HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting December 6, 2016
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
DECEMBER 6, 2016
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., December 6, 2016, the
Hon. Hardie Davis Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Lockett, Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Smith, Fennoy, D.
Williams, Hasan and Davis, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Mr. Mayor: All right, what a fantastic day in the City of Augusta. So much happening,
great things are going on and affecting the lives of the people in a very positive way. Last week
the groundbreaking on the Cyber Command Headquarters, today we take a step forward as a
community addressing the issue of our homeless veterans with the groundbreaking there at the
Freedoms Path, we’ll be a 98 to 110-unit facility to house our veterans. I’d say, Sylvia, this is a
great place to live, work, learn and raise a family, fantastic. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk
as we call this meeting to order.
The Clerk: Yes, sir, at this time, Mr. Mayor, I ask that you join the Administrator to
recognize our employees of service of this month, Mr. Loeser.
Mr. Loeser: Thank you. My name is Michael Loeser, your Human Resources Director.
Today we are happy to recognize our Years of Service recipients. For the month of December
there are 30, 5 to 20-year recipients and 11, 25 to 50-year recipients of which four are here this
afternoon. With 30 years of service Debra Beasley from Utilities. (APPLAUSE) Also with 30
years experience Ricky Turner from RCCI. With 35 years of service Douglas Neal of the Fire
Department. (APPLAUSE) Also with 35 years of service Rhonda Evans of the Marshal’s
Department. (APPLAUSE)
The Clerk: Ready, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: At this time we would ask Rev. Dr. Julia D. Crim, Minister of Missions and
Discipleship, Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church to please come forward and deliver our
invocation after which we’ll have the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand.
The invocation was given by Rev. Dr. Julia D. Crim, Minister of Missions and
Discipleship, Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: Dr. Crim, on behalf of the Augusta Commission we want to thank you for not
only your service on today to come and render our invocation but thank you for your work as
Minister of Missions and Discipleship. For many of you who may not be aware when we became
home to over 2,500 evacuees from Savannah, Chatham County, Trinity on the Hill was one of the
first shelters that we stood up. And it was because of their willingness to sow seeds of love and
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their acts of human kindness those individuals were sheltered in a way that allowed them to not
only find refuge and solace and sovereignty, so thank you so much for that and we appreciate you
so much. (APPLAUSE)
The Clerk: I call your attention to our consent agenda which consists of items 1-12. For
the benefit of any objectors to our alcohol petition once the petition is read would you please
signify your objection by raising your hand. I call your attention to:
Item 2: Is a request for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be
used in connection with the Village Deli located at 2803 Wrightsboro Road.
The Clerk: And for note Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, item number 12 is an
appointment to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Engler and for an additional four-year term beginning
January 2017. Our consent agenda consists of items 1-12 with no objectors to our alcohol petition.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, I want to pull item number three from the consent
agenda. And now I’ll entertain any motions to add or remove from the consent agenda. All right,
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the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I’d like to add to the consent agenda items number 13, number 14,
number 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 37.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don’t any problem with items 13 and 14 but
since we didn’t have a committee meeting that we were scheduled to have and should have been
here to I don’t want to add all of those and not have an understanding as to what we’re approving.
So, I can approve items 13 and 14 but the rest of them I don’t know whether I’m going to approve
them. I hadn’t had any discussion on those at all, that’s quite a lot to come in that should’ve been
on the committee cycle and did not go through that for whatever reason. So, I think we need to
either work today or work on committee day or whatever day we can work on to get those things
done so you don’t have unanimous consent for those other ones.
Mr. Mayor: I understand it is certainly well within the Administrative Services Chairman
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the right to object. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I’d like to pull item one.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, I would like to have a discussion on 13 and 14 please.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right okay, all right, all right. Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, it looks like we’re going to do the business of the people today. The
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Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, there’s a lot of items under Engineering Services. It talks about
the approval of the deeds of dedication. Could we maybe have Mr. Ladson talk about the deeds
of dedication, what that means and consent these? Once he does that if everybody is okay with
that, consent the rest of the deeds of dedication items on the agenda.
Mr. Mayor: Well, you I couldn’t agree with you more, I couldn’t agree with you more. I
think once we start debating them we’re going to be in that posture of debating. All right, the
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Chair directs this question to the distinguished gentleman from the 9. I understand that you’ve
got some caution but I believe as the Engineering Services Chair has indicated these are in fact
routine matters; they’re part of what we do from a normal course of business standpoint. And I
too share the sentiment that why you moved them forward from committee meetings on last week
they really don’t require substantial amount of debate because they are in fact routine matters of
business. They’ve gone through and received substantial input from Planning, from Engineering
and I would hope that we could in fact consent them.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, you know we talked about accountability ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
Mr. M. Williams: --- and we talked about doing following the process ---
Mr. Mayor: Yeah.
Mr. M. Williams: --- and I’ve been preaching that for a long time and if we’re going to do
it one day we ought to do it every day. When you have a committee cycle and the elected body
who chose to run for office decides not to show up for whatever reason, I pride myself on trying
to make every meeting because I was committed. But when we go to a committee cycle and then
we come to the full Commission and approve it then what’s the use of having a committee cycle?
Mr. Ladson I think does a good job and I think he can explain those Deeds of Dedication but
you’ve got about I guess eight maybe nine different ones that we’re approving. Once you get to
approving those without having any discussion to know what you’re doing or what has been done
it’s too late to come back then and we’ve had that happen several times so I’m holding to it.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I understand, I understand; that’s not a problem at all. Okay all
right, so do we have any other motions to add or remove from the consent agenda?
The Clerk: (Unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: I’ve got them, Madam Clerk. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 4.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
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Mr. Hasan: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC SERVICES
2. Motion to approve New Ownership Application A.N. 16-37: request by Heather M.
Chancey for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in
connection with Village Deli located at 2803 Wrightsboro Road, Suite #28. There will be
Sunday Sales. District 3. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee
November 28, 2016)
4. A motion to approve John E. Pleveich as the new General Manager for McDonald Transit.
(Approved by Public Services Committee November 28, 2016)
5. Motion to approve amendments to the Augusta, Georgia Code – Finance and Taxation,
that will provide for new administrative fees for the collection of past due taxes, and
identifying businesses that relocate without notification. Waive second reading. (Approved
by Public Services Committee November 28, 2016)
6. Motion to approve amendments to the Augusta, Georgia Code – Finance and Taxation,
that will provide for increases in the Administrative Fee, Regulatory Fees, Failure to Submit
Required Documents Fees, and Occupation Tax Schedule as presented and approved during
the 2017 Budget Hearings. Waive second reading. (Approved by Public Services Committee
November 28, 2016)
PUBLIC SAFETY
7. Motion to approve an amendment to the Animal Services Ordinance Section 4-1-7, related
to the bylaws of the Animal Services Advisory Board and Section 4-1-39, related to
Registration Requirement. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 28, 2016)
8. Motion to approve a grant award for the continuation of the Victims of Crime Act
(VOCA) Grant with the funding from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council of Georgia
to provide services to the crime victims for the period from October 1, 2016 through
September 30, 2017. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 28, 2016)
FINANCE
9. Motion to approve General Obligation Bonds (SPLOST) Series 2016 bond resolution and
authorize the Mayor and Clerk to sign all necessary documents. (Approved by Finance
Committee November 28, 2016)
10. Motion to approve transfer of funds to cover Worker’s Compensation expenses through
the end of 2016. (Approved by Finance Committee November 28, 2016)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
11. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held November
15, 2016 and Special Called Meeting November 28, 2016.
APPOINTMENTS
12. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Frank W. Scharite to the General Aviation
Commission-Daniel Field representing District 3.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second.
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Mr. M. Williams: Before we vote, Mr. Mayor, a point of order, please, sir?
Mr. Mayor: All right, state your inquiry, what’s your point or order?
Mr. M. Williams: Where are we with 13 and 14. Mr. Guilfoyle had some questions ---
Mr. Mayor: He did.
Mr. M. Williams: --- does that pull that back off or what. I mean I just ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, so I’m going to answer your question. The only changes that have
been made at this point are to pull items one and three from the consent agenda. And again I’m
going to let our distinguished Madam Clerk tell us what items we’re going to be consenting at this
point, okay? All right the Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of items 1-12 with pulling of items number one,
Commissioner Sias. Item number 3 Mayor Davis.
Mr. Mayor: All right, that’s what we’re voting on. All right any further discussion? There
being none, voting.
Motion Passes 10-0. \[Items 1-12\]
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: Are we going to do the pulled items, sir (inaudible)?
Mr. Mayor: Let’s just go top down, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
PLANNING
1. SA-51 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve a petition to amend the Land Subdivision Regulations for Augusta Georgia by
amending the following sections: • Section 302 – Development Plan – require multiple access
points and interconnectivity to unsubdivided lands. • Section 400 – General Standards for
Streets – require multiple access points and interconnectivity to unsubdivided lands and
length of cul-de-sacs. (Approved by the Commission November 15, 2016 – second reading)
Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes Director Wilson, if you’ll approach. The Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 4 for a question.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I requested this item be pulled because when we approved this
on the first reading there was a concern raised about the HOAs having been receiving requirements
to maintain roads that they would not have been aware of. And it was my thought that after that
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first reading that we would be able to get some conversation and dialogue about that. Well, that
hasn’t happened so what I want to do is pull this item until our next Commission meeting and have
a chance to talk with Ms. Wilson, the engineers and find out a path forward to insure that we don’t
stick the HOAs with maintaining roads that they know nothing about or anything. That’s the
simple point of this, the same point that I raised at the first reading. So it’s nothing against this,
nothing against Ms. Wilson it’s just the fact that we need to get this straight about the HOAs being
responsible for roads that they will have no knowledge of basically because of contractor control
at that time. So, I would like to request that we send this back to the next Commission cycle and
give us a chance to have some discussion.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Sias: Consider that a motion.
Mr. Frantom: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second to refer back to committee.
Mr. Sias: The next Commission meeting, I said Commission.
Mr. Mayor: I’m just trying to understand why we pulled it.
Mr. Sias: I thought I explained that.
Mr. Mayor: You did but I thought it was ready for prime time. All right, the Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 1, I’m not debating you but again I’m going to defer to
your pleasure. He wants to refer it back to the full Commission, the full Commission meeting.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, I’d like to make a substitute motion that it goes back to committee
so that we will have an opportunity to answer any questions and address any concerns that
we may have and then bring it back to the next Commission meeting for approval if that’s
okay with the maker of the original motion.
Mr. Sias: But not for the next one it would be the one after the next one because then there
may not be enough time between now and Tuesday.
Mr. Fennoy: I think, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Continue.
Mr. Fennoy: --- the next committee meeting will be next Tuesday.
Mr. Sias: I know it.
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Mr. Fennoy: And the next Commission meeting will be on the 20.
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Mr. Sias: Right, but there may not be enough time to get those discussions and things
completed by next Tuesday, that’s my point. That’s what I’m saying.
Mr. Mayor: All right, okay the Chair’s going to interject, I think there’ll be ample time. I
think given the posture that our director’s in she’s prepared to answer your questions if they have
not been fully answered right now. Well, he’s got a substitute motion.
Mr. Frantom: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so we’ve got a substitute and a proper second. All right, the Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 9, state your inquiry.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m just going to say, Mr. Mayor, that if any of us had any issues and I
remember the agenda item that came up and I want to make sure that when we take these properties
in that they was in compliance. But if Ms. Wilson can answer that for this Commissioner I think
that the next committee cycle ought to give us plenty of time to do that. If this whole body’s got
some questions then maybe we need to have a workshop on this or something but if it’s just
something that, because and I share his thoughts on that. I want to make sure that we don’t take
in roads and stuff that wasn’t built to the standards they were supposed to have been built. And if
that had been done and if that’s covering him I’m all right. But if not if Commissioner Fennoy
needs some one on one conversation or whatever I’ve got no problem going back to committee.
Mr. Mayor: I appreciate that. We have a substitute motion and a proper second to refer
this back to committee. Voting.
Mr. Sias votes No.
Mr. D. Williams abstains.
Motion Passes 8-1-1.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
3. Motion to approve amendments to Augusta, Georgia Codes (Scrap Tire Management,
International Property Maintenance Code, Mothball Ordinance, Nuisance Ordinance,
Automobile Junk Yards/Salvage Yards, and Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance) that will
provide for a Re-Inspection Fee. Waive second reading. (Approved by Public Services
Committee November 28, 2016)
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you, Madam Clerk. I’m going to direct these questions to our
Director Wilson. Director Wilson, in Section 7-2-4 with regards to nuisance properties that
continues to be a flashpoint issue that’s reverberating through social media in this community and
that issue as I understand it has been adjudicated and that’s the issue of Mercy Ministries. This is
a longstanding issue that predates certainly me being here on this local body and the changes that
are proposed in here I do have some minimal concerns of we tend to kind of let things linger for
one reason or another and then the question of enforcement whose responsibility it is to enforce
comes up. In your notebooks to those of us who are on the dais under Tab 3 Page 6 one of the
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things that always concerns me is the language we use particularly as it relates to enforcement. In
the preamble of Section 7-2-4 it has the language in the event that such nuisance . . . . and it gets
to the point after the word occupant may be cited for violations of this chapter. I think that’s very
loose language; it doesn’t move us forward in my mind. I’m not sure why that is not ‘shall be
cited’. There’s a strong difference between may and shall and as such if we’re going to be able to
one, have an enforcement mechanism with teeth I would offer that should probably say ‘shall’,
that’s my first issue of concern. The second one and again all of this while certainly related to the
present-day issue that’s before us as a local government now that it’s as I think outside of the
courts back in our wheelhouse. Here under Paragraph 1 paragraph one, two, and three again when
I say one, paragraph one sub-point two, sub-point 3 again it’s very what I call loose language
where significant progress is made and shown to the inspector and then a hardship has been brought
to the attention, it kind of again provides us not with a real strong enforcement mechanism. Could
you speak to those two things? One ‘may’ versus ‘shall’ and then number two this notion of re-
inspection fees may be waived. I mean if we’re going to have a law let’s make it work and if we’re
not then let’s take it out.
Ms. Wilson: First of all the language with regards to ‘may’ versus ‘shall’ we didn’t change
that, that’s the way the language is currently in the document. So we felt that if the language has
been written that way that that was the will of the board. We certainly have no problems by saying
that we ‘shall’. One of the challenges that we face as a department in is that particular division is
when you get into the point of having to make or force people to do things that don’t have the
resources you end up having to either in some cases put people out on the streets and in some cases
end up having to go through a long lengthy process with the courts where you still end up being in
the situation where you’re putting people on the street. One of the things that we are trying to do
by having some language in here that at least puts the onus on the property owner. If it’s some
property in this case that’s rented is that they are coming in with a plan within the timeframe that
we all have agreed upon. The ordinance the way that it was previously written was never written
from the standpoint of it being just you know truly an enforcement tool of you shall do this, you
shall do that, you must do that. It was written saying hey, these are the rules, these are the laws
but it gives you a little bit of flexibility to be able to try to provide assistance to people that are
trying to get their properties into compliance that are, you know, that have no monies. In our case
we don’t have the resources within some of the other departments that might have had in the past
to help people either with fixing their homes up if it’s somebody that’s elderly or again in the case
of somebody that’s renting so you know that’s why you don’t have ‘shall’ or ‘must’. If that’s
something that’s the will of the board then we have no problems with making those adjustments
but I’m at least letting you know what my thoughts are with regards to the way that the document
was written initially by people that were here way before me.
Mr. Mayor: Which again, Madam Clerk, I’m certainly not one to suggest I’ve got any
institutional knowledge but I do read from time to time. You know these are long standing issues
with chronic nuisance properties in our city. Our city takes on an unfunded mandate of
demolishing vacant, dilapidated, abandoned properties. And if we’re the only ones that are going
to be responsible for them and then we put ‘laws on books’ that we can’t enforce then I’m not
quite sure what the point is. At some point we’re going to have to decide whether we write a law
we’re going to enforce it because as Director Wilson just indicated you can’t afford that either.
Somebody’s got to pay for their own property and if we’re going to be responsible for at least
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upholding the law that we put on the books, I’d like to at least have a mechanism whereby which
I can reasonably say well the law says you were supposed to do this, not Mother may I, could’ve,
should’ve, would’ve and right now this is kind of a well you may. Again I’m certainly going to
offer an amendment here a verbal amendment to the Attorney about changing that ‘may’ to shall’
but I’m here to listen ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor?
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Mr. Mayor: --- to the rest of them. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9
then I’ll come down to you.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I certainly agree. Ms. Wilson has made
some changes to a lot of different ordinances and my inquiry has always been what are we doing?
I mean are we doing something better or are we doing the same thing? And she’s right this has
been our language for a while but it hadn’t gotten us anywhere. And I’m hoping and we’ve been
very aggressive not just in the last month but in the last couple of years about trying to change this.
Now I hear you saying about putting anybody out and nobody wants to put anybody out. I don’t
think that’s the mindset for any elected official for sure but I just think sometimes we allow stuff
to go on. Being an old city we done built up so much for so long to people expect and those days
are gone, those days are over with. We’ve got to hold people accountable. And I ain’t always had
this gray hair, Ms. Wilson, but I realize I’m getting older. You know what I’m talking about? I
realize that times are changing; I realize that we’ve got to change with the times we can’t let people
do what they’ve been doing. Now if you can’t be responsible for it then you need to sell it. You
need to get somebody to handle it; we just can’t let it exist. If there was a need to bring somebody
in to say give them another opportunity, this body I think would grant that. But there’s so many
who have took advantage of this government that I put on the agenda that’s still standing right now
who have the funds to do something with but because they chose to do something else they hadn’t
done it and it’s still there because they know nothing’s going to happen. Then there’s some people
who wants to obey the law who don’t speed because they want to obey the law. When something
comes up they do what they need to do but some people are just not going to do it, you have to
make some people do it. My granny used to call that tough love. I don’t know what you call it; I
call it doing right and if it’s good for one it’s good for another one and that’s the only way we’re
going to be able to get to where we need to get to have our city to look like a city ought to look.
It’s in the bible the poor’s always going to be among us I understand that and we’ll deal with those
but there’s some who are getting rich off of the poor if you want to know the truth about it and the
poor’s still getting poor. So, I think if we’re going to make some changes and that’s why I don’t
want to just rubber stamp some of them and then not knowing what we’re approving or not
knowing what’s been there. We done, those days are over with. I think we done too much too long
to let people get away or get by and then those who want to do good have to come in to dance and
do the right thing and others don’t. So, Mr. Mayor, I’m in 100% agreement it can’t ‘may’ it’s got
to be ‘shall’.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah all right so, Attorney MacKenzie, we’re going to be making that
amendment recommended amendment to change ‘may’ to ‘shall’. All right, I’m going to
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recognize the Commissioner from the 6 and then I’ll come to the Commissioner from the 1. I
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think the Commissioner from the 6 is going to further add some light to what we’re talking about.
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Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Would you speak into the microphone, Commissioner?
Mr. Hasan: --- I’m sorry, sir.
Mr. Mayor: No problem.
Mr. Hasan: I agree, I think it should be ‘shall’ as well, Ms. Wilson, I think it should be
‘shall’ but also the concern you expressed about the hardship the relief is in three, 13 that you have
down there. We said the manager may unify code enforcement team when there’s an identified
hardship and you have the opportunity to waive it so we leave that there but if they shall be, you
know, and the relief comes there.
Ms. Wilson: Okay.
Mr. Hasan: So that’s the suggestion I’d like to make to the body as an, you know, that we
take that on, so the relief is built in.
Mr. Mayor: Good public policy, good public policy. All right, okay.
Mr. Sias: (Inaudible) put those in the form of a motion?
Mr. Mayor: I would hope he would.
Mr. Hasan: Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make that in the form of a motion
we take out the ‘may’ and put ‘shall’ ---
Mr. M. Williams: Second.
Mr. Hasan: --- and we leave the rest of it like it is because the rest of it takes care of itself.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, that’s very good. We’ve got a motion and a second. The
Chair recognizes the Engineering Services Chairman Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: (Unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: Fantastic. All right, okay all right, Madam Clerk, we’ve got a motion and a
proper second. Attorney MacKenzie, are you tracking?
Mr. MacKenzie: Sure.
Mr. Mayor: Fantastic. All right, are we ready?
The Clerk: Ready.
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Mr. Mayor: All right. Voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk: Regular agenda, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
13. Request the Commission approve the Public Defender Office Building be named the
William H. Mays, III Public Defender’s Office.
14. Request the Commission approve the name change of the Diamond Lakes Regional Park
Community Center to the Robert Howard Community Center at Diamond Lakes Regional
Park.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, let’s roll up 13 and 14.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Very good, okay all right, here’s our posture. I’m going to recognize before
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Ms. Douse the Commissioner from the 6 to speak to item 13 about how we got to this point and
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then I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 14 I believe, I’m sorry not from the 14
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but from the 1. All right I know he did, I know he did. All right very good but the Commissioner
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from the 1 item number 14. All right very good. I’m going to recognize the Finance Chair to
speak to his concerns about both of these and we’ll go to these gentlemen here. The Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, I couldn’t agree more with the two distinguished people that
we have on here, Mr. Mays and Mr. Howard, I don’t have a problem with it whatsoever. My
challenge is in listening to the last two agenda items you know if we’re going to do it right, let’s
do it right in the beginning so we don’t have a problem in the future. We passed a policy back on
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March 5 of 2013 when it comes to guidelines, procedures, process on naming a building. In it it
clarifies not a living person so I’m not here to stop the process or naming of these buildings
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whatsoever. What I would like to do since I did vote for this back on March 5 let’s amend this
policy to where it does show living and extract the extraordinary or whatever could be deemed as
whatever. I think the Attorney could help me out with the wording on it but if we could change
this policy, it’s not only for now but we’re talking about two, three, four years from now. We’ve
got something in place that we could follow within the guidelines so we’re not contradicting
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ourselves when it comes to these policies and I’m just asking for understanding from my
colleagues on this.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so I’m going to ask a series of questions to the distinguished Finance
Chair.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: What changes are you proposing?
Mr. Guilfoyle: To where it shows actually living people.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Sias: Dead or living?
Mr. Guilfoyle: Under Section B it says building or property shall not be named or renamed
for living persons with exception of living persons who had made a significant monetary
contribution to development of a public building or contributed land with the intent and agreement
of Augusta Commission that the said building would be named for the contributor or except other
extraordinary circumstances.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Guilfoyle: The only thing I’m asking is for it to be clarified to where three years, two
years down the road we’re going, this is going to come up again.
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: And that’s what I’m asking, Mr. Mayor, something simple.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay I understand. All right hold on, I think we’re going to be fine. I do I
want to say it I just want to say it I think we’re going to be fine. Everybody if you don’t mind just
pump your brakes a bit. Okay all right very good yes, ma’am, okay well those are the proposed
changes. So okay I don’t want, I know I know ---
Mr. M. Williams: (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: --- yes, she’s going to put it up there. Okay all right so all right so everybody
just pump your brakes. I promise you it’s going to be fine, it’s going to be fine. All right so,
Attorney MacKenzie, can you speak to this, the changes?
Mr. MacKenzie: Sure. These changes would just reflect that it is permissible to name
buildings after living persons. So it just makes a minor adjustment to eliminate the restrictions on
that.
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Mr. Mayor: All right okay now, I think our posture’s a friendly one so I’m not going and
that’s why I want everybody just be fine. I think our posture is a friendly one right now. I think
we’re going to accomplish what we want to accomplish today without fail. Given our posture,
Attorney MacKenzie, while this is extremely important probably more important than my next
question I almost want to ask the question of germaneness we, it’s the same subject matter in we’re
talking about a policy that will be affected. And if we would just take the basic action which I
think everybody supports what I’ve heard is that everybody supports this so that’s why if
everybody kind of be good I think everybody supports this. Is it germane for us to deal with this
matter at the same time?
Mr. MacKenzie: Yeah. Ideally if you had unanimous consent and this is an ordinance so
you do a motion to approve item 14 and 15 and to adopt and amendment to ordinance number, I
don’t see an ordinance number but ---
The Clerk: 7386.
Mr. MacKenzie: --- and waive the second reading.
Mr. Mayor: All right, okay all right, history’s going to note that we’re going to do things
the right way. I don’t want anybody to feel like something’s funny’s about to happen because it’s
not. We’re going to be fine but I want to make sure that we do it the right way, okay? All right
the Chair goes all the way down to the end recognizing the distinguished Dean of the Commission
short-timer Commissioner Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. Lockett: The living part came up a few years back, we wanted to name the Sheriff’s
Administration Building. At that time I felt that he was not only living but he was still doing the
job at that particular time but I can support the recommendation by Commissioner Guilfoyle.
However this policy needs to be changed because let me give you a good example. Just suppose
that there were only four or five people on this Commission that supported those two name
changes. Where would we be, you see? So, I won’t be here to bother ya’ll but what ya’ll need to
do is get together. If you want to name something after somebody make sure that there’s a
consensus before it goes to any committee and then once you got the consensus now you know
this is something that’s going to pass then go on and put it out there because you put some of us
in a precarious position right now. And half of the governing body was unaware of it and this
Commissioner in particular until I saw it on the news. So there has to be a better way. Now I
support both people. They both have done an outstanding job but I just don’t like the way we went
about doing it so there has to be a better system. If we can’t come up with a better system then my
recommendation is from after we make the vote today don’t name any more buildings. Thank
you, Mr. Chairman.
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Mr. Mayor: All right okay all right, Commissioner from the 4 you’re recognized.
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Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. In reference to the change to ordinance rather than scratch
through that and the ‘may’ and the other item there I think it would be more prudent just to delete
Item B.
Mr. Mayor: All right, okay all right, so the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the
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1.
Mr. Fennoy: Would it be appropriate at this time to call for the question?
Mr. Mayor: All right okay, so here’s our posture. All right okay ---
Mr. M. Williams: Motion to approve the naming the two buildings and then approve
the change to the ordinance ---
Mr. Mayor: And waive the second reading.
Mr. M. Williams: --- and waive the second reading.
Mr. Mayor: All right, very good. All right, Attorney MacKenzie, are you tracking? All
right, outstanding.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Point of privilege, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Guilfoyle: I would like to thank my colleagues for understanding what just happened.
Mr. Mayor: All right absolutely it puts us in a better posture than what happened in the
past, much better. Okay now all right this is a good day for Augusta, a good day for this body.
Chairman Guilfoyle, thank you for bringing that to the table. All right, we have a motion and a
second. Voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Point of Personal Privilege please?
Mr. Mayor: State your inquiry.
Mr. Lockett: I’d like to first of all thank my colleague, Commissioner Guilfoyle. I called
down and asked him for support and he delivered, I want to thank him in public. And another
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thing I’d like to do is tomorrow will be December the 7, Pearl Harbor Day. December 7 1941.
I think it was about 75 years ago that many lives were lost and many survivors their lives were
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changed forever. So, I think we should remember and never forget December the 7 1941 and
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pray that our Almighty God that we’ll never have a recurrence such as that. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you and thank you for your service to this great nation ---
Mr. Lockett: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: --- both as a member of the Army and a Marine. Thank you. All right, Madam
Clerk.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
15. Discuss the Commission’s consensus appointments on the various boards, commissions
and authorities. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had this put on the agenda because there’s a
consensus appointment and with my institutional knowledge you always talked about, Mr. Mayor,
we always had a nomination process or a list of names that we would put out for nomination and
they would in turn get the proper amount of votes. So, when we got these appointments that is a
consensus appointment that it ought to be brought to this body with your recommendation or my
recommendation or whoever that person is it should be put out there and not just one that’s brought.
If you bring one there ought to be at least or be some choices that we have to deal with. So, I
wanted to hopefully simplify or get an understanding as to what we’re supposed to be doing. You
know everybody’s talking about the right thing to be held accountable but there are already rules
that are set up the way this thing’s supposed to go and it hadn’t been done that way. If we’re going
to do it, let’s do it by the rules.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to receive as information.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion to receive as information. Voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
16. Update on the status of approved compensation paid to the Planning & Development
Board. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you again, Mr. Mayor. We had a committee, we didn’t have
quorum to discuss it there but I’m probably just as pleased as it’s here. I asked for and I don’t, I
think Ms. Jackson who had someone to bring do some research to show where this even the
Planning and Zoning Board itself was approved to be paid. Has that been brought forward? Do
we have any documents to say what this body itself the Planning and Zoning Board from my
understanding is that the board itself has never been ratified, never been approved. Now this ain’t
the end of that just part of that because as a member of that board and I stopped participating
because I wasn’t getting paid. Someone said I eliminated myself but I’m not going to show up for
a job and not get paid for. So, my question I guess is, is there any documentation, any agenda item
that was approved for the Planning and Zoning Board itself to be paid.
Mr. Mayor: Okay Commissioner with, all right I’m going to yield and I’m going to come
back. The Chair recognizes Administrator Jackson.
Ms. Jackson: I just want to clarify the information that I brought forth as a result of the
research by the Clerk of Commission and General Counsel was that at the time that the merger
took place, the merger of the Planning Commission into the government, at that point there was
not decision made to set the compensation levels for members of the Planning Commission.
Mr. M. Williams: Well, Mr. Mayor, I’ll take that as a no then. The compensation to set
the compensation Ms. Jackson is the amount they we going to be paid and I understand that hadn’t
been set because there was never any vote to do that. In the urgency of moving of combining this
body or that body the Planning and Zoning body together and to eliminate the member of the
whatever you hang your hat on, ex-officio member. I use this example all the time, Mr. Mayor, if
you’ve got a Ford truck and it may be a duel wheel truck and I’ve got a Ford truck with just four
wheels it’s still a Ford truck. So as a member of that board and as an assigned member by the
Mayor Pro Tem Super District Commissioner Grady Smith who’s present and accounted for who
assigned to that board and for some reason someone decided not to pay because they thought it
was what I was told was double dipping, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah.
Mr. M. Williams: And I responded by saying I was double-working. So if the board wasn’t
approved then how can they not approve paying what they want to hang their hat on an ex-officio
member. It don’t say no ex-officio member nowhere; it said board members.
Mr. Mayor: Um-hmm yeah, okay all right, I’m going to take an opportunity to speak to
this matter. You raise a very interesting point that ‘the Mayor Pro Tem’ makes these appointments.
But at our first organizational meeting in January the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem go in the
back room and we talk about the appointments to the different committees and then we talk about
these things as well in terms of the appointments to the different boards, commissions and
authorities. We will do that again in January 2017. Concerning this matter with regards the
Planning and Development Board you said something earlier that stuck with me and I’m going to
paraphrase. You’ve been preaching a long time and you’ve been preaching about this for a long
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time. In fact you have preached so much that you had preached us out of hell and we were with
you and then you preached us back into hell. And uh ---
Mr. M. Williams: You’re pretty good there, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, yeah ---
Mr. M. Williams: That’s all I can say. I need to stay on the job that’s all I can say there’s
a lot to do.
Mr. Mayor: --- and when you send us back to hell, you lost us all because we were
expecting a savior and he was not there.
Mr. M. Williams: He’s coming.
Mr. Mayor: And at that point I think we all got off the bus and abandoned this issue. And
as such I think it’s time for you to abandon this issue. It’s time for us to move on. There has been
a great deal of time put into this with regards to ex-officio appointments, the matter of
compensation and in particular the issue of compensation related to the Planning and Development
Board. You’ve been around preaching a lot longer than I have and you know there’s something
about loving kindness. It is by that that you draw on me unto you and right now the loving kind
way would be for us to abandon this and move forward and continue to do the good work of this
city. And that’s just from a country preacher from over in Hephzibah. The Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I think you know me just a little bit but you
know that Jesus will come and get me by the hand and tell me himself to turn this loose before I
will now. It’s just that simple. I’m about doing what’s right I stand up and I fight for what I
believe is right and I’ve been on this board and I served, I just didn’t come in I served, and I did
what I was supposed to do. And if it hadn’t been done legally in this body and I’m not going to
stop with just me because if I can’t find no proof of this body being approved to be paid I’m going
to address that issue even out of this room. Now you know we can talk about turning this loose
and giving up, I don’t know that is. I’m going to fight for what I believe and I’m especially going
to fight for what is right for myself. Now it ain’t about the money, trust me, I’m blessed to be able
to eat if I don’t do nothing else. I’ve got enough clothes, Sean, I don’t need none of that. I’ve got
enough of those too but I’m telling you I ain’t about the money, It’s about the purpose of the thing.
I’m going to do the right thing and this government’s going to do the right thing about me whether
they pay me or an attorney but they’re going to pay somebody. Now we can either end it now.
Here we are. We vote on millions of dollars in this government for work and contracts and stuff,
studies, spent money been put on the shelf and then we’re talking about, and I was willing to accept
the time that I had attended which was three or four meetings, that’s all I wanted to do, and this
body don’t want to do that. No, sir, buddy.
Mr. Mayor: All right so I’m going to again this will be the last comment and then I’m
going to ask somebody to make a motion to receive as information. Again, Commissioner, I’ve
got the utmost respect for you. I appreciate your counsel that you’ve given me since I’ve been here
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23 months. This body under great duress I stood with you in executive session, stood with you to
bring resolution to this matter in a manner that was consistent with the law. There was an
acknowledgement that there were things done that were not documented just as you’ve
acknowledged even today and we stood with you and you abandoned it. You rejected it. You did
and now we find ourselves talking about it again. We’re not going to talk about it anymore. The
Chair would like to have someone make a motion to receive as information.
Mr. Lockett: So moved.
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, can I speak to my Clerk please?
Mr. Mayor: You’re not recognized right now.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, Madam Clerk. just put this back on the agenda. I don’t need to be
recognized to do that. Put this back on the full Commission. That’s one thing I can do.
Mr. Hasan abstains.
Mr. M. Williams votes No.
Mr. Fennoy out.
Motion Passes 7-1-1.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Administrator Jackson for some announcements.
Ms. Jackson: Yes, thank you, sir. First I’d like to call your attention on Item number 9
under Finance, you all voted to approve that. I just wanted to let you know that we have some
additional information related to that bond issue that I’d like to share with you, bond sale rather
that I’d like to share with you. We did actually sell those bonds this morning at 11:00 a.m. I along
with the Finance Department leadership and our national advisor representatives actually
witnessed that transaction online. We were able, we had seven bidders that were interested in our
bonds which is a very good sign for us. The interest rate that we were able to get was 1.74% which
is very good in this market. We had budgeted an interest expense of about $4 million dollars at
the time we did the SPLOST Referendum and we are going to realize a savings of almost $2
million dollars based upon what we had bidded so we’re extremely excited about that. We also
reduced the issuance slightly. We earlier talked about a $30 million dollars issuance we brought
it down to $28.5 million dollars for the projects that we had discussed. And just to recap those
projects are the radio systems for our Public Safety Departments, our Recreation Master Plan,
Early Implementation Projects, the Public Defender’s Office as well as two new fire stations so
we’re very, very excited. This is excellent news and just let you all know that and I appreciate you
all’s support in making that happen.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Great job, Madam Administrator, as well as Finance Department.
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Ms. Jackson: In addition I also want to make a couple of introductions. Daniel Dunlap,
our new 911 Director, I’d just ask you to stand. He did start work on yesterday just moved in from
Florida. We’re very excited to have him onboard he’s had a career in emergency communications
and looking forward to what he’s going to bring to our department. At the same time I’d like to
recognize Deputy Fire Chief Sterling Jones. Sterling, if you could just stand up. Mr. Jones took
over the interim leadership of that department almost a year ago and has done an outstanding job.
In fact he had done so well that the leadership over at 911 asked me if we could let him stay.
However Mr. Jones is so dedicated to the fire service that he’d like to return to the fire service but
he’s really done an outstanding job over the last year and we wanted to just recognize and
appreciate him for the services that he provided. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
17. Discuss city officials’ access to the Jamestown Community Center. (Requested by
Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you again, Mr. Mayor. This is one that’s been out there for quite
some time or something that we need to address. We talked to the Administrator, we talked to the
Rec Department I think, I’m not sure, I was told they finally had a key to the building that only the
Chairman or the operator, Mr. Sias, who is the Jamestown’s coordinator I guess his title I guess.
But as an elected official as an elected official that position should have changed to someone else.
You can’t be an elected official and have that authority and that clout, the only key to the building,
the work that has been done there, there is no bid process that had been taken place. I asked for a
key myself not really wanting a key but if one elected official had that authority then any other
elected official ought to have that same authority. Now I just don’t think this is right. We’ve been
talking about this for some 18 months now, how many months you say you’ve been here Mr.
Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Twenty-three.
Mr. M. Williams: 23 months we’ve been talking about this we’ve been bring this forth and
nothing has been resolved as of yet. I did hear that there was another key that was brought but the
facility belongs to the city. The city pays all of the expenses of that building and the funds and the
money that’s been appropriated to go into that building, the sales tax money. And when you’re
using sales tax money the rules say that it ought to be a bid process to show where it’s been done
fairly and that has not been done either. But everybody sits up here and has not said a word about
it as if it’s okay. No elected official should have that opportunity or that authority over anybody
else. And I bring the same issue to the table now that I’ve been bringing for a while. This is
something that won’t go away until we resolve this now. If there’s a need then somebody else
needs to take that position but you can’t be an elected official and have that clout to go into a
building, to run a building as if it’s your very own 24/7 to be able to come and go as you please.
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I’ve got a list right now of people who are very dissatisfied with what had took place what is
happening in that facility and I don’t think none of us should have that authority over anybody
else, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My question is can someone speak to is the
processes going on in Jamestown Community Center is there one that’s like it in the community
or are there any preferential treatments, Commissioner Williams mentioned a bid process. I mean
I agree there’s a difference between an elected official and community activists or someone who’s
been engaged in the community so can someone speak to that on how that facility’s ran as opposed
to different facilities?
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Administrator Jackson.
Ms. Jackson: Yes, I can speak to that to some degree. We’ve got several facilities, we’ve
got two, several facilities that are run not by city staff but by other groups per agreements that were
entered into by this government some 15 to 20-years ago in various cases. We have two who are
run by neighborhood associations, one being the Jamestown Center, the other being East View
Center and those two have over the last 15 to 20-years have been run by neighborhood associations
per an agreement that was approved by the Commission in place at that time. We have tasked the
recreation director with updating those agreements and he is now in the process of updating about
8 to 10 agreements with various nonprofit organizations that run community centers. And so those
two neighborhood associations as well as a few others the soccer club and a couple of other
nonprofits in our community.
Mr. Frantom: Can I follow up?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, you absolutely can.
Mr. Frantom: So am I hearing that, Madam Administrator, you’re okay with the setup of
Jamestown Community Center based on other community centers with the Commissioner being
there. Are you okay with that with that being run and how the processes and everything?
Ms. Jackson: In terms of the expectations of the layout in those agreements the language
of this agreement with Jamestown is the same as the one with its peer groups such as the East View
Community Center so as long as we have agreements in place and as I’ve indicated they’re being
updated but as long as we have agreements in place that hold those neighborhood associations to
the same standards and expectations that we would expect for those centers that we do run with
city staff, that’s our primary concern is that those that, the public has full access to the centers that
services are being provided, the doors are kept open so folks can use the facilities as needed, that’s
what our concern is. In regards to Jamestown in particular and as well as the other ones as far as
I know those members of those neighborhood associations have a process in place to determine
who within those associations has access to keys. The biggest issue that I personally had with it
was that we as a city didn’t have access to keys to the facilities and we’ve corrected that in both
cases.
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Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Madam Administrator, you talked about we had
two other facilities that’s actually operated Jamestown and East View.
Ms. Jackson: East View. Those two are run by neighborhood associations then we’ve got
several others that are run by various other nonprofit organizations.
Mr. Guilfoyle: All right. Do we have any employees working at either one of these
facilities?
Ms. Jackson: I will begin to answer. I’ll defer to Mr. Parker if I’m incorrect or if my
answers are incomplete. But there are from time to time examples where we have say a summer
part time worker and things like that who are city employees who supplement the staff of those
neighborhood associations. So while the leadership of the center is provided through the
neighborhood associations we do from time to time provide some staff to assist. ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay ---
Ms. Jackson: --- I just wanted to be clear about that.
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- you know underneath my tenure ---
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- for six years now ---
Mr. Mayor: --- can you suspend for just one second?
Mr. Guilfoyle: In mid-air?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Hopefully you’re at 30,000 and not ten. All right I just want to get
Mr. Parker up and then I’m going to give you an opportunity to continue your questioning.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: He’s waving to you in the back so let him come on up. All right, continue
Commissioner Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: I’ve got to put that needle back on that record.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Guilfoyle: Madam Administrator, as far as the these two facilities I know in the past
six years when we had leased out the buildings to one I guess is Commissioner Fennoy right there
on Sand Bar Ferry Road as well as when the City of Hephzibah took over the Hephzibah
Community Centers that were actually shut down for approximately seven years in disrepair. And
they had done a wonderful job rebuilding, maintaining. Who actually maintains these buildings?
Ms. Jackson: (Unintelligible) I refer to Mr. Parker on that.
Mr. Parker: The group does the day-to-day stuff.
Mr. Guilfoyle: What group?
Mr. Parker: The neighborhood association or the groups we have the agreements with;
they handle the day-to-day stuff. If there’s repairs facility repairs that would go to the facilities
department they would come in and make those major renovations.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Right as far as the repairs that we have in other contracts with the
neighborhood associations, they are required to do any repairs and insurance responsible for
utilities and I assume storm water. Can you say something on that?
Mr. Parker: I need to look into the storm water. I’m not 100% sure on that.
Mr. Guilfoyle: But as far as the utilities, lights, water.
Mr. Parker: We’re responsible for those I believe.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Not for the City of Hephzibah. I know that and I don’t know about
Bethlehem on Sand Bar Ferry Road. Is that East View?
Ms. Jackson: The Eastview Community Center is actually on Aiken Street so I’m not sure
if that’s the same one you’re referring to or not.
Mr. Mayor: That’s it. Eastview Community Center on Aiken Street.
Mr. Fennoy: No, I think, Mr. Mayor, may I please?
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: I think what Commissioner Guilfoyle is talking about is the old fire station -
--
Mr. Guilfoyle: That is.
Mr. Fennoy: --- that’s operated by the (unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, that’s on Sand Bar Ferry Road.
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Mr. Fennoy: That’s on Sand Bar Ferry Road.
Mr. Mayor: On Sand Bar Ferry Road.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Right and I believe under that ---
Mr. Mayor: There’s an agreement with them as well.
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- that they are required to maintain, upkeep?
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Mr. Mayor: That’s correct. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: And I think for the old fire station the (unintelligible) maintains that facility.
I think the building needed painting at one time and the city gave them some paint but they did the
actual painting. I think that the road was I mean the driveway was real shaky one time and the city
went down and laid some of that crush and run (unintelligible) they maintained, cut the grass paid
the light and water bill and did the whole nine yards.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Can I continue? Mr. Mayor, I believe what this boils down to is perception.
Any time that any of the other nine Commissioners needs a facility we have to call and make
arrangements to not rent it but actually use it for a public office source and we don’t have free
reins of a building for ourselves. I’ve got my own building, my own office and I thought it was
the understanding last year that somebody would be stepping down and giving up the key but that
did not happen. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Anybody to my right? All right the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I understand all of these different contracts and different
agreements we have and there are a lot of them. The one on East Boundary or the one on Sand
Bar Ferry Road is a totally different complex. The neighborhood associations has been a big plus
and a big help in a lot of ways but we’re forgetting the key point of this issue is an elected official
should not have that authority and that privilege or that right more so than anybody else would
have to run the daily operation. And when we didn’t have a key and I think Ms. Jackson explained
it we do have a key; I don’t know that for a fact. I asked for a key. I never got one so I just didn’t
worry about it. But the point is when we have allowed this to go on for all of these years and then
we act like it’s a surprise or we didn’t know it. Well it’s on our backs now because we do know
it and something should have been done before now. Now we’re at the same point. Mr. Parker
came and he was looking at all of the agreements that we have with the Soccer Club and everybody
else that we do business with. I have no problem with that at all. My problem is though when
myself and any other elected official walks into a building with that authority as an elected official
reins and it really doesn’t but it seems to rein over other people. When you run a center like it’s
yours, there’s some deep concerns there to me and I’ve been asking about this and you know it’s
about doing the right thing. The bid process. Money have been spent, tax dollars have been spent,
sales tax especially have been spent on improvements that there wasn’t no bids done on. Anybody
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else would be up in the air about that but we sit here and act as if that’s okay. Nobody has brought
actually the information, nobody brought that back yet. The research that I did check there are no
bids at all had been done. So if we’re going to play this game, let’s play the game right now. I’m
tired of the favoritism and stuff that we do and we get amnesia when we want to or we forget when
it’s convenient. Those days are gone.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, thank you so much. All right, Madam Clerk, we’re going to
move on (inaudible).
Mr. Lockett: You didn’t call us but that’s all right.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Lockett: That’s all right. This conversation’s gotten too toxic. Go ahead and move
on.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 4 had his hand up but he waives.
Mr. Sias: I might say something I don’t want to say.
Mr. Mayor: I know that’s why I said you waived.
The Clerk: (Inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Number 18.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
18. Discuss the zoning ordinance to allow for distillery & brew pubs to locate in downtown
Augusta. (Requested by Commissioner Frantom)
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the dandy dapper man himself the Commissioner from
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the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Lockett: Point of personal privilege?
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. Lockett: I apologize but did we vote on 17?
Mr. Mayor: It was a matter of discussion and you all tend to want to vote to and receive
as information but it really wasn’t necessary. It’s just discussion.
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Mr. Lockett: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: If you want to do that, you can.
Mr. Lockett: No, that’s fine with me. I just wanted to make sure.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, that’s why we moved on.
Mr. Lockett: Okay.
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Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So there’s a lot of new energy, a lot of positive
energy about downtown Augusta. You’ve got two new hotels that we’ve announced. You’ve got
a lot of restaurants, you’re running out of inventory on buildings that are going on in downtown
Augusta. And you know we’ve got to make downtown Augusta more of a destination. We’ve got
to look to how we can bring people downtown to spend money. And I think if you look at other
cities whether it’s Savannah, Macon, Atlanta they have these breweries and distilleries and they’re
destination points where people that come to the city to stay in the hotels it’s something for them
to do so I’m hoping that we can have this discussion moving forward. Ms. Wilson sent a three-
page document to all the Commission last Tuesday and I would love for her to speak to those
documents, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right so I’m going to recognize her in just a second, I have a question for
you, Commissioner. And this is in regards to, I’m just kind of following this from the periphery
and we talk about a lot of stuff, we do. I guess it was two weeks ago there was a series of
documents behind the tab in the notebooks and there was a timeline I think this came out of the
Administrator’s office I believe that had a timeline of all the way up to March 2017.
Mr. Frantom: (Inaudible) I mentioned.
Mr. Mayor: That’s what you’re talking about right there?
Mr. Frantom: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right very good and I’m going to ask you a question about that. You
know there’s a lot happening in the City of Augusta. Do we have until March of 2017 to just make
some real simple changes to the current zoning ordinance?
Mr. Frantom: Do we have until then to make them?
Mr. Mayor: Yeah.
Mr. Frantom: I think we need to do due process. I mean they laid out a pretty good plan
to get public input so we’re making the right decisions. Are you suggesting it’s too far out?
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Mr. Mayor: Yeah.
Mr. Frantom: Well, I mean you know there’s opposition of people that are looking to put
a brewery that are already here in another industry and I think we do our due diligence and do it
right. And you know it seems like that they land out laid out with the Planning Commission will
come through and a couple of public meetings and really get the public input to do it right.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I understand.
Mr. Frantom: I mean I’m all for it but you know we’re also not the experts either.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Director Wilson.
Mr. Frantom: Can you kind of explain what you said? It seems some of my colleagues I
guess didn’t get the attachment that you sent out last Tuesday and kind of give ---
Mr. Mayor: All right so everybody just suspend, everybody suspend. All right, I’m going
to give Madam Clerk and opportunity to take a look at what we’ve got, would you please? All
right, the Chair recognizes ---
Ms. Wilson: (Inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: --- all right we got it, we’re going to put it up on the screen. All right, we can
entertain some questions in advance if you’d like. All right, Commissioner, do you want to ---
Mr. Fennoy: I’ll wait until (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, we’re going get the presentation from Director Wilson first.
Ms. Wilson: This was something that initially we were going to discuss in committee and
when we did not get an opportunity to do that I thought I would send this memo out. Basically, it
goes into some background information regarding microbreweries and distilleries. There’s been
some discussion with regards to trying to put them in the downtown area Augusta for a while but
one of the challenges that we had faced has been dealing with all the other legal impediments that
come with doing that based on the state law and those are things that they’re just now changing or
just recently changed. Currently we are having to deal with the provisions that are addressed in
Title 3 of the statutes, it’s known as the Alcohol Beverage Code. In Chapter 560 which is Rules
and Regulations of the State of Georgia. In addition, the Georgia Department of Revenue also has
primary responsibility for regulating the manufacturing of alcohol and the taxation of alcohol and
that’s kind of where the challenge has been in the state of Georgia. In other communities that was
just mentioned by Commissioner Frantom in ours as well we do have breweries however the way
they’re currently set up is that you know even now they have to sell tours and as part of that you
can either get the basic tour when you go in and see how the product is made or you can get
something that’s a little bit higher end where you actually end up with a fifth of alcohol. That’s
the way that that’s been dealt with in some of the larger jurisdictions. And one of the reasons it’s
been that the Internal Revenue Board had some issues as to how do you collect and deal with the
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excise tax that comes with alcohol. We have been looking at that. We’ve been doing some
additional research with regards to what the requirements will be and what the changes that have
been recently made to the state that would allow us to move forward with doing this and finally
got more resolution so that we can move forward and try to create a situation where we could have
brew pubs allowed in the downtown area. But I just wanted for a point of clarification make this
note you can already have a brew pub. Now a lot of people have been saying oh we can’t do that,
that’s not true. Brew pubs are allowed right now but it has to be in association with a restaurant.
That’s one of the things that you know what we’re talking about now is actually a separate brew
pub or brewing facility not even a brew pub. It is a brewing facility and a distillery, those are
separate facilities. In addition to that we’re looking at the whole issue with regards to the
manufacturing of it. It’s kind of like once the item is produced you have to deal with how is it
bottled how is it, so it’s going into dealing with that whole issue of you know manufacturing and
industrial uses. We are looking at ways to get around addressing that and it takes a little bit of
palm to be able to adequately do that so that it is fair to everyone involved. We’re also still having
to face the challenge of dealing with the licensing component for the selling of the product that
people usually want to buy when they go into a tour. We still have to follow the state law. So
what we have done is we’ve looked at areas where taverns, cafés, alcohol things of that nature is
currently presented allowed in our ordinance. We looked at what would be necessary in regards
to making those adjustments based on the districts you know a B-1 is neighborhood district. B-2
is not initially a neighborhood district is it something you allow only in a central business district.
Those are questions that really have to be asked and need to be vetted out in order to be really clear
about what it is you want to have. So, what I’ve got as part of this is the following: issues that we
are proposing to address with this amendment. We need to establish consistency with the state
law. We need to specify the difference between industrial manufacturing of alcohol beverages to
smaller scale breweries and wineries and distilleries. We need to define this whole issue of what
a microbrewery is, a micro-winery or micro-distillery. We need to identify where those uses can
be located within the city. I think it’s really clear if you talk to various neighborhood groups as
well as look at various areas this isn’t a use that’s initially appropriate in every location of the city.
And we need to establish performance standards, limitations of each type of facility you know an
example of that is the size of the facility, the volume of alcohol that’s produced and what the
distance and spacing requirements are going to be for those facilities to make sure that they’re
consistent with the state law. And we’ve got three sets of rules that we’ve got to make sure that
we’re consistent with for the state. I mean Georgia’s different that South Carolina with regards to
how we deal with this issue. What we’ve proposed as part of a schedule is our goal is to finish up
our research for drafting looking at what options we could use for drafting and ordinance. We
were proposing to have a work session with the Planning Commission with options of what the
ordinance could look like so we’ve been working on it but we want to make sure we get appropriate
feedback. In February we’re hoping to have a draft something that the Planning Commission can
approve so that’s the first week in February proposing trying to do that. We’re hoping to have and
that’s something that we can move forward with having online. We want to make sure that we’re
being fair and getting feedback on this one. We want to make sure that it is posted, that it is handed
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out to the stakeholders that’s basically something that will take place on February the 2. February
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the 16 we would have the second public hearing again going out propose to have the full
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recommendation of this ordinance coming from the Planning Commission March the 6 proposing
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to have this move forward to the Augusta Commission by March the 21 and that’s just because
that’s the lag time that goes after you have the Planning Commission. And we’re hoping to have
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this finally approved because we will ask that you waive the second reading of the ordinance that
moves forward so that someone can go ahead and have this in place.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so Director Wilson I’ve got one, two, three individuals who want to
speak, have a series of questions for you. So looking at what you’ve got up here I’m going to ask
you a couple of questions, the issues to be addressed as you’ve outlined them here establish
consistency with the state law. All right item number two and three is it not true that state statute
currently defines what a brewery is and what a brew pub is?
Ms. Wilson: Currently they do but the issue becomes what the difference is for a
microbrewery. Most brew pubs or breweries you know a brew pub is as I said we already allow
that. A brewery is something that is different.
Mr. Mayor: But is it not true that the state statute currently defines what that is?
Ms. Wilson: Well it is and most of them are allowed in industrial areas. They’re not
allowed in downtowns.
Mr. Mayor: That’s correct but there’s a definition so from the definition standpoint those
things have already been outlined for us by state statute. All right here’s the second piece. In item
number five you talk about establishing performance standards. Is that what we want to be doing?
Ms. Wilson: Well, two things. One again the state has established rules but their brewery
manufacturing standards, they’re located in industrial areas. What we’re looking at doing is
coming up with microbreweries that is where you limit the number of gallons that are produced.
They just recently, this is very complicated with regards to trying to keep up with the product in
dealing with the Internal Revenue. Even the state legislature has been back and forth dealing with
that board on this particular issue so yes there is a definition for it. It is something that is consistent
across the state and it’s something that’s allowed in light industrial areas. It’s not something that
necessarily allowed in a downtown area per se.
Mr. Mayor: So that’s just a matter of location.
Ms. Wilson: Well, that’s, it’s a matter of location but it’s you know and it’s a matter of
actual gallons and things of that nature produced too. The second issue that you’ve got to decide
is if it’s going into the downtown area which is one of the reasons that we’re pushing or trying to
move this forward based on it being something that’s going to generate tourism you’ve got to
decide what you want your downtown to look like. I mean there are some areas where their
downtown is an industrial area so therefore you do have a distillery there cause it’s an industrial
area. If you look at it that’s what you see you might have one small store but the rest of it is brick
storefront, brick walls with it being manufacturing.
Mr. Mayor: (Inaudible) issue is that not true?
Ms. Wilson: But that is all of the stuff that we will look at as we move forward with looking
at this issue. I think again, you know, you have to ask yourself the question either this is something
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that you go through the process of rushing through or is it something that you want to allow in
every B-2 zoning district, is it something that you want to only allow in the central business district.
If it is, do you have performance standards? Is it something that you want to say, okay, if you’re
going to do a microbrewery for example we’ve still got to look at what the spacing requirements
are based on the state law because now you’re looking at an instance where people want to sell the
product. That’s the thing. It becomes a little bit different kind of product when you’re dealing
with, you know, distilling, brewing and selling without having the food component to it. And
that’s one of the challenges that we have been working with but it’s one of the things that we feel
comfortable that we were able to go (inaudible).
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, this is not what I was originally wanted
to talk about but based on what Ms. Wilson just defined I’m a little confused. I’m confused about
3 when you said define brew pubs and she made mention that we currently can do brew pubs
downtown but at the end of the day the microbrewery was the one that you had to be on light
industry. And then you come back to 5, establish performance standards I heard her elaborate
about that. It seems to be that she’s talking about downtown but even though the state statute says
light industrial so that got me kind of confused there how you’re going to do that. But that’s not
my real question. My real question is this. I want us to be mindful of several months ago myself
and Commissioner Williams and Ms. Wilson I think Mr. Reinhardt and some others we made a
trip to Savannah and I think that reason was to get with the Transportation Department in
Savannah. I think it was around parking meters and things of that nature. While we were there we
did I think it might have been a microbrewery or brew pub we dropped in and we got a chance to
look at their outfit there. So today what I did I went around to the Riverwatch Brewery and talked
to Colonel Sloan. You know she’s retired, she put the brewery in and I wanted to try to look at
the impact this would have on her business which just now opened in 2016 if we was talking about
doing any microbrewery. Not only that we also I think of another one called by the name of
Savannah something I think it’s still in line to open up. That would probably come on line in 2017.
The things I would be concerned about is us doing something. Now brew pubs I’ll get to that let
me not get ahead of myself. And I was concerned about the potential money that she had invested
at this point so Colonel Sloan I was speaking with her today; I went and spoke with her right before
the Commission meeting actually. And I was thinking in the name of a couple of hundred-
thousand dollars she might have spent but in talking to her I asked her do you mind me, I identified
myself as a Commissioner I’m not here to make any promises to you whatsoever but understand
based on what you’re hearing what impact would it potentially have on your business. So she
shared with me around that that she understands brew pubs that would not hurt her as much as
these microbreweries being one thing. And I know we’re (unintelligible) to say put one another
out of business but I also asked if you don’t mind what is your investment look like thus far? What
kind of money have you invested? You don’t have to give me answer if you feel comfortable with
that. She said in my lease here and what I’ve had to do to make investments to put in this floor
because it had to be a specialized floor. She said over $160,000 dollars just in at least around that
area. She also came back and I said what about your equipment. Her equipment is costing over
$300,000 dollars so she’s just invested over a half a million dollars. And I think we have another
one coming online and so let’s not be in the business of putting someone out of business and open
up other businesses especially when they just made the investment. So let’s kind of slow walk this
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one, Mr. Mayor, and do it right. Let’s not attempt to try to heed to these timelines here. Let’s take
into consideration. We know progress, sometimes there’s always collateral damage. I get that but
let’s be more mindful as we move and take into consideration some of the investments that have
already been made and is currently being made based on the various things ordinance that we are
about to attempt to change. Let’s be mindful of that, Mr. Mayor, moving forward. So I would
hope that we would not adopt these timelines that Ms. Wilson’s putting before us and let’s talk
this thing through and be considerate of those business owners. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Yeah, well, I don’t know if the tone Commissioner from the 7 as such as my
questioning is trying to rush something. I’m only asking the question that I know what the current
state statute says and some of the things we’re talking about doing have already been done for us.
Mr. Hasan: Yeah.
Mr. Mayor: If Business A decides they want to move into Augusta and have a restaurant
with a brew pub in it or any of these that have already been statutorily defined I wouldn’t want
them to say well I didn’t choose Augusta because they’re spending their time trying to figure out
what they want to do. That’s all I’m saying. So, no I’m going to defer to our Director Wilson but
I’d like to deal with a single subject matter not the issues of esthetics along Broad Street and what
the façade looks like and all of that. If we’re going to do business, let’s do business. Let’s bring
them in and let them share their product and let’s move on. Aiken Brew Pub right down the street
you know they do it over there. They have microbrew pubs in your house. They’ve been doing
this forever you know I think they call it moonshine. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner
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from the 5.
Mr. Lockett: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Hasan just gave me a parting
present, I agree with what he said 100%. I was interviewed before the Commission even if you
watch that you will see that what he said this company that’s at the Farmer’s Market they’re the
ones that led the way in order for us to have a brewery here. And it would be I think a slap in the
face to them to at this point authorize somebody to come downtown and basically put them out of
business. I mean we are supposed to be business friendly but also we need to be business
trustworthy. I mean put yourself in their place. As Commissioner Hasan has said about the
investment that they have made at the Farmer’s Market when they would have preferred to make
it downtown but they couldn’t. If these other breweries are allowed to come downtown I think
this governing body whatever’s legal should offer some kind of concession to them because we
just can’t kick them to the curb and act as if they were never there. I think that would be the right
thing to do. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to get a motion here in just a minute but you know a
government’s role is not to pick winners and losers. That’s not why we’re here. It’s called the
cost of doing business. We’re not in the business of picking winners and losers. The reality of it
is she’s in an industrial area because our current zoning simply allows only that but had we had
this conversation in January you know it would’ve been different because the Beverage
Association has been working on this aggressively for months in the state of Georgia which is why
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you’ve got a new statute. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 then I’m going to
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the Commissioner from the 7 for a motion.
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Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I’m going to make this short and sweet but rarely have I agreed
with Commissioner Lockett and Commissioner Hasan at the same time. I mean I can’t remember
that ever happening but those are my sentiments.
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Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You know I’m hearing everything but really the
private sector drives the demand. This is happening in cities all across the country and the world
even. Even so my motion is that we adopt this zoning ordinance tentative schedule brought
forth my Ms. Wilson. I’d like to make that into a motion.
Mr. M. Williams: Second.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a substitute motion.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor, that we kind
of slow the process down, have some conversations with the current owner as well as the ones
coming on line to see if we can assist them before we take this on because we’re going to have to
rezone. This is only for light industrial and make adjustments. So back to my motion again is to
slow it down, have some conversation with the current business owner and see if there’s anything
we can do to assist them before we take any action on whether what’s before us, Ms. Wilson, I’m
sorry.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right well okay I’m going to try this, Commissioner Hasan. I read
City Ink this weekend and it was excellent writing and I’m going to try to articulate something that
hopefully will ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Entrepreneur.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, yeah, it was excellent writing. What you just articulated is close but
not as good as that from the standpoint you said well let’s slow it down that doesn’t give us a date,
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a time, a season, a location but yet what the Commissioner from the 7 has put in front of us has
specificity date, time and certainty to it. Might I suggest that what you’re suggesting is going to
happen in this conversation. They’re going to go in and they’re going to talk to the people over
there who already have stood up, the group up over in the industrial area. They’re going to have
a good broad discussion and conversation and all of what I think you’re suggesting they’re going
to have it on this very elongated schedule. And so I think you’re going to get what’s been offered
in the main motion.
Mr. Hasan: Well, can I interject excuse me, Mr. Mayor, if you don’t mind.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to recognize you but I just wanted to offer that to you.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, I’m going to put a timeline in this issue since a timeline is important.
Give her six months, Mr. Mayor, six months.
Mr. Lockett: Is that specific enough?
Mr. Mayor: Right, I mean you don’t work on this I think, all right okay. Commissioner
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the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6, I directing this question to you.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: I’m going to respectfully and gracefully ask if you’ll withdraw your substitute
---
Mr. Hasan: Well, let me do it this way.
Mr. Mayor: --- on this basis, on this basis that I think your concern is understood. The
gravity of the investment this business owner is recognized by this body and those in the
community. I don’t think that that is lost in this conversation and I think that if you’re going to
take again the approach that’s been suggested you’ll accomplish what your broader concern is as
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well as the Commissioner from the 1 and the 5 and we just let this process take its place.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, Mr. Mayor, to my colleague Commissioner Williams just brought to my
attention Dennis Williams that is brought to my attention that the micro I mean the brew pub can
already do that so since I’m trying to, the real thing is around the microbrewery and things of that
nature, that’s where your six months comes in. If a person wants to do a brew pub they understand
that the statute already allows that. I’m not asking to hold that part of it up.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah I know you’ve got to vote no matter what happens, you’ve got to vote
on it and you know this is ---
Mr. Hasan: I just don’t trust the timeline. I’ll be frank with you.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah but this I mean you’ve, what’s interesting is that you know several
months ago there was a process that you helped lead the charge on.
Mr. Hasan: Which one is that, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: It was you talk about something before you even draft it so that you don’t look
at it. And so you’ve got that two weeks already built in now you’re adding another three months
so I think you’re going to be fine. Now we can vote on your substitute but ---
Mr. Hasan: I’d appreciate it.
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Mr. Mayor: --- but again I think the Commissioner from the 7 gave your superior main
motion. All right, we’ve got a substitute for six months instead of the three months, that’s really
all that’s happening. All right, that’s what we’re going to vote on.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Chair ---
Mr. Mayor: Yeah?
Mr. Lockett: --- can the Clerk read that motion please?
Mr. Smith: Which one are we voting on?
Mr. Lockett: I guess the substitute.
The Clerk: The substitute?
Mr. Mayor: The six-month substitute instead of three months.
The Clerk: The substitute motion is to hold, well in abeyance six months and have
conversation with the current business owner before taking action on the proposed schedule as
presented by the Director of Planning and Development.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, point of clarification please?
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5 State your inquiry.
Mr. Lockett: If I may I would like to ask Ms. Wilson to briefly explain exactly what this
is going to do.
Mr. Mayor: All right, all right I’m going to ask you to waive, I would respectfully ask you
to waive. She just did that, she just walked us through the three-month timeline that gave it and
the Commissioner from the ---
Mr. Lockett: She may have done it, Mr. Chair, but I still have a question on it.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Lockett: Respectfully.
Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair recognizes Director Wilson.
Mr. Locket: If I may, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Mayor: You may, continue.
Mr. Lockett: Ms. Wilson ---
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Ms. Wilson: Yes, sir.
Mr. Lockett: --- can you foresee any negative impact this agenda item would have on the
current business that’s over at the old Farmer’s Market?
Ms. Wilson: One of the things I really want to make clear is that if they’re doing
distribution bottling, manufacturing which is what happening at the other facilities then they have
to be in light industrial. The issue that has been dealt with, with the legislature in that we’re doing
within the communities are the microbreweries and the micro distilleries. Currently in Augusta,
Georgia you can already have a brew pub so I want to reiterate that. You can already have a brew
pub in Augusta, Georgia ---
Mr. Lockett: You answered my question.
Ms. Wilson: --- but it shouldn’t.
Mr. Lockett: Mr. Mayor, with further explanation I’d like to withdraw my second to the
substitute motion.
Mr. Mayor: Fantastic, thank you. All right, the substitute fails without a proper second.
All right, we’re back to the main motion and the motion is to adopt the calendar as prescribed,
voting. You know at the last meeting we were at, Madam Clerk, I referenced my friend
(unintelligible) a bit ago. I told him last night we were together last night I should bring him down
here and let him sing that to us right now (unintelligible). The Chair recognizes the Commissioner
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from the 4 for an inquiry, state your inquiry.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir, since you were raised to high esteem last Sunday readings I want
to make it clear that I didn’t retire the United State Army a Master Sargent. I retired as a Sargent
Major.
Mr. Hasan: It don’t change the fact that you want to run everything though.
The Clerk: Are you ready to publish the vote, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
Mr. Hasan votes No.
Mr. Sias abstains.
Motion Passes 8-1-1.
Mr. Mayor: All right here’s what I’d like to do, Madam Clerk. I’d like to take all of the
Deeds of Dedication and roll them up.
The Clerk: As companion items?
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Mr. Mayor: As companion items and let’s go ahead and move them and have the
Engineering Services Chair come up on up.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
27. Approve the deed of dedications, maintenance agreements, and road resolutions
submitted by the Engineering Department and the Augusta Utilities Department for Haynes
Stations Phase VI.
29. Approve the deed of dedication, maintenance agreement, and road resolution(s)
submitted by the Engineering Department for McCoy’s Creek Subdivision, Section 4.
30. Approve the deed of dedication, maintenance agreement, and road resolutions submitted
by the Engineering Department for McCoy’s Creek Subdivision, Section II.
31. Approve the deed of dedication, maintenance agreement, and road resolutions submitted
by the Engineering Department for McCoy’s Creek Subdivision, Section III.
32. Approve the deeds of dedication, maintenance agreements, and road resolutions
submitted by the Engineering and Augusta Utilities Departments for McCoy’s Creek
Subdivision, Section 5.
33. Consider Approving the McCoy’s Creek, Section 1 Deed of Dedication and Maintenance
Agreement for Water and Sanitary Sewer.
34. Approve the deed of dedication, maintenance agreement, and road resolutions submitted
by the Engineering Department for McCoy’s Creek Subdivision, Section II, Phase 2.
35. Consider Approving the McCoy’s Creek, Sections II, II-2, III and 4 Deed of Dedication
and Maintenance Agreement for Water and Sanitary Sewer.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. The Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9 for a series of questions.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I thought Mr. Ladson was going to give us some
history on ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, I wanted to recognize (inaudible).
Mr. M. Williams: --- well, I mean we’ve got a motion to approve and it wasn’t like you
weren’t going to do that. I wanted to make sure I voiced my opinion before we took the vote
because if I waited then I’d have been too late. So, I’m not going to chance that by ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, that’s why I’m recognizing you so you can talk and ask those many
questions, they just got a motion and a second. They’re not going to go anywhere until you decide.
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Mr. M. Williams: --- well, I mean he (inaudible) first item and let me ask a series of
questions because when you talk McCoy’s Creek and I guess everybody knows where these
subdivisions starts and finishes at, they know exactly what’s going to take place even more so than
the homeowners in that area but, Abie, can you help me because they understand and I don’t
understand. Can you share with me exactly what ---
Mr. Ladson: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: --- you need.
Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, the items that you actually have
before you McCoy Creek Subdivision is a subdivision, a new subdivision that’s located right off
of Gordon Highway and basically Robertson Avenue. And the subdivision goes through a series
of inspections for infrastructure and one of the last things that normally happens is that once it’s
inspected we go through and 18-month maintenance warranty time period. Within that 18 months
the contractor or the developer who owns the road, storm drainage, sanitary sewer and if there are
any issues in between that timeframe then the developer has to fix it. Once we go through that 18-
month timeframe and everything is okay, we accept those infrastructure into the city
(unintelligible) infrastructure. And basically we’re actually going through that process the 18-
month process so we’re accepting the roads, streets, storm drainage, sanitary sewer. We’re coming
to the Commission to get that approved to accept it into our infrastructure system.
Mr. M. Williams: Can I follow up, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Certainly.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you. Mr. Ladson, what you’re sharing with us ya’ll been through
a process of waiting and looking at these for 18 months. So if there’s an issue that comes up now
who do we look back to because we can’t look back to the developer because you’re saying we’re
going to accept those right? So I’m asking you I guess is there anyone in your department who
done signed off who would be accountable if there is an issue?
Mr. Ladson: Well, you go through and 18-month process and that’s the whole process of
that 18 months. I mean if anything serious is going to happen, it’s going to happen within that 18-
month time period. Now that’s not to say that maybe three years from now, three or four years
from now you might you may start having some maintenance issues which is normal wear and tear
so the city has to go in and repair that infrastructure.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I guess to shorten my question and shorten your answer I’m not
talking about the infrastructure I’m talking about the roads, the sidewalks everything else that’s
been inspected. If it does, hopefully there’s nothing but if it does come up you’ve got somebody
in your organization who done signed off on it that we can look back to. I mean infrastructure I
understand you know you’ve got a wait and see period and naturally those things change over time
but I’m talking about accepting. The question came up earlier we have already accepted roads in
this government that you couldn’t get a firetruck down if a car was parked on the road. Hopefully
that’s done changed now. Hopefully we’ve done some things differently but those kinds of things
36
have happened. We just approved some stuff recently where you couldn’t park in front of your
door. You had to park in a parking area in order to turn around and walk back up to the house that
you were visiting because the road wasn’t wide enough to sustain a car parked on the side of the
road and a car passing. So my question is you’ve got somebody who’s done looked at all of this
if it’s not an infrastructure situation there’s somebody that done signed off on it that knows that
we’ve got everything else in place.
Mr. Ladson: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, that helps me a lot.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I think the Commissioner’s had his questions answered in full. All
right, Madam Clerk, I think we’re ready to vote. We’ve got a motion and a proper second.
The Clerk: Yes, that would be items 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. Motions from Mr. Sias
and Mr. Lockett.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we can take items 36 and 37.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
36. Approve the continued funding of the current On-Call Construction Management,
Construction Inspection and Field Engineering (CM_DI_FE) Services contract in the
amount of $750,000. Funding is available in AED SPLOST VII On Call Emergency
Construction, as requested by AED.
37. Approve the continued funding of the current On-Call Field and Laboratory Testing for
Soil and Construction Material, and Geotechnical Inspection and Investigation
(CMT_Geotech) Services contract in the amount of $1,000,000. Funding is available in TIA
Discretionary Funds as requested by AED.
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: I’ve got a motion and a second to approve. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 7 for a question.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, in Item #36 it says it comes out of SPLOST VII. Is
part of the On-Call coming out of storm water as well? Like help me understand that.
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Mr. Ladson: Well, for Item 36 we there’s an actual line item number in SPLOST VII for
this particular item here. In SPLOST VII On-Call Services for Construction Management and
Construction Inspection and Field Engineering was approved.
Mr. Frantom: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Ladson: That’s why we’re using SPLOST dollars in that.
Mr. Frantom: I guess my question is it says continued funding for the 750. Are we at the
same amount? I mean that’s the total is it not? So why does it say continued funding?
Mr. Ladson: Well, continued funding is that we’re constantly have, we’ve had it funded
before and so this is an ongoing process. Basically, what we have going on right now is a series
of projects that we need help on while it’s under construction. We’re currently at about close to
about 40 projects that are currently under construction right now.
Mr. Frantom: And my last question is so was SPLOST VI was there this On-Call as well
to where now we’re going into SPLOST VII?
Mr. Ladson: I don’t think we had it for this particular item but we knew we needed it in
SPLOST VII so that’s why we put it in there and that was approved and that’s why we’re using
these funds now because we knew we would have like TIA projects, SPLOST projects and possibly
some storm water projects ongoing at the same time. You’re asking if the stormwater is going to
be ---
Mr. Frantom: Well, I mean I just think we need to be clarifying that you know it’s for
SPLOST projects and that we’re telling the public and showing the public that we’re not using
SPLOST for stormwater and that sort of thing and how it’s defined clearly to the public I guess is
my question.
Mr. Ladson: They go hand in hand. Even with the stormwater you have some SPLOST
money in there that you use which the Commission approved $5,000,000 for SPLOST for
stormwater and your actual stormwater funds also.
Mr. Frantom: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Ladson: But the majority of these funds are going to be used for like your TIA projects.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. Mr. Ladson, would this be it may not necessarily be this
particular for lack of a better term pot of money but would this be the kind of process you’re talking
about where we would, for example on Skyview Drive and National Avenue where they have that
severe problem with infrastructure and this is where your Field Engineering would come in at?
38
Mr. Ladson: I mean it’s a possibility we can use that. It was approved in SPLOST VII and
that means you can use it for any type of inspection with the city. So yes, we can use it if we have
all these projects going on at one time and our staff cannot handle it then we would actually call
on these On-Call’s to do the inspections so, yes.
Mr. Sias: Okay one quick follow up?
Mr. Mayor: Certainly.
Mr. Sias: And you do have that project on your list right?
Mr. Ladson: We do.
Mr. Sias: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I believe we’ve got a motion and a second. Items 36 and 37,
all right voting.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am.
39
The Clerk: Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
Motion Passes 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right, we can take number 28, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
28. Consider Award of Bid #16-241 for the construction of the electrical improvements at
Highland Avenue Water Treatment Plant CIP Project to Hebbard Electric, Inc.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Utilities Director Wiedmeier.
Mr. Wiedmeier: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, this is a result of a bid for some
electrical gear replacement in the old filter building. The amount of the bid this was the low bidder
$555,193.00.
Mr. Sias: Motion to approve.
Mr. Lockett: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: (Inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right very good. We’ve got a motion and a second. Voting.
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
40
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Lockett.
Mr. Lockett: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Grady Smith.
Mr. Smith: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Dennis Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes.
Motion Passes 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, let’s go to 38, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
38. Motion to adopt Resolution of Condolences for former Mayor Lewis A. “Pop” Newman.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to read it into the record.
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The Clerk: Whereas former Mayor Lewis A. “Pop” Newman affectionately known by
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many of his constituents, friends and business colleagues as “Pop” was born the 5 child to Morgan
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and Nora Newman in Augusta, Georgia on April 18 1919. And whereas Mayor Newman was
educated in the Richmond County Schools of Haughton, ARC and attended Augusta College and
served in the U.S. Air Force attaining rank of Captain after the European Theater of Operations in
North Africa in WWII. And whereas Mayor Newman enjoyed a prolific and distinguished
business and civic career he served for four years on the City Council of Augusta from 1965
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through 1968 and elected Mayor January 19 ’73 and was the first Mayor to serve three
consecutive 3-year terms until January 1982. He was known for his good work ethics and
optimism about Augusta’s future. And whereas Mayor Newman was a member of many
professional, civic, and religious affiliations including being a member of the Reid Memorial
Presbyterian Church, past president of the Uptown Kiwanis Club, past Lt. Governor of Georgia
Kiwanis, president of the Georgia Municipal Association, Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan
Council of Governments, and the Augusta Aviation Commission. And whereas Mayor Newman’s
hardworking ways will be sorely missed by all of us who knew him and loved him the members
of the Augusta Commission were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mayor Newman. And
whereas the family, friends and colleagues of Mayor Newman who some called a good man who
did a lot for the city which was exemplified through his leadership and demonstrated through his
untiring devotion that they may always remember and never ever forget his love, concern and
commitment for each of them as he shall ever live in their hearts. And therefore be resolved that
it is with our sincere care and concern that we, the Augusta Commission of Augusta, Georgia send
these humble words expressing our heartfelt sympathy. May you find comfort in knowing that
others care and share your loss. Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forward to
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the family and friends of Mayor Lewis “Pop” A. Newman this 6 Day of December in the year of
our Lord 2016. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. I think many of us had an opportunity to meet Pop
Newman certainly when he came here for the dedication of the committee room and yes, a good
man. All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. Voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
Mr. Mayor: It’s getting a little late in the evening longer than we normally (inaudible)
maybe we can pick up the pace a little bit. All right, Madam Clerk, if we can go to let’s try to
move through items 20, 21.
The Clerk: You’re going to item 21?
Mr. Mayor: Twenty.
The Clerk: Twenty?
Mr. Mayor: Uh, hmm.
The Clerk:
42
PUBLIC SAFETY
20. Motion to accept 2016-2017 VOCA Continuation grant award in the amount of $61,710
from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) to the Solicitor’s Office for the
Victim’s/Witness Assistance Program.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and second. Voting.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Item 21.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
21. Approve and authorize the engineering Department (AED) to accept and receive federal
financial assistance through Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implication Grant Program.
Also, grant authorization permitting Augusta’s Mayor to sign all documentation as
requested by AED.
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve have a motion and a second. Voting.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
22. Approve the execution of the resolution and contract authorizing financial
reimbursement from Georgia’s Environment Protection Division (EPD).
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second. Voting.
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Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
23. Consider approving the Augusta National, Inc. Agreement for Relocation of Easement.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Motion to approve.
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Voting.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
24. Consider approving the Benton House Easement Exchange and Maintenance Agreement.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Motion to approve.
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Voting.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
25. Discuss the inoperable status of the Broad Street fountains and lights. (Requested by
Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I see Tom in the front row here. I had this put
on the agenda. We had some work done, Tom, and the staff did an outstanding job on those I don’t
know what they call them, Tom, those creations of those balls with the water and even with the
light situation. And I’ve been very adamant about trying to continue that on Broad Street to give
us some signs of growth or life. Our water fountain has been embarrassing to me where it’s
trickling just enough to come up just enough to see the water there. But Tom did an outstanding
job and I wanted to get an update from him as to where we are with doing the rest of Broad Street
44
as far as we can with that type of growth. When you travel you go to other cities water is a sign
of life and how things are moving and it’s entertaining, it’s very calming and I was hoping that
we’re planning to continue to do just that.
Mr. Wiedmeier: Okay, we have rebuilt eight fountains in the downtown area. Four at the
intersection of Broad Street and James Brown Boulevard and then there are four others around.
We rebuilt the electrical and mechanical and are maintaining or helping to maintain these
fountains. I’m beginning to get concerned that we are taxing our resources with particularly the
maintenance. We are willing to help but before we start doing more fountains, I’d like to have a
better plan as to how maintenance is going to be addressed.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Tom, I glad you said that I mean because you’ve
got more money than anybody around here and if that needs to be addressed I mean our water bill
goes up 3% every year. And no one has done as much when you talk about bids the work you’re
doing is commended no doubt but I think I need you to let me or this body know what we need to
do because the funds should be there I mean you’re the water man. The water’s already there on
Broad Street; our fountains are not being used. When I look at other cities and how their fountains
operate versus ours like I say I’m kind of embarrassed about that. I think we ought to have some
lights, some life in lights that’s showing that we are thriving. So maintenance, tell me what this
body needs to approve that you don’t already have in your hand to continue the maintenance work
on it.
Mr. Wiedmeier: It’s primarily a staffing issue and we’ve been talking to the Administrator
and the Facilities Director so I think there’ll be more conversations and like I said we are willing
to be a part of this. And another thing I’d also like some help with as we expand the fountains
some direction as to, we did some trial and error to come up with what we’ve got at James Brown
Boulevard. Unless you want to replicate that exactly I’d like some input from others to help decide
what the fountains are going to look like.
Mr. M. Williams: (Inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Continue.
Mr. M. Williams: You know with the James Brown statue and all of the economic
development meetings we’ve been having trying to improve downtown and try to make it a viable
situation where folks would enjoy. Now water’s something that’s already there on probably every
block. I don’t think there’s very many that don’t have a fountain or some water already there. You
all did a good job with what we came up with we didn’t have anything. I’m pleased with that but
I just think that we have stopped or we got to a point where we hadn’t continued. Now you know
Commissioner Frantom talked about making money but you’ve got to spend some money in order
to make some money you got to get people to come downtown. You got to do some things
different; you can’t do the same thing. And we already had the river in fact we’re so close to the
river you can throw a rock twice and hit the river from Broad Street so I don’t understand why we
don’t have water like a lot of cities who don’t, who’s not fortunate to have that close why we don’t
have more fountains and more water expressions that’s being done. And I didn’t just come up
with this. This is what I see when I travel. It’s what I see other cities doing so that really bothers
45
me to be an elected official and sit here and know we’ve got the water and the resources and the
talent to do that, I mean ya’ll showed out when you did those so ---
Mr. Wiedmeier: Thank you.
Mr. M. Williams: --- I mean ya’ll need to show out some more though I don’t think we
can stop with that, Tom.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3,
Commissioner Davis.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I guess this is probably more to the Administrator. I
understand where Commissioner Williams is coming from but as far as the construction this plan
on Broad Street and we’ve seen the plans that are out there, what is the timeframe for that just so
that we don’t move forward with doing something temporary I guess and then with that major
construction it just takes over you know undoes whatever we do. When is that supposed to start?
Ms. Jackson: That’s a good observation. We are expecting to procure a study to be
available to the Commission around April for your final review so we’re talking just a few months
from now.
Ms. Davis: The review of the architectural plans and then bids and going out for
construction ---
Ms. Jackson: Yes.
Ms. Davis: --- so we’re talking about probably a year and a half?
Ms. Jackson: Yes. I understand that we would have to we, the Commission would have to
review it and approve it and then we forward it up to GDOT and GDOT actually has the final
approval on it so there’s levels of approval before it’s done. I understand funding will not be
available until about 2020 so we’re still talking three years down the road before funding is
available to actually build the projects that are designed.
Ms. Davis: Okay, I just want to make sure if we do add anything or do anything in addition
it’s not going to be money that’s spent and then it’s gone. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Mr. Mayor, sorry. Commissioner Davis kind of hit on what I was going to
say. I mean I feel like we shouldn’t put a lot of resources, new resources in new things because of
what’s coming down in 2020. My concern and discussion is that over the next month, few months
I hope that we have the discussion of cleaning up downtown. I was down there for the parade and
I know we’ve got leaves and stuff but it just wasn’t where I think we should be as a city. So and
my thoughts are we need to clean up what we have before we start doing new and let’s have the
46
discussion with how we focus on cleaning up downtown Augusta in the future. Thank you, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Yeah, if you’re going to invite folks over ---
Mr. Hasan: Motion to receive as information?
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: --- clean your front room. Motion and a second to receive as information.
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The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I agree with what’s been said, let’s go back to
the brewery we talked about a little while ago. And we’ve been hurrying up and waiting and I’m
not saying just do something. Cooper Carey is supposed to be bringing a plan back to us and I
don’t and what I’ve seen of the other stuff hadn’t been any water associated with that no fountain
no I mean maybe something’s different now. And I don’t want to put the wagon in front of the
horse but I do think that we’ve got to get progressive in doing some stuff. I mean do you know
how many years we’re behind now on everything that we do because we want to wait and wait
and wait. And I know if you move too fast, Mary, you know you’re getting in the wrong lane. I
understand that but the cleanup part that’s a whole other entity. If we start to look like we’re alive
then somebody else is going to want to help clean up. But when you don’t nothing but leaving
everything like it is that’s why downtown looks like it is now because we ain’t started at one point.
If you start on one end then somebody else will say well let’s do something on the other end but
everything is still the same. I mean I’ve been in this town all my life and I’ll tell you what if it
wasn’t for the buses the change the same. Turpin Hill bus and Lakeview bus was stopping at H.L.
Green. It’s still about the same thing we’ve been doing but we’ve got newer buses, Ms. Bonner,
ain’t no difference. It’s time to move now, it’s time to do something, it’s time to get aggressive.
I mean if you do something wrong you realize you’re doing it wrong and you change and do
something else but we can’t sit here and keep saying well you know we’re going to wait and we’re
going to wait and we’re to wait that’s going to hold the wagon down I think. Hey you know it
don’t matter I’m just going to put it out there. I mean, Mr. Mayor, if I can?
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, come on, continue.
Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Davis and I along with Sean we talked about the river boat and
doing something downtown people are waiting on us to make some moves. They ain’t going to
be satisfied; you’re not going to make everybody happy. I ain’t worried about making nobody
happy; I’m going to worry about doing the right thing. And if you do the right thing some folks
are going to get mad, some are going to get sad. That’s just tough, Grady. But if you do the right
thing the majority of the people are going to be happy about it. So we need to do something to
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make this city a thriving city and people will know we’re in the 21 century and millennia. We
ain’t going backwards, we’re going forwards.
Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor, can I ask a follow up question?
47
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Mr. Mayor: All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3.
Ms. Davis: On the maintenance side because that’s what we hear mostly about of course.
And I think in this next budget there was money put in there to contract out for services for the
downtown area, is that correct for maintenance from the Recreation Department?
Ms. Jackson: There has been some discussion about contracting out some downtown
maintenance activities, however, we’ve not done an RFP or bid that out yet.
Ms. Davis: Money was allocated for that, correct, in the budget?
Ms. Jackson: I believe so, there was initially I have to make sure that it’s still there to be
honest.
Ms. Davis: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’re receiving this as information. Voting.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
26. Correct typographical error made in the original request for change order #1 for
construction of the Goodrich Street Water Pumping Station (RWPS).
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve.
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 state your inquiry.
Mr. Fennoy: I think Mr. Parker just left but I just want to take this opportunity to thank
Recreation and Parks, Facilities and everybody that was involved in the excellent event that took
place Saturday. The Christmas parade was well attended, the Christmas tree lighting was
spectacular, the fireworks afterwards was spectacular and I think that the residents of Richmond
County had a real good time that they, I know the kids they were had a real good time. But I’d
also like to ask Ms. Jackson next year when you do the budget that you include more candy because
the Christmas parade ran out of candy.
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Mr. Frantom: Second.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: Fantastic, fantastic. All right, Madam Clerk, why don’t we go ahead and deal
with number 19 and then we’ll end up with 39.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
19. Motion to authorize the Emergency Management Director, Chief Chris James, to meet
with Gold Cross to formulate a contract proposal reference emergency ambulance service
for Augusta-Richmond County. (Requested by Commissioner Sammie Sias)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Move to delete.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Very good, very good, very good. All right, we’ve got a motion to delete and
a proper second.
Mr. M. Williams: (Inaudible) contract I mean how did this get here?
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right the Commissioner from the 9 waives. All right, there’s hands
still up.
Mr. M. Williams: My hand was up, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes again we’ve got a motion and a second to delete
this item from the agenda.
Mr. M. Williams: And this is no secret this has been an ongoing situation that should’ve
been dealt with, needs to be dealt with as soon as possible but when I saw this I was a little amazed
as to the fire chief being the designated person to negotiate a contract. And I wondering how did
that I mean I know who put the item on but I don’t understand how that could come about when I
thought it was at least the Administrator’s position to do the negotiations for those types of
services.
Mr. Mayor: The gentleman knows of that of which he speaks. All right, we’ve got a
motion and a second. Voting.
Mr. Sias: (unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: No, no I am ---
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Mr. Frantom: Point of personal privilege, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- oh, I’m going to recognize you for it too. Well, I’ll come back to you. I’m
just trying to get us home; it’s late in the evening.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, can I get you to vote?
Mr. Mayor: Mayor Pro Tem, if you’ll vote.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Over the past four months we’ve had 50 individuals
ask leadership that are from across the state with the Young Game Changers in Georgia forward.
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And I hope my colleagues will take the time on Friday December 16 at 2:00 o’clock and I’ll get
Ms. Bonner to send this out. These different groups are coming with broad ideas, new ideas.
These are leaders from all across the state, administrators in different municipalities, business
owners, Georgia Power very knowledgeable individuals. And this event’s going to take place
where they’re going to give the ideas that they have learned about what’s going on in Augusta and
they’re going to bring new ideas to Augusta. So I’d hope that the media and everyone will take
the time to come out to this event. It’s going to be at the UNISYS Building in the old theater at
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2:00 on Friday December 16 with the Young Game Changer. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. I encourage everybody to certainly be in, we’ll be it’s at 2:00
o’clock promptly, we’ll be in attendance. All right thank you, Commissioner, for bringing that
forward. I’m not in it to (unintelligible) to rate this. All right item number 39, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
APPOINTMENTS
39. Motion to approve the appointments of Mr. Frank Middleton to Board of Tax Assessors
to fill the seat currently held by Tracy Williams effective April 25, 2017 and Juanita L.
Burney to the seat currently held by Charles F. Smith effective immediately. (Requested by
Commissioner Marion Williams and Ben Hasan)
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. Sias: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve had no problem with either one of these
people that’s been selected but what’s bothering me here is that we have tried to make these
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changes earlier and Mr. Middleton who was the first name brought up but he won’t be appointed
until 2017 to fill the seat that Mr. Tracy Williams is in versus Ms. Burney who will be filling the
seat currently. And I’m wondering how did that get (inaudible) well I and need that explained
somebody just say something I mean ya’ll have kicked the can down the road enough.
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, yes, back to square one again.
Mr. Hasan: What happened?
Mr. M. Williams: We’ve got a motion and second, Mr. Mayor. I got my explanation why
it’s worded like it is so.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right everybody just kind of hold your horses, hold your horses. All
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right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8 for a question.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, a couple of issues, Mr. Mayor, thank you for recognizing me. I just
don’t believe that replacing one good person with another in regards to Juanita Burney and Charles
Smith. Charles Smith has always been one to respond to this body. He is dedicated to the board
and as far as his skill set and his experience far exceeds anybody else on that board. But one point
of clarification that I would like to know is underneath this motion that my colleagues need to pay
attention to it shows Juanita Burney to seat currently held by Charles Smith. Is that a Chairman
seat or is the chairman appointed by the body because this is a play of words that if this passes in
other words Juanita Burney carries the Chair of the planning and I mean the Tax Assessors Board.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, may I address that?
Mr. Guilfoyle: What I just said is Juanita Burney to seat currently held by Charles Smith.
Charles Smith is Chairman of that board.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’ll address that if you don’t mind.
Mr. Mayor: Just hold on. All right the Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie just to raise
a point. All right we’re going to yield to the Parliamentarian, Attorney MacKenzie, at this point.
We’ll have some discussion but we’ll yield to the attorney.
Mr. MacKenzie: Sure, just a reminder there is actually a local law regarding the removal
of persons from this particular board which requires that they can only be removed for cause, so if
it’s not the end of their term then you’d have to meet that requirement. If the removal is for a
cause, that contemplates that they would have the ability to be able to respond to the cause or the
reasoning for removal from the board.
Mr. Hasan: That’s not true, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. M. Williams: Definitely not true.
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Mr. Mayor: All right so everybody just hold on. All right Commissioner Guilfoyle is, he
was all right everybody just come, just suspend. All right we’ve been doing pretty good. We’re
going to finish off in a good note as well; we’re going to get to where we need to be. All right
we’ve got two matters that are before us right now there’s a concern around showing a cause.
We’ve got two appointments here the issue was raised by the Chairman of Administrative Services
The first issue was the sequence of when we make the appointments, Ms. Bonner ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- and the concern around that was with regards to one of these appointments
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being in the 23 Senatorial District so everybody can hear that. And then the second one was an
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appointment being made in the 22 Senatorial District. As you shared with us Tracy Williams is
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currently in a position and he is from the 22 Senatorial District and Ms. Burney would be in the
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23 Senatorial District, is that correct?
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right so that was the answer to Commissioner Williams’ question
how can you effect this with regards to those two things. Okay all right the second issue then is
and I don’t, that is the explanation you received but it doesn’t answer ---
Mr. M. Williams: It answered my question, I understand that.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay. All right the second question now before us is the issue that
Commissioner Guilfoyle raised and that is by virtue of appointing a person to the position that is
currently occupied by the one Charles Smith does that necessitate that person being the Chairman
and that is not true, that is not true. The Chairman is voted on by the Board of Assessors and as
such at the appropriate time the Board of Assessors would in turn vote on and identify who their
next chairperson would be okay, that is the answer to that question okay? All right now all right,
that was those were the issues that were before us. Attorney MacKenzie has raised the
corresponding issues that has been before us on multiple occasions and that is the issue of an
unexpired term and removing someone without a showing for cause okay, that is what he’s raised,
all right? And so that’s the question that’s before us. All right, is term currently being held by
one Charles F. Smith expired ---
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: --- that is the question. Okay, all right okay all right, that’s the question that’s
before us. I’m hearing yes ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir, it was expired on 4-24-16.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, 4-24-16 okay all right.
Mr. M. Williams: Somebody got a violin?
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The Clerk: No, sir, I don’t have one.
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Mr. Mayor: All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, can we vote on these separately?
Mr. Mayor: You could, you absolutely could if that’s the pleasure. You certainly could
do that. There’s nothing that prevents you from being able to do that.
Mr. Guilfoyle: You could split the agenda item then.
Mr. Mayor: If that’s what you want to do. All so come on everybody just pause we want
to make sure we maintain civility.
Mr. M. Williams: And I need ---
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Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on the Commissioner from the 1 still has the floor.
Mr. Fennoy: I mean I may want to vote for one and not vote for the other ---
Mr. Mayor: I understand.
Mr. Fennoy: --- so I think ya’ll should vote for them separately.
Mr. Mayor: That’s certainly well within (inaudible).
Mr. M. Williams: Point of Order, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Hold on ---
Mr. M. Williams: I’m trying my best to hold.
Mr. Mayor: --- it ain’t hard.
Mr. M. Williams: It ain’t hard but I’m trying because this don’t make good sense. You all
are dancing around this thing like this.
Mr. Mayor: No ---
Mr. M. Williams: Yes, we’re dancing around it and the agenda item is the agenda item,
Mr. Mayor, you can’t separate an agenda item because you don’t like it or I don’t like it. If the
agenda item reads what it reads you can’t do that. Now the parliamentarian just gave some
information that wasn’t true either and that’s what really upset me for our legal department to tell
us something that’s not true. And if he hadn’t verified it ---
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Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- something’s wrong, man, ain’t no sense in playing no games.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, I don’t have a dog in the fight but I do have a horse to sell if
anybody’s interested. Again all that’s in front of us right now is just what was given to me that’s
all, okay? We’ve got a motion and a second to approve, we’re going to vote on it ---
Mr. M. Williams: When next week I mean you done talked 30 minutes on it. I mean if
you’re trying to tell somebody something tell them but don’t do this man it’s not like, I’ve got
things to do I ain’t got time to ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, you know ya’ll raise your hand I recognize you and let you speak that’s
all I do okay? All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. I recognized the Commissioner from
st.
the 1 He asked a question; he didn’t make it in the form of a motion. I’m going to down here to
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the left side of town and I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 4 and we’ll go from
there.
Mr. Sias: I’m just going to simply make a call for the question, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. That’s how you do it. You ain’t got to blurt out and be
disrespectful, you don’t need to do all that.
Mr. M. Williams: You know the rules now (unintelligible) ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, so the Chair recognizes ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- you ought to know the rules, Mr. Mayor, by now (inaudible) since
you’ve been here.
Mr. Mayor: --- the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the ---
Mr. M. Williams: (inaudible) if you’re going to vote on the question then you vote on the
question.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a call for the question, that’s what he’s done. All right, Madam
Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- we’ve got a call for the question.
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Now you tell me the School of Hard Knocks we vote on that whether you
want to cut off the debate, that’s what they tell me, I learned that from the School of Hard Knocks.
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All right, we’re going to call for the question all right to see if we want to cut off the debate.
Voting.
Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. G. Smith vote No.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 7-2.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion to approve the appointments as written. All
right voting. Are you ready, Madam Clerk?
The Clerk: Yes sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, voting.
Mr. Sias: Voting on what now?
Mr. Mayor: You’re on the underlined motion item number 39 motion to approve the
appointment of Frank Middleton.
Mr. Sias: (Unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: Well, you’ve already done that.
Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. G. Smith vote No.
Mr. Lockett out.
Motion Passes 7-2.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
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
December 6, 2016.
________________________
Clerk of Commission
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