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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCalled Commission Meeting April 11, 2017 CALLED MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER April 11, 2017 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 11, 2017, the Honorable Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Jefferson, Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, Fennoy, D. Williams, Hasan, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. ABSENT: Hon. Smith, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor: Good morning, everybody. The Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie. 1. LEGAL MEETING A. Pending and potential litigation B. Real estate C. Personnel Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to go into an executive session to discuss pending and potential litigation, real estate and personnel. Mr. Sias: So move. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: Motion and a second. Voting. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. M. Williams out. Motion carries 7-0. \[LEGAL MEETING\] Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie. 2. Motion to authorize execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act. Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to execute the closed meeting affidavit. Mr. M. Williams: So move. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor: A motion and a second. Voting. Motion carries 9-0. 1 Mr. Mayor: Okay. The Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie. Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to authorize the approval of settlement of case captioned Frances Rhodes vs. Augusta, Georgia which is the Warren Cemetery site for $60,000 to include attorneys’ fees plus one-half of future lease proceeds and to authorize counsel to present settlement terms to the court for court approval. Mr. Sias: So move. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor: A motion and a second. Voting. Motion carries 9-0. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, once again we’re going to keep the distinguished commissioner th from the 10 in our prayers. Having a little procedure done today and I would ask everybody to st keep him in our prayers. The Chair recognizes the commissioner from the 1 for a motion. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a motion to authorize the Administrator to negotiate the terms by which Augusta will fund the construction of a parking deck to be used in connection with and support of the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center and to begin the process of structuring a bonded transaction and preparing the related documents for the issuance of approximately $12,000,000 for the construction of the deck with the final funding structure to be approved by the Commission. Mr. Sias: Second. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, a point of clarity. A point of order. Mr. Mayor: All right, hold on just a second. We’ve got a motion and a proper second. I want to commend the Administrator for working diligently with our state folks and sharing information that was done earlier. I also want to commend this Commission for its willingness to engage the state of Georgia in this catalytic project. When you think about the investment that’s going to be made in our city to the tune of $50 million dollars that will be a long term commitment for cyber security, cyber innovation and technology and without question the fact that it is being stood up here in Georgia’s second city. It could have been in a number of other places notwithstanding Atlanta but again, the Governor in his wisdom saw the benefits of that facility being here in Augusta based on what we are doing at Fort Gordon and this city, this Commission, has once again stepped up to the plate and made a very strong decision to support those efforts that will be an opportunity to grow Augusta in ways that are unprecedented. So I want to thank you for the work that you are doing to help make this happen. I think Augusta University is very supportive. I see a representative from the school who has been active in this project as well, Mr. Cedric Johnson, and once again, this shows the strength of this body and their willingness to get things done. That is extremely important for us in the City of Augusta. So thank you. The Chair th recognizes the commissioner from the 9. State your inquiry. 2 Mr. M. Williams: I’m in support. I just think that the motion was read and it said that it would build, I think is the fund and I want to make that clarification so it wouldn’t be put out wrong and so if that’s – Mr. Mayor: I think the motion stated that it was to fund construction. The City of Augusta will not be physically building it or constructing it but it was to fund construction. We would be happy to reread it if necessary but it was to fund construction of a deck. Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Bonner, is that what you’ve got? The Clerk: Have to listen to my tape. Yes, sir, I understand the correction. Mr. Mayor: Okay. We’ve got a motion and a second. This is one of the most significant th votes that this body will have made along with several others. The commissioner from the 4 would suggest that stormwater was equally important and it was but this right here is generational and transformational. Voting. Mr. Sias: Don’t make me ask for a point of personal privilege, Mr. Mayor. st Mr. Mayor: Voting. I’m going to preempt the commissioner from the 1. He would like to say that this is being built in his district and that’s true but it’s being in the City of Augusta. Motion carries 9-0. Mr. Fennoy: Also, Mr. Mayor, -- Mr. Sias: Wait a minute. I didn’t get my point. Mr. Fennoy: Also, Mr. Mayor, you talked about the $50 million dollar project but I think over the years this is going to have an economic impact that will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars in Augusta Richmond County and the CSRA over the years. Mr. Mayor: I couldn’t agree with you more. There is a lot of passion in the room. Lot of passion in the room. Thank you. This is unanimous in its support. All right. Attorney MacKenzie, any other business before us? Mr. MacKenzie: (inaudible) Mr. Mayor: All right. Committee meetings. \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission 3 CERTIFICATION: I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Called Meeting of the Augusta Richmond County Commission held on April 11, 2017. ________________________ Clerk of Commission 4