the
millage rate has absolutely nothing to do with the funding of the fire department. That’s done
through the state fire tax that everybody pays on their own homes through the insurance
premiums that are collected and then reimbursed back. And you have a balance in that fund of
how much money?
Chief James: My fund balance is around $4 million dollars, a little over $4 million
dollars.
Mr. D. Smith: And this particular piece of legislation that you’re asking us to pass costs
about a half million. Is that correct?
Chief James: This, for next year the cost of half a million dollars. But the remainder of
this year would be less than $200,000 dollars.
Mr. D. Smith: Okay, so we don’t have to go out and tax anybody else. We already have
that money in the bank.
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. D. Smith: Thank you, I appreciate your time.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m a little bit disappointed again. My colleague
sits here and he says that the millage increase don’t affect the fire department. Maybe not
directly affecting the fire department but it affects every other property in this government
because if we give the fire department a raise then the other people need to raise the millage
because we don’t have that special purse of money that you have. So what he voted on last week
was it to increase the millage so we can help the other one. And the more you give one
department, the more you got to give the other departments. And, Mr. Fire Chief, I heard you
say you’re losing the three to five year person and not the 10-15 years. That’s the nature of the
game. I mean when you’re in a government like we are and people get the training, some people
go to school and get the training and they’ll stay for a while and they go off and go into business
by themselves or they go in another direction. You’ve got an unfortunate situation where people
come and work, get the training and they go somewhere else. And that’s going to happen.
There’s thousands of people in the CSRA looking for jobs right now that’ll take that fireman’s
job. Now I was fireman when they wouldn’t pay anything. In fact you could call me a volunteer
when I was a fireman if you look at the pay scale that I received. And it was more dangerous
then it is now because they’ve got better equipment better technology everything is better. But
I’ve got an issue when we sit here and act like well we’re going to support something to build up
some folks but we’re going to tear down the rest of them. Now if your house is on fire, you’re
going to save the ones you can you’re going to save everybody if you can but you just ain’t
going to save a certain group because they’re on the edge. So I take issue with that. I’ve got
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some problems. People are going to leave your department, they’re going the leave the Sheriff’s
Department, they’re going to leave this government. I used to hear him say, Mr. Mayor, we
talked about the national average. You can’t pay the national average in Augusta.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’ll recognize you for one more minute of personal privilege.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I think I need that one more minute. You can’t
pay the national average around Augusta because nobody else is paying it. Now if other entities
around this city was paying the national average then we probably could pay the national average
too. I’m not against the fire department, I want to support them but for umpteenth time we done
sit here and talked about how other folks got raises and some folks ain’t got raises since they’ve
been employed. I’ve got an issue with that and I don’t want my colleagues to act like we ain’t
doing what we’re supposed to do for everybody we just pick and choose and that’s what he’s
doing.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Fennoy then Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Fennoy: Chief James.
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: What is the entry level salary level for a fireman?
Chief James: $26,800 dollars.
Mr. Fennoy: And what are you proposing making that ---
Chief James: $30,000 for the entry level. $30,000 for the entry level.
Mr. Fennoy: $30,000. The employees that we are losing what are they making when
they leave here?
Chief James: They’re making around thirty, slightly above thirty. We lost one to the
airport fire department a couple of weeks ago. At the time he had been with us for around 18
months. He made $28,000 dollars with us. He went to the airport for $32,000. We just had a
resignation this past week where a firefighter went to Smyrna, Georgia. And so I would just say
I understand what is being said but I, you know, in my position I must tell you that I feel that we
are getting critically low. I’m getting critically low to meeting the standards of having four
people on each apparatus. And I’m getting critically low to maintain stations being open. On
good days of course everything is fine but as I presented in the presentation we’ve had at least 25
occasions this year that we had to shut a company down because of staffing issues. And so I do
completely understand what the Commissioners are saying. In this past week I’ve had other
department heads call me and other department heads talk about that and I completely
understand that but at the service that we are providing it is getting critical that we maintain
those personnel so that we can maintain those stations open. And so it’s an issue that I present to
41
the Commission and ask for your guidance and assistance in fixing it. But it’s something that
must be addressed.
Mr. Fennoy: And I admire you for looking out for your firemen but I guess one of my
concerns is that like other Commissioners have said we have other Richmond County employees
that are underpaid and overworked and haven’t had a salary adjustment or pay increase in years.
And, you know, I think that all of our employees are valued employees and I think that we
should treat all of our employees as valued employees. And it’s difficult for me to place one
group of employees over another group of employees. And I guess the question that I would ask
even if we made the minimum salary $30,000 will we continue to lose employees because other
cities and other agencies are paying their employees more than the $30,000 that you’re
proposing?
Chief James: I do think that you’ll continue to have some that will continue to leave. In
the presentation I made when you come on as an entry level firefighter we’ll pay you $30,000.
In a couple of years or a year and a half or so once you become a Firefighter II when you can
drive the apparatus and do some other things you’ll move to a Firefighter II and that salary goes
up to about $34,000 which will put you in more of a competitive market with the other
departments that are hiring for these positions. Will we ever be able to handle the DMS
Chemicals or the POTASH or the other companies that hire? We will never, I don’t foresee that
any time soon that the government will hire firefighters at the rate that one of those private
entities will hire.
Mr. Fennoy: And I guess my last question when firefighters are hired and go through the
training, is there any way that we can have a contract ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Fennoy: --- that will say that, you know, because you, an enforceable contract that
says that, you know, because we trained you that you are obligated to the city of Augusta for so
many years?
Chief James: We have definitely researched that over the past year. We even have some
example contracts that we’re trying, you know, that we’re going to get with the law department
with to see if we can move forward with those contracts. But I can tell you this that the trend has
been as we discuss it with other cities and agencies that enforcing those contracts are very
difficult to try to enforce. It’s, you know, they will pay you back. We talked to Cobb County
just went into a contract situation similar to this and they’re saying they’re waiting to see if it
happens will they be able to enforce it. So that is a trend that’s going on and the some of the
difficulties in the fire services they’re addressing it is will they be able to enforce it. In the past
we’ve had other counties in the past that’s close to us that’s had those contracts and they found
difficulties in enforcing those contracts. And one ---
Mr. Mayor: Go ahead.
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Chief James: --- I was going to say and one issue we’ve had as well that’s a little
different than some of our other department heads is that in the fire department when an
employee leaves you don’t replace them the next day. You don’t replace them the next month.
When an individual retires or he moves to another job and we hire and we hire individuals off the
street to come and get this training it takes six months to train them. So as they leave seeing a
real replacement out there in the field is the person that quits today is not replaced until next year
which really puts us in a jam. I can’t replace them in 30 days, I have to train them first.
Mr. Fennoy: And my last question.
Mr. Mayor: Your last, last question?
Mr. Fennoy: Is, what is the status of your volunteer ---
Chief James: The Reserve Program.
Mr. Fennoy: --- the Reserve Program.
Chief James: Last year we wanted to go into a reserve program whereas we would take
our hiring list the people who passed our physical agility test and they pass our written test. We
would fill our first positions would be the vacant positions we would fill the people that had left
and then we would take the other personnel on that list and continue to train them and turn them
into the reserve firefighters that could come and work on a part time basis to help us fill those
gaps. The issue that we’re running into is because we’re so short we went through the entire list.
Everybody we went to hire either did not make it through the process or they were actually hired
on. So by the time we got, the list was exhausted and we had to start a new list.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Lockett the Commissioner Davis then Commissioner
Mason.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chief, I understand fully what you’re saying. I
agree with you, I know you’re losing employees left and right. I know the training is extremely
important and it’s costly but I will vote right now on this if I can only get a commitment from my
colleagues that they would be as supportive when it comes to the Sheriff’s Department and other
employees as it relates to pay increases.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett, with all due respect I don’t know that we’re going to
get a vote on support for that in this meeting.
Mr. Lockett: I wasn’t looking for a vote. I was looking for a commitment, Mr. Mayor.
Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All righty Commissioner Davis then Commissioner Davis.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Chief, you know, I respect you and your department
for all that you do. And I appreciate that you are addressing this issue with, for your department.
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As you can see it’s a tough decision for us especially in light of the decisions we made for the
2014 budget. Pretty soon we’re going to be having hearings and budget meetings for the 2015
budget. We’re going to have more difficult decisions to make. If today doesn’t go your way as
far as what you presented, I really hope you will continue to bring this in front of us and just
know that, you know, I want us to be in a healthy position to as we all feel comfortable as far as
increasing positions one day in the near future I hope or allowing raises. So I just wanted to at
least thank you for all that you’ve been doing for your employees.
Chief James: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Mason.
Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It’s not a tough decision for me at all. When you
have a need and you have the resources to address the need it becomes very easy. And you’re
not talking about raising anybody’s taxes or anything like that you’re talking about doing what’s
right by the employees that you have up underneath you in taking care of your soldiers, well I’m
a soldier that’s what I’m used to, taking care of your people. And that’s first and foremost
because that’s your greatest asset and not your equipment and everything else but your people.
And right now that’s what you’re trying to do that’s what I see that you’re trying to do which in
turn takes care of this community which should be all of our number one priority especially
when it comes to public safety and there’s a funding source that’s available. So it’s not a tough
decision for me at all in that regard. In addition to that all jobs are not created equal period, it’s
just the facts they’re not created equal. It doesn’t mean one is less important than the other but in
terms of priority equal and fair are two totally different things. We’ve had several folks come
before this commission during the years that I’ve been here, Malik and several others to come
when we’re talking about reorganizations that said the very best way to deal with the employees
is to do them all at one time. So that’s in agreement with this. But the realistic piece of that he
said does not happen because you don’t have that kind of money sitting off in your coffers to do
everybody at once. So what do you do, you punish those that can get it and there’s a source
that’s available and simply because there’s not an option right now for others. I don’t know that
that’s the appropriate way to get it done. It’s not that you’re denying anybody it’s just the fact
that the way that this, these funds are set up they’re just set up totally different. You happen to
have some funds. Utilities happen to have some funds where they can take care of folks. So
therefore when it comes time to take of others you wouldn’t have to do everybody at once
because you’ve already taken care of yours. They’ve taken care of theirs, they wouldn’t need to
be taken care of any more. This is looking outside of the box in thinking comprehensively and
holistically especially in terms of public safety. So as the Public Safety Chairman I stand very
firm in my stance and my motion that ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Mason: --- this be approved. And so, Chief, I appreciate you coming forth. I don’t
know what’s going to happen here today but you don’t stop because you’ve got not only your
people that you’ve got to take care of but you’ve got to take care of this community. And there’s
only one Fire Chief and that’s you. And just as soon as you’re not taking care of it, six votes and
you’re out of here. That’s the truth of the matter and others will still be sitting up here. Well,
44
okay? So keep doing what you’ve got to do to take care of your folks and until we can get this
done and get it done right and take care of those that we can take care of until we can take care of
those, everybody that we need to take care of. And last I checked when this thing passed last
week everybody’s getting, there’s not a whole lot but everybody was getting something on this
new tax increase, all the employees. I don’t even know (unintelligible). I know some employees
who need to give me some money back.
Mr. Grady Smith: Is he talking about me?
Mr. Mason: No, but I just wanted I want to share that with you so, Mr. Mayor, I’m ready
to vote it’s either up or down it is the way that it is.
Mr. Mayor: I think we’ve debated this but I just want to say, Chief, I am in full support
but I agree with Commissioner Mason. If the monies are there and there’s no, you know, due to
the revenues source identified there’s no adverse impact to the general fund budget I don’t see
how we don’t do this. And I agree with you, Commissioner Mason, it’d be great if we could do
them all at one time but if we’ve got to eat that elephant one bite at a time we’ve got to eat it one
bite at a time. A motion’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioners will now vote by
the usual sign.
Mr. Williams: Point of clarity.
Mr. Lockett: Do I get my commitment?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, I’ve recognized you twice and given you the one
minute extension.
Mr. Williams: I just want to get a point of clarity for the statement that was just made.
You talk about ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, I’ve given you two, two minute times and one, one minute
time so you and I can discuss that afterwards.
Mr. Williams: I can do it afterwards, it don’t make no difference. I know my vote is
going to be the same way.
Mr. Mayor: I understand that, I understand that. We can agree to disagree.
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Fennoy, Ms. Davis, Mr. Mason, Mr. Lockett, Mr. D. Smith and Mr. G. Smith vote Yes.
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Williams.
Mr. Guilfoyle abstains.
Motion Passes 6-2-1.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I just want a point of personal privilege.
45
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, one minute.
Mr. Williams: One minute. We talk about morale and the morale has already been torn
from the floor up already. Now with passing and what’s coming up with the Sheriff and the
other entities coming, don’t ya’ll look like somebody done thrown mud in your face when they
come back because everybody’s coming back. That’s all I want to say, Mr. Mayor. Thank you,
sir.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. Madam Clerk, next pulled agenda item.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
10. Motion to approve the proposal to allow the Augusta Fire Department not be included
in the Fleet Maintenance Contract with First Vehicle Services and be permitted to run an
in-house maintenance program. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Guilfoyle, I believe this was your pull.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We’re going to wait a second until Chief James
passes us whatever literature. I already have one sir, thank you. Okay, Chief, congratulations on
your employees (inaudible) the way you did and this agenda item I took a close look at this,
Chief, and I started going through what you had presented to us and what you had emailed to me
during our correspondence yesterday and I have a lot of concerns. Your main issue was the cost
from Fleet Management to consider going up every year. You’re also concerned about your
machines as far as your equipment having down time. But in your resolution as far as your
package which is kind of vague for me showing that you’re going to be using the facility on
Broad Street until you’re able to build or add on or upgrade your facility that you have on Deans
Bridge Road. What I’m seeing is what you’re doing is you’re starting a business or a department
within a department. Once we do that I don’t see a business plan, I don’t see actual hard
numbers, hard costs, soft costs, structure costs. I’m seeing ‘x’ amount employees per se with
benefits and we don’t take into consideration where the Fleet Management as far as employees
and parts it should be parallel for what you could get it done. You’re fixing to spend $2 million
dollars of SPLOST money that was designated for the training area to actually bring in people
from outside resources to be a money generator facility. I believe that would still have to come
before this body. We have to take into consideration as well we’re trying to reinvent the wheel
and if we look at the facts that Fleet Management has been handling our accounts. In your email
to me last night saying we should see a reduction ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- I’m probably going to need two plus one, sir, if you don’t mind.
Okay, we’re going to see a reduction in cost because we’re buying all this new equipment at five
year bumper to bumper warranty. What’ll happen after that five years? And with the fact that if
you bring it in house you’re taking on every bit of liability that the insurance that Fleet
Management has. So if your truck is down and they say a big fire is going on God forbid here in
46
Augusta Richmond County where we have fatalities. Augusta Richmond County will be the sole
person on that letter to be sued. And the cost is an unknown variable at this time. If you could
come back to us and give us a five year projected business plan cost, hard costs as well as soft
costs, I’d be willing to entertain it. But right now what you’re asking us to do is a what if. What
if we do it we might save money. What if we do it we might lose a lot and to be in, we actually
have a couple of people here in business that actually knows that you just can’t do something
without looking at all the numbers and projections. Thank you, Chief James.
Chief James: We ---
Mr. Mayor: Chief?
Chief James: --- thank you, Mr. Mayor. In putting this process together and the numbers
that, I mean I actually put a presentation together. I didn’t know if this would be an appropriate
venue to present it and explain each of the points that you discussed. We did look at the numbers
we looked at hard numbers that we could grasp to do our projections. We looked at the
maintenance costs for 2013 and what was spent for the entire year as far as parts. As you said
before in the transition we would use the current shop that they are in now. The current shop that
they’re in right now is owned by the city it’s not owned by First Vehicle Services. In the packet
and through our cost allocation currently when it’s time to pay for the utilities for that building
all of that cost is brought out of the cost allocation that comes from the fire department back to
Fleet Maintenance.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Right but, Chief, you’re main focus is on cost and availability instead of
your equipment being down. Why don’t you and the department director as well as the Interim
Administrator get together. Let’s change this contract the in-house I mean the in contract as well
as the out contract. Let’s make it where it’s feasible where Fleet would actually have a mobile
service to come to you to where you’re equipment ain’t down for a light bulb for a day. Let’s
think outside that box instead of because if I had to take this to the bank to try to get a loan they
would deny me because I don’t have my ducks in a row.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, do you need one more minute?
Mr. Guilfoyle: I was going to wait until the Chief responds.
Mr. Mayor: So you do need your one more minute.
Mr. Guilfoyle: In a minute yes, sir.
Chief James: Well, I mean based on the question that was asked if I can remember it
correctly as we are laying it out and you and I talked our vehicle cost allocation has went up on
an average of $100,000 a year every year since 2010. In 2010 our vehicle cost allocation was a
little over $100,000 dollars. Last week as we’re preparing for budgets for next week Fleet
Maintenance forwarded me what the vehicle cost allocation was for 2015 those were the
numbers I had to add into this presentation. And that number was $1,350,000 plus which is an
increase of over, you know, about $100,000 dollars. When we discussed this a couple of years
47
ago this body as we are bringing this back as directed by the body at that time we discussed it
over the past couple of years. Commissioner Mason was the one that presented the question that
our vehicle cost allocation had increased $220,000 dollars. And the question was where is that
funding what, why is that? To this date we’re still not now it’s over that past five years it’s a half
a million dollar increase ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay, Chief ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Guilfoyle, I’ll give you your one more minute.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, thank you so very much. Chief, have we looked
at the product itself your equipment. As this ages the cost of maintenance and repairs goes up.
Now versus if we bought new equipment the cost of our maintenance and repairs goes down but
of the equipment costs millions of dollars versus hundred or basically $50 to $100,000 dollars for
repair keeping these old outdated machines going on the road to keep it safe for our citizens.
Take that into consideration. But the question I ask you today did you reach out to the Interim
Administrator the other departments to come together who put this contract together?. Let’s see
if we can revisit it to revise it to where it works best for the fire department instead of trying to
reinvent the wheel.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner, your one minute’s up.
Mr. Guilfoyle: I’m finished, Mr. Mayor.
Chief James: We did have a conversation with Ron Crowden, we’ve had meetings with
the entire Finance Department, Ms. Williams, Ron Crowden and Fleet First Vehicle Service. We
met in the Finance Office. I’ve had as directed when this first came up I’ve had numerous and I
mean numerous questions, conversations with Mark Johnson on how he did the same actual
thing. I’ve had numerous conversations with him.
Mr. Guilfoyle: He (unintelligible) no money.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Chief James: And that’s because we increased the number of vehicles he had. At the
time that he took the contract he had a set number of vehicles. Since that time we’ve added the
Mosquito Patrol to them and we’ve added those other vehicles that ate up whatever, you know,
so he’s about neutral now because we’ve added things to them.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Williams then Commissioner Lockett then
Commissioner Grady Smith.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m going to date myself again. When the fire
department of Augusta has his own shop for many, many years and it kept some old equipment
then. They built their own trucks and they put in, installed, they ordered the engine from
American La France or one of the other dealers and installed them. But now we are leasing
48
equipment. Fleet Management hadn’t put in one transmission one engine or probably one
(unintelligible) since they’ve been doing business with this government. Now if somebody
wants to dispute that they then they need to show me something in writing. They have not done,
all they’ve done was maintain, maybe an oil change, maybe brake repair, but that’s the mass of
the work they do. They don’t do no engine work for the city of Augusta. We have a lease
program where we’ve been buying equipment and buying a leasing program where we will turn
those vehicles back in or upgrade those vehicles. So they have not done any of that kind of work
since they’ve been in conception with Augusta-Richmond County. We visit Savannah who was
paying $3 million dollars a year to outsource all of their mechanic work. They brought it back in
house and they saved a million and a half. We went down and looked at the facility we talked to
them about what they did and we still chose to outsource it like we’re doing now to pay over $3
million dollars. Like you said, Chief, we pay for the building, we pay for the lights, we pay for
all of the powers and build that comes in. They maintain the shop and that’s about it. So I’ve
got some issues. Now I’m on the other side. The last time I talked I couldn’t support but I can
support this because ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Williams: --- because that’s the right thing to do. I’m going to need two more, Mr.
Mayor, like Mr. Guilfoyle did.
Mr. Mayor: Say three.
Mr. Williams
: Okay, I need three. But I’ve got a problem when we act like we really
don’t want to save money. Now you’re not going to be doing mechanic work. Mechanic work
means you’re not going to be doing any transmission rebuilding. Fleet hadn’t built no fire truck
transmissions. In fact I remember we sent a car to Fleet Management, Ms. Bonner, from
Engineering for a light bulb and it came back with a new engine. We sent it down there to get a
light bulb in it from the Public Works Director it came back with a new engine in it. And I asked
for the documents which went about as thick as this and Mr. Kolb at that time brought me a stack
of paper that high and set it on the desk which was crazy. Because nobody inspecting what they
expect. I think you can save a lot of money, Chief. I think we need to understand how important
it is to make sure that we do that. Now I’m in support of a transition the fire department ought to
be able to run their own equipment. You ought not to have firemen working on it, you ought to
have mechanics that can do this work and maintain it. And I think that’s what we need to do.
So, Mr. Mayor, I’m going to make a motion that we approve.
I don’t know if we’ve got a
motion or a second or not.
Mr. Mayor: Do we have a second to that motion?
Mr. Lockett: I’ll second it but I still had my hand up.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Lockett then Commissioner Grady Smith then
Commissioner Fennoy.
49
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chris James, Mr. Fire Chief, if I was a loan
officer I would definitely give you a loan. In fact I’d give you a blank check if you wanted one.
I respect you. You’re not only responsible for fighting fires you’re responsible for the entire
operation. And I know that you’ve done an insurmountable amount of research on this because
you wouldn’t ---
Mr. Williams: (Unintelligible). What about security?
Mr. Mayor: Hang on. Commissioner Locket continue.
Mr. Williams: Are we calling somebody to the podium?
Mr. Mayor: What’s that, no and, sir, if you could please until you’re, no, if you could
just please have a seat until, you need to be recognized by the Chair to be called to the podium.
Commissioner Lockett continue.
Mr. Lockett: I know you’ve done a significant amount of research in talking with your
staff and so forth. You wouldn’t come up here and present something to this body that was half
baked. If you come up here with something that doesn’t have any merit and we gave you to go
ahead and it doesn’t work you know what the problem it’s going to be on you. So I respect you
and I respect you a heck of a lot more than I will an outside vendor. This letter here is extremely
discouraging and talks about the validity of what you had to say. If I’m going to trust anybody
it’s going to be you before I will an outside vendor. And I whoever drafted this letter they’d
have been much better off if they would not have because it tells me a lot about them. So yeah
I’m like Commissioner Williams I do support.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner Grady Smith then Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. G. Smith: Chief, I first want to applaud you coming, being one of the first ones to
come to the podium with the, you know, an idea about how we can save some money versus
most of them that come up there do and you know need money for something in which is all well
intentioned. But I applaud you for coming forth with this idea and how, you know, like I said
with more numbers and figures. I think and if this does go forth that you in the future it’ll be a
bigger savings, a lot bigger. And of course if this passes all eyes will be on you in the next year
or two on how this functions. And so, you know, I know you’ve got an idea in mind if you’ve
got folks in mind who’s going to run this facility?
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. G. Smith: You do? Okay.
Mr. Williams: Call for the question Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I had recognized Commissioner Fennoy but the question has been
called for. Is there any, does the majority of the Commission wish to extend debate? Can I see a
50
show of hands? One, two, three, four. Okay, I have recognized the question’s been called for I
had already previously recognized Commissioner Fennoy. We’ll hear from him and we’ll vote.
Mr. Fennoy: Chief James ---
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: --- does your vehicles go through regular scheduled maintenance?
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: And do you know under the way we operate now what does it cost for and
for the regular scheduled maintenance and what it would be under your proposed change?
Chief James: What we have now is we have what they call contract costs. Some of that
includes the regularly scheduled services and some of it doesn’t depending on the age of the
vehicle. In other words if we have purchased a vehicle and we’ve taken care of it, we’ve allowed
the shop to service it every six months or every 5,000 miles the vehicle is running good. Once
that vehicle hits if it’s a car or something once it hits 8 years old then it falls out of the contract
and you have to pay more for its services and things, parts or whatever that are done to that
apparatus or that vehicle at that time. If it’s a fire truck at one point I was told that it was ten
years once it got older you had to pay more. Through the process of preparing this and
conversations with Ron Crowden he told me, well, that’s 15 years. Well still if you know a fire
truck a diesel engine and you service it and take care of it they can last. We have 15 year old
vehicles that are running the streets today. Once it hit that age to do any service or repair to it
they increase your costs on that. My particular issue with that is it’s the same mechanic doing
the same work working that same schedule whether it’s 7-4 or whatever it’s the same mechanic
doing the same work whether it’s an 8 year old or a 5 year old vehicle or a 10 year old vehicle
it’s the same mechanic that’s fixing the brakes. And we’re paying an additional cost because the
vehicle gets older and I don’t see where the cost is. And as I look through this and in my
presentation I had a lot of the costs goes towards contract costs. It goes to contract costs. It’s a
lot of the funds pays for the management of the contract. The numbers that I have in the
presentation were numbers that we got directly from Ron Crowden. The salary numbers of the
mechanics were salaries that I got that he sent me about a month ago, not several months ago as I
received a letter that Mr. Lockett referred to, I just read that letter right before I came into this
meeting. It wasn’t sent to me but the same mechanic works on it regardless of the age of it and
that cost is the same to fix the brakes on a 15 year old vehicle or an 8 year old vehicle. To
change the brakes is the same cost. You may have to buy the parts. There are some things that
we will do. We will send off an RFP for parts that will include hopefully they will bid on it, we
will include parts from First Vehicle Services. Through several conversations with Mr. Johnson
at Environmental Services and the way that he uses it sometimes he buys parts from First
Vehicle Services. Sometimes if there’s a better part or a more quality part, brake shoes ain’t the
same on every, you know, you can buy a cheaper brake shoe or you can buy one that lasts longer.
What this does is gives him the option to chose what’s best for his department. And through
those conversations he explained that, you know, he kind of changed the oil that he uses and
moved to a synthetic higher grade oil so he can get more life out of the oil. So those are some of
51
the things that we would like to implement also in our program so that we can get more life and
more lasting out of the fire trucks. Also we’re getting new trucks this year thanks to SPLOST. It
would be my request that within the five years when the next SPLOST comes just like we
presented last time when, you know, the SPLOST was defeated but additional vehicles will be
put in the SPLOST so that we could maintain the age of our vehicles so that we won’t get super
old vehicles to keep that cost down. And that’s the advantage that SPLOST offers to us as a city
is to keep that cost down through keeping updated equipment.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, a motion has been made and properly seconded. The motion is to
approve the agenda item. The question has been called for. Commissioner Davis, you’d better
run. You’ve got your remote control. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign. Are you
just testing the range on it?
Mr. D. Smith: Well, if hers works from back there mine ought to work from right here
and it’s not.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Mason, Mr. Lockett, Mr. D. Smith and Mr. Williams vote Yes.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Guilfoyle vote No.
Mr. Johnson out.
Motion Passes 6-3.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, on to the next pulled agenda item please.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, item 20 what was next?
Mr. Mayor: No, we’re on item 12.
ENGINEERING SERVICES
20. Motion to approve and accept: Knology Way roadway and associated improvements
within its right-of-way into the Augusta Georgia Public Roadway System and accept the
sanitary sewer improvements that are adjacent to the Knology Way right of way as shown
on attached plat. Acceptance is contingent upon receipt of its certified plat and proof of
ownership, deed of dedication and required other legal documentation as determined by
Augusta Engineering Department (AED) and Augusta Utility Department. (AUD).
(Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Williams
: I need to apologize. Item 20 I had pulled but I got that cleared. In fact
Ms. Davis had someone here and we can go ahead and get that let the young man go. I
apologize.
motion to approve
Mr. Mayor: So we can, you want to go ahead and make a that?
Mr. Williams: I want to make a motion ---
Mr. G. Smith: He can’t approve.
52
Mr. Mayor: Okay, that’s a motion to approve agenda item ---
Mr. Williams: Twenty.
Mr. Mayor: --- number 20 ---
Mr. Mason: Second.
Mr. Mayor: --- on the consent agenda. A motion’s been made and properly seconded. If
there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Williams: Donnie, are you going to vote yes or no? Mr. Mayor, I’d like to, I really
apologize. I pulled that and I didn’t realize Mary, Commissioner Davis came in and woke me up
I guess.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk?
Mr. Johnson out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next pulled agenda item which I believe is item 12.
The Clerk:
FINANCE
12. Motion to approve agreement with Imperial Theater for funding as authorized in
SPLOST VI. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, I believe this was your pull.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I don’t have a problem with that but I just wanted to
make sure that the process and I asked the Attorney the last Commission, I mean Committee
meeting about whether or not that was done right or wrong. But nevertheless I need to know
how that process is going to work. Will that be done through Purchasing, through Procurement?
How would that actually take place? Now everything has been done through Procurement and I
need to know will that, Ms. Allen ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. MacKenzie or Ms. Allen.
Ms. Allen: Commissioner Williams, are you’re talking about the actual project itself
going through Procurement?
Mr. Williams: Right, I’m saying we approved to give this SPLOST money to the
Imperial but the process like the other processes went through this government. Will this one go
through? I mean I want it clarified.
53
Ms. Allen: I’ll let Tim Schroer address ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Schroer.
Ms. Allen: --- the actual processes and guidelines we have.
Mr. Schroer: Good afternoon. The SPLOST program is a reimbursement program, sir,
so they will submit the plan which was approved. The voters approved the project, they had
submitted the plan. The way the process works is they raise their money. Once the contract is
approved we will advance them 25% of the contract. After that it’s all in the reimbursement
basis so they submit their invoices, we review the invoices to make sure they’re appropriate and
then we cut them a check to reimburse them.
Mr. Williams: Okay, but the bid process and the holes they will not go through this
government is that what you’re saying?
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir, that’s correct they will not go through this government.
Mr. Williams: Well, how is it that the other one went through and now I don’t have my
documentation in my book here but the other, the other SPLOST program you had went through
a different process did it not?
Mr. Schroer: I’m not sure what project you’re referring to, sir.
Mr. Williams: Okay, just the process regardless of the project. What, how did that work
with I mean for the ---
Mr. Schroer: If we run the project, if Augusta runs the project, it goes through our
Procurement process. If we’re partnering with an outside agency and they are doing the project
for us it does not go through our procurement process.
Mr. Williams: Now I’m a little bit confused, a little bit off because there were some
other outside agencies because the question was asked if they folded what would happen we
would get some of the monies we recoup the monies back because of the SPLOST money that
we used if something happened to that. But the process was always done through this
government.
Mr. Schroer: If the same process, if for instance if the Imperial Theater were to do the
SPLOST project and three years from now somebody came along and purchased the Imperial
Theater we would get a proportional amount of those funds returned to us.
Mr. Williams: I understand that but I’m not talking about the reimbursement side. I’m
talking about the contractor side of it if it’s going to go through Procurement, through that office
out there. Ms. Sams out there I bet she’s, she might know a little bit more than you, Tim. I
doubt it but she might know a little bit more than you about that process with Procurement. I
54
need to know whether or not that this SPLOST monies, they raise the matching funds I
understand that.
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: But I’m trying to get clarity to whether or not that the process would go
through Procurement like everything else goes through this government.
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Schroer: Our contract they will not go through the procurement process because
we’re in essence hiring the agency to do a SPLOST project for us.
Mr. Williams: We’re hiring somebody to do the project for us but I mean how can that
work sometimes? I just need clarity. How can that be today but then not tomorrow? I mean if it
works, if that’s the process we need to go by the process all the time. That’s all I’m saying.
Mr. Schroer: The project was approved, Commissioner, so I ---
Mr. Williams: And nobody’s doubting that I’m in favor of it. And I want to approve this
I’m going to vote with it but I wanted to know how the process was going to be done so we can
keep up with it. If we just take it and give them a million dollars and say ya’ll go do it they
might do it for $100,000 dollars and ---
Mr. Schroer: Again sir that’s, it’s all in a reimbursement basis so if they will not get
funds unless they’ve spent those funds for this project.
Mr. Williams: Let me ask the attorney. How is the process supposed to work I guess.
That’s what I need to know from the attorney.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. MacKenzie.
Mr. MacKenzie: Are you saying the process to fund these projects through SPLOST?
Mr. Williams: The SPLOST projects that have been funded who we allocated money to
when they reach the matching funds we’re supposed to give them. How does that process work?
Does it go, we give them the money or I mean how does the bid process work, how do we know
about local participation. How do we know what anything is if we just let somebody else do it.
And if that’s the case if that’s what we do to everyone like that there are others, I remembering
now. I’ve been here too long I keep telling ya’ll that. I didn’t come in here last night.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. MacKenzie.
Mr. MacKenzie: I can’t speak to any other specific projects. I can look at the projects
and compare them but the process being utilized now is the process whereby the funding’s
55
provided to them with certain conditions through an agreement and Augusta does not procure the
project.
Mr. Williams: Jim, can you help me out?
Mr. Plunkett: Yes, Mr. Williams ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Plunkett.
Mr. Plunkett: --- I was involved with some of the contracts. Basically the projects
identified, the project’s approved by the Commission and it goes to Finance. They have to
establish they raised 25% of the grant prior to funding it it’s after a date certain. The money is
then, and that project while it’s appropriate it’s a project that Augusta could do when Augusta
has an interest in that project either by lease hold interest or some type of servitude. Augusta
will provide a 25% of our funds, they do the work, they send an invoice to Tim showing that
they have expended the money. Tim approves it then they do kind of use that money again and
again twenty-five times or 25%. Most of the time the project’s actually completed prior to any
other type of reimbursement but we have it built into the contract that we don’t get, let’s say it’s
a million dollars or a million point, you know ---
Mr. Williams: (unintelligible) it is.
Mr. Plunkett: They don’t get a million dollars and we hope they do it. Tim has financial
control over the monies to make sure that project is in fact done.
Mr. Williams: But because of and it’s just me thinking and I need to go back and get my
paperwork, I didn’t have it with me. Other projects we have done have not worked that same
way. We have let those projects ourselves. We have had other people to come in and bid and we
say okay. I mean the money’s been approved and it’s going there but we have let, we have this
government this governing body have had those procurement agencies or people come through
Procurement they can make sure that this was done whatever, whatever, whatever. And the
project got done but we didn’t tell them you go do it and then you come back and say you need
some more money we give you some more. I just need some understanding now because now if
that’s what you’re saying we can go ahead and vote on it. But I’m going to bring my paperwork
back ---
Mr. Plunkett: I believe I know one possibly what you’re referring to is that there have
been times that organizations that were receiving outside funds you know receiving funds they
went to either possibly Procurement or Finance to make sure that their expenditure was eligible.
And so they may be getting advice because I know that sometimes they’ve wanted to like paint
or re-carpet which was ineligible. But, Mr. Williams, that contract formation, that formed
contract has been done as far as I believe all of them. And if you have the opportunity I’ll send
you an email and ask you to follow up with what organization it is I’ll be happy to try to get to
the bottom of it. But historically we have all done these the same across the board.
Mr. Williams: Ya’ll are working with me, that’s all right.
56
Mr. Plunkett: I’ll be happy to try to follow up.
Mr. William: Ya’ll are working with me, that’s okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, can I get a motion on this?
Mr. Williams: So moved.
Mr. Fennoy: You’ve got a hand over here (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Oh we’ve got a motion ---
Ms. Davis: I’ll second it.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay, a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Was it, you’ve
got your hand up?
Mr. Fennoy: (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, just tap me on the shoulder.
Mr. Lockett: But I can’t reach (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Ya’ll are about to get moved in closer to me. Commissioner.
Mr. Fennoy: I guess this question’s for Tim.
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Tim, if we have a SPLOST project such as the flooding problem down in
Marion Homes once that project’s been approved and the monies are there to do that project then
that project will go through Procurement to see who will get the contract to do the project?
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, but if we have like the Heal Center up at Paine College or the
Imperial Theater okay once they raise the matching part of the money we have no say so over
their procurement process. Is that true or not true?
Mr. Schroer: Actually we have requested that they follow prudent guidelines for
procurement. Meetings are held with the agencies that I’ve asked that they get three bids, make
sure you do it at least three bids for larger items, follow-up quotes just don’t award it to you
know ---
57
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, but the projects that don’t have to raise the 25% all the votes go
through the regular procurement process.
Mr. Schroer: If Augusta is running the project, yes, sir, they go through the regular
procurement process.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, I’ll give you one more minute.
Mr. Williams: Tim, I have one question. I mean how do ---
Mr. Schroer: Prudent.
Mr. Williams: --- prudent when you don’t have no guidelines or nobody to go by. Who
makes those decisions that say they’re prudent or not?
Mr. Schroer: We ask the agency ---
Mr. Williams: They don’t work for this government now let me ask the question. How
do we know they’re prudent?
Mr. Schroer: We ask the agencies if they have purchasing guidelines and if they do, we
request that they follow the purchasing procedure.
Mr. Williams: And we take that.
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. If there’s
no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Lockett: Uh ---
Mr. Mayor: What’s that?
Mr. Lockett: --- you never gave me an opportunity.
Mr. Mayor: Oh, I’m sorry, Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: That’s all right. Thank you. I know some of these questions have been
asked or were asked a few months ago but I’ll ask again and see if I get the same answer. I
believe you said this is for either one of you Tim or even Mr. Plunkett that Augusta-Richmond
County must have an interest in the project. Is that so?
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
58
Mr. Lockett: And you also indicated that if the project failed we could get our money
back.
Mr. Schroer: If the project’s sold, yes, sir.
Mr. Lockett: If it’s sold, okay. Now how is, let me back up a little bit. Clint Mueller the
guy that was with SPLOST with the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia from its
inception made this comment that the government needs joint ownership at the very least for a
project or an entity such as this. How do we, what do we have to show that we have that joint
ownership in a project that we’re going to invest this much money in.
Mr. Schroer: Is that for the attorney?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Plunkett.
Mr. Plunkett: It’s like there is in contractual obligations it’s a servitude which is an
interest in the property which can be converted into a long term lease arrangement if necessary
and long term lease of 25 years or more would be considered a property interest. And at least for
capitalized purposes for accounting purposes and we feel that would satisfy the statutory
requirement that we have an interest in the property.
Mr. Lockett: I don’t want to prolong this but what are we going to do since we’re talking
about the Imperial. What are we going to do with the Imperial to show that we have at least that
part of the joint ownership?
Mr. Plunkett: In the contract agreement between Augusta and the Imperial they have
granted a servitude and it’s been a long time since I’ve looked at that specific contract and it may
also provide that that servitude could be converted into a lease agreement if necessary.
Mr. Lockett: Okay, has that contract been done?
Mr. Plunkett: Yes, sir, that’s why it’s here to be approved. And I just haven’t reviewed
the contract today. Basically the vetting process as we draft a contract their attorney if they have
an attorney or whatever they go through and we look at it to explain the terms. We talk about
procurement process which actually says basically it’s to follow the process of Augusta’s
Procurement, Mr. Williams, and then that document is signed by their parties and then it’s
brought to this body for approval.
Mr. Lockett: And is that what’s happening today?
Mr. Plunkett: Yes, sir.
Mr. Lockett: Where’s the contract?
Mr. Plunkett: Yes, sir.
59
Mr. Lockett: Where’s the contract?
Mr. Lockett: I believe it should be in your attachment, sir, I’m not entirely sure. I was
just here because I drafted the contract.
Mr. Lockett: I’m not ---
Mr. Plunkett: I’m trying to help you out a little bit.
Mr. Lockett: --- (unintelligible) I’m just trying to understand. But I appreciate you
coming.
Mr. Plunkett: There should be a contract there that’s being approved today.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. If there’s
no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next pulled agenda item I believe is number 13.
The Clerk:
FINANCE
13. Motion to approve Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds Series 2014 bond resolution and
authorize the Mayor and Clerk to sign all necessary documents. (Approved by Finance
Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, I believe this was your pull.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I was in a committee meeting when this came up
and stepped. And by the time I got back everything had changed a little bit. I just needed to get
some clarity about how this process and I think Ms. McNabb was here and she said that this was
a bid situation. Is that right? Can you come up Mr. Mayor can she come up?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. McNabb.
Mr. Williams: And, Ms. McNabb, I wanted to ask you, you did say that this was a bid
process that we went through.
Ms. McNabb: That’s the process that we were planning to use. We would be selling in
nd
September to close October 2.
60
Mr. Williams: Yeah, but help me out but I think you said that ya’ll had bidded that it
went through a bid process to get to this point now. You had other agencies that do that work
that you’re doing and before you. It was a bid situation to get to here. We know that you’re
going to bid the bonds out but I wanted to see the bid to get us to this point where we are now
versus going on to the bid process that, you know, we’re going to try to bid tomorrow’s out. Can
you help me out with who bidded or how because I hadn’t seen any of that.
Ms. McNabb: Sure. The actual bid for the purchase of the bonds is not done. Those bids
will be taken in September. The bid, we haven’t done any bids before that.
Mr. Williams: I was under the impression that you had bidded and that there was a
process that was done to get to this point because we had someone who came in and it was stated
that the bid had already taken place and the group that came in was kind of late like Johnny come
lately, you know, they were after the fact.
Mr. Plunkett: Mr. Mayor, I think I may be able to help with that.
Mr. Williams: Yeah somebody ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Plunkett.
Mr. Plunkett: The recommendation that came up with water and sewer is to do a
competitive bid versus a negotiated bid. This, that process was voted on by this body to go forth
with a competitive bid process which occurred in October, I’m sorry, September.
th
Ms. McNabb: That was on May 28.
Mr. Plunkett: It may have been in May. IFS that came in suggesting that we follow a
negotiated bid process and I think that’s where the confusion, they were saying we should be
doing negotiated and your financial advisor Ms. McNabb is suggesting that you follow a
competitive process in this particular transaction.
th
Ms. McNabb: But the only thing that had already been done was that on May 28 the
Commission voted to move forward with a competitive process.
Mr. Williams: And I understand and I’m with you there. Before this group came and
explained to me how effective the other bid other way of doing it could save us a bunch of
money. And I remember seeing Finance putting something on the screen. And when I got home
I got to thinking I saw the agenda item but I didn’t see no date. I mean ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Williams: --- thank you, Mr. Mayor, I need three. I didn’t see no date on that I just
saw the on the screen where, you know, the agenda item was. So when I heard that that had been
a bid process before we got here I was all right because we went by the rules. Now Purchasing
or somebody needs to come up and tell me whoever did with that Finance or whoever dealt with
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that needs to share with me how we went through that process to get to where we are now. We
just got through talking about a single source and how we can do some things through a single
source and going back and do that. I know that’s not our first bond this ain’t my first rodeo
either. I’ve been around the barn a few times and we didn’t raise no money we just, Ms. Sams, I
see you back there. Can you enlighten me? Can somebody tell me how this process did work to
get to where we are now?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Sams. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Sams: Under this particular process, Mr. Commissioner, the Procurement
Department was not involved.
Mr. Williams: Okay, so who was involved to get to this process because I’m going to
call on Mr. Sias who’s a Commissioner Elect for District 4 to help me out if somebody can’t tell
me who handled this process because, Tim, if you can tell me how did we get here because when
the other group came in I was excited about having him to at least expose and share with me
some of the pros and cons. They wasn’t allowed to elaborate back when they was on the
committee, I had just stepped out and when I go back it was lights out. So how did we get to this
process?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Schroer.
Mr. Schroer: The process that we’re doing is we look at these bonds continually to see if
it’s appropriate to do a refund and a refinancing. These are, the bonds were issued in 2004 so in
2014 we have an opportunity to refund or refinance these bonds without and penalties from the
IRS. At that point in time again we asked Ms. McNabb to run the numbers to see what our
savings is, what our savings are. We’ve done, we’ve looked at these numbers since 2012.
Ms. McNabb: Yeah, 2011 was when we first did a run on them.
Mr. Williams: But, but ---
Mr. Schroer: So in January the process starts in earnest. We had some staff discussions
between myself, Ms. McNabb, Mr. Wiedmeier to find out is there are any additional monies that
Utilities needs for new projects. We also looked to Ms. McNabb to tell us is it economically
feasible or prudent for us to refunds or reissue these bonds. At this point in time she said it’s at
$23 million dollars. We’ll save $23 million dollars over the life of the bonds. Excuse me in
May we started the process with the Commission, asking the Commission to start the process for
the refunding of the bonds. So we did it in May. The process that we’ve done in the past based
on Ms. McNabb’s recommendation is to do a competitive bid as opposed to a negotiated sale.
Does that answer your question, sir?
Mr. Williams: No, that don’t answer my question.
Ms. McNab: Let me see if I can try. It wouldn’t have been any bids prior.
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Mr. Williams: Let me go back to, let’s keep it simple Ms. McNabb.
Ms. McNabb: Yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: I don’t know nothing about none of that, I do know that I’ve been sitting
here a long time and I’ve seen you many years. I mean this is not your first rodeo either. So I’m
saying when we look at doing stuff of that magnitude why didn’t we look around to see who
else? Now I’m remembering A.G Edwards I remembering ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you your last minute.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay, Mr. Mayor, I need it. I mean I’m remembering other people who
came to the table who presented and shown us what would be best for us and how much money
we can save like the last one did.
Ms. McNabb: Right.
Mr. Williams: But I’m not hearing that happen with this process up to this point so.
Ms. McNabb: Well, yes, they can make suggestions and things like that ---
Mr. Williams: Right.
Ms. McNabb: --- and when before they came along we had already put this all together
and I recommended that you pursue a competitive sale so that you could select that underwriter
based on the best bid. And that competitive recommendation was along the notification getting
your authorization for us to move forward in May. And so that the competitive bid for all those
underwriters takes place in September. And so we will be requesting bids from all of the
underwriters in September. One thing that might help is we also took bids today on the URA
Bonds and so we can show you sort of how that, you authorized us to move forward on the URA
Bonds on a competitive basis. We took those competitive bids today and the firm that gave the
gave Augusta the very lowest interest costs is the winning bidder. And so the plan at this point
on water and sewer is we move forward and we accept bids from the underwriters in September.
Mr. Williams: All right, Ms. McNabb, thank you but no one has said to me that when the
other group IFS what’s ---
Ms. McNabb: IFS.
Mr. Mayor: IFS.
Mr. Williams: --- IFS have shown those numbers then our Finance Department said well
we’re going to do that we can do that but those numbers have not come back. I hadn’t heard
anything about a discuss those numbers. We’re still on the same page we’re on. We should’ve
been a few pages back. I’m looking at the savings at least the savings since somebody else, we
already had it they say we already done put it out there. I need to hear where we’re going in that
63
direction versus what we’ve been doing the $23 million dollars because what they proposed was
way more than $23 million that we’re going to be saving.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, your time is up my friend. Commissioner
Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, sir, I just want to put out for clarification for my colleague where
he’s bringing up this other company the process was already in, it was already in process ya’ll
thth
let’s say on May 28. And it was actually put on the NOVUS Agenda System on May 16.
That company came in after it was already approved by this body to move forward with this one
bond sir.
Mr. Williams: Move forward, Mr. Mayor, not approved. We hadn’t approved anything.
Mr. Mayor: But the process was started. Commissioner Guilfoyle, you still have the
floor.
Mr. Guilfoyle: I’d like to make a motion to approve.
Mr. Jackson: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioner
Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. McNabb, how many contracts or budget
issues have you done for this government?
Ms. McNabb: Me?
Mr. Lockett: Yes, ma’am.
Ms. McNabb: Um, probably fifteen, ten or fifteen, twelve or fifteen.
Mr. Lockett: Out of twelve or fifteen how many of those actually went to your former
employer.
Ms. McNabb: None after I was named Financial Advisor.
Mr. Lockett: None after you were named ---
Ms. McNabb: None.
Mr. Lockett: --- Financial Advisor.
Ms. McNabb: That’s correct.
64
Mr. Lockett: You were named Financial Advisor when?
Ms. McNabb: I think at the end of 2004.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Ms. McNabb: So A.G. Edwards was not selected and in 2004 it was just for a G.O.
Bond. I wasn’t didn’t become the Financial Advisor for water and sewer until probably 2005 or
six.
Mr. Lockett: Okay so ---
Ms. McNabb: A.G. Edwards was involved was one of the underwriters in 2002, excuse
me 2000, 2203 and 2004.
Mr. Lockett: I’m just referring about since you became our Financial Advisor.
Ms. McNabb: None.
Mr. Lockett: Okay, thank you. Appreciate it.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. And if
there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Jackson, Mr. D. Smith and Mr. G. Smith vote Yes.
Mr. Mason, Mr. Lockett and Mr. Williams vote No.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Guilfoyle out.
Motion Fails 4-3.
Mr. Mayor: No action taken. Madam Clerk, next pulled agenda item.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
23. Motion to approve the continued funding of the current On-Call Tree Removal Services
Contract in the amount of $200,000, and the On-Call Vegetation Maintenance Contract in
the amount of $500,000 from the Transportation Investment Act (TIA discretionary
account. Funding is solely for the purposes of hazardous tree removal and pruning; and
vegetation maintenance along the county’s roadway system, which is within the criteria of
transportation discretionary fund usage, as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee July 29, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor ---
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Mr. Jackson: Motion to approve.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Wait, we have a motion and a second to approve correct?
The Clerk: Is that you, Mr. Smith?
Mr. G. Smith: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I don’t have an issue with approving this but I did want the
Engineering Department to tell me we’re talking about moving some money out of that fund
before and I don’t know whether that will cripple or what that would do should that particular
department that’s why I pulled this item so he could give me an input.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Ladson.
Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, the money’s being pulled
from the Transportation Investment Act, TSPLOST discretionary money. Currently to do
maintenance type work we don’t have any funding. I mean the past three years we haven’t
gotten funding through the general budget. This is the only avenue that we actually have. This
is only the avenue that we actually have to fund maintenance type projects. And this basically is
to get maintenance done around the county otherwise we won’t have any other funds. We can’t
use SPLOST funds.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, does that?
Mr. William: Mr. Mayor and I’ve got no problem with that. We talked in Legal I guess I
can say this much we talked in Legal about moving some funds and I don’t know if that fund is
going to be tied up with the other funds. Mr. Andrew, remember we talked about issue $58,000
dollars I think it was that was going to be moved. Would that impact is that going to affect it’s
that going to have any bearing on?
Mr. Mayor: Mr. MacKenzie.
Mr. Williams: A yes or no answer is all I need.
Mr. MacKenzie: I would have to consult with the department regarding that issue that’s
for a settlement of the case.
Mr. Ladson: There are some funds in the account right now and we’re just trying to
basically replenish it. Now I think what you’re referring to the funds will actually be coming
66
from that because these On-Call contracts were a part of that, at least one of them were a part of
that today.
Mr. Williams: Okay, that’s all. I just want to make sure everybody’s at the table at the
same time.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Abie, what’s it going to take well first of all I
think we need our Public Works department because Engineering isn’t responsible for cutting
grass. I don’t think that’s the proper thing to do. But what is it going to really take because I’ve
seen these guys out with this big equipment and with large equipment you can’t get in small
places so they just tend to hit and miss. What is it going to take for you to get the resources to do
what you really needs as far as getting rid of some of this stuff that’s on our streets or do you
think you’re going to come up and make a recommendation that we reestablish the Public Works
department and let them do those sort of things?
Mr. Ladson: No, the issue is actually funding. It kind of goes back when the department
was split up, well, it wasn’t some of it was when the Public Works was split up and it was split
up into three different parts so we got a portion, Environmental Services got a portion and Parks
and REC got an actual portion. But if and we can pull the documentation but if you look at it I
mean we’ve done a whole lot of the work orders. The problem is that we’re in everything we
pretty much do is reactive and we’re I mean, you know, where you had maybe about a hundred
some odd employees in Public Works now we only pretty much have forty when it’s all split up.
So I mean we don’t I mean the resources are not there so the end of the day the bottom line is
funding.
Mr. Lockett: Yeah, that’s a ---
Mr. Ladson: And that’s what we’ve been talking about for the past three to four years
when we talked about storm water.
Mr. Lockett: --- and that’s why some of the people have been so critical of us having the
audacity to increase our taxes but yet and still we can’t promise them with this tax increase that
we’re going to have cleaner streets and get rid of the blight. We can’t, it’s kind of hard to
convince them that we are requesting this tax increase just to keep our heads even with the
surface of the water.
Mr. Ladson: Yeah, it’s not going to affect that.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded.
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Williams out.
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Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, let’s get to the regular agenda.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Point of privilege. I was wondering if we could revisit the bond issue. I
don’t know if my colleagues would, can we revisit that?
Mr. Mayor: Would you like to put that in the form of a motion?
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: And that would be ---
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: --- agenda item but to revisit agenda item number ---
The Clerk: Thirteen.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, well he’s just making a motion to and if the votes aren’t there the
votes aren’t there but to revisit agenda item number thirteen which was the water and sewer
bonds. We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded.
Mr. Williams: Don’t we have to have unanimous consent, Mr. Mayor, not a vote?
Mr. Mayor: No, Mr. MacKenzie, on an agenda item you can make a motion to revisit the
agenda item correct?
Mr. Williams: If you’ve got unanimous consent.
Mr. MacKenzie: It takes six votes to do a motion to reconsider an item that’s already
been considered in an existing Commission meeting.
Mr. Mayor: So you can make a motion to reconsider but if you don’t have six votes but
the motion is proper to reconsider. So we have a motion that’s been made to reconsider agenda
item number thirteen and properly seconded. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will
now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, gentlemen.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Jackson, Mr. D. Smith, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. G. Smith vote Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Mason, Mr. Lockett and Mr. Williams vote No.
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Motion Fails 5-4.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, after that brief sideline now let’s get to the regular
agenda.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
30. Motion to approve proceeding with advertising for the Transit Director position. (No
recommendation from Public Services Committee with information presented on the
salaries for the positions)
Mr. Mayor: Would anybody like to make a motion on this or, Ms. Allen.
Ms. Allen: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, during the committee meeting it
was requested that we bring some information back regarding the Transit Director. As part of
the 2014 budget let me give you just a little background on how we got to actually looking at
those three positions and entered them into the 2014 budget process. We had an actual tri-annual
that was performed around, you know, a tri-annual encompasses three years. And I think we
actually gave an update on that tri-annual what the result was back when we actually got the
results from the federal government. Part of that tri-annual identified that we did not have
appropriate staffing levels to address the operations of the Transit Department. Not what the
actual contract does but you have had some oversight of the contract as well as the grants as well
as the RFP process and various things that are considered to be part of the operational things
that’s required for Transit. So one thing that they told us that we needed to do is to go ahead and
make sure we had appropriate staffing. And that’s what spawned the 2013 request for the 2014
budget. So that’s how we got to where we are in regards to having additional staffing. That was
actually presented to the Commission and this is actually the approval letter, we’ll wait for this to
come up.
Mr. Lockett: Do we have anybody from IT in the house?
Ms. Allen: Yeah, I don’t know I think they’re playing games on me today,
Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Jeff Lewis: Press the document camera.
Mr. Mayor: Press the back of the camera?
Mr. Lewis: Doesn’t it say visual presenter on the button?
Mr. Mayor: Houston, we have a problem.
Mr. Jackson: I make a motion we adjourn.
Mr. Mayor: Due to technical difficulties ---
69
Ms. Allen: Here we go. Okay, so this is the actual approval letter that was presented and
provided to the department as it relates to what was approved as far as the 2014 budget. And as
you can see that the Transit position there were three, for the Transit Department there were
three positions identified. There was an error as it relates to the actual last item. It said to re-
class the Contract Manager to Director I and that was not the initial scope of what should’ve
been taken place. So prior to presenting the position and advertising it I wanted to make sure
that the Commission and I had clarity on how we would proceed. This discussion has already
been held with our Transit Contract Manager as well as our Law Department to make sure there,
we’re in compliance and our Human Resources Department. So it would, you know, we have to
have approval to go ahead and proceed with the advertisement so there will not be any confusion
how we will proceed. And I’ll note that it was also asked about the actual salary grades for those
positions. The Transit Director I is actually an SES position and so you will see the SES I
position it starts at $70,500 dollars. The Transit Analyst position is a Grade 53 and that’s starts
at $52,599 and the Administrative Assistant Grade 41 which that position has already been
advertised so there were no conflicts or anything in regards to that. We have already met, again
the Human Resources Department that has been reviewed and properly adjusted. It’s a salary
Grade 42 based on the standardization across the county. So that position has actually advertised
and that salary grade is roughly around $25,600.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Ms. Allen.
Ms. Allen: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Are we approving all of the positions that have not been advertised or are
we just approving the Transit Director?
Ms. Allen: Just approving for us to proceed with advertising the Transit Director I
position.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Davis.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Allen, since we’ve privatized the Transit tell me
the need for this director’s position please.
Ms. Allen: Well, when we had our actual tri-annual and that’s with our Federal Transit
Authority every other agency that we have spoken with what should’ve happened in a unique
world well in a utopia would have been prior to privatization there would’ve been some really
preplanning of what needed to take place in order for us to run an efficient transit operation.
That was not in my opinion done properly. And so when we proceeded to go ahead and do the
privatization we did not realize that you have to have stable staff in place. So at that time even
we didn’t even have a contract manager, if you recall, position. We had you know the question
became when we start talking to our federal government who’s running these grants and who’s
doing this and who’s doing that in the operation. You can’t just privatize that because the city’s
70
actually liable for those grant transactions and the operations. And someone actually has to
watch the contract and be responsible for that to the federal government. So when we put the
contract manager in place, you know, and that contract manager and I give Sharon all the praise
in the world because she’s been working very diligently and very hard but it’s not possible for
one person to run the various operations that have to take place outside of just contract
management. And so what has happened is when we had our tri-annual review they actually
identified that as one of the situations that we needed to take care of. And we’re getting ready to
start the process in 2015 with our next tri-annual review and that is something we definitely do
not want to be brought back to the table on and stated that we did not make any of the changes
that were requested from the federal government.
Ms. Davis: So this couldn’t be handled by the existing Procurement staff that we have in
place those responsibilities?
Ms. Allen: Which staff, I’m sorry.
Ms. Davis: As far as contracts, could this be handled those needs through the existing
staff we have in Procurement for contractual obligations?
Ms. Allen: No, ma’am. See they, this person would have to actually it’s not just about
the contract it’s the overall perspective of Transit. All these other projects that we have like the
bus barn project, the multi-model facility that’s going to be financed and projected with the
federal government funds, all of those things actually require more than one person to address it.
And so if we don’t get the appropriate staff what we are in danger of is losing our federal
funding for the Transit operations.
Ms. Davis: And where will this funding come from?
Ms. Allen: It is already in the budget. This has already been approved in 2014 and a
portion of this comes from the operating cost for the Transit Department is just come out of the
general fund. This has already been approved by the Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, the funding’s already been approved.
Ms. Allen: Yes, sir. This is approved as part of the 2014 budget. The reason that I
brought it before you is because of the error in the verbiage that they just automatically reclassify
a person’s position to that position.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, Tameka, we’ve been basically without a director since Mr. Johnson
left three and a half, three years ago. Is that correct?
Ms. Allen: We’ve been without a person, yes, sir, without a director.
71
Mr. Guilfoyle: As far as Ms. Sharon can we move her up to that position 53 and just hire
the $25,600 employee and do that?
Ms. Allen: Can we just move her to the Transit Analyst or to the Director?
Mr. Guilfoyle: The position 53 for ---
Ms. Allen: That’s a Transit Analyst.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, ma’am.
Ms. Allen: Hypothetically you could do that but what we want to do is actually promote
I mean go ahead and proceed with advertising the Transit Director. This Transit Director
position is not a Level 3, it’s an entry level director position. It’s not a one of our top positions
as far as the director positions but it’s an entry level director’s position that has to actually
manage the whole perspective of what we have going on in Transit. I’m not saying that Ms.
Dottery is not doing that all. Me and Ms. Dottery has had this conversation and I can let her
attest and address any questions that you may have in regards to this but we feel the need as far
as a Transit Director and any other agencies that we have talked to consulted with that have
private operations that are contracted out also have Transit Directors.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Right with us having a management company that operates our bus
system I still don’t find the, we’ve been without for three years and four months without a
director and now we need one. And Sharon’s been basically taking the helm of the ship this
whole time.
Mr. Mayor: But based on the federal review this is a recommendation that they’re
making so that we don’t put federal funds at risk. And you’re saying we’re not reinventing the
wheel that when you’ve looked at other cities that are privatized they have these positions in
place so that they can interface with the management company and really coordinate everything.
Ms. Allen: And I don’t take anything away from what Ms. Dottery has done for the
department at all. She has down a tremendous job of trying to do what she can to continue the
operation of Transit but what we have now is not just Ms. Dottery it’s a Ms. Allen and a Mister
this and a Mister that too because we have to provide the assistance to get it done because one
person can’t really do it. And we have a lot of compliancy issues in regards to ADA and things
of that nature that are dealing with Transit so there’s a number of things in Transit that really and
I know Commissioner Lockett and Commissioner Mason has really been hitting us on these
other projects that we need to expand with Transit. So there’s a number of things that we need to
take care of with Transit but you can’t just think that one staff member and an administrative
assistant will be able to do that.
Mr. Mayor: No, I mean, it’s internal capacity to give us the ability to do these things.
You still need to okay, Commissioner Lockett the Commission Williams.
72
Mr. Lockett: Thank you. I want to commend Ms. Sharon Dottery. She has done an
outstanding job. I mean she is a very good public servant, the kind of person that works all
weekend and of course there’s no overtime because she is very conscience about her job and
about Transit. So we first outsourced Transit. We didn’t have the slightest idea of what we were
doing and what work load we were putting on the couple of people that we had. And I want to
come out and tell you that outsourcing Transit has not done us any good at all. It has been a
major disservice to us. How do I know because I have visited cities and I’ve gone to their
Transit facilities. They were a little smarter than us because they realized much faster than us
that outsourcing public transit is not the thing to do. And all of you up here are smart enough to
know that when you’re trying to attract businesses they’re concerned about infrastructure,
they’re concerned about public transit. If you don’t believe me do a little research and you’ll
find out. And as far as public transit is concerned it is deplorable here. Fort Gordon just
announced that they’re going to hire 100 people for Post Exchange and all the jobs on Fort
Gordon pay better than the jobs out here. And I’m quite sure there are lots of people that live
within our county limits that would love to work at Fort Gordon but can’t because there’s no
transit. The younger generations in many places where there’s a good transit system they’re not
buying automobiles, they’re using the public transit system. That’s the thing to do. We are
talking about the expansion of Georgia Regents University, we are talking about the Cyber
Command but what are doing other than procrastinating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don’t think Ms. Dottery works all weekend long
like Commissioner Lockett said. I think she takes some time off like everybody with good sense
would do. Now I’m saying she’s not a hard worker and I support her too but I do know these
positions are very important, I do know that the federal dollars that we get from the fella dictates
that we have those people in place. And we can dance around all we want to but we’re going to
eventually get them in place if we want to keep getting the federal dollars. Now I know we’re
trying to cut every where we can cut at but that’s one place you’re not going to be able to do. I
agree with Commissioner Lockett the Transit is what people look for when it comes to your city
and we need to make that happen. Like it or not we need to go ahead and approve this item so
we can start the search to find those people all of those people that we need in order to get this
going. So, Mr. Mayor, if there’s a motion and a second already been made?
Mr. Mayor: No.
Mr. Williams: I’m going to make it a motion.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Williams: And I got a second.
to approve
Mr. Mayor: Okay, your motion is ?
Mr. Williams: To approve.
73
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. If there’s no
further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. D. Smith and Mr. Guilfoyle vote No.
Motion Passes 7-2.
Mr. Mayor: And, Commissioners, as we continue to move through the agenda I would
just given the time we’ve been here I’d ask for everybody to please consider if there are not
actionable items that we might refer those back to committee. Madam Clerk, next agenda item.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
th
31. Update on the status of the 15 Street Corridor Improvement Project. Provide an
overview of Project to include projected timeline. (No recommendation from
Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Cassell.
th
Mr. Cassell: First of all, which 15 Street project?
Mr. Lockett: Don’t get smart.
Mr. Cassell: Well, we’ve got two.
Mr. Mayor: The DOT Tiger II and the TIA funding I guess.
Mr. Cassel: Okay, because we’ve got one on the other side it’s the Pedestrian
Improvement Project and we have the widening project.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: --- tell him to get down with the business please.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Donnie Smith.
Mr. D. Smith: Can we send this back to the committee and get the update there since
we’re trying to get finished or how long is it going to take Steve?
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, I think it’s my agenda item.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Lockett, are you okay with that or if he can be ---
74
Mr. Lockett: No, I’m not because we’ve been sending things back and back and back. I
don’t want him to take a half hour, he can be brief.
Mr. Mayor: Okay kick it, Steve.
Mr. Cassel: No, that project right now is going through and environmental document
review. Whenever you buy a right of way in an area like that it’s got to go through an
environmental adjustment procedure. But anyway once the environmental document is approved
and they’re anticipating that within the next five months right of way could begin and they’ve
got that scheduled at least at this point for July 2015. You’re looking at about 200 parcels for
that project and they can get about 60-70 a year so about three years in a right of way and then at
that point they may go to construction depending on the funding. But it’s a TIA band II project
so it’s got to be let by January of, December of 2019.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you. Was that fast enough?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Can I get a motion to receive this as information?
Mr. Guilfoyle: So moved.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioners
will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Williams: Point of clarity, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: What’s that?
Mr. Williams: Point of clarity, I’m voting but ---
Mr. Mayor: Point of clarity.
Mr. Williams: --- I had an agenda item on here that this body voted to send it back and
I’m just looking at the consistency that I keep talking about. But I had an item on the agenda and
this body voted to send it back and it was my agenda item so one day we’re up and one day
we’re down and I’m just keeping score.
Mr. Mayor: The only constant in life is change.
Mr. Williams: I understand that’s why I’m going to make some changes.
Motion passes 9-0.
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Mr. Williams: I understand, I ain’t complaining.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item please.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
32. Motion to approve Law Department reorganization to include reclassifying vacant
staff attorney position to deputy general counsel, eliminating an administrative clerk
position and temporary positions and crating a paralegal position. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee July 7, 2014) (Referred from July 15 Commission
meeting and no recommendation from Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Lockett: Motion to disapprove.
Mr. Mason: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded.
The Clerk: Who seconded that? Mr. Jackson, and I heard several seconds. I just need to
---
Mr. Guilfoyle: No, I didn’t second that.
Mr. Williams: I heard a motion to disapprove.
Mr. Lockett: I did.
The Clerk: Okay ---
Mr. Mayor: Grady, you second?
The Clerk: --- Mr. Jackson and Mr. Smith was to approve.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Mr.
MacKenzie.
Mr. MacKenzie: Clarify the motion. Is that a motion to approve or disapprove?
Mr. Lockett: My motion was to disapprove and I thought I was prior to him but ---
The Clerk: Prior to Mr. Jackson?
Mr. Lockett: --- that’s what I thought, yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Okay.
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Mr. Mayor: Would, okay, so if we have a motion to not approve this agenda item that’s
been made and properly seconded for the benefit of the maker of the motion to approve could we
get a substitute motion to approve with a second to that?
Mr. Guilfoyle: Substitute motion to approve this agenda item.
Mr. Mayor: And do we have a second on that?
Mr. D. Smith: So moved.
The Clerk: That was Mr. Lockett disapproving with, who seconded? That’s what, I
didn’t hear that.
Mr. Mayor: Who seconded Mr. Lockett’s motion?
The Clerk: Mr. Mason.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: To disapprove.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so ---
Mr. Williams: What are we voting on?
Mr. Mayor: I’m about to call for the vote and I think it’s this is one where the die is cast
we either go up or down with this. But we have a substitute motion to approve that’s made and
properly seconded. Commissioners will now vote by the ---
Mr. Williams: Wait a minute hold it hold it, Mr. Mayor. I think Mr. Lockett’s motion
was first and his was to disapprove.
Mr. Mayor: But procedure states that you vote on the substitute motion first.
Mr. Williams: I’m with you, I’m with you now.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. So the substitute motion that we are now voting on for the point of
clarity is a motion to approve the agenda item. Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Fennoy, Ms. Davis, Mr. Jackson, Mr. D. Smith, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. G. Smith vote
Yes.
Mr. Mason, Mr. Lockett and Mr. Williams vote No.
Motion Passes 6-3.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item please.
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The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
33. Discuss re-enrollment of the county’s permanent life insurance with ING. (No
recommendation from Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2014)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, sir, I was just wondering if I could have the Procurement director to
come up and speak on this, Ms. Sams.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Sams.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Ms. Sams, thank you for staying here so late by the way. What would be
the, I read your email yesterday. What would be the fair and equitable way on doing business on
this ING?
Ms. Sams: The fair and equitable way would be to go out for an RFP and perhaps and I
don’t know what this position would place on the HR Department in that we would extend this
contract as recommended in the email to you all on Friday. The RFP is available and ready to be
advertised. We are, we would extend, well, there isn’t a contract, we would allow them to
perform the services through December and the new contract would be in place as of January 1,
2015.
Mr. Guilfoyle: I make a motion to send out for the RFP process.
Ms. Davis: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioner
Williams.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you Ms. Sams.
Mr. Williams: Ms. Sams, you said a new contract. I’d like to see or hear about the old
contract. Where is the old, what was the old contract?
Ms. Sams: Okay, when I was saying that I said, well, since a contract does not currently
exist we could not locate a contract for this particular service that’s been provided. We called
and spoke with the Vice President there and she concurred that there was no contract. And this
particular service came to the city and was awarded to ING through an RFP process. We all
agreed that that was the process that was utilized. In that process there were thirteen submittals
given. Four came back and of course ING was very successful. ING has provided good services
to Augusta but however somewhere a contract was not let.
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Mr. Williams: Well, that just boggles me even more so because if that one there’s no
knock on ING ---
Ms. Sams: No, it wasn’t.
Mr. Williams: --- but how many other contracts that we don’t know where they are or
there is not contract who we and you don’t have to answer that, Ms. Sams, it’s just for
information here.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: I don’t know how I can get my hands around something of that magnitude
because I was told at committee there was a contract that they went through an RFP process and
everything was awarded, everything was up and up and now we don’t have a contract and
they’ve been awarded since how long now?
Ms. Sams: Since 2006.
Mr. Williams: Since 2006.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir.
Mr. Williams: We have been operating without a legal binding document to say that this
entity and I’m starting to have some flashbacks about when the information got out on the
employees. And even my information at that time when I was elected at that time where it
gotten all, nobody even knew about a contract then. Nobody even said there wasn’t a contract
then. That really bothers me. I mean I keep saying no knock on the company but I think we
ought to have a better range on who’s on first and what’s on second. I mean it sounds like there
ain’t nobody nowhere. I just have some issues with that I just wanted to make those comments.
You don’t need to respond to that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Williams: My motion, have we got a motion?
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded to go out for
RFP on the program.
Mr. Williams: That’s right, there ain’t nothing else you can do.
Mr. Mayor: If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual
sign.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item please.
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The Clerk:
FINANCE
34. Discuss the costs associated with the Interim Administrator’s July 22, 2014
memorandum regarding ADA renovations. (Requested by Commissioner Marion
Williams)
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Allen.
nd
Ms. Allen: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, on July 22 well at one of the
previous meetings it was brought it was a concern as it relates to the ADA compliance for the
nd
Municipal Building. I actually sent out a memorandum on the 22 where there was an
inspection conducted by our Fire Department as well as our Planning and Development
Department. And we have both of those representatives here with us today to address any
questions that you may have. After that I sent the memorandum which identified the actual
eleven items that were to be addressed. Those items have been addressed. We actually met on
that and discussed it this morning along with our Project Manager. And if I could just remind
you that previously it was discussed and to provide or to make modifications to this building
while it was currently being actually occupied. So it kind of left a little more difficulty in
making sure that everything was in place. But I think Commissioner Williams is exactly right,
ADA compliance should be first and foremost in our minds. And we made sure that all of those
eleven items were addressed. An inspection actually was conducted again with the Fire
Department and Planning and Development to make sure that the items were addressed and they
have been. The overall total budget was not, will not be affected by any of those things that had
to be put in place. The, keep in mind the ADA compliancy will be a continued process because
as the floors are completed as I understand it everything that actually the codes stipulates that
anything that’s actually being touched in the facility which is as old as this one which was not
compliant in the very beginning to bring it up to compliancy. The regulations actually stipulate
that anything being modified must be brought up to code and those are the things that they are
doing. You’re going to have some situations that will not necessarily have to be brought up to
code like the stairwell which is something we are not touching or modifying and I can let the fire
inspector or the Planning and Development person address that even more in depth if there are
any questions about it. But every item that has been presented to you in that memorandum on
nd
July 22 has actually been addressed.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m glad that our Administrator or Interim
Administrator said that there would not be any costs to this body for the changes that needed to
be made and were not made in the beginning. My issue is when you open up a public building
such as this one to host this Commission and the general public and not have those things even
considered. That wasn’t on the drawing, no one stop the drawing or no one said that this is what
it should be. When we came in here and I thought it was a very nice facility until we got to
looking around. So I’m glad that things are starting to at least fall into place but I guess my
question will be how can we enforce these laws on Joe. Q. Citizen who rehabs a building or do
80
some modifications to a building and the state law said I think said that you got to do those
things. How could we not? How could we not have those things in place and I don’t know
who’s here to address that. I see the Marshal and I see the fire and the marshal’s and all that but
I’m just wondering how can we operate? Is it within the guidelines of the law to be in here now
without having those things once we touch this building? Had we left it the same, I agree with
Ms. Allen had we left it the same it wouldn’t be an issue but once we started to renovate
especially this floor where we’re having public meetings and inviting the public in and it’s not
accessible to that and we have not done those things. Some people are taking it mighty mildly as
if, you know, you just want to complain you just want to say something but this is a very serious
issue. And I take it personal when you have seniors come up here and there wasn’t even a public
restroom ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Williams: --- yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. There wasn’t even a public restroom for them to
use if necessary. So I guess I need someone to tell me how did that get, how did that slip by so it
won’t slip by anywhere else in any other public rooms or meeting rooms. I hope all that is
considered in every aspect of this government. Now we’ve seen some plans but they didn’t
consider them. Don’t have us to go up on the next floor and say well they didn’t do this floor.
Every floor needs to be considered that’s going to be for public use and ought to have those
public things available. And I don’t want to just be, you know, just labor that as we were talking
about the second floor where we are now. This is the foremost. I don’t think we by law we
shouldn’t even be in here. I see my attorney sitting there maybe he can tell me I’m ought of
order and he can tell me I’m wrong.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. MacKenzie.
Mr. MacKenzie: It would be my recommendation you speak to the Project Manger on
this project. There’s obviously a construction schedule. All these issues relating to ADA
compliance were addressed as part of the architectural drawings from the beginning of the
project. I’m sure they can speak to the specifics on this particular building.
Mr. Williams: Now, Mr. Mayor, did he just say that these were addressed at the
beginning of the project? Is that and I might have heard him wrong because (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: As part of the design of the renovation.
Mr. Williams: These were addressed at the beginning of the project you said?
Mr. MacKenzie: I said they should have been addressed in the architectural drawings
before the project even started.
Mr. Williams: Should have been that’s what I was trying to get you to say it should’ve
been addressed. So (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, can I get a motion to receive this as information?
81
Mr. Jackson: So moved.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Williams: No sir, no sir, Mr. Mayor, we’ve got two men that done come in here and
took the time ---
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded but I would like
to hear from you gentlemen, you know, due to the fact you have been here you deserve your time
to speak.
Mr. Masters: I’m Marshal Masters, I’m with Planning and Development. And yes at the
start of the project we knew that the staff and they were going to be shuffled around from floor to
floor and make arrangements for it. And there was some oversight on some of this stuff here but
we’ve addressed it and again we treat everybody consistent as well as the customers of the city
and the city itself. We try to treat everybody the same.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Beard: Also I think it should be noted that we went from a building with zero
compliance to try to get a building into full compliance. And it was this body along with
everybody else that we talked with that it was a consensus that we needed to stay in the building
and do the construction while the building was being occupied. So therefore when we decided to
occupy this particular space it wasn’t completely done. So at the end of the project everything
will be.
Mr. Williams: Okay, if I can respond to the Chief, Chief Beard.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Chief Bill, are you saying because we are shuffling people moving them
back and forth that those things shouldn’t have been included until after we finished? Because,
I’m asking a question now because we’re paying a lot of money.
Mr. Beard: What I’m saying is they are included. They are included in the project. At
the end of the project we will be fully compliant with everything that we touched.
Mr. Williams: Okay, okay, I’m hearing him but I didn’t see that on the drawings and I
still hadn’t heard anybody express that if they were included. It looked like and I don’t want to
be in the doghouse I can get somebody to do that for me but because I’ve got two doghouses but
I’m saying it looked like somebody would’ve said this is where this is going. It wasn’t nothing
but business. Now we know where the rest room was going to be but there’s no entrance way for
handicap accessible at those mikes and everybody ain’t as tall as you are. And those doors are
not automatic there’s no handicap facility on those doors to come in and out. Those things
82
should’ve been addressed by a company such as the company working for us. And I just want to
share that. That’s all, Marshal, ya’ll (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, gentlemen. We have a motion that’s been made and properly
seconded. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Williams: And we’re voting on what?
Mr. Mayor: Receive as information.
Mr. Williams: So ain’t nothing going to be done and we’re going to receive, we’re going
to receive as information but ain’t no ---
Mr. G. Smith: We ain’t going to shut the building down.
Mr. Williams: No, we ain’t going to shut nothing down.
Mr. G. Smith: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grady Smith.
Mr. G. Smith: And this won’t get you a cup of coffee at the Waffle House but I am on
the State Construction Board and when you’re renovating you can as long as you’ve got the
facilities in the building that, you know, meet the ADA compliance you can move forward and
especially if you’re occupied like this you can but, you know, each floor has to move on itself.
But as long as it’s compliant with the local officials that’s part of the process.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Madam Clerk, did you already?
Mr. Johnson, Ms. Davis and Mr. Guilfoyle out.
Motion Passes 7-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item please.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
35. Update from staff regarding ARC’s sponsorship participation relative to the Augusta’s
James Brown Get on Up movie premiere. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had this put on the agenda because naturally
we’ve all been in support of James Brown for many, many years and think that he is an icon and
someone is world renowned and well known. But this last this movie that we just did and I
83
wanted to know what participation did the Augusta Richmond County sponsorship participate in
and how much was that. Can somebody?
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Allen. And I’m not aware of the city making a financial donation to
them.
Mr. Williams: Okay, well, it don’t have to be financial I didn’t say I said what
participation of any kind. What did we do? I mean because it’s on the website that we was the
sponsor. Now if we sponsored them I mean did somebody put our name in there to make us feel
good.
Mr. G. Smith: Yeah.
Ms. Allen: Commissioner, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission I’m not aware of
any sponsorship that the city actually did. Probably what they’re considering sponsorship maybe
being cleaning the area that was around the, you know, the and I can get Steve to elaborate more
on that which was something that’s normally done. However there were no financial
contributions actually made. And I’ve conferred with the Finance director to make sure that
there were no contributions at all made to that.
Mr. Williams: Well, this agenda item was on the agenda and it wasn’t just it didn’t pop
up today so somebody should’ve had something to respond from somebody should’ve known
that if they didn’t participate or what level of participation should have been brought back. Now
I’m very disappointed now because it’s out on the website, it’s out on the website saying that
we’re and I think we’re all in support. But my problem came in thought when I saw the level of
participation when certainly Mr. Lockett uh, Mr. Fennoy wanted to go to the event. I was in
Carolina at that time but Mr. Fennoy wanted to go to the event and he wasn’t able to get there.
And some people had tickets and an entry way to get there and enjoy it and I think they should
have but if some of us are going to be compensated or rewarded or encouraged than everybody
needs to be treated the same way. I keep talking about that fairness and that balance. Ms. Allen,
did you go?
Ms. Allen: No, sir.
Mr. Williams: Okay, well, I didn’t go either so don’t feel bad but some of us went and
some of us and Mr. Fennoy ain’t saying nothing now but he was singing and he wasn’t singing
James Brown when I talked to him. So if wants to comment that’s his business but I sure asked
him about placing it on the agenda to find out what sponsorship that we had involvement with
here because some of us, the Mayor was privileged to go ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Williams: --- thank you. Ms. Davis, I talked to her she said she was privileged to go
so it ain’t adding up, it just ain’t adding up but.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Mason.
84
Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just want to certainly clarify my participation. I
certainly went and had a good time. It cost me $200.00 but I did go. And I just want to make
sure that from that perspective that that’s clear. There was no tickets given to me or any special
treatment or favors or anything like that. I assume I had to pay like everybody else or certainly I
paid let me put it that way. And so $200.00 I got in and I was able to get on the good foot.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Davis then Commissioner Smith.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was just going to say what Commissioner Mason
said. I think mine was $200.00, $203.50 I think.
Mr. Mason: Actually you’re right ---
Ms. Davis: Service fee.
Mr. Mason: --- the fee.
Ms. Davis: But anyway, no, just so Commissioner Williams doesn’t misunderstand, I
wasn’t given any tickets. I went through the normal process of buying them. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Grady Smith.
Mr. G. Smith: I was lucky I used the tickets left at the door. They were for Elvis but I
went ahead and used them. That’s a big event so I decided to tell them I was Elvis.
Mr. Mayor: They were short on money so I came on board as a sponsor individually not
on behalf of the city. Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I think what Commissioner Williams is making reference to is the fact
that on Tuesday I was assured that I would have two tickets to the Get on Up premiere. And
after we had a Commission meeting, Wednesday, a Called Meeting to vote on the Administrator
and evidently I didn’t, someone didn’t get the vote that they wanted so they sent me an email
saying, no, they sent me a text that said that the tickets that had been previously promised to me
were going to someone that’s interested in Augusta and that they apologized for any
inconvenience that they may have caused me at that particular time.
Mr. Speaker: Who is the world would do something like that?
Mr. Mayor: Well and I will Commissioner ---
Mr. Fennoy: And I have a copy of that text in case someone questioned the, whether
that’s true or not.
Mr. Mayor: And, Commissioner Fennoy, I will say that I did send that text. I publicly
apologize to you but those tickets because I know that you did speak to Al. Those tickets were
85
waiting for you at the theater and unfortunately those two tickets went unused. So I apologize
publicly. Continue.
Mr. Fennoy: Those, now I’ll say this something, Mr. Mayor, I received that text
Wednesday. It said the tickets would not be available. The premiere was Thursday.
Mr. Mayor: Well, as I say, I know that you and Mr. Dallas spoke and those tickets were
motion
waiting there for you. So I apologize. I was wrong. Somebody want to make a on this?
Mr. G. Smith: To receive as information.
Mr. D. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioners
will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Fennoy abstains.
Mr. Williams out.
Motion Passes 7-0-1.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item please.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
36. Approve tasking the Finance Director with providing the governing body adequate
documentation reflecting the status of ALL SPLOST Monies collected, invested, and
expended since the inception of the SPLOST Program within ARC. This documentation
must reflect interest earned and disposition of these earnings. Any SPLOST Monies
utilized to retire General Obligation Bonds must be reported, to include authorization for
these actions. All Recaptured Funds must be listed to include potential usage. Any other
relative information not specifically requested must be available for review. Information
contained in the annual audit will not satisfy the requirements of this request. (Requested
by Commissioner Bill Lockett – Final Request)
Mr. Jackson: Motion to receive as information.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is about the fifth time this agenda item has
appeared before this governing body. I just have one question is whether or not the information
is going to be provided and when.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Schroer.
86
Mr. Schroer: Sir, I’m not sure what information you’re looking for.
Mr. Lockett: Did you read the agenda item?
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir, I did.
Mr. Lockett: I think it’s self explanatory.
Mr. Schroer: I guess I don’t understand the adequate documentation.
Mr. Lockett: Okay, I don’t want to be curt with you but ---
Mr. Schroer: Sir, I apologize but ---
Mr. Lockett: --- no, no, no I’m talking about me not with you. No, I’m okay with you.
The point I’m trying to get across is this. The last Commission meeting I was in a hotel in
Montgomery looking at the meeting on the IPAD and all of a sudden I see the Convention and
Visitors Bureau come up and you found over a million dollars in recaptured funds for them. And
this the kind of information been asking for all along but for some reason or another I wasn’t
getting it. And what I’m looking for and I’m not looking for an audit, Tim.
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Lockett: What I’m looking is something, and we’ve had this conversation before that
will tell me do we have any monies left in SPLOST II or SPLOST III or whatever. If we have
and if it’s sitting there if it’s waiting on GDOT, can we use it for something else or how much
interest have we earned on this particular SPLOST? Does the interest just have to sit there or can
we use it or what? Those are the kinds of questions that I’ve been asking. If I was given that
information, well, that would be it but I’m going to keep on, I’m not coming back no more with
this.
Mr. Schroer: If I can explain.
Mr. Lockett: Sure.
Mr. Schroer: Okay, the Way Finding signs a Commissioner approached me and said are
there any funds and there was an appropriate time because it was at the end of the audit. We
came back and looked at this and said, yes, there are some unallocated funds in all the SPLOST
projects. You can see by the schedule up there we do have some unallocated funds. However in
SPLOST III, IV, VI and because six is ongoing I was kind of, it’s still ongoing so there aren’t
any unallocated ---
Mr. Lockett: Right.
Mr. Schroer: --- funds but in three, four and five we still have projects ongoing ---
87
Mr. Lockett: Right.
Mr. Schroer: --- and I am very hesitant to ever say yes we have funds for a new project.
The Way Finding sings were funded out of Phase II. Phase I and Phase II were unique because
they were the first two SPLOST’s and there was no project list. There were just general
categories. In Phase II there are two projects left, one is on the third level of the Canal and I
think that one’s being closed out. And the other one is ---
Mr. Speaker: Warren Lakes.
Mr. Schroer: Warren Lakes, thank you. Those two projects, the only two projects left
after that two, Abie, Warren Lakes is not going to need any more money. I’ve been trying to get
Phase II closed out for years.
Mr. Lockett: No, when you’re talking about you mean you’re talking about SPLOST II
when you say Phase ---
Mr. Schroer: Yes, yes ---
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Schroer: SPLOST II. So once that project was brought to our, requested my
recommendation was to use the funds from Phase II because it qualified as a SPLOST project, a
road project and there was no project waiting that may be underfunded. In the other funds
because the projects are still ongoing they may be underfunded. I’m not saying they are it’s just
that possibility and being fiscally prudent as we are I don’t want to approve or say there’s a pot
of money sitting out there that we can use for new projects until all the other projects are done.
Mr. Lockett: Okay, well then, Tim, excuse me, I don’t want to be rude or anything but
how does this body know when those funds are there? It might be coincidental but the
Convention and Visitors Bureau came in at the right time. How do we know as a governing
body what the right time is to ask you all to use these funds for something?
Mr. Schroer: Most of the requests for recaptured funds come from (inaudible) when they
have a project that’s underfunded. They come back and ask for additional funds.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Schroer: I apologize, sir, I really did not understand when you said adequate
documentation.
Mr. Lockett: You don’t owe me an apology because I think what you’re doing I think
you are from looking at what’s up here I think this is the kind of information that I need. And I
just think that we should informed ---
88
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you two more.
Mr. Lockett: --- yeah and I’m almost through, Mr. Mayor, that it would be nice if the
governing body somebody would tell us that hey, ---
Mr. Schroer: We can ---
Mr. Lockett: --- we’ve got a pot of money here and we can use it for this, this and this or
we can only use it for that, what are your priorities. That’s the sort of thing I’m looking for.
Mr. Schroer: Again until the project phases are closed out my recommendation is always
going to be hold that money until all the projects are done.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Schroer: We can certainly put this in semiannually have this update just show you
where we’re at and show you what funds are (inaudible).
Mr. Ladson: Show you all where we’re at what projects are open.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Ladson: If it’s a what I consider a somewhat of a GDOT type project or has fund
federal and state funds in it we also have some SPLOST funds in there also. So those projects
tend to last a long time.
Mr. Lockett: You know, because ---
Mr. Ladson: When you look at your Windsor Spring Road, your Wrightsboro Road,
those actually have SPLOST funds in there but they also did have get some federal funds out of
those projects so they do tend to take a long time.
Mr. Lockett: Yeah, well I understood, you know, the signage. The way I look at it when
I see you’ve got a million dollars for signs and I’ve got a million miles of streets with potholes in
it this is what maybe the money could be used for that. But then again maybe it could but, Tim,
thank you I appreciate it and you too, Abie.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, Abie ---
Mr. Ladson: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: --- the projects that are ongoing is there a dollar amount associated with
those projects?
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Mr. Ladson: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, so if one of the projects costs $3 million dollars and another one
costs $2 million dollars and we’ve got $6 million dollars, would we have a million dollars in
available funds?
Mr. Ladson: Well, what happens is if the project is in a design or right-of-way stage you
have a budget. You have a budget so let’s say you have the budget set for three and the two
million dollars and you know you’ve got $6 million dollars. But what you’ve got to wait to you
have to wait until that project is actually bid because the bids may come above what your budget
is. And even if it does come under the budget you still need to wait until that project is
constructed and you need to wait until after about 18 months for just to see whether everything is
up to standards. So because during construction even though you bidded and it’s under bid, you
may have some change orders in there and maybe something we may have missed in the during
the design stage.
Mr. Fennoy: And I guess my next question is to Tim. If we have a project, say I know
that and I don’t know the dollar amount but there were monies that we allocated for renovations
of Dyess Park Phase I. And they were able to get their project for $2/300,000 dollars less than
what was allocated for that project. So when a situation like that occurs what happens to the
$2/300,000 dollars?
Mr. Schroer: In that situation if the project is completed and Parks and Recreation,
SPLOST funds are allocated by category, roads and bridges, Parks and REC, quality of life. So
if the Dyess Park project was under budgeted by $200,000 dollars, that would go into a recapture
fund that’s available for other Parks and REC projects. And all, any time there’s an increase in
the scope of the project or the allocation of funds for a project that decision comes before this
body. It’s not something that staff can do.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded to receive
this as information. If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual
sign.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
37. Motion to approve Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) bonds series 2014 supplement
resolution.
Mr. Mayor: Can we get a motion on this?
Mr. D. Smith: So moved.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. If there’s no
further discussion Commissioners will, Tim?
Mr. Schroer: Part of the process with bonds is this is a competitive bid. The process,
thank you. Just wanted to share with you the bids that we received. And when we say bids the
interest rates the winning bid was R.W. Baird and it was 3.0 three percent. The highest bid was
FTN Financial Capital which was 3.39%. Just showing the range. FTN Capital was a partner
with IFS that came on the screen so we participate and try do our bit so they’re very good rates.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded.
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
38. Approve authorizing the Director of Engineering and other relevant parties to review
the potential removal of the raised area of the Calhoun Expressway. The expressway has a
negative impact on the landscape and has stymied economic development in the
community. Other cities have taken similar action and at least one city has received federal
funding to study its impact. Studies have shown that raised areas such as the Calhoun
Expressway tend to cut off many streets on the city’s grid and impedes development of
potential high-producing parcels of land in the community.It tends to choke off urban
development. (Requested by Commissioner Bill Lockett)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Basically I spent a career in the military and in the
military we were taught that when we were given a task they told us to expend all of our energies
to try and ascertain how we can accomplish that particular task. But I think we too often spend
too much time indicating why we can’t do something. Now I understand that there have been
three studies and I didn’t know it at the time I put this on the agenda that it’s recommended that
part of the Calhoun Expressway be leveled out. And when I was down in New Orleans for a
conference and this sort of thing came up and I came back home and did a little research and I
found that that’s what many cities are doing. So what I’m looking for from you all, you all are
the engineering experts. I don’t want you to come up here and tell me we can’t do it but I want
you all to do the leg work and tell us what the possibilities are. Let us know that if this is
something that we can do sometime in the future and if we anticipated doing something with
Calhoun Expressway before the T.I.A. why would we have $9 million in there for noise
abatements or whatever? So if that’s the case I mean if we were planning on keeping Calhoun
Expressway in its present form whatever.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Ladson.
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Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission as far as the, it is a T.I.A. project
and the project was actually I mean that project basically consists of landscaping, resurfacing,
dealing with the barriers and also lighting type projects. To honest with you we hadn’t heard
anything up until, you know, up until I think as far as this being on the agenda and I think that
with the study that was done probably maybe two or three years ago. I mean we had someone
come in and look at some of the issues there but ---
Mr. Cassell: That wasn’t, that was many (inaudible) the study’s you referred to were in
the Master Plan or the Westobou, I think John Shields came in. I think the Georgia Conservancy
kind of backed up some of that. You know that kind of study is like what I guess what you
would refer to as 30,000 foot view of what you would want to happen in your city if everything
was perfect. To look at removing something like a Calhoun Expressway which is basically a
major spur limited access facility going into the city you would, it would take a much more
detailed study. As far as really looking at what the impact could be can we do without it.
Mr. Lockett: Let me ask, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to, is it possible so we can go ahead and get
rid of this agenda item that you all can be tasked with taking a look at this and seeing if
something, and it’s not a high priority just when you’re sitting back in your office not doing
anything and you want to do a little work on this. And see if it, you know, and come back to us
at some date before I get off the Commission and say hey this is a possibility or there’s no
possibility is that possible?
Mr. Ladson: I mean it, let me put it, anything is possible but I think to get your due
diligence on it out of it I think you really have to actually consult this out and not only just look
at the section there on John C. Calhoun you have to actually look at to see how it’s going to
impact the whole entire area I mean Augusta period. Because it is a main thoroughfare into the
into downtown and out of downtown so you have to look and see what the impacts are going to
be on other streets, expressways such as River Watch I mean it is a whole lot of things you have
to look at. And I think for us doing it I mean we probably would be, that’s something that would
take some time to do. I’m not saying it can’t be done but we would prefer consulting it out so we
really wouldn’t get bogged down with and particular thing.
Mr. Lockett: Okay, the last thing on this is ---
Mr. Mayor: I’ll give you another two.
Mr. Lockett: --- no, I just need about thirty seconds is I see where the federal
government is granting money to at least one or two cities to do this kind of study. And if ya’ll
would be willing to do that I’ll just go on and do this agenda item just for information because I
have complete trust in you and a little bit in Steve to get this done.
Mr. Ladson: Well, we definitely would have to get GDOT involved I mean because
they’re I mean they’re the determining factor on this because they own the roads. So but I mean
that’s something we can look at and we can (inaudible).
Mr. G. Smith: I make a motion we receive as information.
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Mr. Lockett: All right, I’ll second that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you all.
Mr. Mayor: If there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual
sign.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, next agenda item.
The Clerk:
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
39. Motion to approve the termination of the contract between Heery International and
Augusta, Georgia. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams.
Mr. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don’t think they’re taking that too serious. I
don’t see anybody from Heery. I see Mr. Gallop out there who works for them but evidently
they weren’t worried about whether or not this is going to be a vote that passes. It’s not a
concern to them. And I’m a little bit leery of someone who came in for a sales tax that didn’t
even get approved and been here all that time which done made over twelve to fifteen million
dollars from us not even here to at least see what the vote would be. So I guess they’re just
assured that they don’t have to worry about it. Well, it may not pass today but there is tomorrow
so as long as I’m here ---
Mr. Mayor: Are you going to make a motion on that?
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, I’m making a motion to approve terminating that contract.
Mr. Mayor: Do we have a second?
Mr. Lockett: I’ll second, Mr. Mayor, for one particular reason.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. If
there’s no further discussion Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, I want to speak on it.
Mr. Mayor: Oh, Commissioner Lockett.
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Mr. Lockett: I haven’t had a problem with Heery’s performance but my problem is who
is responsible for what? I thought Heery was supposed to be the project manager but now I’m
hearing that they may not be the project manager. I voted for that because I need some
clarification. We talked about this briefly in a couple agenda items prior to this. Who is the one
that’s responsible for making sure of the ADA requirements? Who are the ones responsible for
this building? I mean everybody’s pointing a finger but nobody is stepping up to the plate
assuming a responsibility. Is Heery the Project Manager? That’s the question.
Mr. Mayor: I will tell you, Commissioner, it’s my understanding that on the city’s side
the coordinator or the point person would be the Administrator.
Mr. Lockett: Well, I’m interested in the decisions that were made prior to December of
this past year.
Mr. Mayor: We don’t, the Administrator that was ---
Mr. Lockett: Can you help me out, Tim? Can you tell me what is the chain of command
here ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Schroer.
Mr. Lockett: --- as it relates to what’s going on in the building. Who’s in charge I mean
I know that the Interim Administrator is now but the day to day operations of this. Who’s in
charge?
Mr. Schroer: The day to day, the Interim Administrator office has final approval on any
decisions with this building. I serve as a liaison between the Administrator and Heery. Heery is
our Program Manager.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Schroer: They manage Turner who is our construction manager so anything that
Turner does they deal through Heery, Heery deals with most of it. If there is things that he
needs, they need to run up the food chain. I’ll take a look at that, get all the documentation and
ask the question so when it’s presented to the Administrator we have I think most of the answers
are already in place. So, yes, Heery is the Project Manager.
Mr. Lockett: Well, let me ask you this and I think it’s probably the last question I have
on this subject is how did we get to the point where we are now? I know Commissioner
Williams talked about quite a bit of this earlier on but it’s mind boggling to figure out how we
got in the shape that we’re in now. I heard what Beard with the Fire Department said and so
forth but lack of rest rooms, this thing up here it’s just so many things that the average person
would say is wrong. I mean you may not even have an answer I don’t know but if you do I’d
appreciate it.
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Mr. Schroer: The design and I don’t mean to appear glib and I hope I’m not coming off
but I agree with the Fire Chief and Mr. Masters is we’re still a project under construction, we’re
still in progress. As things are finished then, yes, we have every right to come back if in May
things are not done properly, yes, you have, I would encourage you to hold our feet to the fire.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Schroer: But please bear in mind that we’re still under construction. Once the tower
is completed the new elevators, more bathrooms are going to be coming on line so that will
resolve some issues. Doors will be resolved because then we’ll have some control, key card
access so it’s just a matter of some timing. As you do a renovation of this size and shifting
bodies on different floors some things may not be done as quickly as some people may as you
would think would be done just because of the timing of getting everything in place and getting
the bathroom, I know the bathrooms are a big deal but getting the bathrooms in place. That can’t
be done until we get the tower in place and it’s just, yes, some of it we should’ve caught we
didn’t and we’re trying to fix those as those are pointed out to us.
Mr. Lockett: Well, I’m going to do like my colleague Commissioner Fennoy my last
question is who is responsible for deciding what office are going to be placed where and what
type furniture they were going to have?
Mr. Schroer: The Administrator made that final decision, sir, based upon conversations
with departments, review with the architects to make sure the space fit and there’s adequate
space for some growth. But the ultimate decision was the Administrator made the
recommendation to this body.
Mr. Lockett: I really appreciate your response. I better understand it now and my motion
is, has nothing negative to say about Heery because I just wanted to do that so we’d have a
chance to talk about it. Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams then Commission Grady Smith.
Mr. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I heard Mr. Schroer and his explanation but this building
consists of two things the building itself and people. When you move people from one place to
another one you got to consider people. You don’t consider the building, you consider the
people. When you renovate one area you need to renovate that area. Now these doors that we
already done purchased that’s not handicap accessible should’ve been thought about. Now that’s
like a child do something and you say, well, I didn’t know. Well, when grown person do
something especially a grown person you’re paying to do something and then it comes back to
fight us. That’s why I asked the question what additional money was it going to cost us. We’re
paying a company to come in here to look out for our best interests and we pay them at a high
rate of pay. And when those things didn’t get done now we’re saying oh we’re going to do them
when we finish. But the law says that nobody else can open up a facility that the general public’s
going to go in until they finish it. They got, you can’t move it around and then juggle people.
This is what, this is why I’m really at the point of disappointment with the architect who drew it
up. If this was on the plans and Heery or whoever didn’t do it but it wasn’t even on the plans.
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And nobody showed where this was going to be when we finished if it’s going to be handicap
accessible. They’re going to be opened up and closed and they’re going to be lowered and up
and down they’re going to be handicap accessible that wasn’t even on the plans. Now that we’re
caught with our hand in the cookie jar we say oh we’re going to do it when we finish. That’s the
proper thing to say. But I’ve got some issues with it and I’m going to keep having issues. In fact
I want it put back on the agenda. They disrespect this body by not even to show up today. I
want it back on the agenda again and I won’t get the votes, Ms. Bonner, but it’s going to be back
on this agenda because I have that right to do that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, sir, and Commissioner Smith and let’s vote this up or
down so we can get on to the next agenda item. Commissioner Smith.
Mr. G. Smith: I made this point before but Heery works under the direction of the
architects and engineers that drew up this building. And if we had any problems with what they
drew up we had a chance to say something about it. I looked at the plans two years ago and
made a few comments but, you know, it fell the way it fell.
Mr. Williams: That’s on yourself, Grady.
Mr. G. Smith: And they ---
Mr. Williams: That’s on yourself, Grady.
Mr. G. Smith: --- and when you renovate the building you have to make adjustments and
they have handicap and ADA. It may not be on this floor yet but I think it is now down by the
elevators. And you can beat a dead horse to death but they’ve done the best thing they could. I
think we’ve got a good product here. Instead of bad mouthing it let’s try to help them move on
and get it done. If we’ve got some things that need to be changed we had some changes in the
offices and all that then let’s go a long way, get the job done and move forward. This county’s
got too many other problems and we’re going to sit here in this room and worry about this
building. These fellows are qualified enough to get the job done.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. G. Smith: There’s no sense in beating on them. I mean let’s get it done, pay them,
get them out of the way or whatever you want to do ---
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, call for the question.
Mr. G. Smith: --- or be quiet. When you talk I don’t say anything ---
Mr. Mayor: Ya’ll.
Mr. G. Smith: --- down okay? You got it hey. I say this. Let’s move forward and get
this county moving. All this other b.s. can go somewhere else.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. The
question has been called for.
Mr. Guilfoyle: No ---
Mr. Mayor: Is there ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- ask Madam Clerk to call out the motion please.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk?
The Clerk: To approve the termination of the contract between Heery International ----
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: --- and Augusta, Georgia.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. G. Smith: What’s the motion?
The Clerk: To approve the termination of the contract ---
Mr. Mayor: To approve terminating ---
Mr. Williams votes Yes.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Jackson, Mr. G. Smith, Mr. Mason, Mr. D. Smith, Mr. Guilfoyle
and Mr. Lockett vote No.
Motion Fails 1-8.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, point of personal privilege, please.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Commissioner Lockett, one minute.
Mr. Lockett: I’ll only need about 20 seconds. I think my colleague needs to versed in
Roberts Rules. I was following the rules of Parliamentary Procedure. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, lady and gentlemen we had an addition to the agenda which was a
second reading of a revised ordinance that I neglected in our conversations over agenda item 29.
APPOINTMENTS
29. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Willie Jones to the Augusta Transit Citizens
Advisory Committee representing District 5.
Mr. Guilfoyle: So moved.
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Ms. Davis: Second.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: Do we have unanimous consent to add and approve that agenda item?
(Inaudible) Okay. Do we have unanimous consent to add? (Inaudible) Okay. All righty,
Madam Clerk Item 40.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATOR
40. Receive as information an update from the Interim Administrator on the scope of
services for Heery International for Augusta Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk. Madam Administrator.
Ms. Allen: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, I was tasked to get with the Heery
as well as Dukes Edward Dukes in regards to an agreement for the Transit Operations Facility.
There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding the approval of what actually was approved
for them to do as it relates Winifred Edward Dukes being on that project. Once the issue was
clarified the two parties and I spoke with Mr. Dukes as well as Mr. LaGatta of Heery. The
parties reached a resolution. I conferred also with the Legal Department to make sure there was
no further action needed by this body and we’re in agreement that the prior agreement or
contractual agreement that was approved in 2012 will actually govern the process and the
project. So both parties are in agreement there seems to be no issues. That has been resolved. I
have spoken to both parties as well as the Law Department to make sure everything was in order.
Mr. Lockett: Move to receive as information.
Mr. D. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded. Commissioner
Williams.
Mr. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to have a copy of that and make sure I know
what their agreement is because I don’t, I mean my colleague’s already got a good understanding
but there was some difference of agreement with these two so I’d to have, they don’t need one
but I’d like to have one to see exactly what that’s supposed to be and how it’s worded because
there were some disagreements here in the Chambers about who was on first and what was on
second.
Ms. Allen: You’re exactly right, sir, and I’ll provide that.
Mr. Williams: Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion that’s been made and properly seconded.
Commissioners will now vote by the usual sign.
Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Guilfoyle out.
Motion Passes 7-0.
Mr. Mayor: With no further business to come before the body we stand adjourned.
[MEETING ADJOURNED]
Lena Bonner
Clerk of Commission
CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy
of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on
August 5, 2014.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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