Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting August 4, 2015 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER AUGUST 4, 2015 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., August 4, 2015, the Hon. Grady Smith, Mayor Pro Tem, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Lockett, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Fennoy, D. Williams, Hasan and Davis, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Absent: Hons. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor and Guilfoyle, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, the October 4, 2015 commission meeting will now commence. Everybody (inaudible) yeah? Mr. Lockett: No comment? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Not yet. Okay, we have some, let’s see we have some folks to recognize this afternoon. If we’ll have Ms. Elam come forward for years of service to make the presentation. Mr. M. Williams: What about the invocation, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, you’re the dean of the school, let me know. Okay, all right. Ms. Elam. Ms. Elam: Good afternoon Commissioners. My name is Michele Elam your Interim Human Resources Director. Today we are happy to recognize our Years of Service Recipients for the month of July. There are 17 5 to 20 year recipients and 5 25 to 50 year recipients of which three are here this afternoon. With 25 years of service Susan Canaday, Animal Control. With 25 years of service Patricia A. Strakosh Recreation, Blythe. With 35 years of service Elijah M. Parker Sheriff, Road Patrol. Once again, a big congratulations to our Years of Service recipients. (APPLAUSE) Thank you. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, if we will please stand for our invocation. The Clerk: Yes, sir and that would be Rev. Leroy James, Pastor, Friendly Church of God in Christ. The invocation was given by Rev. James. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Ms. Morawski, let’s go ahead and start with our delegations. 1 The Clerk: DELEGATIONS A. Mr. Steven Kendrick Richmond County Tax Commissioner RE: Youth Leadership Summer Internship Program Ms. Cobb: Good afternoon Commissioners. My name is Lynne Gladney Cobb and I bring you greetings on behalf of the Richmond County Tax Commissioners Office where I also serve or work on a board a committee that actually helps to facilitate Youth Leadership Program. For the past seven years the City of Augusta has partnered with Youth Leadership Augusta to offer internship opportunities for graduates of the program. The central goal of this component is to get students to evolve from their classrooms into the real world workforce setting so that they can feel and see the entire work process. Research has found that career development activities such as internships are becoming increasingly more important for our high school students who are competing to get into better colleges and find future employment opportunities. This year we were also very fortunate that several students from our program were offered opportunities to work in the private sector in local businesses. As we worked with these students throughout the program year business leaders saw the value in investing in the internship and at their own expense provided summer jobs to our students as well. Today we are going to offer special recognition and acknowledge the twelve students and the various department leaders who participated. Through their mentoring and their training the students not only had an opportunity to learn but to also get directly involved in their government which is an invaluable asset to this community. Without further ado departmental leaders please join the students lining behind them as they are called forward. Can we also have Commissioner Grady Smith, Commissioner Kendrick. Students, when your name is called if you could come to me and get your certificate and please align yourself along the wall. As they are presented, the certificate reads: The City of Augusta and Youth Leadership Augusta in recognition of your committed participation, your continuing search for knowledge, your inquisitive mind, your emerging leadership skills and th your ability to adapt to any and all situations we congratulate you on this 4 Day of August 2015. Signed by Steven B. Kendrick, Youth Leadership Chairman. Also signed by Ms. Janice Allen Jackson, Augusta City Administrator. Zoey Woodard. Abdel Youssef. Ms. Woodard’s department. Mr. Youseff’s Department. The Environmental Services Intern, I apologize Zoey was with Human Resources. Rebecca Wang with Planning and Development. Joshua Torren with Utilities. Jada Tolbert with the Fire Department. Tyler Jolie with the Sheriff’s Office. Sierra Henley with the Procurement Department. Leanna Gearheart with the Utilities Department. Sara Beth Woodenstein with the Mayor’s Office. Ms. Alia Murray with the Law Department. If the Commission allows at this time we would like to extend an opportunity for a few brief comments from the department leaders or the students to speak to their experience, briefly. Mr. Torren: I worked with the Utilities Department this summer and I did a lot outside of the office, that’s what T.D. Davis we worked with, that’s what she emphasized a lot. And we went to the Canal, we went to the sewer treatment plant the Highland Avenue Plant and we did a lot with, we did a lot of hands on stuff and it helped us you know. I learned a lot about not just 2 the Utilities Department but I learned a lot about the work place in that not everything is peachy at all times but, you know, it’s not always easy but I learned a lot. And I guess that was the purpose of the entire internship. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Henley: I had a wonderful time working for the Procurement Department and the two women that actually had the greatest impact on me is Ms. Sams and Ms. Sheila. And they are two wonderful women to work with (inaudible). (APPLAUSE) Ms. Woodard: I had a wonderful experience working for Human Resources. Ms. Sylvia Williams, Ms. Michelle Elam and then two ladies upstairs Alia Garvin and Jacqueline Crawford they had the greatest impact on me. I realized I love H.R. and I just feel like I grew as a person over my course in the H.R. Department. And I just want to say thank you for that. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Woodenstein: First of all I want to thank Mr. Kendrick. This is my second internship with his office and it’s been wonderful. Thank you very much and Ms. Gladney. This year I was in the Mayor’s Office with Ms. Tanya and Ms. Lynthia and it was great. I learned so much about Augusta and I really enjoyed it. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Tolbert: Hi everyone I’m Jade and I’m finally a senior. I was an intern with the Fire Department and I just want to say thank you to Mr. Steven Kendrick and Ms. Gladney-Cobb for choosing me to work in the department, I really enjoyed it. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Murray: My name’s Alia Murray I interned in the Law Department this summer and there I learned a lot how lawyers think, how they’re supposed to think and how lawyers get a lot of responsibilities placed on them. And I also learned a lot about the work place in general as well as the real world. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Wang: Hi, I’m Rebecca. I interned with the Planning and Development Department this summer and I’ve learned a lot about planning is not just sitting back and drawing maps on paper. And actually they write a lot of papers I found that out they also go out and they visit sites. And I’ve seen more mobile home parks than I care for but obviously it was interesting. And Director Wilson also gave me a wonderful opportunity to create an art gallery on interns to their plan, not plan their floor and it was kind of like a mini planning project for me so it was like a little experience into what they did and I wanted to thank them for it. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Kendrick: And I want to talk or just before so we can wrap this up and start the meeting but I want to thank these department heads who have given and the folks who have worked with these students who have given so much of their time in order to make this experience good for these students. We choose, we try to choose very carefully students who represent our school system, our community in this workplace because it’s a very interesting thing to bring someone who is not yet an adult into a work place. But I think we did a fabulous job and they did a fabulous job in teaching these students what it takes to work in the real world. All of these students have seen, they’ve told you they have had a wonderful time. I’m sure when you get paid a little bit of money it always makes it a little better but at the very same time as the City of Augusta we’re looking to invest in our future because we know we want these students to 3 come back and work right here in our city and serve this community as we all look to do as well. So if any of the departments don’t have, I know Ms. Sams always has something to say so I’m going to give it to her and then we’re going to move on. Ms. Sams: Thank you, Steven, for both giving me an opportunity to talk about this magnificent program that the City of Augusta has established. While we’ve had this program for several years and not one year have I been disappointed in the person that you’ve given to me. And sometimes when we receive those wonderful students we feel like the students because I want to tell you guys something we felt like the interns because you have such beautiful minds and you challenge us and I thank you. And I think I have one of the most sensitive very quiet person working for me but I can guarantee you she’s not going to leave today being that way. So, Sierra, we want you to be the best that you can be and the Procurement Department wants to give you this recognition along with something to help you along your way for your next school year. (APPLAUSE) And all of you students tell your friends about this program and tell Mr. Kendrick to give the Procurement Department all of you next year. Chief James: Real briefly on behalf of the Fire Department we had Ms. Tolbert this year and they truly, truly become a part of the staff you know. Work that they had assigned for her to do today somebody else has to pick up that slack so they truly, truly make them a part of the staff. And all’s we can say about Ms. Tolbert is when you have doubts about what the future looks like Ms. Tolbert was a true, true professional. You could tell no difference between her or any other employee that was working in that office and the staff truly wanted to say thank you. Ms. Bobby couldn’t make it today and she wanted to say thank you. They had other reception things for her as well and Ms. Bobby ordered me to give you this plaque too. So it says to Jayla thst Tolbert an appreciation award for dedicated service June the 8 to July 31 from the Augusta Fire Department. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Tolbert: Thank you. Mr. Kendrick: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I want to say that this is an impressive group and it looks a little different from when I was in high school, they wouldn’t hire us. Anyway but it’s good to see things have changed. But a great group and I think it’s a great program and look forward to what we’re going to do in the future. (APPLAUSE) Everybody through with the pictures, autographs? All right, let’s see next we have Ms. Annette McKie if you’ll come forward. And remember a five minute limit which Commissioner Davis is the timekeeper. DELEGATIONS B. Annette McKie Augusta Bus Riders Association RE: Issues concerning the Augusta Public Transportation System Ms. McKie: Good afternoon, gentlemen. My name is Annette McKie and I am a member of the Augusta Bus Riders Association because I care about the riding public and the problems that we have trying to get to work, school, church, doctor’s appointments, Fort Gordon, 4 the airport, shopping, movies, restaurants and other venues. The last time we came before the th Board of Commissioners with our requests for improvements was November the 16 2010 and there has been very little done since then. Buses should run every 30 minutes; right now they run one hour and 20 minutes apart. Buses should start running at 5:00 a.m. The earliest the buses start running is 6:00 a.m. What if you have to be to work by 6:00 a.m.? Buses should stop running at 12:00 midnight. What if you get off of work at 10:00 p.m. or want to go to dinner and a movie or to some of the venues that are being held downtown and don’t drive or don’t want to be driving in heavy traffic. Buses should be available for your seniors. Walton Way for example in 2014 Augusta became an Age Friendly Community and the AARP network in affiliation with WHO, the World Health Organization, to enhance independent living for your seniors with the goal of having them take a more active role in their communities. Our day ends at 6:30 p.m. when the buses go to the garage. Buses should go to Fort Gordon. Your 6-month pilot program to Fort Gordon was underpublicized and had a schedule that was nearly impossible to follow. Even some of the soldiers didn’t know where the bus would take them except to Wal- Mart on Wrightsboro Road and Augusta Mall. What about service to the airport? Now how many people know they must be at the Broad Street bus terminal by 8:00 a.m. to catch the Best Friends Express to go to North Augusta? There needs to be better communication between the public and McDonald Transit. All community meetings to comment on the 2015/2018 Transportation Improvement Program except for the open house at the Municipal Building were rd being held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and ended yesterday on August the 3. Did the general public know about the meetings? Was there transportation extended to those who wanted to attend and be heard but don’t drive? If the Augusta Public Transit System’s mission statement is still to enhance the mobility of the general public and the disadvantaged, we don’t believe we are asking for too much. We know that the issue of course has been discussed during the February United States Department of Transportation Summit in Birmingham and we want to see competence and accountability from our elected officials. Please lead us by example. Thank you for listening to this senior citizen. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, thank you, Ms. McKie. Next will be Ms. Sara Irwin. DELEGATIONS C. Ms. Sara Irwin RE: Augusta Public Transit matters. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Remember you have five minutes please. Ms. Irwin: Yes, sir. I’m glad to be here today to speak to the Augusta Commissioners regarding the Augusta bus system. I am a senior. I ride the bus at least three to four times a week. It is very, I’m very glad that there is a transit system in Augusta otherwise without a vehicle I would not be able to go grocery shopping, I would not be able to go downtown to shop there or to go to the public library. I would too like Ms. McKie I would recommend that the hours start earlier for the bus system 5:00 or 5:30 and run until either 11:00 p.m. or 12:00 because certainly have, are certain individuals who have to work late and either their car goes out of commission or they don’t have one and they need a way to get back and forth to work. I ride like I say three or four times a week for grocery shopping and other methods and I am very grateful that there is a bus system and I do hope you will consider adding more buses, adding 5 routes like out to the additional buses out to the Augusta Mall, adding when the buses are full which often is either in the morning at noon or certainly at 4:30 and you’ll see people standing in the aisles. It would be good if a bus driver could pick up the call dispatch for an extra bus. Again I thank you for taking the time to listen and I appreciate the opportunity. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Ms. Irwin, would you please let me have your address please? Ms. Irwin: Yes, 2244 Broad Street Apartment 306 Augusta 30904. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, thank you, ma’am. Ms. Irwin: Thank you. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, next we have Ms. Bernice Artis. DELEGATIONS D. Ms. Bernice Artis Augusta Bus Riders Association RE: Improvements to the Transit and history Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Please state your name and address please and five minutes. th Ms. Artis: My name is Bernice Artis; I live at 1026 12 Avenue. Good afternoon, everyone. Public transportation is a cultural part of the economic and social fabric of a metropolitan area. Transportation systems affect jobs, education, health care, survival and quality of life. Local officials should address transit issues with sensitivity, compassion, care st and concern in order to bring about a new era for the 21 Century. We know that very few cities profit financially from transit systems. Lack of funding should not be the stumbling block to th effective public transportation. On April the 11 2013 city officials were forced to return $800,000 dollars to the Federal Transportation Administration for unused funds. We believe that the following suggestions will greatly improve the efficiency of our system in Augusta establishing expanding regular hours. For example start as early as 5:00 o’clock a.m. and go until 12:00 a.m. Holidays and Sunday bus service will also have to accommodate working residents. Next frequent run of existing transit routes with shorter wait times. And as they say time is money. Next starting south Augusta bus routes to serve the needs of residents in 30+ subdivisions along Windsor Spring, Meadow Brook and Tobacco Roads. I’ve lived out there 15 years and I know the transportation is very important. Next reestablishing a Fort Gordon bus route as in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s for soldiers and working civilians. This time use massive advertising and also good time scheduling. Also we need a connector route between south and west Augusta thereby eliminating trips to the downtown terminal. Also posting bus schedules times, location of bus stops and maps on poles in tamper proof plastic as. Also New York has texting signs to let patrons know when the next bus is coming, how many stops. Also we need to strictly enforce no smoking at Kmart and downtown terminals. Patrons get excellent doses of second hand smoke and as a sign of encouragement governmental officials should set good examples by riding the transit frequently themselves. Thank you. 6 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Ms. Artis. Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I want to thank you three young ladies for your presentation. I agree with 100% of what each of you had to say. The five plus years I’ve been on the Commission I’ve been a pain in some people’s posterior because I’ve constantly spoke about the lousy transit system we have here. It’s unfortunate because all of our sister cities have great transit systems Savannah, Macon, Athens, Columbus and there’s no rhyme or reason why we don’t have a good transit in Augusta Richmond County. Lots of people look at public transit as transit for poor folks but that’s people that’s ill informed believe that. In many of our progressive cities the young people many of them are not buying automobiles anymore they’re relying on public transit to get to and from whether it be buses, light rail or by some other means. They refer to them as green riders. And I’m glad someone had mentioned that we are indeed an Age Friendly City and we should, we’re one of three in the state of Georgia and we should try and set a good positive example for everybody else. Our population is getting older and it’s really sad when a person gets to the bus stop and they don’t know if they just missed the bus or if they’re going to have to wait another hour and a half and often times there’s no place for them to sit. I have seen people sitting on the ground. But the three of you that came in today I want to tell you there’s some changes are going to be made. We have a new Transit Director and he’s only been here a couple two or three months but he’s working extremely hard. He understands what ya’ll are talking about he understands what I’ve been talking about for all these years. And I can assure you with the support of my colleagues we’re going to turn this transit thing around. And we will eventually go back to Fort Gordon we will eventually have buses that running hours where people that need the bus will be able to use it. And I want to thank ya’ll very much and I want ya’ll to know that this is one Commissioner that support all of you and your efforts. Thank you for coming. Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes sir, thank you. Commissioner Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Like Commissioner Lockett I too agree with these young ladies that came forth. The $800,000 dollars that we returned back in to the federal government what people may not understand here we can get all the buses we need. In fact we can get a bundle of buses but not just buses is not the only thing. We need those drivers and everything else that goes with that. But saying that I’m saying that I truly agree but there is such a thing as supply and demand if we had a demand for those buses. We just can’t just put buses out and say well we’re going to build up ridership. We’ve got to build a ridership. We’ve got to get those people that’s working, those people that just want to ride the bus we got to show the need. And what I’m saying to you is that you need to go back to the neighborhood and tell those people that really want to ride the bus that really want to get the transportation to come it’s a need that’s going to be supplied. Now we sit up here and talk about what I’m going to do and you’re doing to do and we’re going to do but I believe in doing something. And the only way we’re going to do that is have a demand for that. I remember when we did the bus study at one point before the new Administrator got here. They were trying to figure out a way to cut the routes verses adding to them and making it convenient for folks to want to come. They we’re looking at cutting. I didn’t understand that. Increasing the ridership it looked like we were trying to delete the ridership so we’re too going to work on this as much as we possibly can but it does boil down to money, it does boil down to the need. And the buses are very important 7 no one was saying it’s not but if you don’t know when the bus is coming you don’t like Commissioner Lockett said you don’t know if the bus done passed already. If you can’t get out of the weather and this heat we just had no one’s going to stand by a telephone pole to wait on a bus that they don’t if it had been there or not. So there’s some things that we got to put in place. This city’s growing but give us some time, please ma’am, please understand that we’re not just sitting here forgetting about the bus riders. We forget we want to move the transportation we want to make sure that the city does grow but I just thank you for your time thank you for your energy and don’t think it’s falling on deaf ears. Thank you very much. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Commissioner Williams. Okay, let’s see moving along we have Ms. Tamara Perry and Ms. Wanda Collier if they’ll come forward. DELEGATIONS E. Ms. Tamara Perry and Ms. Wanda Collier RE: Donation to the “Stop Da Stigma” Red Party Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: And remember state your name and address and you have five minutes. Ms. Collier: Hello, Commissioners, how ya’ll doing? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Fine. Ms. Collier: Some of you already know me and pretty much know what I stand for. But what I did I write something down so I can make sure that I’m completely understood but it don’t want to come up. Okay, we’ll just move on. First my name is Wanda Collier I live at 34 Kendrick Place Augusta Georgia 30904. I am a native of Augusta; this is my hometown. I am also the founder and president of Stop Da Stigma which is a foundation that raises HIV and AIDS awareness here to Augusta. If you do not know we are the second highest in Georgia with the cases of HIV and AIDS. I am also HIV positive myself 27 years July 26. I decided to start this foundation because of all the damage that I felt that I did in Augusta and I wanted to do something different to heal our community. I came here last year. Last year the Commissioners were very on point, you all supported me and I’m grateful. This year our Honorable Mayor th Davis also proclaimed for August 29 to be Stop Da Stigma Day in Augusta. We have a fundraiser that we do every year. This is our fifth year to raise money to give back to any local organization that helps people like myself, even the kids. This year we’ll be giving back to the kids at GRU that are living with HIV and AIDS for their Christmas. So I’m here to stand not only to ask you to support us financially but my biggest thing that I have is that I want my leaders to show up to the events that we have. That’s a big deal. It’s okay for us to get the money from you, that’s cool, it’s much needed but what I feel like is really needed is that our leaders show up to some of these events. And I’m not just talking about the fundraisers I’m talking about the free events that we do to show that you also support this cause because if our leaders show up then our community may look at that and start showing up and then we can do something to stop the stigma you know. With the community and with people like myself because if we start working on that people like myself will be okay to stand up and say HIV is what I have it’s not who I am. And that’s our, that’s my biggest thing. I want Augusta to heal. 8 For us to be the second in Georgia is really bad, it’s really bad and our kids, I’m especially passionate with the kids because at the age of 19 I was already positive, I’m 45 now. So I’m just asking that this will be my last year that I have to come in front to just to kind of like show my face and show you who I am. I would rather just be able to send you a friendly email and give you a reminder that I need your support but for today I am standing here asking for your support again not just financially but I would wish that you would show up. And all I can say with that I thank you for letting me have this time to come in front of you all. The paper that I just passed out tells you everything about who I am. You can write it off if you do a donation I’m just saying. But it tells you about who I am and when the party is and where the money is going if you want to how you can do a donation if not today how you can do one later. But believe me I’ll be sending out some emails on some free events that we do in this community. I really need the leaders behind this because we are sick in Augusta right now and we need the leaders behind us so we can get better so we can heal Augusta. That’s all I have to say. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Ms. Collier, we appreciate it. Thank you, ma’am. Ms. Collier: You’re welcome. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, moving along here with, Ms. Morawski, you want to read out our (inaudible). The Clerk: Our consent agenda, yes, sir it’s items 1-28. And under the Public Services portion of the agenda I’ll read the alcohol petitions and if there is anyone here that has an objection would you please signify your objection by raising your hand. Item 3: Is a request for an on premise consumption Beer & Wine and a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the Residence Inn by Marriott Augusta located at 1116 Marks Church Road. Item 4: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection the East Boundary Chevron located at 202 East Boundary. Item 5: Is a request for an on premise Beer License to be used in connection with El Toro Bravo Sport Bar located at 2925 Peach Orchard Road. Item 6: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Amex Mart located at 2579 Tobacco Road. The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of these alcohol petitions? None noted, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, can I hear a motion on that? Okay is there anything that uh, Commissioner Sias, you want to speak? Mr. Sias: If my colleagues don’t object, I’d like to consent items 31, 32 and 33. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, I thought we were voting on the consent agenda. Okay, well, okay, go ahead we hadn’t did either one so you’re going ahead okay. 9 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams, anything you need to add to it or pull? Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Sias is trying to add something to it so I’ll let him go ahead and add then I got a couple of point I want to make, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: (unintelligible) Commissioner Sias. Mr. Sias: Again I want to consent items 31, 32 and 33. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Commissioner Williams, Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes, I’d like to pull item 1 and item 10. I need some clarity on item 10, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, and I need some clarity on item 28. And I’d like to get some clarity on item 15. So that’s 1, 10 and 15, 1, 10, 15 and 28, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy and then Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Fennoy: Is this the time, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, to add stuff to the consent agenda? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah, if you want to. Mr. Fennoy: I’d like to add 22 (inaudible). Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Which ones? Mr. Fennoy: (unintelligible) that. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to pull agenda item number 11. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay and Commissioner Sias go ahead. Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, if you don’t have any more changes I move to approve. Ms. Davis: Second. CONSENT AGENDA PUBLIC SERVICES 2. Motion to approve the 2016 Cooperative Agreement with CSRA Regional Commission for Senior Nutrition Services for Augusta-Richmond County. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 3. Motion to approve New Application: A.N. 15-32: request by Jamyle Grant for an on premise consumption Beer & Wine, and a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used 10 in connection with the Residence Inn by Marriott Augusta located at 1116 Marks Church Rd. District 3. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 4. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-34: request by Qudratullah Durani for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the East Boundary Chevron located at 202 East Boundary. District 1. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 5. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-33: request by Catya Cornejo for an on premise Beer License to be used in connection with El Toro Bravo Sport Bar located at 2925 Peach Orchard Rd. There will be Dance. District 6. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 6. Motionto approve New Application: A.N. 15-35: request by Venumadhav Machha for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Amex Mart located at 2579 Tobacco Road. District 4. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 7. Motion to approve award in the amount of $54,000 to RDS Construction of Charlotte, NC to replace the roof and all related work described in RFB 15-178 on the Augusta 911 Center. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 8. Motion to approve Change Order #2 to SDI-SYS – Fiber Optic & Security Camera Upgrade Project as approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission at their May 28, 2015 Meeting. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) 9. Motion to approve Bid Item 15-141, Valley Park Site Improvement Project, to Contract Management Inc. of Augusta for the amount of $264,090. (Approved by Public Services Committee July 28, 2015) PUBLIC SAFETY 12. Motion to approve a request by the Augusta Fire Department for a Mutual Aid Agreement between Augusta, GA and Columbia County, GA for the purposes of fire suppression and emergency assistance. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 28, 2015) 13. Motion to approve a request by the Fire Department to demolish 310 Eve St. parcel #035-2-220-00-0 to create a parking lot access for Fire Station 4. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 28, 2015) 14. Motion to approve referring back to committee for further discussion and recommendations the matter of the implementation of a fee/fine for businesses or other entities that require continual monitoring by the Sheriff’s Office or other city resources. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 28, 2015) FINANCE 16. Motion to approve a request from the Director of Animal Services regarding the replacement of 1-F250 animal transport truck for Augusta Animal Services Department using Phase VI of the Sales Tax Referendum for Public Safety. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2015) 17. Motion to approve a request from the Engineering-Traffic Engineering Division regarding the replacement of 2-F150 pickup trucks, and 1-F150 4x4 pickup truck for Augusta Engineering Department-Traffic Division. Funds for this purchase are from the 2015 Capital Outlay. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2015) 11 18. Motion to approve a request from the Engineering Department regarding the replacement of 1-F250 and 2-F150 pickup trucks, and 1-E350 work detail van for Augusta Engineering Department-Maintenance Division using Capital Outlay for 2015. Bid items 15-161, 14-236 and 14-195. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2015) 19. Motion to approve a request by the Recreation Department for the replacement of 1- Ford Ranger pickup truck, 2-F250 pickup trucks, 1-F350 pickup truck, 3-E350 work detail vans, 2-Landscape body trucks, and 1-F550 dump body truck for Augusta Recreation Department-various divisions using 2015 Capital Outlay. Bids 14-236, 15-161, 15-163, 14- 195 and 15-175. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2015) 20. Motion to approve the replacement of one older police motorcycle for the Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol, Traffic Division using Phase VI of the Sales Tax Account. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2015) 21. Motion to approve the budget adjustment to offset effect of budgeted stormwater fee on 2015 General Fund Budget as recommended by the Administrator the Finance Department. (Approved by Finance Committee July 28, 2015) ENGINEERING SERVICES 22. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way (Parcel 150-0-010-04-0) 3032 Willis Foreman Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2015) 23. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way and temporary easement, (Parcel 053-0-010-01-0) 3719 Belair Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2015) 24. Motion to approve award of Bid 15-151 for the purchase of (1) Street Sweeper to Environmental Products of Georgia for the amount of $222,586.00. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2015) 25. Motion to approve Georgia Power Company Government Pole Attachment License Agreement as well as the Addendum for Attachment of Wireless Facilities as requested by AED/TE. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2015) 26. Motion to approve Traffic Engineering’s purchase of thermoplastic roadway striping materials on State contract. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 28, 2015) PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 27. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular commission meeting held on July 21, 2015 and the special called legal meeting held on July 28, 2015) APPOINTMENTS 31. Remove Andrena Demmons from the Planning and Development Commission effective 19 August 2015. (Requested by Commissioner Sias) 32. Remove Moses McCauley from the Board of Zoning Appeals effective 19 August 2015. (Requested by Commissioner Sias) 33. Appoint Moses McCauley to the Planning and Development Commission effective 19 August 2015. (Requested by Commissioner Sias) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay we have a motion and a second. Let’s call for the vote. 12 Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 9-0. [Items 2-9, 12-14, 16-27, 31, 32, 33] Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, all right, let’s start out with number one. The Clerk: PLANNING 1. ZA-R-238 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve a petition to amend Section 22-2(22) General Business – Permitted Uses – Crematoriums and Section 26-1 (s) – Special Exception – Crematoriums by amending permitted hours of operation. (Approved by Commission July 21, 2015 – second reading) Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes, sir, I asked I know this is a second reading. This is a second reading as I understand it but in my conversation with our Funeral Director I was asked a couple of questions. And I’m wondering if we follow through with this how would that impact a special need for operation if someone at a crematory would have to do something on a and I guess it would be an emergency situation. I don’t know much about this kind of stuff, Mr. Todd and Mr. Mays, aren’t here I can’t rely on him so I’m going to have to go on my remembrance of this conversation. A young man, it was not Mr. Mays let’s straighten that out right quick, but another funeral director asked me about this if there was a need to use the facility would that stop him by changing the ordinance? I mean I don’t know how this got to be changed anyway but I guess my question a better question what would this change do if someone needed to use it out of the hours that we’re going to set up for them, not on a regular basis but if there was a business that needed to use a crematorium that came somebody came from some other place came to Augusta and he was in charge of that service. I see a lot of that when I wear my other hat. I mean I just did one of those Sunday. So can somebody tell me how that would affect a business who handles this if they had a special need to use it for what? Ms. Wilson: I can tell you that we’ve talked with a number of funeral homes and funeral directors because we did do a survey and if there were an emergency then they would be able to operate. Usually if there’s a big emergency they would just call us and let us know that there’s a special circumstance if they need to do that. But generally this is for the constant operation of the crematorium that was going on in (inaudible). Mr. M. Williams: Well, I understand Ms. Wilson I certainly understand and I know it’s a second reading but when I talked to this young man he made a lot of sense out of what he was saying. If he had to use and when bodies are shipped in from different places at a certain time and I don’t know nothing about his work but it made sense about how could he use it? Does he have to call the Sheriff’s Department if it’s after hours do they call the Administrator at home, how do they because I’m trying to figure out. I want to support but how do they go ahead and use it and say call us the next day and say you know what I had to use the crematory. 13 Ms. Wilson: A lot of these, Commissioner Williams, it’s like a lot of things in our ordinances they’re complaint driven. If someone had an emergency and they have been good neighbors in the community and they needed to, they had an emergency or something came up most of the time we probably would not know unless it was a constant consistent thing that was happening. So in this particular case if the gentleman because there could be different scenarios for anything that we do. And you know with each scenario there are different answers but you know ultimately if that happens because hopefully that’s not going to happen all the time they would still be able to operate. Mr. M. Williams: Well, I mean and I think this person was trying to make sure they was within the guidelines of the law. And from what I’m hearing there had to be some complaints for this change to come in, is that right? Ms. Wilson: There were a lot of complaints with regards to dealing with this issue. That’s why we went forward with come better to finding what the crematorium was talking to others about when they operated. We got information from the operator so it wasn’t something that we did in a vacuum. We know that there are times when things happen because we can’t predict those things and that is okay we’re not going to go out and fine anybody because they had an emergency. Mr. M. Williams: Well, and the scenario that the businessman gave me and I told him I would address it and when I saw the second reading I wanted to make sure. I’m not opposed to this, this is the first time when the ordinance was changed that I heard of a complaint about the crematorium around this area. Now I know all over the state there’s been some people who supposed to be doing this work and didn’t do it. I remember cases where we found I say we well a lot of bodies were paid to be cremated and it wasn’t done so and I think that personally in the right place. But I hadn’t heard anything around this area where there’s been some problems. I’m not saying that I hear it all but I certainly hadn’t heard anything but as long as there’s an emergency and someone had the right to go ahead and they’re not going to be penalized because they did something. But if there’s a complaint like you said if there’s a consistency and there’s a I make a motion to approve, complaint I think they ought to be brought back in whatever so. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, with the clarity on that. Mr. Hasan: Second. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Call for the vote. Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 9-0. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 14 10. Motion to approve referring to the Law Department and the Downtown Development Authority for further review the matter of the selection/replacement process of members on the Downtown Advisory Panel and report recommendations back to the next committee meeting. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2015) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I asked for this to be pulled because I want to make sure. Mr. Brown’s here today and Mr. MacKenzie’s not but to make sure they understood what came out of Administrative Services. What came out of Administrative Services was the conversation between the Downtown Development Authority and the Law Department to come up with or find out what’s the best way to come up with those members that serve on that board. That was something I’ve heard people was already meeting already trying to formulate a committee and all that stuff. But I think that’s supposed to be handled and come back to Administrative Services. Is that your understanding, Ms. Jackson? Is that your understanding it’s supposed to be discussed among the attorney and the Downtown Development and brought back to Administrative Services? Ms. Jackson: Yes, that’s correct. Mr. M. Williams: Okay that was my question on that, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, to make sure that that was understood that it should be discussed and brought back to Administrative Services then we can forward it on to the full Commission. Mr. Brown, you had your hand up I think. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown: Yes, thank you. Commissioner Williams, just for point of clarity I understood what you said. You wanted, how does the Commission want it brought back in terms of ideas or a proposed ordinance --- Mr. M. Williams: Well --- Mr. Brown: --- proposed resolution do you want it in what would appear to be a final form or do you want it to have just to go back to committee and have a discussion? Mr. M. Williams: --- well and that’s why I had this pulled because I was unclear myself. I asked what was going to be done. I’m hearing that people have already started to form and get a committee together but this body who has appointments decides on what and I think the Downtown Development Authority and the Attorney and any other entities. I think Mr. Owens was here as well to sit and I guess discuss various ways for us to be able to handle that, we’ll make that decision. But I don’t want it to get out of the box in thinking that well they gave us something. I think we need to look at what we got before we vote on it or agree to it versus saying well this is what we come up with and what ya’ll got. Does that make any sense? Mr. Brown: Yes, the Law Department would not want to and I’m sure the DDA would agree we would not want to overstep our boundaries as to what we bring back but I think we 15 would probably have to at least bring the suggestion or the ideas back in writing so you’ll have something to look at --- Mr. M. Williams: Right. Mr. Brown: --- and that the board members can receive prior to the meeting. Of course the board would not be locked into that suggestion but it would be a point to start a discussion. So we would, if we do have an idea we should bring something back in writing for you to consider not a final product. Mr. M. Williams: Well, this is a reorganization, I think is trying to get reorganized and it’s got off track somewhere and we’re trying to put a group back together. So before we, you know, if you’ll get something together and bring it back to Administrative Services the Commission can talk about it then and we can send it on to the full commission as to what we decide to do. But I think something needs to be put together so we can look at and have a choice to go from whether it be like our other committees or however it is. But it needs to be something that we can tangibly you know have in our hands to see. Mr. Brown: I understand that. Mr. M. Williams: So moved, Mr. Chairman, to approve this. Ms. Davis: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Let’s call for the vote. Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 9-0. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 11. Motion to approve drafting a policy that allows the Clerk of Commission, the Mayor, the Administrator, the Commission and the lead counsel person in legal meetings on an ordinary basis and then as needed allow individuals to be brought in as approved by the Commission during the legal meeting. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 28, 2015 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The way this particular agenda item is worded or written befalls me. Who is able to participate in legal meetings should either the Administrator or the Clerk of Commission is not available. What is a lead counsel person? Is that the general counsel or one of the other attorneys? According to the General Counsel if any member of the Commission Council objects to ones participation in a legal meeting, that person will not be able to participate. It also goes on the agenda item says in legal on an ordinary basis. 16 I’m not an attorney but what is an ordinary basis? And lastly the General Counsel told us I think the last time we visited this item that if any Commissioner or member of the commission council objects to anybody being in a legal meeting, well, then they have to leave. So I object to the Administrator being in a legal meeting. That’s not really an objection but I just wanted to show you how frivolous this whole agenda item is. And lastly, Madam Clerk, I would appreciate it if you record my vote as no. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I just need to clarify something that I’ve just probably been here too long but what Mr. Lockett had just stated is actually true in legal if one Commissioner do object to the Administrator being in there then she would not be able to be there. So that’s not so farfetched. I don’t think there, you know, would be any reason but if there was a reason for one Commissioner felt like the legal meeting is you know be out of place for the Administrator or anybody else. The rules states that the legal meeting is only for the Mayor, the Commission and the Attorney. In fact we can call for an Executive Session and the Attorney won’t even be there. So I mean this it can changed it can go with this if you want to or go back to what the rules state. We determine what the rules are but now we’ve fixing to vote, we’re going to make up something else all together. On as needed basis, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, if there’s somebody who has some information related to something we were discussing would be brought in like in any legal situation you would have someone who was relevant. And that’s an attorney word Mr. Brown they use. I thought it was but I just wanted to check. But if it was relevant to what we was talking about they could speak on that then they would they would exit. It’s not a boys club, it’s not something just to keep ladies out or nothing like that. This is legal and that’s what it does but if one person does object then the Administrator would not be able to be there because that’s what the rules state. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to say one more time just in case there was a misunderstanding. I just used that as an example; I wasn’t saying personally I have an objection to the Administrator being in legal okay? Thank you. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: So we already have a rule based upon if any one Commissioner disagrees with whoever is in the room except for another Commissioner we can make them exit, right? Okay, so we have a motion we have a second, right? All right call for the vote. Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, I had my hand up. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Sias, go ahead. 17 Mr. Sias: Then I’ll be voting but I wanted to have that one just one comment. I understand what has been stated as past rules but once this is if this motion is approved then there’s a new rule. I just wanted to clarify that because this is a new rule different. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Let’s see. Mr. Attorney, do you want to answer that please, sir, for him to make sure we understand? Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Mr. Speaker: (inaudible). Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: You didn’t ask the question, okay. He made a command statement. Okay, all right. Commissioner Lockett, no excuse me, I’m sorry he said Lockett and I said Lockett. Okay. Don’t shoot me. Mr. Fennoy: What we are doing now is approving the drafting of a policy and not the policy. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I think the way I see it to get us updated on what we need to do. Mr. Fennoy: Are we approving the policy or approving the draft of the policy? Ms. Davis: Drafting. Mr. Fennoy: Drafting of the policy. So once that policy is drafted, it’ll come back to us for approval? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Right. Mr. M. Williams: You’d better get a legal opinion on that now. Commissioners ain’t no lawyers up here. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: No, I flunked out of law school. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown: How can you approve what you haven’t (inaudible). Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, all right, which direction are we headed? Mr. Fennoy: Are we approving a policy or are we drafting a policy? Mr. Brown: This motion is to approve the drafting of a policy. Mr. Fennoy: Okay, so once that policy has been drafted it will come back to us for approval? Mr. Brown: Yes, sir, under this motion that would be true. 18 Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve. Ms. Davis: Second. Mr. Lockett and Mr. Fennoy vote No. Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 7-2. The Clerk: PUBLIC SAFETY 15. Motion to approve tasking the Fire Chief with establishing a shed to house the fire fighting tractor owned by the Georgia Forestry Service at Fire Station #18 on Windsor Spring Road. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 28, 2015) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, I don’t have any problem with this agenda item but I did want to find out when they say tasking the Fire Chief with establishing a shed. Does that come under construction or does that come under I mean how do we do this? What monies, what -- Chief James: Commissioner, this will be done through the Procurement Department. It will be a sealed bid. The price for a shed at the size that we are looking at will be over $10,000 dollars. I don’t suspect that it will be over $15,000 dollars for this project and it will go through the procurement process as a sealed bid probably at an amount that will be less than what will have to come back to the commission. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy first then Commissioner Hasan. Mr. Fennoy: Chief James, you’re not going to be able to build this yourself are you? Chief James: No, sir. Mr. Fennoy: Okay. Chief James: No, sir. Mr. Fennoy: All right. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Were you going to procreate a hammer for him or something? Go ahead. Mr. Sias: For $10,000 dollars I hope he ain’t going to build it himself. 19 Mr. Hasan: Chief James --- Chief James: Yes, sir. Mr. Hasan: --- in terms of the shed that you’re looking for is there a certain specs that you’re looking for? I’m just wondering I know normally, the reason I’m asking I think about it I’m not sitting all the time your fire staff or your fire fighters normally be very skilled person as well. And then also when you think about the labor force that we have at the, our county prison. I’m just thinking none of them would meet the specs to do what you’re trying to do to house a tractor? Chief James: If the inmates could put together a shed of the size that would meet this requirement, I would have no issue with using those at all. What we were looking at doing was like a regular metal building, you know, that you could purchase and put it out for bid through the procurement process. Mr. Hasan: Okay another reason, can I follow up? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Go ahead. Mr. Hasan: I remember a couple of years ago with a facility that the Sheriff’s Department has on 56 with the license out there. We happened to be out there to a, I think a grand opening or something and a couple of inmates had done tremendous work inside that facility in terms of moving jail cells around and everything. I’m not, I know for sure a couple of them are not still incarcerated because I’ve seen them on the street but that’s the kind of workforce that we have sometimes incarcerated. And they saved us, they saved this county thousands of dollars in just doing something like that. So I saw this a better way of being something as simple of state. And I don’t know what the state requires that’s why I’m asking the question. Thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Sias. Mr. Sias: Move to approve. Mr. Lockett: Second. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, we have a motion and a second. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem? Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got another question before we vote now. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Go ahead. 20 Mr. M. Williams: I think Commissioner Hasan was onto something. Mr. Ron Houck said --- Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Rank has its privileges. Go ahead. Mr. M. Williams: --- I’m glad that’s all it’s got is privilege but Mr. Ron Houck is out there and he can attest that inmates have done some great work in this county and it would save some monies now. Here we are, we just got through listening to three ladies who complained about the bus and that we don’t have transportation money to do some other things. I know that’s a different pot of money but when people hear money when you talk about $15,000 for a shed that bothers me. Now maybe you got plenty of money and it don’t bother you but it bothers me to put $15,000 dollars in a shed for a tractor who can sit in the yard and it don’t need nothing over it. If you want to know the truth about it now we ain’t talking about a John Deere tractor, we’re talking about a heavy piece of equipment that’s made for that. So, Mr. Houck, if you will you might want to tell the Mayor Pro Tem that you’ve got some expertise that you know about in our inmates that we can get some material and be able to build a nice facility to house a piece of equipment that don’t care whether it rains or snow. I mean even, that’s (inaudible). Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, let’s see Chief James what did you --- Mr. M. Williams: I think Mr. Houck was going to say he’s got some expertise. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Well, go ahead. Mr. Houck: Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Williams is right. We have in the past done a number projects where we’ve used our skilled inmate crews to build and/or renovate. I think I’d have to defer to the Chief though to see how critical this structure would be because we do have some projects we’ve already got lined up and we’re working on right now so it would be a matter of seeing how it fits into our schedule as well. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay. Anyone else? Commissioner Sias? Oh, okay. All right. Mr. M. Williams: If I can make a substitute motion then we’ll, my substitute motion would be that Mr. Ron Houck and the Fire Chief would sit down and look at if it’s feasible first of all to be able to build something with inmate labor to save this county as much money as we can save versus spending $10 - $15,000 for a building for a tractor. That’s my motion. Mr. Hasan: Second. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay. I’ve got one question if you don’t mind. Chief James, you talking about an enclosed type shed or will it be an open type shed with no sides just a way of keeping it out of the rain? Chief James: It will be an enclosed shed with sides on it. Those were the criteria that the state forestry told us that we would have to have to put that tractor in. 21 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Sure, yeah because I guess you’ve got to keep parts and fuel and I see what you’re talking about that it would cost more than just an open air shed. Okay, we have a motion and a second, let’s call for the vote. Mr. M. Williams: We have a substitute motion first (inaudible). Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Oh, substitute motion first. Go ahead we’ll vote on that first. Does everybody understand what they’re voting on? All right. Mr. Fennoy and Mr. Sias vote No. Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 7-2. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, all right. Next. The Clerk: APPOINTMENTS 28. Motion to approve the appointment of Ms. Linda Edney-Wiley to a term on the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority to replace Ms. Shirley Darby. (Requested by Commissioner D. Williams) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I asked for this to be pulled. I’m in support of the replacement but I’m trying to get a handle or understanding on what appointments do we have jointly or what appointments do we have singly, individually however you want to look at it. But this appointment I think is supposed to be a joint appointment, is that right? Madam Clerk, do you know whether or not this is a joint appointment? The Clerk: Yes, sir, I believe it was a consensus appointment. Mr. M. Williams : Okay, so that means it’s a joint appointment. And I spoke to Mr. Dennis Williams I think we’re all in support of the person he chose to be there but I wanted to make sure that we did this the right way and not just had it put on the agenda. But if the rest of my colleagues and this comes from I think District 9 that the rest of my colleagues don’t have any problem with it I’m going to make a motion to approve. But I did want to make sure that we But my motion would be knew that it was a joint and had to have consensus in order to do that. to approve that --- Mr. D. Williams: Second. if my other colleagues have no problem. Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. Speaker: (inaudible). 22 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah, go ahead, Commissioner Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Being that this is a District 9 appointment and say for instance the District 10 people could impact the District 9 Commissioner’s vote on this or do all of us vote on this thing because it’s District 9’s appointment so I was asking the question. Mr. Brown: Unless I misread it, the Commission would vote on it. Usually the district member usually brings forth the appointment as a recommendation to the Commission but I’m not aware of any authority that would give District 9 the right to appoint it without bringing it to the Commission. But I will review that. Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. M. Williams: I don’t think that was the question. I think his question was if I can --- Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Go ahead. Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. Hasan, I think his question was the entire body votes on it. Once we have the consensus that we didn’t get before we got it now. And he was asking do the rest of the board vote on this as well. And all the rest of the board do is really verify what was done. They just go ahead and certify it. It doesn’t affect that side but they do vote on it because it takes six votes to get anything done. They would have to vote if just five of us voted, it’d never get passed but they don’t have any and I think that was his question Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown: Yes, that was what I understood to be the question. Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we’re good with that? Okay Commissioner Lockett please. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to if I may ask the Clerk was there talent bank form with this particular person. The Clerk: Yes, sir --- Mr. Lockett: Okay. The Clerk: --- it should have been in the book. Mr. Lockett: All right, thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion we have a second. Call for the vote. Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 9-0. 23 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay. All right, next. The Clerk: FINANCE 29. Report from the Tax Assessors Office about the economic impact the Pictometry system has had on the tax digest in Richmond County. (Requested by Commissioner Fennoy) (Referred from July 21 Commission meeting. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I think Mr. Ross is going to give us a presentation. One of the things I was having a discussion with Mr. Ross is the economic impact that the pictometry has had on the tax digest and the amount of money that we’ve been able to generate as a result of this being put into place and the other agencies that are using this, Mr. Ross, so I wanted him to come in and make sure that all of my colleagues are aware of the great job that’s being done down in the Tax Assessors Office and the financial impact that it’s having on our city. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ll second that motion. Mr. Ross. Mr. Ross: Good afternoon, Commissioners. Commissioner Fennoy, thank you for the opportunity on your petition. Obviously we have liaisons to the Board of Assessors, Commissioner Lockett and Commissioner Frantom, who represents this Commission at that location. I’m pleased to announce today that we have Board Chairman Mr. Smith with me as well as Board Member Bill Lee. You look across and a few of my distinguished staff members who are actually should be given all the credit for making this information available to you in which I hope you had a chance to review it when it was sent out to you at the end of last week. We have the intention of being very brief if we might in an executive summary to you but certainly if you have any questions you have for us we hope to have the right personnel in place to try to get that answered for you. On that note if I might back in 2011 there was the challenge as to this board had committed to Pictometry as far back as ’08 and however the maximum use to that Pictometry use was not in full force. This Commission authorized a 2011 Flight Year previously a 2010 as well as the 2008 and from that the Commission actually gave the authority to the Board of Assessors to move forward on what we believe is a significant movement in technology. So this day is to update you on what we thought was a crystal ball projection and the realities of completion of that project. Just as a footnote to it this was our focus on delivering the right data at the right time. I won’t get it bogged down certainly you can read those fine points on how do we take all this massive data for the purpose of valuation and for our customer service delivery at this point in time. One of the things we like to elevate before we get into all that is you heard about public utility equalized ratios and all that. What you’re looking at is back in 2010 what your ratio position was in 2011 and the valuation 100% is from the Department of Revenue and Public Utilities across 159 counties. Under normal conditions you’ll see the 40% assessed of taxable value but because you were below the 38 measurement you had to utilize the equalized ratio of 36.76 now you see that the equalized tax value is less. What does all that mean? In 2010 because you were under 38 you literally lost over $101,000 dollars in public 24 utility tax revenues and subsequently in 2011 over $72,000 so that’s a measureable point. These were all factors on how do we start recovering revenue positions regarding the digest. What I’m pleased to let you know is regarding public utilities what you’re looking at is the 2014 last ratio study position in which your medium ratio is at 40. However the recovery of the public utilities position came as early as 2012 after 2011 we went to 39.3. In addition to that what we’ve been doing downstairs is a part of business personal property. What this is is just an example of audits that are handled on an annual basis. The first example is one company with two accounts. Under Business Personal Property audits it is for the year of the review and subsequently for any two years prior to as a correction of that account. And the bottom one is an example of two company’s single accounts and the math just gives you the additional revenue based upon those audits just off those two accounts. What we’d like to do is probably give you an update as to an annual impact and my team is working on that information for us now. The question was what was Pictometry. You’ve heard it talked about you know ‘Eye’s in the Sky’ a host of things you know but it’s a nonintrusive situation with a satellite imagery at the aerial flight level but a part of this was also programming which was referred to as change (unintelligible) that was used. What did it do? We projected with a sampling on 239 parcels. We found that 196 of them had parcel errors that we had not picked up, additions, pools, garages whatever was not on the record. And of that 239 clearly 11 of those accounts had no value impact changes. And actually 32 of those accounts actually went down. Contrary to popular belief we’re correcting valuations on the downward end as well in this project. Once the flight was done to capture what was in our camera system which is called Wind Gal we then went out because we were early on this process but we thought, ITOS is Information Technology Outreach Services University of Georgia. Actually they created this great technology but quickly thereafter companies started popping up as well. We elected to go with the university at an estimated cost of $85,000 dollars. So what could this possibly mean as a projection? What that scale shows you we separated the parts of the digest that would be impacted by this project versus parts of it that is not and based upon our opinions it was reasonable that the dollar revenue or the return on the investment as we worked with the administration back then was approximately $2.04 million. I believe that’s why it was approved because at the end of the day we’re going to show you that (unintelligible). What I spoke about how the system worked down at the bottom here with just the red circle and the gray emblems that’s a sketch out of my camera system or a camera system. And in the upper part of that where the yellow is, is identical to what’s in the gray below but where the circle is up top you see an addition at that parcel location that was not in the camera system. The university indentify all of the errors that occurred within the flight data to my camera system which allowed my team to focus directly on corrections versus looking at all 81,000 parcels. I’d like to kind of lock you back into 2009 just before I arrived which was a three or four digest review. One I’d like to point out underlined there. Richmond County at that time had ten appraisers responsible for 77482 parcels and the recommendation coming from the Department of Revenue recommended the county hire 10 additional appraisers in keeping with IAA standards that’s in International Association of Assessment Officials. Thank you. To this day since that time we have picked up three. Thank you so very much. I’d like to point out also that there were challenges regarding the office space issue and I’d like to personally take this time to thank this st Commission and all Commissioners who played a part of bringing your facility into the 21 century. The advantages we’ve received was staff and productivity just from being in an environment that produces that kind of mindset. It’s just unbelievable. I think I saw Commissioners. 25 Mr. Hasan: Maybe I missed it but what is the Pictometry System exactly? Mr. Ross: Pictometry is not actually a system. Pictometry is the flight data itself, aerial flight data. The company is actually called Pictometry; they actually fly with the product. We get Ortho and what’s the other one, an oblique imagery. One is a bird’s eye view up and down, the other’s a 45 degree angle. It’s ran from all points north east south and west. At the desk top that imagery can be sent 360. Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Ross: You can be pulled for measurements. Mr. Hasan: You say, how long has your Chief Appraiser been vacant? You have a currently vacant. Mr. Ross: I don’t understand the question. Mr. Hasan: Your appraiser, for Chief Appraiser currently vacant. Mr. Ross: Oh, referring to the 2009 report? They stated, sir, that at the time the staff included one Chief Appraiser currently vacant. Well, that was done in between the departure of Mr. Hicks, the previous Chief Appraiser. This goes back to 2009 and basically you were early in 2010 when this report was drafted by the Department of Revenue. Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Ross: So they’re referring to Mr. Calvin Hicks at that time. Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Lockett: You’re the head now, right? Mr. Ross: Until such time the Board of Assessors makes a different choice. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, it sounds like you stepped into the new millennium with this technology but my question is how much did it cost us to --- Mr. Ross: If you’ll be patient with me, Commissioner --- Mr. M. Williams: --- well, I understand. Mr. Ross: --- that’s going to come up in your presentation. Mr. M. Williams: --- but I mean --- 26 Mr. Ross: Excuse again, sir, I’ll go directly to that answer. Mr. M. Williams: Yes, sir, because I don’t know anything about the 33.76 and 40 and the 39. Those numbers you throw out there went right over my head they don’t do nothing for me. Mr. Ross: Let me try my best Commissioner. Mr. M. Williams: I need to know what did you do different and I think you went to technology to help us find some property that may have been added to that we hadn’t been able to physically get there until we got the ‘Eye’s in the Sky’ so to speak. Is that a good assumption? Mr. Ross: Commissioner, the cost to the University of Georgia was just under $85,000 dollars, $84,785.00. Mr. M. Williams: So it didn’t cost us anything. Mr. Ross: The cost of the flight alone with the university work, the total cost involved in the project was $231,598.80. Mr. M. Williams: And that was to who you said, the university? Mr. Ross: The ITOS Information Technology Outreach University of Georgia the impact cost was just under $85,000.00. Of the total cost the other balance was for the actual flight data. That is controlled out of your IT Augusta operations not the Board of Assessors who worked with the contractual conditions. I could give you a lot more detail, Commissioner, but I didn’t think you wanted to get bogged down in all those pieces. Mr. M. Williams: I didn’t appreciate but thank you, Mr. Bill, very much. I got my answer I needed. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, anybody else down the line? Okay. Mr. Ross: Then, Commissioner, if I may add this is just not about valuations. What you see now is the total number of persons who actually use my data base to operate in a technology world for this community. So there’s a total of 149 actual end users of the ports to public safety that’s using this data base in a number of ways. In the Pictometry use there are 9 departments including us who are actually using Pictometry now to deliver at the highest level for your citizens here. What we were headed to at the final part of the project out of 85,922 parcels there were 33,000 100+ that actually was identified by the university. You had a 40.93% parcel margin error. I’m pretty good with statistics but as I was saying garbage in, garbage out. We not only corrected this database, the numbers speak for themselves how many increases decreases that came along. What does it all mean? This project in 12 when we first got started was short lived to get ready for the 12 digest. I won’t go be redundant about the numbers but those are the dollars in discovery, 40% assessment times your mill rate gives you a measurable dollar on those impacts. In 2013 there was number one of 128 respectfully and 183 by 2014. In 2015 at the end of the project 722 to the county and 1.6 to the school board. At the end of the day the annual 27 impact comes to $2.35 million in revenue dollars and that does not include the impact of urban services, county capital outlay funds and the fire protection district mill rate. That is calculation just on your general fund in itself. My staff thought it was cute to show you new money that was uncut by the way. What we thought we’d take advantage of today to tell you Commissioners there’s a major shift going on in law coming out of the dome. What you’re looking at is a comparison of your 15 and 14 digest components and I’ve highlighted for you motor vehicles. We’ve given you those numbers at 100%. You’re down $224 million plus in the digest on motor vehicles because of TVAT. And you’ve heard that conversation from your Finance and from the Tax Commissioner. If you’ll forgive me I won’t get into the complications of that revenue is collected now TVAT but there’s a shift going on. That is a historical look at the loss of what’s going on on the digest because of this decision that has been made regarding the legislature. And at this point in time since 2013 the motor vehicle impact on your digest is down over $356 million that’s almost 39, that’s over 39%. That’s the same number that’s in your five year history. At the pace this new legislation is having throughout 159 counties you will continue to see the challenge of digests going south because of the shift in the manner in which motor vehicles previously were carried on the digest. The digest itself once was one two in which Finance people use for estimates of budget positions to present to governing authorities. That is shifting now to a two tier system trying to figure out the difference between TVAT collections and the remaining parts of the digest that just continue to come. At the pace you’re currently moving there will be no motor vehicles of any significant worth left on your digest perhaps in the next four years. The thing that’s absorbing the digest measurement is the fact what was once growth if you look at real and personal property you can see the numbers continue to climb from 4.7 October 5 a billion dollars during that five year period. You look at your motor vehicles. You had a hike in 2013 of 364 million dropped down to 221. It is becoming a bigger and bigger challenge for us to estimate revenue on the shifting parts of the digest. In closing Pictometry itself that information is used by nine major departments. The camera system of the Board of Assessors in its database used by 11 other departments for a total of 149 end users. The ITOS project is an amazing piece of tool that’s not only used for the enhancement of valuation correctness and accuracy but can be used for public safety means. We cover your public utilities and stop the loss of their revenue and business and personal property audits continue to recover revenue as well. What is not in my presentation is in collaboration with the Tax Commissioner’s office we completely reverted the old system of collections on prebuilt mobile homes. The previous Tax Commissioner had third party out that stuff into a court system that was putting burdens on the Marshall’s Office well as the court system and the Board of Assessors and the Tax Commissioner. We reversed that whole process and moved it back in house working with the Commissioners. We recovered over $400,000 plus dollars in back taxes on prebuilt mobile homes. We’ve eliminated the (unintelligible) laws that’s been going on for years and years and we are proud to say it is my opinion that the Board of Assessors and this team is doing what it is directly charged to do by the statutes to present this authority and the Board of Education with a proper annual tax digest and we are very close to submitting your 2015. We’re projecting it by mid August we will have everything in place subject to your final approval to go to Atlanta with the purpose of collecting the Letter to Collect Authorization from the Georgia Department of Revenue Tax Commissioner of the State of Georgia. That’s all we have on this. I can clarify anything else for you, sir. Mr. M. Williams: I don’t think you got nothing else, do we? You’ve got it all. 28 Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chief Appraiser, I have the floor now thank you. Having been a member of the Board of Assessors for an extended period of time I know what it’s like, I know the training that’s required to be an effective part of this particular board. It’s not one of these classes of many classes you must attend where they are multiple guess no, that doesn’t work there. And you know you don’t get on the board and really become effective the first year; it takes several years for you to really understand what it is that you’re doing. And I must say that between Chief Appraisers when Calvin Hicks left and before Mr. Ross came in the Board Chair Mr. Charles Smith stepped in for the Chief Appraiser. In fact he’s done that many times and the board is an extremely cohesive unit and I give them all the praise because they have done an outstanding job. He’s got a good group of people and I’d be remiss if I did not applaud the people that work in that particular office. Before they got the new facility they were in cramped facilities. I mean hey, it was really horrific but they continued to do a good job throughout the state of Georgia. The Department of Revenue and others when I was a board member I say oh yeah I’m with Augusta Richmond County and they all say that’s one of the best that we have in the state. And I don’t think it’s changed at all since I was last there. So I just wanted to thank you, Mr. Ross, Mr. Smith, Bill Lee all of the staff for the outstanding job that you are doing. Thank you so much. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Ross. Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, I’d like to make a motion to receive as information. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We have a motion we have a second let’s call for the vote. Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 9-0. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, moving along with what we’ve got next. The Clerk: APPOINTMENTS 30. Discuss the appointments that each Commissioner has on the Tax Assessors Board and the Coliseum Authority. (Requested by Commissioner M. Williams) Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, sir, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I’ve been trying to get the handle on those appointments that each Commissioner has. We just discussed one for the Coliseum Authority now as far as a collective body putting together members and voting as a unit. My 29 understanding is that the Super District 10 which is yourself, Mayor Pro Tem, and 9 which is yours truly has three appointments on that board and I’m trying to make sure that I’ve got some people that I want to appoint to that board but I’m trying to make sure that those that that appointment is correct and that it’s right. I guess, Mr. Brown, I guess you being the legal. Mr. Brown: The Coliseum Authority should consist of seven members, three come from Super District 9 and three from Super District 10. One should come from the Legislative Delegation and that person should be the Chair of the Coliseum Authority. Mr. M. Williams: And we’ve got that established; we was worrying about the latter one. I think the Tax Assessor Board was what I state that Super District 10 had three appointments and 9 had three appointments and the state has two, not the Coliseum but the Tax Assessors Board. Mr. Brown: I thought I heard you say coliseum okay. The coliseum I mean the Board of Tax Assessors, what is your exact question on that about those eight members? Mr. M. Williams: I’ll just keep it simple. How many appointments do each Commissioner have? Mr. Brown: I believe that for the Tax Assessors is voted on by the Board itself, your board. Mr. M. Williams: So we don’t have an appointment on those boards is that what you’re saying it’s just we, this board, is that what you’re saying. There is no individual appointments; there is nothing with Super District 10 or 9. Mr. Brown: Just a moment please, sir. Commissioner Williams, I’m going to have to bring you some clarification on that because there was an amendment regarding the Board of Tax Assessors. I don’t want to definitely assert that process at this moment because I do have a question regarding the amendment. But our Tax Assessors Board currently does have, presently has eight members but I do want to get a little bit more clarification as to whether there’s any individual ability of the any given Richmond County Commissioner to appoint an individual member. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Brown, you don’t have any direction that you can relate? I mean I’m trying to figure out to phrase this question to you. My understanding is there is eight members of the board, three come from District 10 and three come from nine. I just happen to be in nine but that’s where they come from. Two come from the state which gives a total of eight. I think if the record serves me right District 9 has three of those appointments and District 10 has three of those appointments. Now you can, you know, I don’t have to have it today anytime you can get it will be fine with me but I would appreciate it if you would get that for me up or down right or wrong, however it’s supposed to be. Unless there’s been an amendment and changed that that’s the way it’s been. Now it could have changed. 30 Mr. Brown: That may be the case, Commissioner. What I will do is I will send out to each member of the Commission by tomorrow the final position on that. But at this moment for some reason I read the agenda item I focused somehow on the Coliseum Authority and so I did not address the Tax Assessors. Mr. M. Williams: I understand. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we clear on that? Mr. M. Williams: I’m going to make a motion that we receiveas information, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, so we can move on with this. Mr. D. Williams: Second. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, we have a motion and a second. Call for the vote. Yes sir, go ahead, Bill, I’m sorry. Mr. Fennoy: Just for clarity what you will get us back tomorrow is who appoints who on the Tax Commission Board? Mr. Brown: Tax Assessors, yes. Mr. Fennoy: Tax Assessors Board? Mr. Brown: Yes, sir. Mr. Fennoy: Okay. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: In other words the Chief Appraiser Mr. Ross has got the chief input on the appraiser board the Tax Assessors Board I mean. Mr. Brown: No, sir. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I wanted to get on there myself. Okay, whoever we’ve got. What else we got after that anything else. Mr. M. Williams: That’s it. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, do I hear a motion? Mr. Lockett: We haven’t finished voting yet. Ms. Davis and Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion Passes 8-2. Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, motion to adjourn. Thank ya’ll for coming. 31 [MEETING ADJOURNED] Nancy 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 August 4, 2015. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 32