HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting March 25, 2015
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
MARCH 25, 2015
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., March 25, 2015, the
Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Lockett, Guilfoyle, Sias, Harris, M. Williams, Fennoy, D. Williams,
Hasan, Davis and Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
ABSENT: Hon. Harris, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Mr. Mayor: All right. For those of you in the audience we’re completing the action
items from our legal meeting. We will be on the regular agenda in just a moment. Ms. Nancy, if
you want to go ahead and call the Pastor of the Day for our invocation.
The Clerk: Yes, sir. We’d like to call Rev. Beotis Clark, Pastor, Jerusalem Missionary
Baptist Church. If you would please come forward and give the invocation.
Mr. Mayor: Yes please. After the invocation we’ll have the Pledge of Allegiance.
Would you please stand with us?
The invocation was given by the Rev. Beotis Clark, Pastor, Jerusalem Missionary
Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: Rev. Clark, if you’ll approach. Ms. Morawski?
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
A. Rev. Christopher Johnson
RE: Support Paine College Day on behalf of the Augusta Interfaith Coalition.
Mr. Mayor: I do not see Mr. Johnson in the audience at this time.
(Rev. Johnson did not appear before the Commission)
The Clerk: Go to ‘B’?
Mr. Mayor: Would you please.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
B. Ms. Katie B. DeLaigle
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RE: Family Portraits and Documents housed in the Gatehouse at Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. DeLaigle, if you’ll approach. You have five minutes.
Ms. DeLaigle: Obviously I am here on behalf of the DeLaigle family. We thank you for
giving us the time to be able to express our concerns. We’re petitioning on behalf of our family.
They are long time citizens of Augusta Richmond County regarding the historic items relating to
the DeLaigle Family that have been property of the City of Augusta for some time actually it’s
been about 75 years. We are concerned with the preservation of the six family portraits that hand
in the gatehouse of Magnolia Cemetery and some family documents that are contained in the
cornerstone of the same building. I was there on Monday and the building is now leaking and
when you walk in the door you can smell the mold and mildew. So that’s even more concerning
to us regarding those portraits. Now we do have and this is just a copy of it but we will replace
them with other portraits if you’ll allow us to take the originals down. And they do, they look
almost like the originals to be quite frank. In 1945 our ancestor Louise DeLaigle having no
children she left funds to build the Sexton’s Lodge at Magnolia Cemetery and hung six family
portraits there as a memorial upon her death. The portraits today are in a precarious state as I
mentioned and the aging oil portraits and drawings are not secured they’re just hung on a nail if
you will and they are deteriorating in a non-climate controlled environment. And as I mentioned
we are aware of the leaks in the building. The DeLaigle Family donated the land, well I think
one acre came from the county and the remaining 60 acres at the cemetery was given by the
DeLaigle Family as well as Cedar Grove land was also given by the family. We have a
petitioned signed with over 150 people plus that have been in favor of this as well as we have
quite a delegation here from the family to support us. We propose that the city move the
DeLaigle portraits to a more secure location where their preservation or provide for conservation
and increase security in the way they are currently hung at the cemetery. The other matters of
interest to the DeLaigle Family are some documents that were left by Louse DeLaigle Reese in
the cornerstone or the gatehouse at Magnolia Cemetery. We believe these documents maybe of
historical importance to the city and propose that they also be removed from the cornerstone for
examination and study. The work of removing these documents from the cornerstone would be
provided by the family or it’s deemed most expedient. Of course these would remain city
property unless loaned or transferred to another institution to remain with the public trust. The
beautiful and architecturally significant Nicolas DeLaigle home at 426 Greene was destroyed in
1950 for the construction of Gordon Highway. This was a major blow to historic preservation in
Augusta and we would hate to see a similar traffic fate befall these family portraits and
documents. The DeLaigle family’s at present only concern is about preservation of these historic
family artifacts and the representation as part of Augusta’s rich history. As a quick background
and I’ll be brief. The DeLaigle family gave a number of contributions to the city of Augusta.
Nicolas DeLaigle was a Frenchman who came to Augusta in 1803. He amassed a considerable
fortune for that day and he owned 14,000 acres along the Savannah River. DeLaigle started the
first brickyard in the south and he built a beautiful home on Greene Street. He was among one of
the first citizens of early Augusta and as the leader of the French community he welcome the The
Marquis de Lafayette to the city 1825. DeLaigle deeded the land to the City of Augusta as I
mentioned earlier for Magnolia Cemetery which later became one of the nation’s first garden
cemeteries. In March of 1845 Nicolas was one of the city leaders involving the construction of
the Augusta Canal. Nicolas was also instrumental in the founding of the Medical College and he
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supplied brick for the building of the Church of the Most Holy Trinity. Nicolas DeLaigle was
also on the Mayor’s Committee to rebuild Augusta after the devastating fire of 1829. Because
the land for Magnolia Cemetery has been deeded to the city by great grandfather Nicolas
DeLaigle Louise DeLaigle Reese gave to the City of Augusta the funds to construct Sexton’s
Lodge in 1945. It is built in classical style with cemetery offices flanking our central rotunda
where Louise hung six family portraits. Over the door she placed an inscription saying that the
lodge had been built as a daughter’s tribute to her mother and family. Louise contributed a large
sum of money to University Hospital for the construction of the Lamar Wing. She had a plaque
placed which is now in the existing University Hospital building which remains in the lobby of
the present hospital. It is memory of Adam Hughes DeLaigle a dear friend who was a former
slave. We appreciate your attention to the matter and allowing us to bring this before the
Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Ms. DeLaigle. Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: How are you doing?
Ms. DeLaigle: Good.
Mr. Fennoy: Do you have any place in mind that you would like to see the portraits
moved to?
Ms. DeLaigle: Yes, we are talking to the museum, Augusta Museum of History. We
have talked to Nancy Glaser about the possibility of moving them there, yes.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and do you have a Plan ‘B’? I mean does seem like that’s going to
happen?
Ms. DeLaigle: We hope so, yes. They seem to be on board but you know we have to go
through the channels just like we’re doing here. And they couldn’t do anything until we had it
approved by the Commission.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, so right now you just want us to have the originals removed from
their present location and placed where until a suitable place is found?
Ms. DeLaigle: Yes, well, we’re hoping we can just take them straight to the museum.
This will be a work in progress as I said. We already have two of the portraits made copies and
we’ll have the rest of them the copies made at such given time the originals will be taken from
the building and moved to the museum.
Mr. Fennoy: Thank you.
Ms. DeLaigle: That’s our plan.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
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Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ma’am, just for a point of clarity say the Commission
approves your request do you all have a plan for that actual movement of the portraits so would
do that?
Ms. DeLaigle: Yes, as I mentioned earlier what we will do with the Commission’s, we’ll
probably get somebody like Eric Montgomery or someone to be there. Of course Jerry Murphy’s
been working at the cemetery for 32 years and he would see that they’re moved in a proper
manner and take them to the museum. That’s no problem.
Mr. Sias: And do you require financial from us?
Ms. DeLaigle: Not at this point. We had hoped, I mentioned earlier about the artifacts
that are, have been buried at the cornerstone there. We probably will have to go into the bricks
there at the cemetery at the Sexton’s Lodge. However, we will help to have it replaced like it
should be.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve, Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Davis: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right we’ve got a lot of business ahead of us and delegations are limited
to five minutes to include questions. All right, we’re starting on the end of the table.
Commissioner Lockett and then Commissioner Guilfoyle and come this way.
Mr. Lockett: Ms. DeLaigle, thank you very much for your presentation. Will the family
be responsible for the restoration or will this be done by the museum?
Ms. DeLaigle: That’s still a little bit in limbo but yes we have talked to several people
that could do the restoration. Actually when Charles DeVaney was Mayor he had it done but
that’s been some years ago as you know and they are badly in need of being restored.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you.
Ms. DeLaigle: You’re welcome.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. DeLaigle, I’d like to thank you and your
family for the history that you have provided us with the long standing as dedicated citizens for
giving the county land, working with the county, donating money to the county. If this is a
fraction of what we could do, I think we ought to do it hands up and do whatever you request.
Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right. We’ve got a motion and a second. Commissioner M. Williams.
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Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. DeLaigle, I too appreciate you but I need
to ask. Have you consulted the Historic Board to see what the guidelines says as far as moving
not just moving but replacing even going into the cornerstone? Have any conversations been had
with the Historic Board, Historic Society to see?
Ms. DeLaigle: We had, excuse me. We had originally contacted Eric Montgomery and
he told us to work through the museum and through the Commission. And I’ll get back with him
and make sure we follow the guidelines, yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: Normally they’re here when there’s any history being talked about
being moved or changed. Even the rooftops of some homes they don’t want to deviate from the
original type. So I was just wondering had you had much conversation with them because they
have been very active with, you know, the history and the movement of different history around
here. And I don’t see anybody here from that board and I’m just.
Ms. DeLaigle: We went to visit him, Eric Montgomery and he actually sent us to the
museum to follow up on that.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I don’t have no problem but I did want to ask that question
because they have been very active about, even people who are trying to do something with their
own homes they have been opposed to some and whatever but I just wanted to bring that point.
Ms. DeLaigle: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, Commissioner Williams. All right, I think we had a
motion. I’m not quite sure what that motion is but I’m going to ask the Commissioner from the
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4 to restate what your motion is.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve been hearing and receiving information and now we’ve turned it into
action if you’ll restate that.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, the motion was to approve the request from the DeLaigle family
and if there was funding required of us that will be requested but right now that’s not expected.
Ms. Davis: I’ll second that.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second a request moving the artifacts from the
gatehouse to an appropriate location.
Mr. D. Williams out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Ms. DeLaigle: Thank you very much, we appreciate it.
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The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
C. Ms. Jennifer Salamanca
RE: Compliance with the law to provide an interpreter to citizens and residents that
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speak a different language than English. As stated in the 14 amendment.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Salamanca.
Ms. Salamanca: Thank you very much for your time (unintelligible). Good afternoon,
my name is Jennifer Salamanca. I am a long time resident of Richmond County. I am a social
worker by background. I also hold a master’s degree in clinical psychology and I have some
training as a medical and court interpreter in Georgia. I currently work part time as a therapist
and devote the remainder of my time as a social service related volunteer in our community
especially for the Hispanic Community, many of whom are local residents of the United States
and also are limited English proficiency so we call it LAD that’s how I’m going to refer to them.
Over the past several months I have received many requests from Hispanic Americans in their
dealings with various Richmond County public agencies and I have personally witnessed the
inadequate cohesion of services to these people. For example when people are asked to appear
before the court for instance in regards to a simple traffic violation not understanding their
options as the court explains these in English, these people are being compelled to purchase
interpretation services for Hispanic speaking gentleman who does provide business at an
exorbitant fee on the premises of the court even as the court obligation has to provide and pay for
the court interpreters. Several county policemen have told me personally how people of
Hispanic origins sometimes stay in the local jail for extended periods of time at considerable cost
of the county because they are not provided with interpreters and legally cannot sufficiently
communicate to deal with their own cases. The issue I bring before you is that the staff was
entirely unprepared to deal with Hispanic speaking and United States citizens saying that they
cannot provide either an interpreter or written information in Spanish effectively turning their
citizens away the agency. These examples can be multiplied. The Hispanic origin population of
the United States is rising rapidly and by far the majority of them are US citizens. Every year
now one million additional people of Hispanic origin become eligible to vote in this country, a
powerful political force. In Richmond County the census in 2013 4.9% of our race here are
Hispanics. Between 2000 and 2010 the Hispanic population of Richmond County has doubled in
size and this is likely to double again by 2020. That means that we are going to be the 10% of
our county population. In the largest CSRA region the census would suggest that we have well
over 25,000 residents of Hispanic origin, many of them having all their business and living in
Richmond County therefore providing tax income to the county. This constitutes an affordable
economic force as well. I am exhausted battling the ignorance and sometimes the open
resistance by the staff of nearly every Richmond County public agency that I visit with the
people I assist in regards to their agency’s legal obligation to provide services in Spanish when
this is needed. I have personally witnessed how fellow lawful residents and citizens and
especially their children are being harmed everyday when they are unable to access public
services to which they are entitled to by law simply because they are of limited English
proficiency. In sum it seems that to me that the county formally needs to investigate what
precisely are the rights of the Hispanic region or other LAD. And I want to say including the
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Asian community is very large right now in the county as well. What are the corresponding
duties of the public agencies of the county and how these duties are to be discharged? I am not a
lawyer, but I know that federal and the state law legal rules, legal guidance and legal customs
information which can be downloaded from the internet are fairly explicit that each goes far
beyond their compliance with the letter of the law. For example a simple providing a telephone
line to commercial interpretations services may not fulfill the criteria of meaningful access to
services to which lawful residents and citizens are entitled. In fact the legal documents I have
reviewed frequently speak of cognitive ability issues that arise for public agencies when
meaningful access to public services is not provided to people of limited English proficiency. I
ask the Commission formerly kindly ask investigate these matters and that each undertakes
relevant action to rectify any shortcomings it may find in their investigations, leadership and
staff training and meaningful services provisions by its public agencies to people of limited
English proficiency. I have to say that the community and as a leader of the Hispanic
community we are very willing to help to make this happen.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Senorita Salamanca. Any questions from the Commission?
There are no questions from the Commission.
Mr. Sias: At this time, Mr. Mayor, I move that we take this as information.
Ms. Davis: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second to receive as information. Ms. Salamanca,
thank you.
Ms. Salamanca: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Voting?
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right on to the consent agenda.
The Clerk: Yes, sir. Our consent agenda consists of items 1-3.
Mr. Mayor: All right at this time we’ll entertain a motion to either add or pull from the
consent agenda. Any motions to add or withdraw? The Chair recognizes Commissioner Mary
Davis.
Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor, are we able to add 6, 7, 9 and 10 if there are no objectors to the
consent?
Mr. Mayor: Excellent idea.
Mr. Fennoy: I don’t want nine pulled, yeah I don’t want nine added to the consent
agenda.
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Mr. Mayor: So you’re modifying that Commissioner Davis?
Ms. Davis: To add items 6, 7 and 10 to the consent.
Mr. Hasan: Number 15?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Ms. Morawski, 15 is also added to the consent agenda.
Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Under the Finance Committee I’d like to consent
item number 13 if my colleagues doesn’t have a problem with it.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. And number 13, Ms. Morawski.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, would you like me to read the alcohol applications just to see if
there are any objectors?
Mr. Mayor: Of the ones that we’ve added to the consent agenda? Sure.
The Clerk: Okay. I’ll read the alcohol applications and if there are any objectors would
you please signify your objections by raising your hand.
Item 6: Is a request for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be
used in connection with Monroe Restaurant Group, LLC located at 816 Cotton Lane. There will
be Sunday Sales.
Item 7: Is a request for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be
used in connection with 706 Lounge located at 2623 Dean Bridge Road.
Item 10: Is a request for Tin Lizzy’s Taqueria Cantina located at 2821 Washington Road
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for an Alcohol Special Event license for 7 days April 6 thru April 12, 2015.
The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of these alcohol petitions? I don’t see any, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to we’ve still got a little bit of work, Ms. Morawski.
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The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8 Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If my colleagues doesn’t have a problem with
this under Planning consent items number 4 and 5.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, suspend.
Mr. MacKenzie: I just want to note for the record on number 5 there’s an updated
version that was distributed to the Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, which we have in front of us.
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Mr. Sias: Move to approve, Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Davis: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve added these items we’ve got a motion to approve and a
second. Voting on the consent agenda.
CONSENT AGENDA
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
1. Motion to approve Year 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan and 2015 Action Plan for
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Home Investment Partnerships
(HOME) Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, Housing Opportunities
for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. (Approved by Administrative Services
Committee October 27, 2014)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
2. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held on March
17, 2015.
APPOINTMENT(S)
3. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Frank Bowman to the Augusta Aviation
Commission at Bush Field representing District 6. (Requested by Commissioner Hasan)
PLANNING
4. Request to approve a Resolution to support the Fiscal Year 2016 Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) Section 5303 Metropolitan Planning Grant.
5. Request approval of the revised Title VI Civil Rights Program(s) pertaining to federal
funding under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and federal aid funds under the
Federal Highway Administration received by Augusta Planning and Development
Department and Augusta Public Transit Department.
PUBLIC SERVICES
6. New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-16: A request by Lisa Kay Monroe for an on
premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Monroe
Restaurant Group, LLC, located at 816 Cotton Lane. There will be Dance. There will be
Sunday Sales. District 1. Super District 9.
7. New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-17: A request by Ester Renee Clayton for an on
premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with 706
Lounge located at 2623 Deans Bridge Road. There will be Dance. District 2. Supper District
9.
10. Discussion: A request by Michael Evertsen for Tin Lizzy’s Taqueria Cantina located at
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2821 Washington Rd. for an Alcohol Special Event license for 7 days April 6 thru April
12, 2015. (Masters Week in the parking lot). There will be Sunday Sales. District 7. Super
District 10.
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FINANCE
13. Approve Public Official Liability Insurance with RSUI Indemnity Company for a
premium charge of $68,695 for policy period April 19, 2015 to April 19, 2016.
APPOINTMENT(S)
15. Consider a request from Commissioner Bill Fennoy on behalf of the Downtown
Development Authority to appoint Mr. Rick Keuroglian, III to fill the seat on the Board
created by the resignation of Mr. Sanford Loyd.
Motion carries 9-0. [Items 1-7, 10, 13, 15]
Mr. Mayor: All right, Ms. Morawski, what I’d like to do is we’re going to take up item
11, 9 and then 8.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
11. Approve the bid proposal submitted by Jacobs Land Management for the Landscaping
and Irrigation for the Additions and Modernizations to the Municipal Building in the
amount of $109,708.00 including Add Alternate No. 1.
Mr. Mayor: All right, you’re probably wondering what we’re caucusing about. I don’t
know if I want to admit it publicly but the Chair recognizes the Recreation and Parks Interim
Director.
Mr. Houck: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission. The, this is a bid
proposal to take care of the new landscaping that will be part of the Municipal Building
Renovation. It includes demolition of all the existing landscaping that hasn’t been taken out.
The Recreation Department has taken a lot of plant material out and has reutilized these in our
park system Riverwalk being a prime example if you see some new plantings down there. It also
includes new irrigation, controller systems and the controller will also tie into the landscape that
will come along with the construction of the IT Building as well. This was bid outside of
Turner’s contract to be able to save some money on overhead and profit and we recommend
approval for the low responsive bidder and alternate one on this landscape project.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9 Commissioner M.
Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Could some of this shrubbery or the stuff
you’re taking out be used at the golf course? You know we’ve been talking about beautification
and adding to that facility to try to enhance that. I know you said you used some of it around
other places but there’s a great need for some of that I think and the vegetation could be
transported I believe. I don’t know about a green thumb but I do know there’s a time you have
to plant it but if that’s possible I’d like to see some of that go up there to be used to help out with
that facility.
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Mr. Houck: Yes, sir, we have not looked at that but we certainly will with some of the
remaining landscape that’s on site here.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2, M. Williams, oh D.
Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: The vendor that we’re using, is he a local vendor?
Mr. Houck: Yes, sir.
Mr. D. Williams: Will he be using any subcontractors?
Mr. Houck: I do not believe so.
Mr. D. Williams: Thank you.
Mr. Guilfoyle: So moved.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve have a motion and a second. Voting.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Houck: Thank you.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
9. Discussion: A request by Shawn Ledford for Homer LLC DBA Mellow Mushroom
Pizza Bakers located at 1167 St. for a One Day Alcohol Special Event license for April 9,
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2015. (Masters Week Block Party 12 St. between 1167 Broad St. and Jones St.) Super
District 10.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I’ve had an opportunity to talk with Shawn concerning this issue but
not only this but an ongoing issue. As many of you all may know that Mellow Mushroom has a
parking lot that’s adjacent to the historic Springfield Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches
in the United States, and they are complaining. I went down there and I saw where the fence was
knocked down and he has agreed to repair the, you know, repair the fence. But I also saw some
beer cans and bottles in the parking lot of Springfield and also saw some ladies underwear in the
parking lot. And according to members of Springfield this is an ongoing issue and no member of
any congregation wants to come to church on Sunday morning and see that in their parking lot.
I’ve talked to the pastor of the church and he’s willing to sit down and talk with ya’ll to see if we
could you know if you could police that area prior to not only services during the Masters but
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services every Sunday. They want to be good neighbors and I think, Mr. Mayor, we may have
someone here from Springfield that may or may not want to, you know, to talk about what’s
going on if that’s okay with you.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes I believe Ms. Bennett mother of the church and the
members.
Ms. Bennett: Good afternoon. As has been stated we are the oldest African American
Baptist Church in the United States and that is documented. We have a concern about our
property. During our past experiences with the Mellow Mushroom we’ve attempted to share the
parking initially, however due to problems associated with some of the things that Mr. Fennoy
just talked about in terms of the paraphernalia and the materials that we found in our parking lot
on our property we have installed, we had to install a fence to the tune of some $12,000 dollars
for the fencing. That fence that’s adjacent to the Mellow Mushroom property continues for the
third time and we are at a point where we haven’t replaced it at this time. It is down for you to
see that it is, we want to be neighborly, we want to be neighborly. What it is that we cannot
continue to have our property treated this way, to have us treated this way with that kind of
behavior and so is our concern about. We recognized that people need to do business and we
don’t have any problem with the alcohol. We’ve been there with the alcohol and everything
that’s been going on for a number of years but our property cannot continue to be treated and that
is our concern about the one day event because it will cover the whole block and a number of
areas associated with the church.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ask Ms. Bennett a question and then ask the -
--
Mr. Mayor: I haven’t recognized them over on this side, yes.
Mr. Hasan: --- okay yes, okay. Yes, ma’am, Ms. Bennett what’s ---
Ms. Brown: My name is Ms. Brown.
Mr. Hasan: --- what, your name is?
Ms. Brown: Brown.
Mr. Hasan: Ms. Brown, Ms. Brown, do you have lighting right there by where your
fences are that you’re just speaking about?
Ms. Brown: Yes.
Mr. Hasan: You have lighting?
Ms. Brown: Yes.
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Mr. Hasan: Okay, Mr. Mayor, my next question I’d like to ---
Mr. Mayor: All right the Chair recognizes Mr. Ledford.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Ledford ---
Mr. Ledford: Yes.
Mr. Hasan: --- yes, sir. What time do you close on Saturday night? I know we’re talking
about a weeklong event but I’m just asking in general. What time do you normally close on
Saturday?
Mr. Ledford: 11:00 p.m.
Mr. Hasan: On Saturday nights?
Mr. Ledford: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Is it possible that you know by the time that your parking lot clears across
there from about 11:30 or 12:00 o’clock you could have a crew to go out and clean up the debris
that lot off since there’s lighting there?
Mr. Ledford: Yes, sir, we can do that. My only concern with that in which some of the
blame might come my way is there is a bar next door to me that’s open until two in the morning.
So if I go and clean it at 11:00 I can’t prove that I did that ---
Mr. Hasan: Right.
Mr. Ledford: --- at 2:00 a.m. Another thing is fences are made to keep people out so
when the fence went up we policed our area. I did not know that all beer bottles are coming
from, we’re not allowed to sell off premise beer so it’s not, I don’t even know that’s it’s coming
from our building. I mean I know it’s coming from whoever is parking in that lot or whoever
parks there over night or whatever but I don’t know how I can be responsible for it, I mean ladies
underwear, I mean we don’t sell ladies underwear.
Mr. Hasan: Yeah, okay.
Mr. Ledford: I’m willing to do whatever. I mean we want to keep our lot and theirs
clean as well because we’re a place of business and we want to have that representation of being
clean.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, one more follow up?
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
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Mr. Hasan: Do you have a what type of relation do you have with your colleague your
neighbor in terms of the ones who runs the bar until two o’clock in the morning?
Mr. Ledford: I have a good relationship.
Mr. Hasan: Is it possible that you and him can talk about that and that he can get
somebody at 2:30 or something and you know it’s cleaned one and done at that particular time?
Mr. Ledford: Yes, sir and we’ve asked them to clean it just for our customers coming in
the next morning because he’s there later than we are. So we’ve had those conversations before
and we can readdress it to where it’s taken care of.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Brown: Our concern is that if our if the fence is up there if the fence is up, you
know, for several months we didn’t have a problem when our fence was up because then if
people throw things over there we are aware that we’re going to clean it up. But our fence is
down our fence has been torn down. It is on the ground so that you can actually, you know, you
can walk on our property now because the fence is down. That’s our main that’s part of our
concern is our property has been destroyed. And we don’t park there, we don’t park.
Mr. Mayor: If you’ll direct those ---
Ms. Brown: Oh, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: --- to us.
Ms. Brown: We don’t park. We’re not parking there we’re not parking there so we’re
not sure who it is that (unintelligible) more than likely there is a sign up there that says Mellow
Mushroom parking, customer parking for Mellow Mushroom, then the assumption has to be that
it’s Mellow Mushroom.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I think and Mr. Ledford would probably agree with me that it’s
obvious that the, whoever parked in your parking lot knocked down the fence. And what Mr.
Ledford has agreed to do is put the fence up. And one of the things we talked about was maybe
putting some of those ---
Mr. Speaker: bollards.
Mr. Fennoy
: --- yeah, that would prevent anybody from knocking down the fence in the
I’m going to recommend that we give Mr. Ledford the request but I’m also going to
future.
strongly recommend that if possible sometime next week that the pastor’s depending on the
schedule that we sit down and talk and even your neighbor, let them know their concerns
14
and what is it that we could do to address these concerns
so this will be the final time we
have to talk about this.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so what we’re hearing we’ve got a motion to approve. Is that
motion contingent or conditional upon anything?
Mr. Fennoy: I think that he has agreed to fix the fence and he has agreed to sit down and
talk with members of Springfield as how to address it.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion. We need a second.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Second.
nd
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2 Commissioner D.
Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: I’m just asking for clarity being that this petition is for a block party
will you be selling alcohol in the parking lot?
Mr. Ledford: No, sir.
Mr. D. Williams: Will people be drinking it in the parking lot?
Mr. Ledford: No, sir.
Mr. D. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Ledford: And if they are it’s, I’m only asking for the stretch of 12th Street between
Broad and Jones. The parking lot is on the other side of Jones Street.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Sherman, would you approach? Commissioner Williams, D.
Williams asked a very I think important question. The application says a Special Event License.
We’ve had a series of those as late as last week for on premise sales not just consumption. This
petition does not include on premise sales.
Mr. Sherman: This includes on premise consumption so of course there will be sales for
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on premise consumption. And what he’s proposing to do is to block off 12 Street from Jones to
Broad and this is the street that’s beside his property and he’ll have tables there. They’ll be
fenced off and it will be for a block party and the hours are for from roughly in the mid afternoon
until ---
Mr. D. Williams: From three until ten.
Mr. Sherman: --- from three to ten and then it will be, their event will be over. And it
sort of coincides with the concert that is going on downtown that evening.
15
Mr. D. Williams: So this is for seven days.
Mr. Sherman: No, this is only for this one day, this is for Thursday. Now some Special
Events licenses that you have approved have been for the seven day period.
Mr. D. Williams: Right.
Mr. Sherman: But this is only for ---
Mr. D. Williams: Okay.
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Mr. Mayor: For one day on April the 6.
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Mr. Sherman: --- the 9.
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Mr. Mayor: The 9, okay. All right. All right do we have additional comments,
information? Okay, we’ve got a motion and a second for approval. Voting?
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk: Item 8.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Morawski, if you’ll suspend, let’s take up item 14 and 12.
The Clerk:
FINANCE
14. Receive as information preliminary financial reports for the year ended December 31,
2014.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Chairman, Chairman of Finance.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. We’re going to, apparently Donna
wasn’t expecting to jump around on the agenda so she’s going to do a short presentation Power
Point for us to give us an update.
Ms. Williams: Yeah, we do things numerically in order so we were just comfortable.
We’re ready.
Mr. Mayor: And, Ms. Williams, if you can give us the Mini Cooper version.
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Ms. Williams: Got it, probably, all right. What you have in front of you is the 4
Quarter for December 31, 2014 Preliminary Financial Report. And these are unaudited. So why
do we refer to these as preliminary well basically because these reports are fundamentally
reported on the cash basis. The Audited Financial Reports are presented on what is known as the
Modified Accrual Basis and the Audited Financial Reports combine the General Fund, Law
16
Enforcement and some grant funds for reporting purposes so you will see one total for that
whereas internally the reports that we provide separate those. What does all that mean? Well, the
Cash Basis is basically a snapshot of a picture of our financials as they existed at 12-31-14.
When they are adjusted to the Modified Accrual Basis that requires us to account for the things
that were known or that were reasonably expected that could be known as of that date. What
does that mean? Well, the cash basis means very simply if we wrote a check or deposited the
funds by that last day of 2014 then that expense or that revenue was shown on those statements
at that time. You use an amount of time which is usually 60 days as stipulated in the
Governmental Accounting Standards book to convert to what is known as Modified Accrual
Basis. That means pretty simply is if you incurred or you obligated yourself to an expenditure or
you could expect a revenue to come in within that 60 day time period then you make a journal
entry to either accrue that revenue as revenue and a receivable or as an expenditure. Today’s
discussion and what you have in front of you covers the funds that you normally see when we
present our Quarterly Financial Report. The General Fund, the Law Enforcement Fund, the
Urban Service District Fund, Fire Protection, Water and Sewer and the effects of the ice storm
and what they could possibly have on our financial reports for year end. If you looked at the
General Fund and the Law Enforcement Funds combined which I believe are on pages 5 and 7 of
your reports when you get ready to look at those tonight while you’re watching TV you would
see that if we close exactly and everything stayed exactly as it is reported right now for those two
funds you would have revenues exceed expenditures for 2014 by approximately $262,000
dollars. That’s if everything stayed exactly the same as it was at that time. In the Urban Service
fund which is on page six in your backup information the expenditures exceeded the revenue by
approximately $3 million dollars. Now before everybody panics $2.5 of that was expected. It is
the bridge loan to Laney Walker Redevelopment that will be repaid in the fall of this year so you
will have a flip back to the Urban Service District for that amount. The other reason that we
were short is that our sales tax collections for the Urban Service District Fund were down
slightly. And also this is the first year of the conversion of the payment for garbage service to a
fee based revenue and charge in the Urban Service District rather than just taking that money out
of the total amount of tax collection. So we knew that there was some margin for some wiggle
room in there and we didn’t, we couldn’t gauge completely the effect of that transition. We
made our best estimates we went forward with the program and now that we know what the
results of that change is we can better plan for it in the upcoming years. Under Fire Protection
your revenue exceeded your expenditures by $320,000 dollars. That’s on page eight that will be
in your backup information. The overtime expenditures caused an overage in the Personal
Service category however the Fire Department was able to offset that by controlling expenditures
in other areas of the budget. And so when we convert to what I refer to as the Modified Accrual
Basis they will practically break even because late in the year there was an encumbrance issue
for a fire truck for approximately $300,000 dollars that was not received and paid for during
2014. So once that expenditure is booked it will go against that $320,000 overage in revenues
and they’ll practically break even. In the Water and Sewer Fund now those are reported a little
differently because the Water and Sewer fund is an enterprise fund and that has accounting
transactions in it that more closely resemble a business. One of those items is depreciation.
Depreciation shows an expenditure but it you don’t pay out any cash for depreciation. That’s
just one of the examples. In my cover memo I talk pretty seriously about the effects of the ice
storm and what they will have on our financial statements for 2014. We spent $17.8 million
dollars for expenditures related to the ice storm that occurred in February of 2014. Those items
17
were broken up into two big categories. Any expenditures relating to debris removal which was
the majority of the expenditures and any costs associated with other expenditures that were not
related to debris. For the costs that weren’t related to debris removal we spent approximately
$616,000 dollars. Of that $564,000 were declared to be eligible expenditures by FEMA. To date
we’ve received a check for, several checks three checks totaling $448,000 dollars and they have
held retainage on that for $44,000 dollars. So for the costs not relating to debris removal of the
$616,000 dollars that we charged against the ice storm we received or can expect to receive all
but $123,000 dollars. For the big ticket item the debris removal costs. Of the total amount that
we spent of $17.8, $17.2 million of that was paid to contractors related to debris removal.
FEMA initially accepted cost of approximately $12.5 million dollars. We received two
reimbursements both of those in 2015. The first reimbursement received was almost $5.5
million dollars and the other one was $3 million dollars. We have appealed approximately $4.3
million dollars worth of expenditures. If we had to close our books today and there were no
other monies forthcoming from the expenditures relating to the ice storm, Augusta would show a
decrease in their fund balance of approximately $8.2 million dollars. Now shortly after the ice
storm the Commission obligated the use of $4.7 million dollars of our reserves. That’s what we
kept aside in our reserve for extraordinary loses and this obviously fit that category pretty well.
When the millage rate was set in 2014, a part of that millage rate increased which translated to
$1.125 million dollars was set aside to replace our use of fund balance each year. If we were just
looking at the $4.7 million dollars it would’ve taken approximately four years to replace that.
But the Commission took the steps to replace their anticipated use of reserves so we have
planned to be able to recover a portion of what we had to expend for this hopefully once in a
lifetime event. If there are favorable results from the appeal or the release of any future funds
from FEMA obviously this would go to replace any use of our expected use of fund balance. For
example if the $4.3 million dollars that we appealed, if that was completely successful 100%
successful and we got approximately 75% reimbursement from FEMA that would be an
additional $3.5 million dollars. There’s other information that is included also in your packet
relating to our sales tax collection. That’s on page 10 and 11. And all the SPLOST projects and
the expenditures to date for each and every SPLOST project in all phases that are open or
accounted for are on page 12 through 20. And I’m, they’re kind of a small font but it’s hard to
get everything on the page where you can see it where it makes sense. That’s the short version.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Ms. Williams, we appreciate it. Are there any questions from
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the Commission? The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8 Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle
: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to if my colleagues have any questions if they take
So I
this information with them. If they have any questions we’ll put it on the agenda later.
would like to for right now just make a motion to receive as information.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, a motion and second to receive as information. Voting.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
18
PUBLIC SAFETY
12. Approve agreement with Cartegraph, Inc. to acquire 3D Imagery and Earthmine
Software.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Mr. Blanchard.
Mr. Blanchard: Good afternoon. This agenda item covers the acquisition of Earthmine
Software from Cartegraph. This is a solution that includes two distinct components. First
there’s the photographic component which essentially is some HD photography of the entire city
because part of this project is for it calls for Cartegraph to drive every single street in Augusta
with a specially equipped vehicle that will be taking the photographs. This vehicle will also have
GPS on board which leads into the second part of the project which they will provide us with
what they call which is known in the industry as a 3D Point Cloud. And essentially what that
does is it permits us to be able to look at different facets of the city infrastructure. Say for
instance street lights, street signs, things like that and rather than dispatching personnel in the
field with a GPS unit to determine what the location is we’d be able to get it right off the image,
measure the distance between the ground and the sign or how tall a light pole is, how tall a tree
is, how wide is the traffic striping, it gives us all the information right there so that any number
of city departments can use it. So in essence we’d be able to get a complete inventory of our city
infrastructure using this technology. We released an RFP late last summer in the fall. We’ve
reviewed presentations and Cartegraph came in as the vendor or choice for this project which
will cost $200,000 dollars.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5 Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Blanchard, is there any reason why this did
not go through the committee process?
Mr. Blanchard: The primary reason for that was that because of the quirk in scheduling
due to Masters Week. We’re at a point where due to contract negotiations and things like that
we did not want the vendor’s bid to expire because the price that they gave us was for a certain
time period and likely would go up if we did not give them this window.
Mr. Lockett: Is this the same system that Columbia County has now?
Mr. Blanchard: Yes, sir. In fact that was on the news yesterday morning I believe they
we’re showing it off.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, I move to approve.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
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Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Could you kind of explain to me where the funds
are available in the following account coming out of SPLOST, Augusta Public Transit,
Environmental Services and Utility Department?
Mr. Blanchard: Yes, sir. We wanted to try and gather funding from all the people that
are going to benefit from this project. The of course IT has SPLOST funds set aside for digital
ortho photography and essentially that’s what this is. It’s photographs that are tied to geographic
coordinates. So that’s where part of its coming in. The Environmental Services segment is there
because that department of course is responsible pickup of solid waste and they wanted to be
able to look an address in accounting and be able to measure how far is a house from the road,
those kinds of things because those are questions they get asked on a regular basis and would
benefit them is they knew someone lives at a certain on Broad Street or on Tobacco Road or
wherever to be able you know pick a point and measure to someone’s house. Is it 50 feet is it
100 feet and right now they’re actually dispatching people to go out and look for that kind of
information. And they can also look at the when they’re determining their plans to see where
barriers are and things like that without so they’ll know how many blocks have got to be cut
when they dispatch crews. As far as Utilities is concerned there’s a lot of utilities infrastructure
that’s underground but there’s a lot that’s above ground as well and when I spoke with Mr.
Wiedmeier he looked at this and thought that it was a good idea if his personnel had access to
this information. And that’s why he was willing to contribute as well.
Mr. Guilfoyle: I appreciate that, Mr. Blanchard.
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Mr. Mayor: I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 6 but before I do I want
to comment on. I had the pleasure of walking over to the Planning Department. I think they’re
using something similar now at least from a work standpoint and we’ve got some stellar
employees over there doing amazing things. When you’re able to take this data and tell the 911
Dispatcher it’s this many feet from the road this is where it’s at I think we’re doing good things
in this city. Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ask Mr. Blanchard a
question if you don’t mind.
Mr. Mayor: You have the floor.
Mr. Hasan: Yes sir. Mr. Blanchard, how useful could this tool or this piece of equipment
become useful to us as we move forward with the storm water to be able to potentially post up on
the website so the community to go there and look at the projects that they’re working on at that
particular time? Would it give a real time like that?
Mr. Blanchard: With this particular product there’s going to be training required for
personnel to be able to use it. However the results and reports and other information that comes
out of the system could be posted on the website. We do have a storm water site available right
now and we can use that as a medium to get that information out. And as far as particular
projects you know the website also falls under my purview and we’re more than willing to create
sites for (unintelligible) projects so that people can track progress.
20
Mr. Hasan: Okay, thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4 Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ll be brief. Mr. Blanchard, Commissioner Hasan
kind of asked part of my question but I didn’t see and I’m assuming as they probably didn’t but
you’ll be accommodating the Engineering Department as well particularly with the storm water
arena. Am I correct?
Mr. Blanchard: Yes, sir.
Mr. Sias: And the second question is how long will it take for this system to be
operational?
Mr. Blanchard: That’s a little bit difficult to say because we are if this approval, that’s
another reason why we wanted to try and get it to you sooner rather than later was that
Cartegraph also has other customers trying to get on their schedule at the same time. So there’s
other companies and San Diego was one and then there’s some other that they were warning me
about we need to get on the schedule. So they said more than likely late summer is when we
would receive the information and then we’d immediately be able to commence training at that
point. We’ll be up and running in the third quarter of this year, third late third early fourth
quarter.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, I just want to follow up. We have a motion and a second already
but I’d like Mr. Blanchard once this is approved and done and completed we would just love to
have a demonstration here. Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9 Commissioner M.
Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: I need to know something real simple. You said you had several
agencies in this government that’s going to be using this equipment. And you’re splitting the
funding up with several different ones I think you said, right?
Mr. Blanchard: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: There’s no department like Utilities that could do this since we’re
going to be using it? I mean to have to come out of I mean it’s going to be beneficial. I’m trying
to figure out why we’re trying to piecemeal the money they got if there’s a department that has
the money. Now is there or am I off.
Mr. Blanchard: No, sir, the solution is there’s so much information that can be garnished
from this. There’s information that Utilities can use, there’s information that Engineering can
use, the Sheriff’s Office will be able to use it to look at property, the Tax Assessor’s office. I
don’t believe Mr. Ross is here but when he and I spoke about this they have photographs of
21
naturally all of the properties in the county. This will give them HD photos without having to
send somebody out to do every single property in order to take one. So there’s a lot of benefit to
be spread around but I guess to specifically address the question one entity having to pay for
everybody we wanted to make sure that everybody who’s a stakeholder basically has a little bit
of skin in the game.
Mr. M. Williams: Well and I think we all got skin in the game since this is you know it’s
the city’s game. And I think that’s the issue we’ve got to deal with where we’ve got a group
over here and a section over there and we’re trying to where’s some beneficial that we can’t get
out of the General Fund. It looks like if there’s a department that could do this ought to be
willing to get that equipment that they’re going to use as well along with other agencies that can
use it because it’s not going to be I don’t guess where if one of the Commissioners was using it
and then another Commissioner can’t use it because they got it. It’s going to be a shared piece of
equipment, is that right?
Mr. Blanchard: No, sir, there is actually not a piece of equipment. This is a service that
they are providing. If we were to purchase the equipment itself then I would be up here asking
for a lot more money than I am.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, well, the services. I mean I’m trying because I’m not in IT I’m
here as a Commissioner so you’ve got to help me out with that. I’m trying to figure out how can
we do it and save from trying to get part from over here and part from over there if there’s an
entity that can do it, that’s what my question was. What was the price on it, two what?
Mr. Blanchard: $200,000 dollars.
Mr. M. Williams: $200,000 dollars. We have let projects out for a lot more than that in a
lot of different departments and I was asking that question because I thought maybe if it’s a
service and we can get it and it’s going to benefit everybody it’d be a lot easier to do that. That’s
just a comment there’s no problem I’m in support. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we have a motion and a proper second to approve. The second
came from on this end down here Commissioner Guilfoyle. All right. Voting. We’ve got one
more matter of business before us and that’s item 8.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
8. Motion to approve New Application: A.N. 15-06: request by OK Pun Kartye for a retail
package Liquor, Beer & Wine license to be used in connection with OK Wine & Spirits
located at 2811 Tobacco Rd. There will be Sunday Sales. Subject to the license not being
sold until the trailer in the rear is completely dismantled and the fence screening is in place.
District 4. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee February 23, 2015)
22
(No action taken in Commission meetings March 3 and March 7, 2015) (Requested by the
Petitioner)
Mr. M. Williams: So moved.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second. Voting.
Mr. Sias: Question, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Mr. Sias. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, we have some objectors here for this particular issue and I’d like to
hear from them please, sir.
Mr. Mayor: I believe you can. We’re voting now.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, you never called for any (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: I didn’t even get a chance to. We had a motion we had a second.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, you didn’t call for any questions. You said let’s vote.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair again I’ll even defer to the Attorney but the Chair can’t call for
the question. Ya’ll schooled me on that already.
Mr. Sias: Just a question, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We have some objectors to this item and would like to
hear from them, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: The vote is being taken and we will have a roll call on the vote in just a
second. But we do have objectors and we certainly want to recognize the objectors that are in
the audience. Would the objectors please stand. (Approximately 20 to 30 objectors noted) All
right, we appreciate the objectors standing. We’ve heard from the objectors on two occasions
two separate occasions. You all petitioned this body and pursuant to what we have in front of us
rdrd
it was approved by the committee on the 23, no action was taken in Commission on March 3.
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On March the 17 no action was taken by this committee and now it appears that this body wants
to take action which is what they’re doing now.
Mr. Sias: Point of personal privilege, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: You’re recognized for that, sir. You can be seated.
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Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, we ask citizens to be involved. When we have alcohol
applications we ask if there are objectors. The question I must ask this body and you, Mr.
Mayor, why do we ask for objectors if what they’re asking for is not accounted or not allowed?
We ask that because that is the process to find out if there are objectors. We have citizens here
who have defended their areas and defended their neighborhoods for years. Those are the kinds
of citizens we should want in our county but yet we come here today attempting a kangaroo
court action. I’m very disappointed in that. We said we don’t want to infringe on the rights of
one but we can throw many up under the bus. These neighborhoods are the bare rock of our
community and it’s extremely disappointing when we try to walk over and walk on them. Is it
our goal to create ghettos, have crime, drug addicts and run our good citizens out then we can
worry about dilapidated houses, how many deputies we have. That’s the issue seeing that we
want to create today and I certainly would think our neighborhoods are better than to become
gang infilliated fest holes. So, Mr. Mayor, with that I make a substitute motion.
Mr. Mayor: You’re not recognized for that because we’re voting now and if this motion
was to fail then you could move to reconsider.
Mr. Sias: I won’t disagree with you, Mr. Mayor, I was making a point. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, you have an opportunity to vote, Commissioner Sias, at which
point Ms. Morawski will tell us what the tally is.
Mr. Fennoy, Ms. Davis, Mr. Lockett, Mr. Guilfoyle, Mr. M. Williams and Mr. Smith vote
Yes.
Mr. D. Williams, Mr. Sias and Mr. Hasan vote No.
Motion Passes 6-3.
Mr. Mayor: Let me also say the actions of this body have been categorized as a kangaroo
court. On two separate occasions the petitioner has come before this body. On two separate
occasions the petitioner has essentially been put off. The petitioner just as all of the petitions that
we receive for liquor licenses follows protocol, an ordinance that has been established by this
government prior to me being here prior to several of those who are on this body today. Having
said that that petitioner met all of the requirements statutorily based on the ordinance and as such
as it was stated by the folks who are on the staff here in this local government there was not a
legal reason if you will there was not an ordinance violation of such that prohibited this
application from being approved. Make no mistake about it I do believe that the members of this
body are in full support of making sure that our communities in every neighborhood whether it’s
from District 4 to District 6 to District 3 are fully aware and conscious of the needs and quite
frankly do care about what’s going on in the communities. But to describe it as a kangaroo court
because of the actions that were taken on two separate occasions those of you who petitioned
have heard your voices and have made your voices heard. And as such on two separate
occasions notwithstanding the committee meeting that this petitioner went through to get that
point has now been brought to full circle. And the members of this body have summarily voted
on it just as they did several of the other alcohol and license requests that have been brought
24
before this body on today. And so I believe that you perceived due process in this and I think
that is what the will of this body has been and they have thus voted.
[MEETING ADJOURNED]
Nancy W. Morawski
Deputy 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
March 25, 2015.
___________________________________
Clerk of Commission
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