Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting August 18, 2015 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER AUGUST 18, 2015 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., August 18, 2015, the Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Lockett, Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Fennoy, D. Williams, Hasan, Davis and Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor: Good afternoon everyone and citizens of Augusta. We have with us today Ms. Lena Bonner, so excited to have you here today, Ms. Bonner. Ms. Bonner: Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I really appreciate all of that. And I thank God for his continuous grace on my life. And thank you to all of you. Mr. Mayor: Wonderful. Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Now we have our invocation by the Rev. Mark Van Alstine, Pastor, St. Joseph Catholic Church. Mr. Mayor: Please stand. The invocation was given by Rev. Mark Van Alstine, Pastor, St. Joseph Catholic Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor: Rev. Van Alstine, I have something for you. Rev. Alstine: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk? The Clerk: We’re headed for delegations? Mr. Mayor: Yes. DELEGATIONS A. Mr. Melvin Kelly RE: Downtown Augusta Youth Entertainment. Mr. Mayor: Mr. Kelly, as you approach you have five minutes. Mr. Kelly: I feel kind of strange talking. I’ve been coming here for five years and ain’t never said (unintelligible) words. 1 Mr. Mayor: And, Mr. Kelly, would you for the record please state your name and address. Mr. Kelly: My name is Melvin Kelly. I live at 2014 Olive Road, Augusta Georgia. I don’t want to talk long. I just want to share with you just a little ideal project I came up with that I think could benefit the city of Augusta in regard to creating a major youth project downtown. My M.O. is I normally relate to you by email and this year I think I sent you quite a few, one entitled Shelter in the Time of a Storm, Abandoned Buildings in Augusta, Public Schools. I talked about a proposed planetarium for the youth somewhere in the city, violence and music, reducing crime in Augusta and et cetera maybe one or two more. But I was doing some studying and I was looking you know my job is I try to be a representative in the community to bring ideas to you, things that could basically benefit the city. And you know I’ve, I’m downtown a lot and I’m looking and I’m downtown basically every day and I noticed that the city of Augusta really lacks youth activities downtown. And so I’ve been putting together this little project I don’t know if it’s going to be accepted or rejected or if you’d like to go forward or help me with it or I got to do it by myself. But I came up with this idea because I started noticing that you know Augusta has a really wonderful downtown but it lacks a lot of participation from patrons. It lacks opportunity for a lot of people in the city to even come down there and participate in anything. Now Augusta do promote a lot of programs and projects. You’ve got the Masters Golf Tournament. You’ve got the Southern Augusta Association Tournament with the boat rides and basically then you have the WJBF Health Expo. You have your Arts in the Hearts to the Hearts. You have a couple of other parades but it doesn’t really seem to have any projects down there that would bring people that live in the city down there every. There’s always only on a special occasion. So what I’m looking at my ideal is, it’s just ideal why not create something downtown with at least basically the children and the young adults that live in the city can have the opportunity to come down there and participate in something every weekend or almost every day especially in the area of entertainment and music. The reason why I chose entertainment and music is because Augusta is a music town. It’s famous for two things. It’s famous for golf and it’s also famous for James Brown, soul singer number one, all right? And I think that the city should have more representation related to soul singer James Brown downtown especially for the youth. And I noticed that there’s really, really not too much down there and I think it would be a good idea to put something more in favor of James Brown promoting something I mean let me say it like this. A lot of people come to Augusta because it’s famous and James Brown’s a famous singer and all they get is a little statue downtown. And you see that little statue and that’s about it. Most people when they travel from across the world I think they’re looking for a little bit more entertainment, a little something regular. You know James Brown he’s very well known and people all across the world love him and I believe they would come here more people would come here probably just as many people that come to participate in the golf Masters Tournament would come all year long to Augusta if you had something more exciting for them to participate in. You know James Brown famous for a lot of songs Hot Pants, Please, Please, Please, I Feel Good, Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag you know and they like that stuff. You know the world loves that but you know Augusta right now has a reputation of being kind of dead, you know, downtown. You know because I mean you’ve got some things going on. You got the Imperial Theater, you got the Bell Auditorium, you got the James Brown Arena, but it really just doesn’t have nothing that speaks loud enough to represent James Brown. James Brown, did you ever go to a James Brown concert? James Brown, James Brown, James Brown, James Brown is 2 one of the most famous singers all across the world but it lacks really representation of him, about him. You know you got the Augusta Museum over there it talks about you know I’ve been to the museum. You’ve got your statues of your golfers and so forth and et cetera okay that’s fine but after a while that can become bored. When you start equating things to James Brown, it means action, it means dancing. Is that five minutes already? Mr. Mayor: Your time has expired, Mr. Kelly. Mr. Kelly: Well, can I give part two next week because --- Mr. Mayor: Only if you can dance to Super Bad. Mr. Kelly: --- I got it, I got it. Well, you know I’m here at every meeting. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Kelly: I’m here at every meeting. I’ll talk to you one on one. I’m here at every meeting just about. Mr. Mayor: I appreciate that. Mr. Kelly: I didn’t get to the part of how much it costs. Mr. Mayor: All right so I want you pause right there. We’re going to take just a few st questions. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Yes, thank you, Mr. Kelly, for your interest in downtown Augusta and your interest in our youth but then when people talk about Augusta they do have a tendency to mention the golf tournament and James Brown. But I was reminded a couple of weeks ago that we have one of the greatest opera singers in the world from right here in Augusta Georgia, Ms. Jessye Norman. And we also have one of the oldest running gospel groups that was formed and still perform that are from Augusta Georgia the Swanee Quintet. So we can’t leave those two out when it comes to Augusta Georgia. Mr. Kelly: I agree with you but can I just say this, Mr. Mayor? You also have a downtown that’s one of the most beautiful downtowns in America but you don’t have nobody down there visiting or participating in it it’s almost bare every day. Mr. Mayor: All right I appreciate that, Mr. Kelly. We’ve got one more from the th Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Kelly, I sat here and marveled as you spoke about James Brown. I looked back at the Administrator back there and tears started to smile. We got a subcommittee that’s been meeting on enhancing the James Brown statue and doing some things because I do realize that James Brown is an icon, he is known all over the world. And I agree with you 150% if there was such a thing that the more we enhance that, the more attraction we’re going to get to 3 come downtown whether it be young old or Age Friendly as my Commissioner talked about on the other end or not. But James Brown will draw people to Augusta. If you come to our subcommittee we would love to have you just sit in and listen to what was being brought forth and what we’re trying to do. This whole Commission was here when we put the subcommittee together so we just think that we stay on that track. I think you keep singing those songs up and down these streets of Augusta somebody’s going to come down here with you to sing with James Brown. But I thank you for your effort because I agree with you 100%. Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Williams, would you like to tell Mr. Kelly what time that meeting will take place and where? Mr. M. Williams: That meeting will take place at 1:00 o’clock this Friday in the committee room here on the well one of these committee rooms I don’t know exactly which one of the committee rooms but we got a subcommittee meeting that’s coming back. We had an architect to do some work and bring us some information about James Brown’s statue, around James Brown’s statue. But if you’ll be you know convenient for you to come we would love to have you come in and just listen and I think you’ll find out that this body is on the same page you are when it comes to economic development trying to bring, promote James Brown and anybody else not just James Brown but he is known all over the world. I agree with Commissioner Fennoy there are other great artists and singers that’s come out of the area. If I had enough time I’d start singing myself but y’all don’t want me to do that today, we got a SPLOST to pass. Mr. Mayor: I appreciate (inaudible). Mr. Kelly: Thank you, sir, I’ll be there Friday. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: You have a good day. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Mr. M. Williams: You’ve got a motion to receive that as information, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Absolutely, I think that’s appropriate. Mr. Smith: Second. Mr. Mayor: We’ll receive this as information, a motion and a second. A little antsy today, Ms. Bonner, they’re a little antsy today. I don’t know why. Mr. Hasan abstains. Motion Passes 9-0. Mr. Mayor: Our next delegation. 4 The Clerk: DELEGATIONS B. Ms. Betty Jean Flower RE: Extension of bus service hours until 11:30 p.m. Ms. Flower: (Inaudible) good afternoon, Mr. Mayor Hardie Davis and the Commissioners. My name is Betty Flower and I’m here on behalf of our young men and women here in Augusta, Georgia. Mr. Mayor: Could you state for the record, Ms. Flower, your address. Ms. Flower: My name is Betty Flower. I live at 2244 Broad Street, Hal Powell Apartments here is Augusta, Georgia. And I’m here on behalf of the young men and the young women who graduated this year. Over 27 young men and women graduated out of high school and from college and half of those young men and women don’t have transportation. They don’t have a car to go to work so I’m asking you would you please extend the buses the hour of the buses from 7:00 to about 11:30 or 12:00 because a lot of those young people, they work out at the mall they work at the local hospital in this area and when they get off the buses have already stopped running at 7:00 o’clock and it’s a hardship on our young peoples. They need you to please consider extending the routes, extending the hours on the bus to about 12:00 o’clock at least. And I would like to ask you a question if it’s possible. I would like to know how much money comes in from the federal or from the state for the transit. Mr. Mayor: All right, I appreciate you asking that question and I think I saw earlier our Finance Director here earlier. All right I see Mr. Stevens, our new Transit Director. Mr. Stevens, would you like to approach and respond to that question, sir? Thank you. Ms. Flower: And I would like to know can we get a copy so I can give it some of my, the people that work with me? Mr. Mayor: All right, Ms. Flower here’s what we’ll do. I’m going to let Mr. Stevens respond to that question because I think it’s appropriate, you are a citizen. We’re here to respond to your needs --- Ms. Flower: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: --- and he can answer that question two ways, one since you’ve asked for it in written form we can get it to you in written form and he can answer it and you’ll have it available to you. And that be suffice for you --- Ms. Flower: I thank you. Mr. Mayor: --- is that appropriate? 5 Ms. Flower: Thank you so much. Mr. Mayor: All right fantastic. Mr. Stevens, you can take your seat and if you would, Mr. Stevens, if you’ll caucus with Ms. Flowers just for a brief moment in the rear here. All right fantastic. We want to make sure we provide our citizens with the answers that they need. All th right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The question that the young lady just asked is a question that I asked about two months ago in the form of an agenda item and I’m still waiting on an answer so maybe when I get my answer she’ll get her answer also. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right, I understand. All right, Madam Clerk? The Clerk: Are we ready? Mr. Mayor: We’re ready. The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of items 1-32, items 1-32. For the benefit of any objectors to our Planning Commission petitions once the petitions are read, would you please signify your objections by raising your hand? I call your attention to: Item 1: Is a request for a change of zoning from A Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to a Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property located at 3318 Washington Road. Item 2: Is a request for a change of zoning from a Zone LI (Light Industry) and Zone HI (Heavy Industry) to a Zone B-1 (General Business) affecting property known as 2501 Reynolds Industrial Road. Item 3: Is a request for a change of zoning from a Zone R-1A (One-Family Residential) to a Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property at 1079 Beverly Drive. Item 4: Is a request for a change of zoning from a B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to a Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property at 3240 Peach Orchard Road. Item 5: Is a request for a change of zoning from an R-1A (One-family Residential) to a Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) affecting property at 3132 Deans Bridge Road. The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those Planning petitions? There are no objections, Mr. Mayor and Commission, on our Planning petitions. I call your attention to our Public Services portion of the agenda item number six. If there are any objectors to any of these alcohol petitions would you please also signify your objections by raising your hand once the petition is read. Item 6: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 4150 Windsor Spring Road. Item 7: Is a request for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 2417 Milledgeville Road. Item 8: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 3479 Wrightsboro Road. 6 Item 9: Is for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection at 3539 Wheeler Road. Item 10: Is for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location 1496 Jones Street. Item 11: Is for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 3333 Washington Road. Item 12: Is for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 3003 Deans Bridge Road. Item 13: Is a for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 2822 Peach Orchard Road. Item 14: Is a for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 4101 Windsor Spring Road. Item 15: Is for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 3434 Wrightsboro Road. Item 16: Is for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 3011 Washington Road. The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those alcohol petitions? Okay, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission our consent agenda consists of items 1-32 with no objections to our Planning of Alcohol Petitions. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. At this time the Chair will entertain any motions to either add or remove from the consent agenda. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from th the 5. Mr. Fennoy: Item number 21. th, Mr. Mayor: From the 5 sir. Mr. Lockett: Mr. Chairman, I would like to add agenda item 31 and 32 to the consent agenda. The Clerk: It’s on there, they’re on there. Item 31 and 32 they’re on there. Mr. Mayor: They’re already on the consent agenda. Mr. Lockett: Oh already on, thank you. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Speaker: (Inaudible). th Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: I’d like to pull item 21. 7 The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy pulled that item earlier. Mr. Mayor: No, that’s Mr. Sias, Commissioner Sias. Mr. Fennoy: (Unintelligible). The Clerk: I thought someone else had pulled it. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I need some clarity on Item 1. Mr. Mayor: All right so Item 1. Mr. M. Williams: I’m not opposed I just need some clarity we might get it answered and --- Mr. Mayor: Okay. I’d like to add item 33 to the consent agenda. The Clerk: You need the Planning Director. Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, I need someone from Planning to address this Item 1 if I can. Mr. Mayor: All right so Madam Clerk if we can if we can. Mr. M. Williams: Nobody’s here from Planning? Mr. Mayor: So are you asking for us to pull it or you just want to get clarification? Mr. M. Williams: I said I need clarification I mean I didn’t want to pull it I just need some clarity. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. M. Williams: If I mean --- Mr. Mayor: That’s appropriate. Mr. M. Williams: --- that’s appropriate, okay. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Ms: Wilson: I was just waiting for you all to finish. I wasn’t sure if you were finished yet. Mr. M. Williams: Okay I mean --- 8 Ms. Wilson: I wasn’t sure either; I was waiting on the Mayor to make sure. Mr. M. Williams: My question is though the petitioner I think said it was a family residence combined issue and I’m looking at how we’re asking them to put a six foot privacy fence up. And my question is is that needed is that what the petitioner wants to do or is that, if it wasn’t related I wouldn’t have any problem with that but I think I remember the petitioner asking me a question about that. Is the petitioner here, Mr. Mayor? Okay, may I address him, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. Sir, if you would approach the podium to my left and if you would state for the record your name. We should’ve just pulled it so that we could have this debate and then take the other items. Yeah go ahead, sir. Mr. Watson: Yes, thank you. My name is Wallace Michael Watson my address is 619 Spy Glass Road in Martinez. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Watson, I guess my question was about the six foot privacy fence and I think it’s a family related area. In Planning and Zoning we talked about that and the question came up whether or not it was required. Now if it wasn’t related I think am I right speaking of that? Mr. Watson: Yes, sir, the subject property borders their property and they own essentially the whole corner. And the question was would they have the option on where the fence would be. Certainly we respect the need for the fence and have no problem with installing a fence. The question was does the property owner have an option, that was my question, no objection to the family’s (inaudible). Mr. M. Williams: Well and that was the reason I had it pulled because I thought if it wasn’t necessary if something had to be done then we need to do it but if the property was owned by the same family and there could be another type fence and whether it be shrubbery or something else. I thought it would relieve some of the expense and that’s why I wanted to address it. Mr. Watson: There’s no objection to the fence, sir. Mr. M. Williams: No objection to the fence. Mr. Watson: No, sir. Mr. M. Williams: Okay. Well, I’m going to make a motion to approve this as its stated but I was thinking that the fence would be would probably be an objection but okay. Mr. Watson: Thank you, sir. 9 Mr. Mayor: All right, very well. All right so, Madam Clerk, it looks like we’ve only got one item. The Clerk: Item number 22, Mr. Sias, 21 I’m sorry. Mr. Mayor: Yes, all right. Ms. Davis: Move to approve, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Guilfoyle: Second. CONSENT AGENDA PLANNING 1. Z-15-30 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Wallace M. Watson, on behalf of Dukes Family Trust, requesting a change of zoning from Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property containing .33 acres and is known as 3318 Washington Road. Tax Map 010-0-031-00-0 DISTRICT 7 1. Installation of six foot privacy fence to separate proposed use from the adjacent residential use. 2. Parking lot and security lighting must be directed away from the residential properties located to the south of the subject property. 3. Remove the driveway approach nearest to the Washington Road and Clark Street intersection to improve internal traffic circulation. 2. Z-15-32 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Prestige Appliance Holdings, LLC, on behalf of Brandenburg-Claussen Rd. Ltd., requesting a change of zoning from Zone LI (Light Industry) and Zone HI (Heavy Industry) to Zone B-2 (General Business) and no residential uses, affecting property containing .48 acres and is known as 2501 Reynolds Industrial Road. Tax Map 007-0-022-02-0 DISTRICT 7 1. Approval of the rezoning request would prohibit any residential development on the property. 2. Install a minimum 6 foot privacy fence near or along the east boundary of the property to provide separation from the adjacent commercial use. 3. Ensure that a Flood Elevation Certificate is issued to ensure that the first floor of any structure is at least 3 feet above the base flood elevation on the property. 4. Proposed front elevations of any structures shall be approved by the Planning and Development Director or her designee. 3. Z-15-33 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Little Diversified, on behalf of C.W. Edwards et al, requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-1A (One-family Residential) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property containing approximately 3.03 acres and is known as 1084, 1086, 1088 and 1090 Alexander Drive and 1079 Beverly Drive. Tax Maps 013-3-007- 00-0, 013-3-008-00-0,013-3-009-00-0, 013-3-010-00-0 & 013-3-016-00-0 DISTRICT 7 1. Proposed parking and elements of the site plan must comply with standard of the Augusta Tree Ordinance and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. 2. Parking lot and security lighting must be directed away from the residential properties located to the south of the subject property. 4. Z-15-34 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission t approve a petition by Carl H. Hargrove III, on behalf of Carl H. Hargrove Jr., requesting a change of 10 zoning from Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property known as 3240 Peach Orchard Road containing 1.19 acres. Tax Map 122-1-081- 00-0 DISTRICT 6 5. Z-15-35 - A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Chris G. Nicholson and Elaine N. Paul requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-1A (One-family Residential) to Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) affecting property known as part of 3132 Deans Bridge Road approximately .92 acres. Part of Tax Map 096-0-014-02-0 DISTRICT 6 1. That a plat be approved and recorded for the entire tract known as 096-0-014-02-0 2. That the property be identified by a single street address assigned by Augusta IT-GIS. PUBLIC SERVICES 6. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-36 request by Shiva Vuppula for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Windsor Spring Food & Gas at 4150 Windsor Spring Rd. District 6. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 7. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-37 request by Richard D. Orr for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Y Not Soul Food located at 2417 Milledgeville Rd. There will be Dance. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 8. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-38: A request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the Circle K Store #2723255 located at 3479 Wrightsboro Rd. District 3. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee Augusta 11, 2015) 9. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-39 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the Circle K Store #2723737 located at 3539 Wheeler Rd. District 3. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 10. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-40 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store #2723270 located at 1496 Jones Street. District 1. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 11. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-41 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store #2323275 located at 3333 Washington Rd. District 7. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 12. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-42 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store #2723266 located at 3003 Deans Bridge Rd. District 5. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 13. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-43 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store #2723264 located at 2822 Peach Orchard Rd. District 6. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 14. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-44 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store 11 #2723263 located at 4101 Windsor Spring Rd. District 4. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 15. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-45 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store #2723262 located at 3434 Wrightsboro Rd. District 5. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee Augusta 11, 2015) 16. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 15-46 request by James E. Miller for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Circle K Store #2723261 located at 3011 Washington Rd. District 7. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 17. Motion to approve McCarthy Improvement Company Change Order #2-Rehabilitate Air Carrier & General Aviation Apron Project as approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission at their July 30, 2015 meeting. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 18. Motion to approve Beams Contracting, Inc. Contract Modification #3-Southeast Development Area Access Project as approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission at their July 30, 2015 meeting. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) 19. Motion to approve a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Grants having expedited deadlines for the Fiscal Year 2015 as approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission at their July 30, 2015 meeting. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 11, 2015) PUBLIC SAFETY 20. Motion to approve the construction of an enclosure for the fire fighting equipment owned by the Georgia Forestry Service using the procurement process. (Approved by Public Safety Committee August 11, 2015) 22. Motion to approve the FY 2016 Metropolitan Transportation Planning Services contract between Augusta, Georgia and the Georgia Department of Transportation. (Approve by Finance Committee Augusta 11, 2015) ENGINEERING SERVICES 23. Motion to approve the annual budget for Program Management Services for the Utilities Department. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) 24. Motion to approve Professional Services Proposal from W.K. Dickson for Camp Hancock Sewer Condition Assessment and Infrastructure Rehabilitation Plan in the amount of $157,000. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) 25. Motion to approve reallocation of $1,000,000 in SPLOST funds from projects that are funded through Transportation Investment Act (TIA) for continuation of land acquisition and resident relocations as requested by Augusta Commission July 14, 2015. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) 26. Motion to approve Improvements to the Jones Street Alley as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) 27. Motion to approve Final Construction Change Order in the amount of $37,089.63 for the Marion Homes Water Main Improvements project by Eagle Utility Contracting, Inc. Bid item #14-134. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) 12 28. Motion to determine that Spellman Street and Goss Lane, as shown on the attached plat have ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it or that its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public interest, pursuant to O.C.G.A §32-7-2, with the abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the appropriate party(ies), as provided by law and an easement to be retained over the entire abandoned portion for existing or future utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering Department and Augusta Utilities Department. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) 29. Motion to approve accepting Nuite Estate Sanitary Sewer Deed of Dedication. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 11, 2015) PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 30. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular Commission meeting held on August 4, 2015 and the special called commission meeting held on August 11, 2015) APPOINTMENTS 31. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Ben Morgan to the Transit Citizens Advisory Board representing District 9. (Requested by Commissioner M. Williams) 32. Motion to approve the appointment of Ms. Rosa L. Thomas to a term on the Augusta Aviation Commission Bush Field and Ms. Gloria Dunbar to a term on the General Aviation Commission Daniel Field representing District 2. (Requested by Commissioner D. Williams) Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and second to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor will vote yea and all those opposed will vote nay. Motion Passes 10-0. [Items 1-20, 22-32] Mr. Mayor: All right. The Clerk: FINANCE 21. Motion to approve a request from Ms. Corlis Law for a waiver of the rd usage/cleanup/security fees for the Augusta Common for the 3 Annual Augusta Music Fest 2016 on May 28, 2016. (Approved by Finance Committee August 11, 2015) Mr. Mayor: Is Ms. Corlis Law here today? She is not, okay. All right, the Chair st recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: I think Commissioner Sias --- Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Sias okay. Mr. Fennoy: --- I’ll yield to him. 13 Mr. Mayor: You’ll yield, very good. th Mr. Fennoy: I think it’s the Commissioner from the 4. th Mr. Mayor: Okay the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: I have a, I’m the one during the Finance Committee hearing and I’m the one that actually made the motion to approve this item but with some reconsideration I just need to get some clarity and will not set the precedent of waiving all fees. So, Mr. Mayor, I would like to know if Mr. Houck from Recreation and Parks is here to give us a little clarification on that if you don’t mind, sir. Mr. Mayor: Absolutely not. Mr. Houck. Mr. Houck: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission. This body has waived fees before. A prime example is earlier this year for the Hispanic Festival and what was waived in that instance was the rental of the Common and the cleanup which boiled down to about $900.00 dollars. The waiver of everything that Ms. Law is asking for this event would be $1,968 dollars. Mr. Mayor: Continue. Mr. Sias : Well, thank you. I wanted to get that clarification on that so with that being move that we waive the usage and cleanup fees only. said I Mr. Lockett: Second. Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second to waive the usage and cleanup fees only, a motion and a second. The Chair recognizes the distinguished Dean of the Commission the th Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: I have no problem with them with what’s being proposed. I guess my question would be how do people get to a state where they don’t have to spend dollars or the monies on security and other things? In a lot of places if you’ve got identifiable staff and it says security you don’t have to have a officer with a gun. Now we ought to be protecting this city. We’ve got the largest law enforcement in the state of Georgia right here in Richmond County so I’m trying to figure out if we identify security people, can that person or anyone use our facility in using like they do in a lot of other places as long as they identify their security people where you know Joe somebody isn’t just walking up and down and saying I’m security. If you’ve got an identifiable staff can we use that, Mr. Houck, I guess you’re the man standing there I just need an answer. Can that be done? 14 Mr. Houck: For a number of events the groups have used sort of an event security staff but it’s always been an addition to police officers. And whenever we have events we get everybody in the room lay all the requirements down and the Sheriff’s Department’s the one that sets the number of police officers that are needed per event depending on the event. Mr. M. Williams: So the answer is that that’s a yes you can. I’m not saying eliminate totally the Sheriff’s Department. I’m not suggesting that but if we can if people can identify with shirts and uniforms something to identify who security is along with the Sheriff’s Department would certainly relieve you know some of that expense. I just think we need to find a way to work with people and not try to work against people so that’s what I wanted to bring that out, Mr. Mayor, that’s my point. I’ve got no problem with the suggestion that was made but I think the applicant needs to know that there are other alternatives that we can look at and try to relieve some of the expense. Mr. Mayor: All right thank you so much, Commissioner. The Chair recognizes the distinguished gentleman the dapper one himself all the way at the end Commissioner Mayor Pro Tem Grady Smith. Mr. Smith: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ron, you know when you set your budget each year how much do you allow for you know waiving fees? And could we do this for each organization that comes up? Mr. Houck: I’m not sure if we have a policy and a set number for fee waivers since the majority of those come through this body. To answer the question it would be tough to absorb every event we did if there was a total fee waiver because we have certain revenue goals obviously we have to meet as well. Mr. Smith: You know I’m in for helping you know as many people as we can and everything but then you know what we need to do is so we don’t offend any certain group or whatever why don’t we have an established fee then okay we can give you a discount on this section, this section, this section, and at least Richmond County or taxpayers and all get a certain amount paid for and then nothing’s totally free. I think most people would probably understand that than just getting a, this one gets zero and this one has to pay the full load. When you know you start that precedent you never know you know what’s going to happen down the line and I think we need to establish some policy for this because we’re trying to attract more people. And I’m sure when people come during an event or venue they expect to pay a certain amount and then you know with this thing, I think waiving certain fees are good but instead of waiving them I think we could give a discounted amount where we at least we cover our costs. st Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Ron, will the applicant be notified of the change that we have made as far as security, having to pay for security? Mr. Houck: Absolutely. 15 Mr. Fennoy: Okay and I guess to follow up on what Commissioner Smith just said this event is going to be free and open to the public? Mr. Houck: Yes, sir, it is a free event. Mr. Fennoy: Okay, so okay and I guess if we have had concerts where there’s an admission fee we don’t usually waiver those types of events. Mr. Houck: That’s correct. Mr. Fennoy: Okay. Mr. Mayor: Is there anyone else? Commissioner, continue. Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve --- Mr. Lockett: A motion’s already been made. Mr. Fennoy: --- to approve the request. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a proper second to approve the request to waive the usage and cleanup fees. All those in favor will vote yea and those opposed will vote no. Ms. Davis and Mr. G. Smith vote No. Motion Passes 8-2. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. The Clerk: I believe, Mr. Mayor, we’re at item number 33. ADMINISTRATOR 33: Approval of SPLOST 7 project list as per commission approved time line. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re on item 33. We’ve got a lot of business still to do here today and I want to take an opportunity to once again begin by commending the Administrator, her staff, Finance and all of our department heads in working with their staffs in putting together a package that was brought before this body that you worked diligently on on last Thursday. A lot of time has been put into this effort by staff and certainly by those of you who are elected officials. Historically Augusta voters have approved a series of SPLOSTs dating back to 1988 being our first one. Some of the things we’ve been able to get done with SPLOST are Diamond Lakes, the Fire Department Training Facility, the downtown Library, Laney Walker Boulevard Streetscape, The TEE Center, the Judicial Center, there have been upgrades at Daniel Field, upgrades at the Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field and the reality of it is that pennies of individuals who travel into this community and not just those who live here are working to keep Augusta a great place to live, work and to play. I support SPLOST since we’ve been in this 16 community we’ve supported SPLOST. I look forward to an opportunity to support this SPLOST that you all have worked so hard at. I know that there’s a lot of questions still in the minds of those of us who are at the dais on today. I don’t have any pet projects in this SPLOST package but I do know that over the last two decades Augusta has used this as a tool to the tune of almost $750 million dollars of sales tax funds to make this a better community. We’ve also been able to save long-term debt, minimize long-term debt and save substantial resources as it relates to financing as opposed to issuing bonds. With that being said I’m asking this body once again just like I did on last Thursday to join me in making a commitment to this community that beyond SPLOST we work diligently to put in place and develop a Capital Improvement Program. As a community we should not have to rely on SPLOST every five years in order to continue to make Augusta Georgia better. I look forward to everybody working with us on that, getting that done. A community our size should have one of those Capital Improvement Programs in place already. Last Thursday everybody made a commitment to stay at the table and continue the conversation. I’m asking you to do that again today. There’s some things I know you’re concerned about but let’s make sure that we have that conversation in a civil manner and give everyone an opportunity to have their case heard. With that being said I understand that there’s a plan or a couple of plans that we want to look at. At this time I’m going to ask the Administrator if she will have her staff hand those out. As our Deputy Finance Director is handing those out as you make decisions today about the future of our city do so with a broader vision ahead, vision for th robust economic development as the Commissioner from the 9 has continually said. We can put together vibrant living communities and neighborhoods and I’m confident we can get this done. As Mr. Schroer is handing those out, Madam Administrator, we’ve got two documents in our hand. Can we, I’ve got one that says Alternate 2 and one that does not have a title of declaration on it. Can you at least speak to that before we get into the details? Mr. Jackson: Generally there are two differences with these. The one that does not have a label on it is has a bottom number of $220 million dollars. As you can see from the cover page we’re showing the requested amount, the Administrator’s recommended amount. The one the th column that’s labeled Commission August 13 is a result of your work that’s where we left off on last Thursday the $228,950,000 dollar mark. The revised number is a $220 million dollar number that includes $7 million dollars seven and a half million dollars excuse me for the non- governmental organizations. The other document, same thing up until the last column next to the last column has a revised with today’s date on it and it’s a total alternate to the total of $215,550,000 dollars that does not include non-governmental organizations. There are a few smaller differences in the details there but the bottom line is the inclusion of NGO’s or non- inclusion in the total numbers. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, so in alternate to the NGO’s are not included in that we can take that as an absolute, is that correct? Ms. Jackson: That’s correct with the $215 million dollar plan. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right this is what we’re going to do. This is what we’re going to do. I am going to, you had your hand up first and I know that there’s a lot of discussion and we want to make sure we get heard. All right I’m going to give each individual and opportunity to be heard before I recognize you twice. All right this is what our posture is. I’m going to give 17 each individual an opportunity to be heard once before I recognize you twice. I will begin on the end all right? Mr. Fennoy: Which end, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: On my left. Mr. Fennoy: Okay, on your left hand. Mr. Lockett: Why don’t you treat me like you always treat me and ignore me? I’m not ready to comment as of yet. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Lockett: This is all new to me. Mr. Mayor: I understand. All right I’m going to stay on this end, Commissioner Fennoy, because somebody’s feeling some kind of way and I’m starting to feel some kind of way too. th All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: You had your hand up and the Commissioner from the 8 was looking at you like are you going to say something? Mr. Guilfoyle: No, actually --- Mr. Mayor: Okay, well I’ll all right if you’ll stand down Commissioner and let’s go to th the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, this SPLOST package is a necessity for the survival of this Augusta Richmond County as well as Blythe and Hephzibah. You know this package is designed for infrastructure, first responders’ needs and the IT as well as the government needs. My stance has been on this I was with the SPLOST 7 last year when it failed and to be truthful people are getting really upset that we’re giving money away to NGOs. And the way I look at it an NGO can survive five years but Augusta Richmond County cannot without SPLOST. I hear responses where people talk about, you know, without the NGOs we won’t get the support of them. Well, we had the NGOs in there last year and we did not get the support. I feel it’s a necessity this time one time only. We’re actually setting a precedent to where this SPLOST is just designed for the city, infrastructure and first responders’ needs. And I support the Alternate Two package. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. : Mr. Sias Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As we went through this process when we started in the library from my position we set some precedents. And it’s been very important to be flexible 18 for to maintain the aim and goal that we have for this particular SPLOST. We worked hard on it we had agreements and we had disagreements but those disagreements did not rise to the level of animosity because this is what we have been elected to do is to serve the public. And the savings and the best way to do that is doing it in the open, do it honestly and do it fairly. I for number one do not support the inclusion of NGOs in this particular SPLOST. I also was a proponent for public safety and infrastructure and in Plan Alternate Two is I think where we net those goals, we met the price, we met those things that what we consider most important to Augusta . particularly from my perspectiveWith that being said I make a motion to approve Alternate 2. Mr. G. Smith: Second. Mr. Mayor: You have not been recognized to make a motion at this time. You’ve only been recognized to speak to the matter. You’re out of order. You’ve not been recognized for a motion at this time. Mr. Sias: Well, I will say then, Mr. Mayor, I sincerely apologize to this body if I’m that far out of order as dutifully fulfilling the normal duties of an elected official here. I wasn’t aware there were restrictions on what was allowed to be said so with that being said I appreciate the opportunity when you run through to come back to me for a motion. Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: I will absolutely do that. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the th 7. Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I fully support Alternate 2 package. I think that there’s been a lot of dialogue by this body. It’s been a proud moment for me to see the communication back and forth about this package over the past five days and to see 78% between public, public safety and infrastructure. I think this package proves to the people that we’re working for the people and to take the NGOs out. So again I support Alternate 2 package at $225,500. th Mr. Mayor: It’s good to know. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: I’m not the Dean I guess today, Ms. Bonner. I’m normally the Dean. Mr. Mayor: Well, I recognized you as that when I first got you when item number one came up. Mr. M. Williams: The alternate package I do not support and I probably won’t ever thth support a situation like that. This is our 6, 7 SPLOST. I shared this conversation earlier and th the 7 SPLOST that we have projected and all the money we have raised we have not done anything in Augusta Richmond County to attract or to grow our economic development. Now I think all of us support Public Safety. You can’t never have too many officers if you had an officer on every corner you wouldn’t have too many officers. If you had three cars they could change every time they had a meal there wouldn’t be too many, but we’ve got to support this whole community and not just the public safety side or the infrastructure. The infrastructure’s 19 been like this for a long time and if we keep relying on just the SPLOST money to do it we will never get it done because the infrastructure is probably getting worse every day and by the time one SPLOST is over the stuff we done fixed needs to be fixed again. We need some monies to come into this community and, Mr. Mayor, I said not just with you but with the other Mayors I can’t tell you one thing that Augusta Richmond County’s doing that’s going to attract money or people to bring money to this community. A young man just got through talking about James Brown and the statute and all that stuff and how he’s known all over the world. And I said if we don’t put something in this SPLOST to excite the community to get the people behind us to say this is something different this is something good this is something that we all can benefit from I think we’re going to lose it. I think that we talk about it we want to do everybody right we want to do what’s fair but if you look at this first packet that everybody wants to say they’re against the NGOs coming in this is as one sided as it’s ever been and it’s west Augusta, the west side of Augusta. When you look at the south side look at the things they need we ought to be one city, Mr. Mayor. You know you talk about one Augusta but this list is not put together for one Augusta this list needs to be put together for everybody. Now those nonprofit if we’re going to cut them off and stop we need to at least advance, in advance tell them that this is our last time doing it. We can’t have folks come to the table that made plans and made provisions and start a process and now we’re just going to cut them off we’re just going to say now we’re not going to do it no more. There’s a lot of things done around this community that like that now we done terminate some people just like that. We don’t give no advance warning, we just swing the hatchet. As long as they ain’t cutting our throats then we ain’t got no problem with it. But I do support them and I will not sit here and pretend like I’m going to support this. We need to do something. We need to add to this SPLOST something that’s going to excite the community that the community’s going to want to have. Somebody said oh what is that? We ought to have an amusement park, a zoo, or an aquarium or something that’s going to attract the people to come to this city and spend money so our SPLOST will make more money. We’ve got the same folks here and we’re doing the same thing but we want something different. Now somebody said that was the definition for insanity. Now I don’t know I’ll let the rocket scientist figure that out, Sylvia, but I’m just trying, it takes money to make money and if we’re not doing anything to thnd make money if we’re going to do the same things for the 7 time not the 2 or the third but the th 7 time, we’re going to talk about infrastructure, we’re talk about and we need infrastructure but more than that we need monies to do. East Augusta Mr. Fennoy talked about it quite frequently and I’m a part of that community. But we done spent so much money in east Augusta and it’s still flooding. It is still continuing to flood because we have done the things that we needed to do and have the money that we’ve been piecemealing and putting money here and there but unless we do something now. I didn’t bring my overnight bag but I don’t mind staying overnight if ya’ll want to stay here but we ain’t going to rush this job no more. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from st the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I don’t, I don’t see how we could possibly in this phase leave the nongovernmental agencies out of SPLOST VII. In the first SPLOST VII package a couple of these commissioners including myself approved $5 million dollars for the Augusta Regional Collaborative Cooperation. $750,000 dollars for art space, $25,000 dollars for a public arts master plan, $2 million dollars for the Augusta Public Art Implementation, $4 million dollars for 20 renovations of the interior of the Imperial Theater, $9 million dollars for the Mini Theater and $1 million dollars for the Cultural Art Center which totaled $22, 525,000 dollars. What’s the, Paine College yeah, a million dollars. What the NGOs are asking for today is less than 5% of the total allocations of SPLOST funding. We’re talking about less than a nickel, less than a nickel out of the dollar. We have I see with us the representative of the ‘Y’. I was talking to one of my colleagues this morning and I said that the lasting memory one of the lasting memories that I have coming up with the ‘Y’ was being told that at 16 years old that if I go to Ethiopia that I still can join the ‘Y’. But that has since changed and I know the great job that they are doing in my community teaching my nieces and nephews how to swim free of charge. The biggest cause of accidental death is among black kids is drowning. They see the need, they’re addressing the need and they’re trying to do something about it. We as a commission I do not believe can afford to leave the Nongovernmental Agencies out of this SPLOST package. If you look at the Mini Theater Tyrone Butler it’s hard to put a dollar figure on the number of kids that he has kept from going to jail, the number of kids that he has sent to college, the values that he has instilled in a lot of kids in our community. You can’t put a dollar amount on that. So I think it is our responsibility as public servants to let these ideas and these traditions continue. I don’t think we can afford not to let this continue. Five cents out of a dollar, five cents out of a dollar the impact, the impact of five cents out of a dollar will be greater I believe than given the whole 100% to governmental agencies. The ‘Y’ has over 52,000 members and I don’t believe that all of them are residents of Richmond County, but I believe that that a lot of them are members of Richmond County. And I believe that to me it would be better to have agencies like the ‘Y’ the Mini Theater, Paine College, Shiloh to promote SPLOST VII than to sit idly by and don’t give an opinion one way or the other. SPLOST VII lost by less than 700 votes, less than 700 votes the last time. I believe that we have put together a great SPLOST package and I support the $220 million dollars SPLOST package. Mr. Mayor, is my five minutes up? Mr. Mayor: You’re doing real good right now. Mr. Fennoy: And I support it and I hope my colleagues will see the need and support it also. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from nd the 2 Commissioner Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Well, initially during my campaigning I was hard set against supporting nonprofit organizations in the SPLOST but since then I’ve become a little more involved and I’ve learned more. And when we look at the dollar amount of what we’ve set aside for these community organizations that’s needed in our community a lot of times we may not need the services of those particular organizations but someone we know need the services. And a lot of the organizations that we’re trying to support don’t really have the means or the support from the community in order to provide this service. Now am I happy with all the organizations that’s on this list no because I feel that some organizations on the list have a better or have a different avenue of getting the funds that they need. But there’s organizations on the list that does not have any other avenues and therefore we must help them. And also we’ve been helping nonprofit organizations for years. Why all of a sudden this year we need to stop. We need to give them warnings and say well hey next year we won’t be able to provide any on the SPLOST. 21 That gives them the opportunity to work out a better budget for next year and not to expect any assistance. There’s organizations that’s on this list this year that has been working to meet the matching funds and they’re continuing to work hard in order to meet them. And more importantly they provide a service to our community and a lot of times like I said earlier they provide a service that many of us may not even think about because we don’t need it. But it’s a lot of people in our community that needs the services that these organizations provide. I’m supporting the package that includes the nonprofit organizations. Also since I have the microphone I’m also supporting the fact that, let me read it to make sure I’ve got it right. That all qualifying SPLOST procurements shall be subject to the requirements of a local small business program and SPLOST contractors are encouraged to use local subcontractors and labor from our community. We’ve been sending too much of our money somewhere else. If we’re going to spend the money, the taxpayers money, we need to try to keep as much of it as we can in our community. Thank you. th Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6 Commissioner Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Well --- Mr. Mayor: Would you speak into the microphone, sir? Mr. Hasan: --- I’m sorry. Mr. Mayor: Would you speak into the microphone? Mr. Hasan: My position, Mr. Mayor, is last year in speaking with some of the managers or some of the directors of some of the nonprofits my position was that in looking at how SPLOST was last year they’ve become an object of criticism in spite of all the good that they do that’s the NGOs that I felt that they did not need to be a part of the SPLOST. With that being said that’s not a question of the service that they provide to this community. I think they provide an excellent service to this community. I think one thing I’d just like to mention, I’d like to mention as a point of reference I think most times we think about Augusta’s Mini Theater. I think Mr. Butler’s in the room now he can share. He don’t have to share but he can remember years ago when he was on ‘A’ Street if I’m not mistaken. He had some challenges there, payroll and things like that. I took the liberty myself to went to introduce myself to him, ask his permission to give us permission written information that would allow us to go out and solicit funds for his organization and we did that. So I understand the quality of work that all the NGOs does for this community. In many ways they are infrastructure as well because I was of the mindset that you can build a building and a building don’t build people but if you build people, people will build a building. So I understand their value but I also understand the tolerance and my personal opinion that the community at this particular time from the ones who have spoken to me just recently. I say recently the last couple of days previously before the last couple of days really nobody spoke to me about it. But as they’ve been watching things back and forth the opinions have come now that the community seems to have a low tolerance for it. But a low tolerance for it for me is it still does not take away the value that the NGOs bring to the community at the end of the day. But we’re in a very unique place as leaders in the community 22 in my mind. We’re in a place that the leaders are not the ones you’re looking at up here today. I think the leaders are the ones you all who are over the nongovernmental organizations. You’re the real leaders today. I think you all need to consider that we need you all’s support today more so than ever before to understand our plight and understand the tough decisions that we have to make around this issue here that many in the community is split, it’s divided. But nobody questioned the good that you do; I want to be very, very clear about that. Nobody questioned the value that you bring to this community but it’s something today that we need your all’s support to say to you all I understand because for one thing for sure you may have some renovations you may want to do, some expansions you may want to do, but at the end of the day it would not cause your government to do what Commissioner Guilfoyle mentioned much earlier. I don’t agree with the statement that he said. I know he didn’t mean any harm but clearly I don’t see us giving away money. Let me be very clear about that. I think we’re making investments in our community when we do business with the NGOs. But I think we’re in a place right now that we’re not able to do that. And with that said, Mr. Mayor, I’ll be supporting Alternative 2 Plan. rd Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3. Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You know first of all I’d like to say that I’ve appreciated the process that we’ve gone through as far as putting a package together. This was done differently then what I was involved in last year and I think this was a good process. Secondly at the end of the day I hope that whatever is approved either today or whenever we do get consensus that it’s not about for nonprofits or not for nonprofits because what I’m looking at the best package for the community is fitting the needs that we have that are our top priorities all across Augusta Richmond County. And so I hope that that’s what we focus on. You know I’ve raised money for three nonprofit organizations in my career, I know the importance of them. We th have over 2,000 nonprofits in Augusta Richmond County. We’re I think the top 5 in the country per capital of nonprofits so they do incredible work all across Augusta Richmond County and I think we all benefit from that. So I don’t want this to be anything for them or against them. My mind is what fits the best for all of Augusta Richmond County at this time and for the next five years that will carry us through the next 20 years. And so, Mr. Mayor, with that I believe that I would be in support of Alternate 2. Thank you. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 10 Mayor Pro Tem Smith. Mr. G. Smith: Thank you, sir, I appreciate it, Mr. Mayor. And I’m just going to echo what most of them said up here. We’ve all tried to work hard to be fair and see what’s best for the county. You’ve got ten people up here you’ve got ten you know views are going to vary but I think everybody’s tried to work together as much as possible. But my main thing is as everybody else and made no bones about it is infrastructure. You know we’re an older city here in Georgia but then we’ve got some systems that need to be fixed up in the four corners of Richmond County. The south side has your drainage with ditches and those things they take a certain amount of money to repair. West Augusta with the old systems they have in several of these neighborhoods. We’ve all seen in the paper the blowouts from main water lines and everything due to using materials that were back in the 40’s and 50’s and nowadays we’ve got to be outdated. Also the Sheriff’s Department the EMT’s, safety I mean that’s priority one. You 23 know I’ve been in use of their services and I’m going to tell you those folks do a heck of a job. The main thing is tearing down blighted areas in certain areas of town. We’ve just got some structures and property that needs to be taken care of and moved out then toughen and put teeth in our laws that are going to make us you know proud of this community. Get rid of those blighted areas and let’s get them ready to build new structures and then new growth. And yes I think it would be great to build buildings but you look around would you put your money in some of these areas. And you’ve got to be realistic about it and let’s start using a businessman’s approach on how we do things in this town. Sure I’ve got a lot of friends and I’ve got a lot of you know calls to do this and do that, cut him don’t cut me. We’ve got to do what’s best for Richmond County maximum the taxpayer’s dollars and that’s what we’re about. And you look at any good businessman he’s going to pick and choose and study where he’s going to put his money and we hope it’s in Richmond County, Georgia. And I believe you know if we handle it the right way and show people we’re putting our best foot forward, we’ll have a lot more things coming this way. But when you know when you start looking at how we run things that can be a big question mark. And listen I’m good about trying to help anybody but first in my book is senior citizens and the youth. Senior citizens because most of them have been good citizens over the years paid their dues. Let’s help them out so they can spend their older years enjoying themselves and being proud to say I stayed in Augusta. And the youth, yes, we need to do a lot and have upgrades in some of our parks and facilities and everything. We’ve got people looking at that and all these things do cost money. So if I’m going to spend my money I want to help the elderly and I want to help our youth, the folks that can’t help themselves. Everybody else I’m going to do what I can for them but anybody that’s able bodied man, woman whoever you know. Let’s try to bring the stuff to Augusta in Richmond County where everybody can get a good job. But as far as, so I support Alternate #2 and no NGOs. I think you know who you going to cut, cut him don’t cut me, no, there’s none this time we’re going infrastructure and what’s good for Richmond County. And that’s just my opinion and you know you can sell that for a dollar if you want to. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from th the 5 we’re coming back to you at this time. Mr. Lockett: Well thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. You know first of all I’d like to say I hope anyone won’t misinterpret what the Mayor said initially about the conversation that we had about the SPLOST VII Project List last week, I thought everybody was extremely cordial. We had some things that we disagreed with because that’s a part of the political process. I prayed this morning and told God I was not going to get excited today. I wasn’t going to run my blood pressure up like I usually do. That’s why I didn’t want to be first. But I must say I don’t want to be redundant but Marion Williams, Commissioner and Commissioner Fennoy and Commissioner Dennis Williams said what I wanted to say but they put it out there. I really applaud them for their remarks. Now, Mr. Mayor, if I may I have a question that I would like to direct to either the Finance Director or the Deputy if I could please, sir. Mr. Mayor: I think that’s quite appropriate. Ms. Williams, would you approach. 24 Mr. Lockett: Ms. Donna, my question is some years ago when the governing body implemented the clawback provision, would you please tell me when that was and for what purpose? Ms. Williams: That became effective in for Phase VI that we are currently in. The purpose of that was to make sure that the organizations that were requesting money had for lack of a better term some skin in the game. They required them to raise a portion of the funds so that it would not be as is commonly referred to a giveaway of public taxpayers’ funds and that the contract was drawn up so that Augusta would retain an interest in whatever facility was built by that organization. Mr. Lockett: Okay now last year when we talked about the failed SPLOST VI Referendum this Commissioner was against it. And I quoted Association of County Commissions of Georgia the one that wrote the SPLOST policy and so forth but I was told by you all and by the General Counsel that it was legal. And it was legal because of the clawback provision. Is that correct? Ms. Williams: That is my understanding, yes, sir. Mr. Lockett: Okay, well thank you very much I appreciate you. It’s a lot of misinformation going out to the media about the legality of this. To provide monies is legal, it’s because of the clawback provision that was done by this governing body before I came on in reference to the SPLOST VI that passed. This SPLOST VII Referendum that failed last year I think Commissioner Fennoy eloquently presented a reason why it failed with the amount of monies that were being offered to these NGOs. And I want to remind you that many of the NGOs that requested money this time was not a part of the failed SPLOST VII Referendum. I would like for all of you, time permitting, to go AARP.org, AARP.org and go to Livability Index, Livability Index. And if you do that I think you can understand why some of my colleagues will not support giving money to the NGOs and why many of us do. Some of our neighbors and communities don’t need the support that are provided by NGOs but other neighborhoods like the district that I represent we need them. They perform an extremely vital service to us. So I wish you would take a look at that. And one of my colleagues referenced the maximization of taxpayers’ money. Well if this government did everything that we’re supposed to do as a government there would be little need for NGOs but since we don’t we need them to carry much of the load that we’ve been elected to do. And as far as senior citizens’ concerns I’m glad to hear the Mayor Pro Tem mention senior citizens. I’m in support of that Age Friendly. We need to put money in the Transit Systems. As senior citizens we need to support Shiloh Community Center senior citizens and there are many of these other groups that provide vital services for our senior citizens. This is why I support the one that includes the NGOs. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. Mayor: All right fantastic, thank you. At this point we have heard from each Commissioner. You have before you two documents, one that six individuals have knowledge and have express interest in and it’s before you right now. I can’t call this a late arrival amendment as we would if we were in the legislature but I’m looking through it and I don’t know if it’s fair to ask a question to those supporters of this Alternate 2 what was included and 25 what was taken out particularly in regards to engineering and infrastructure but that might be appropriate, it might be an appropriate question. I think we’re getting warm here but I think that might be appropriate. The one thing of particular interest that I did note while looking through it is that there was a project in east Augusta that was initially in the commission recommendations from last Thursday but that was in fact taken out. As I understand it in my conversations with Engineering there are a total of six phases remaining to be done and in this package that was brought forward from last Thursday all four of them were included in this but today one of them is left out which would leave three remaining phases. I think you all might want to think about that before you take action. Mr. M. Williams: Point of personal --- Mr. Mayor: Just a moment, Commissioner. I’m going to leave that up to each and every one of you to choose for yourselves but I again one of the things that I’ve said is that as the Mayor of this city I don’t want to be talking to folks in east Augusta for the next 15 years about what could’ve, should’ve, would’ve happened. We have an opportunity to make certain but th again just a thought. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9 the Dean of the Commission. Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Bonner, I’m back to the Dean. Mr. Mayor: You are. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, as you we talking I was thinking this package had to be put together by somebody. Now if there’s a rocket scientist here that put it together I want to see him or her. This should’ve been something and we had a packet that we put together as elected officials and I stayed all day. And now some smart person done come up with something that we are to vote on now and took some stuff out that we didn’t have out. Mr. Hasan: You’ve got two now not just one. Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got two smart people? Mr. Hasan: No, you’ve got two packages. Mr. M. Williams: Well yeah --- Mr. Hasan: You’ve got two packages now. Mr. M. Williams: --- okay but I’m talking about the one that someone done agreed on, it’s not like we don’t have enough support for one. I wouldn’t risk taking five cents out of a dollar and losing the whole dollar. I wouldn’t risk the general public coming out voting. Now if someone says taxpayers’ money this is sales tax money that’s totally different than taxpayers’ money. This is it’s not a homestead exemption; it’s not tax that we’re paying this is sales tax that we can generate and we’re supposed to use it wisely. But it’s going out there like we’re taking the tax money and spending it on projects for the people. So that’s misleading, Sylvia, don’t 26 write that you know tell Susan McCord don’t write it either. But my point is though I wouldn’t risk taking five cents out of the dollar and losing the whole dollar because we don’t want to take five cents out to share with an entity that needs this money that’s doing what by the guidelines supposed to be what is helping us keep going on in this community. Now I’m ready to vote, Mr. Mayor, up or down it don’t make me no different because what’s going to happen is going to happen. I’ve got my team sitting on the outside sitting on go. Mr. Mayor: I understand. Mr. M. Williams: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: All right okay, Commissioner, I’m going to recognize you and then I’m thth going to go down here to the 4. And the 4 he asked for an opportunity to make a motion I’m going to give him that opportunity hopefully without much commentary. The Chair recognizes st the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Fennoy: --- the first recommendation $220 million dollars the second recommendation is $215,550 dollars. I guess the question that I have is why if we have a package of $220 million then why was the $2 million omitted from the east Augusta project which would have let that total project be $217 million and do something about the flooding situation that’s been going on for 50 years. I mean that’s and if we approve Alternate 2 can the $2 million dollars that was excluded be included back in there. Mr. Mayor: I think that’s a reasonable question. And it’s certainly one that I obviously don’t initially have an answer to but there are six people that do have an answer to that. Would you like to talk to one of those six individuals? Mr. Fennoy: Well, I’m going to --- rd Mr. Mayor: All right from the 3 it looks like she’s coming to the rescue. Ms. Davis: Well, no, I mean just, Mr. Mayor, there’s a lot on here that I would like to have added in too that I see of importance so I think there’s probably across the board. You can look through all of our lists that we’ve been given over the past however long when Ms. Jackson first gave us her recommended list. I mean I think there’s a lot of line items in here that I would like to see added back in too but you get to a point of how big of a package can you approve. And so unfortunately I just feel in my mind I can’t have everything I want in this package as well. But that’s all, I just it’s not against any one Commissioner or any district as far as I’m concerned. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Administrator can you speak to Alternate 2? 27 Ms. Jackson: (Inaudible) Mr. Mayor: Can you speak to Alternate 2 with regards to what the Commissioner from st the 1 has asked? Ms. Jackson: I’m not sure I’m the appropriate person to respond to that question given the fact that I did not develop this list. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 4 is raising his hand. All right you’re raising your hand to speak to that question because I’m going to recognize you at the appropriate time for a motion. Mr. Sias: I can speak to that question. Mr. Mayor: That would be fair, thank you, sir. Mr. Sias: It was asked in our (inaudible) as we talked about the origin of these various plans the one that that’s not Alternate 2 I see that it was revised on 8-18-15 which is I believe is today. I didn’t participate in any discussions or anything on today’s date to reference this item so. All right, with that being said back to this other particular question that you said begs to be answered. And just when I look at this unless I’m mistaken in this packet in just that one particular section there’s $9.5 million dollars allocated to the flooding in east Augusta. Also there’s a $2 or $3 million dollar project already ongoing there as well so in looking at that on that particular thing as some of my colleagues have said the next SPLOST may be around before all that is done. But there’s no slight to east Augusta or any other issue within this city; there was only a certain amount of money to go around. For as my particular area something like that there’s always been things that we would like to have but also you have to draw the line on some things. But with that being, just again there’s $9.5 million dollars unless I’m mistaken in this particular packet for east Augusta. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, that’s not the question I don’t think. Now I mean --- Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, are you --- Mr. M. Williams: --- I mean --- Mr. Mayor: --- do you want to be recognizes at this time? Mr. M. Williams: --- yes, sir, because I think the question was asked about the $2 million dollars to be added in and I think the rocket scientist that put this together must’ve spoke up to say something at that particular time when Mr. Fennoy asked about whether or not that $2 million, you said you couldn’t answer but there’s six Commissioners and you saw Ms. Davis was going to be able to bring something to the table that Mr. Sias still didn’t bring to the table just talked about. It just told me who sat down at the table and put this list together. We done 28 worked hard on it all day long on Thursday so that really bothers me when some Commissioners can meet and talk and come up with something when we all need to be in the room and talk and then discuss what we’re going to discuss. Now if we’re going to be a part of everybody ought to be invited. Don’t call me when all the drinks are gone, I don’t drink but when all the drinks are gone I can’t even see what ya’ll had. Mr. Mayor: All right, this is our posture. At this point I’m going to recognize the th Commissioner from the 4 for a motion. Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, move to approve Alternate 2. Mr. G. Smith: Second. Mr. M. Williams: Roll call vote, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Fennoy: I’d like to make a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay, that would be in order. Mr. Fennoy: I would like for the $2 million dollars that was left out of Alternate 2 to be replaced back in Alternate 2. Mr. Mayor: All right. Second? All right we’ve got a motion and the Commissioner th from the 5 is about to second that. Mr. Lockett: No, I’m not seconding. I want to make a substitute motion. If he did get a second for his I want to make a substitute motion. Mr. Mayor: All right, the substitute motion has failed without a proper second. The th Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5. Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I make a substitute motion to approve SPLOST VII project list Alternate 1 with the inclusion of $10 million dollars for NGOs. Mr. M. Williams: I second that. Mr. Mayor: I’ve got a motion and a second. Mr. Sias: Substitute motion. Mr. Mayor: Right, I’ve got it; I’m on it today. Mr. Sias: I’m a rocket scientist but I cannot answer that question. 29 Mr. Mayor: Would you like to be recognized for a parliamentary inquiry? Mr. D. Williams: (inaudible) Mr. Mayor: All right, state your inquiry. Mr. D. Williams: I’d like to ask Finance a question, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Well, is it, is it necessary for this substitute to be disposed of or can you wait until after we dispose of the substitute? Mr. D. Williams: It involves the substitute as to how I vote on it. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Finance Director, if you’ll approach. Mr. D. Williams: Ms. Williams, just a quick question. The money that’s set aside from the first proposal for the NGOs, how would that be divided? Ms. Williams: I don’t yet have those instructions. The last work session the proposal when a lump sum for NGOs was tentatively was agreed upon in the work session was that it be split proportionate to their requests. Mr. D. Williams: Not equally. Ms. Williams: No, sir. I believe the Mayor did propose equally at one time but there was not a consensus on that. The only consensus that I recall was that it be split proportionate to the requests. Now I have not been privy to any further instructions. Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. All right, we’ve got a motion and a substitute. Mr. Hasan: Substitute motion, Mr. Mayor, what is it if you don’t mind. Mr. Mayor: Well, I’m trying to think about it myself. All right we’ve got a motion and a th substitute, we’ve got a substitute motion for the approval of the Commissioner from the 5 SPLOST recommendation one. Is that last Thursday’s or what is that? Can you clarify that for us? Mr. Lockett: Well, the 8-13-15. Mr. Mayor: Okay, 8-13-15. All right that’s a $228 --- Mr. Sias: $228 million. Mr. Mayor: All right, this is what we’re going to do. All right, Madam Clerk, I don’t think this is a roll call vote I think this is again just straight up and down. 30 Mr. M. Williams: I asked for a roll call vote, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Well did you ask for it on the substitute? Mr. M. Williams: I asked for a roll call vote; I didn’t specify either one. Mr. Mayor: Okay, but I’d like for you to specify. Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I specify the substitute too then. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right that’s what we’ll do then. All right, Madam Clerk, this is what the motion is a motion to approve the SPLOST package dated 8-13-15 at the amount of $228,950,000 dollars. All right, at this point we’ve got a motion a substitute motion and a second and we’ll have a roll call vote. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Guilfoyle. Mr. Guilfoyle: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: No, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Lockett. Mr. Lockett: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: No. The Clerk: Mr. Smith. Mr. G. Smith: No, ma’am. 31 The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes. Motion Fails 4-6. Mr. Mayor: All right, now we’re back to the original motion. We’ve got a motion to approve Alternate 2 and a second. We’ll have a roll call vote. The Clerk: Ms. Davis. Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy. Mr. Fennoy: No. The Clerk: Mr. Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Guilfoyle. The Guilfoyle: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Yes, yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Mr. Lockett. Mr. Lockett: No. The Clerk: Mr. Sias. Mr. Sias: Yes. The Clerk: Mr. Smith. Mr. G. Smith: Yes, ma’am. 32 The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams. Mr. D. Williams: No. The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams. Mr. M. Williams: No. Motion Passes 6-4. Mr. Mayor: All right, if there’s no further business this meeting is adjourned. [MEETING ADJOURNED] Lena Bonner Clerk of Commission CERTIFICATION: I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on Augusta 18, 2015. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 33