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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting March 29, 2017 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER MARCH 29, 2017 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., March 29, 2017, the Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Jefferson, Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, Fennoy, D. Williams, Hasan and Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor: All right, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to your city government. We’re here to do the people’s business and part of that people’s business is recognizing great Augustans for what they do in local government and outside of local government. We’re excited to have the distinguished Lucy Craft Laney Wildcats with us today. (APPLAUSE) Before we go to far in these proceedings it is always proper and just to invoke the presence a great and a living God. Madam Clerk. The Clerk: At this time we’ll have our invocation delivered by Bishop Rosa L. Williams of the Everfaithful Missionary Baptist Church after which we’ll have our Pledge of Allegiance led by the outstanding Lady Wildcats, would you please stand. The invocation was given by Bishop Rosa L. Williams, Everfaithful Missionary Baptist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor: We want to thank Bishop Rosa Williams who has been a tremendous leader amongst leaders in our community for many, many years, a very good friend of mine not just in the faith community but as a personal friend and we want to celebrate her today for her spiritual guidance and civic leadership. Would you join me in congratulating her and thanking her for her services today. (APPLAUSE) The Clerk: Mr. Mike Loeser, we will now recognize our Employee Years of Service. Mr. Loeser is our Human Resources Director. Mr. Loeser: Thank you. Good afternoon Mayor Davis, Commissioners, special guests, Directors and citizens of Augusta Richmond County my name is Mike Loeser, H.R. Director for Richmond County. Today is my proud pleasure to recognize our March Years of Service Recipients. For the Month of March 2017 we have 19 employees celebrating 5 to 20 years of service with Augusta Richmond County. This afternoon we would like to recognize our 25-50 Years of Service recipients, as I call your name please come forward. Larry Lariscy, Planning and Development 40 years of service. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Lariscy: Just would like to say thank you very much for allowing me the privilege to serve the administration and the great citizens of Augusta and I look forward to doing so in the future and just thank you so much for everything you do. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) 1 The Clerk: At this time we have the distinct honor to acknowledge and recognize a group of young ladies who have served this city well with such distinction and pride. The Clerk: RECOGNITIONS(S) Lucy Craft Laney High School Girl’s 2017 Varsity Basketball Team. A. Congratulations! For capturing the state title in the 2017 Class AA Georgia State High School Association Basketball Championship on March 11, 2107 in Atlanta, GA. (Requested by Commissioners Bill Fennoy and Ben Hasan) Mr. Nathan Palm, Sports Director/Anchor WJBF-Channel 6 and Mr. Charles McNeil, Perry Broadcasting 96.9 official roll call of team roster and recognition of coaching staff. The Clerk: We ask Mr. Nathan Palm, Sports Director Anchor of WJBF-Channel 6 and Mr. Charles McNeil of Perry Broadcasting 96.9 which will give us our official team roll call. While they’re making their way, I would like to share with you the wording on the certificates and the recognition. For your outstanding achievement and excellent sportsmanlike conduct displayed during the 2017 Basketball Season by posting a 31-1 final record. The City of Augusta Recognizes your commitment to athletic excellence and congratulate your for participating in clinching the state title in the 2017 Class AA Georgia State High School Association Basketball Championship in an 85-76 victory over Rabun County played at Georgia Tech’s McHammish Pavilion in Atlanta th Georgia on March 11, 2017. Given this 29 Day of March 2017, Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Palm: All right, well thank you very much for having me. I’m honored to do this. I’ve actually never been here. This is very cool. I’ll get right to it first of all two championships in three seasons as well so congrats to Laney for getting it done and really, it’s been an impressive past decade. All right so first and foremost, Amani Robertson, Jhessyka Williams. Am I going too fast? The Clerk: Inaudible. Mr. Palm: Oh, we alternate, okay, all right, sorry, Aubriana Bonner. The Clerk: I think Nathan’s as nervous as we are. Mr. Palm: No, I was just doing as I was told, what did I mess up? Are we still trading off, well I just did Aubriana Number 3 Lavaisiette Keller. Number four --- The Clerk: Number four, okay. Mr. Palm: Now we’re on track. Next up Number 5 Kamaria Belser, Kamaria unable to join us I’ll take it in her honor. Number 10 Zaria O’Bryant. Number 11 Taya Newsome, are we trading off or what are we doing? Okay. Number 15 Nekiyah Booker. Number 21 Rocquana Drayton. Number 23 De'Sha Benjamin. Number 24 Jakeila Baker. All right Number 32 Stephanie 2 Burston. Number 12 Jaiden Hamilton. Number 50 Aliza Dent. Number 13 Danita Baker. Number 2 Jazmine Bartlett. Number 14 Whitney Anderson. Number 54 Camille Smith. Number 55 Joyce Eberhart. Number 00 Marni Robinson. Yes, I’m sorry for the confusion on there. There is a little miscommunication but just wanted to recognize these ladies again always love coming down to Lucy C. Laney High School and watching them play. And when I came here a few years back I heard about the program they had built and what Coach Smart has built so to see it all come to fruition, win their second title in three years was really impressive so let’s give it up for them again. (APPLAUSE) Ladies, before you leave I want to just say it’s been my pleasure broadcasting your games over the last five years, Tuesday Championships and what Coach tells me almost every game you all are not only student athletes but students first and we just want to commend you on making the honor roll. Many of you made the honor roll in your time here at Laney and we want you to continue to do that so that you can be productive members of our society and go on to have fantastic careers whatever it may be in the future. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: We’d be remiss, Ms. Bonner, if we move we’ve got others that we want to recognize. We’ve got the Coach the trainers and we also have the principal in the school who we want to acknowledge his presence in the audience as well. And you lead a fine school and you’ve got a fine group of distinguished young ladies who again are making a mark in their generation never to be erased. Ms. Bonner. The Clerk: Yes, we’d like to share the wording on Coach Smart’s recognition. The City of Augusta recognizes your commitment to athletic excellence exemplified by your loyal dedication, unwavering commitment and distinguished service. We congratulate you for participating in clinching the state title in the 2017 Class AA Georgia State High School Association Basketball Championship Game in an 85-76 victory over Rabun County played at the Georgia Tech in Atlanta Georgia on March 11, 2017 and ending with the record 31-1 final season. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Palm: All right we still have a couple of assistant coaches that we need to recognize as well. Assistant Charlotte Fields Carlotta, Carlotta Fields (APPLAUSE) that’s what I’ve got oh, is that not it? Sorry, I read what was on there. Assistant Coach Jackie Givens. (APPLAUSE) In addition to them we have Trainer Shakira Newsome and Trainer Zakaria Gardner. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: All right, we want to make sure we call the principal up as well come on up sir. The Clerk: Mr. Virgil Smith. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: All right, all right, we’re going to have comments from Principal Smith followed by Commissioner Hasan and Fennoy. Mr. Smith: Thank you. I’d just like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the Commissioners for your acts of kindness, love and appreciation that you’ve shown us today. That has been an awesome adventure. I know the students the enjoyed the lunch. It was good and appreciate that. And you know we don’t often talk about love but love is shown in deeds and you don’t show any love unless you can show some deeds. So we appreciate everything you’re doing 3 for us. We appreciate this opportunity and may God continue to bless all of you and be with you on your ventures. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Fennoy: I just want to take this opportunity to let the young ladies know that it’s obvious we needed some practice this year handing out your certificates. But I can assure you I can assure you that if you all repeat we will do a much better job next year. (APPLAUSE) Again congratulations again go down to Hornsby’s and let the elementary and middle school students know what you have accomplished. Let them know the hard work and the sacrifices that you all made in order to get where you are right now. And let them know that through hard work, determination that they can do the same thing. You are the best role models for those kids and I expect nothing less than that from you all. Again, thank you and congratulations. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Hasan: Yes, once again we’d just like to make a couple of comments here. I think I read somewhere, I might have seen it in an interview where many of you young ladies said you were totally exhausted during the course of the game as the team began to make a move and attempt to come back and you began to get energy from nowhere or you began to, just adrenaline was driving you all. I want you all to know the Mayor takes all the credit for that for being on the Georgia Tech floor. He takes all the credit for that for that victory at the end of the day. But once again we’re very proud of you all and as we said over the luncheon we not just looking at you all as excellence as athletes we’re looking at you all as excellence in the classroom as well. Like I said to you all earlier for me in Augusta Richmond County when it comes to education when education comes to the doors of Laney, it saturates this whole community and that is important. And once again we reminded you all over lunch as well that Augusta University has partnered with Lucy Laney High School and as a result of a person coming in freshman and goes through high school to get into that program they will come out of Lucy Laney High School with an Associate Degree. That’s two years of college. It’s unprecedented (APPLAUSE) and this program will only be at Lucy Laney High School. So not just us here today recognizing the uniqueness of that institution the whole City of Augusta and Augusta University as well recognizes that as well. So, we want you all young ladies to keep doing what you’re doing. We definitely appreciate Coach Smart in in terms of his tenacity with all these years and his endurance going there many times and many times again and finally he has found his niche so I’m looking for five straight championships from the coach. He’s found his niche; he’s pushed himself to the next level and as a result of that we’ve seen his due diligence now so that’s what we all have to do in life we have to find that niche and push ourselves to the next level and as a result of that we’ll all be successful. So once again, go Wildcats. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Fennoy: One other, Mr. Mayor, can I have a point can I have a point, a final comment. What is befitting of a championship team is not the ride back to the campus on the bus. So, thanks to Mays, you all will be riding back to the campus in limousines. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Hasan: Ms. Bonner, Ms. Bonner, you ought to make mention they can go downstairs and get some food, they can go downstairs and get a box. She’s talking now. (unintelligible) get some food? The Clerk: Yeah, they’re going (unintelligible). 4 The Clerk: DELEGATIONS B. Mr. Scott Hudson regarding the street name changes and proposal. Mr. Hudson: Thank you, my name is Scott Hudson. Do you need my address? Mr. Mayor: Yes Scott (inaudible). Mr. Hudson: 3234 Ware Road in Augusta. Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, again my name is Scott Hudson and I represent a local community group called CSRA Help. For some of you newer Commissioners we’re probably best known for creating the First Saturday crew which has been about five years cleaning the Canal and turning it into a giant park. With conversations in the news and before the Commission about road names, we got to thinking, some members of our group kind of in an opposite direction but along the same lines, you know it’s a southern cultural tradition that our road names and our monuments and our buildings the names that we place on them are significant in terms of, you know, we drive on our history. If you go to New ndnd York City and ask directions they say take 142 Avenue to 22 Street and then when you get to the west end you’re there. We say take Bobby Jones Expressway to Washington Road turn right on Berckmans Road and you’re there. So, we kind of thought have we left anybody out and amazingly we came up with not one but two major historical figures that don’t have a road named after them and we feel that that should be fixed. The first person he is the only that has ever been but the President of the United States as well as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Historians widely credit him with popularizing the game of golf. He played the game of golf so much that the press dubbed his cabinet the golf cabinet. Where did he like to play golf? Right here in Augusta, Georgia. He would spend most of his winters including the winter between his winning the election and inauguration right here in Augusta. And he always played with this very best friend Archibald Butt. As we all know Archie went down heroically on the Titanic and 103 years ago President William Howard Taft came to Augusta to dedicate Mr. Butt’s bridge. And ironically there was no bridge over the Savannah River at the time so to dedicate Mr. Butt’s bridge he had to take the Sand Bar Ferry to get here. So we would like to propose to the Commission that you th consider changing the name of 15 Street from where it goes from Martin Luther King to the river over the Butt Bridge to Taft Drive. Get it, Taft Drive? The second person and I’m taking these in chronological order as they appear in our history timeline the second person she was born in Florida. At the age of five her father ran off from the family. Her mother wanted her to have an education so she brought her to Augusta to live with her aunt and uncle. She was with them for five years, five very formative years. She went on to become a classical ballet dancer, a classical singer, a Broadway Shakespearean actress and uttered what is arguably one of the most famous line in movie history and that of course I’m sure you know I’m talking about Ms. Butterfly McQueen. And there was a lot more to her than that. She was also, if it weren’t for her atheism, I think she would be known as a major player in the Civil Rights Movement because she turned her back on Hollywood for the simple reason that they were typecasting her as the housemaid. And she made that decision to walk away from a fortune and ended up becoming a taxi cab dispatcher in New York City until Broadway discovered her and made her a star all over again. She too in later in life she spent her winters here in Augusta and was a thriving part of our arts community. She died tragically in 1987 and upon her death it was discovered that she was actually a very, very 5 wealthy woman. She gave all of her money to charity and she also gave her vast rental houses to the tenants that lived in them. So years ago Eric Montgomery from Historic Augusta and I we found her childhood home. The home is in very good shape. It’s being lived in and taken care of th so we felt it was appropriate not to disclose the location of the home however it is on 11 Street. th So we would like to propose that the Commission consider renaming 11 Street for Ms. McQueen. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them. Mr. Mayor: Scott, thank you for coming to share that with us. There are no questions. Mr. Hudson: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Okay I want to direct everybody’s attention to your seat places. There were revisions to the Commission agenda; we’ll address these first. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 11. Motion to approve extending the current contract for Drug Court Services to Augusta Physician Services LLC (Trinity Hospital) from the current provider Steppingstones. The reason for extending the contract to Augusta Physician Services LLC (Trinity Hospital) is due to poor performance with Steppingstones. The extension will be from June 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017. 12. Motion to approve the contract for Drug Court Services to Augusta Physician Services, LLC (Trinity Hospital) for two (2) years and three (3) one (1) year extensions. The initial contract period will be from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019. PUBLIC SAFETY 13. Motion to approve extending the current contract for Drug Court Services to Augusta Physician Services LLC (Trinity Hospital) from the current provider Steppingstones. The reason for extending the contract to Augusta Physician Services, LLC (Trinity Hospital) is due to poor performance with Steppingstones. The extension will be from June 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017) 14. Motion to approve the contract for Drug Court Services to Augusta Physician Services, LLC (Trinity Hospital) for two (2) years and three (3) one (1) year extensions. The initial contract period will be from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019. The Clerk: Our revisions to our Commission agenda to delete Items 11, 12, 13 and 14 at the request of the Drug Court. th Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commission from the 4 for an inquiry, state your inquiry. Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Hudson, if you would forward that to us via email. Mr. Hudson: I will be happy to do that. Mr. Sias: Thank you. 6 th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: These items 11 through 14 will they come back to Committee? I mean I’m trying to get my hands around this. Mr. Mayor: They will come back to Committee, Commissioner. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: And they were inadvertently left off of --- Mr. Mayor: Well, there’s a lot of work still left to be done. They’re not ready for primetime yet so we just wanted to delete them from the agenda. They’ll go through the Committee process. The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, I think the attachment will give justification for Drug Court and I’ll just read the first two items. Due to unforeseen circumstances, they are requesting that those items be listed under the respective committees be removed from the Commission agenda today. Mr. Mayor: And I read it for primetime. Mr. M. Williams: Another question, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Okay, go ahead. Mr. M. Williams: --- is 11, 12, 13 and 14 are they not the same a duplicate I guess is my question. The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: So, really we’re not only just doing two of them because they’re duplicate. There’s no reason for the other two anyway. Mr. Mayor: Well, I think that’s certainly plausible. The Clerk: But the thought process that they would be under dual committees seeing that the Drug Court the courts fall under Public Safety. It’s an administrative bid item. It falls under Administrative Services so that’s the rationale I’m assuming why they were both placed on two different agendas --- Mr. Mayor: All we need right now, Commissioner --- The Clerk: --- but they are companion items. Mr. Mayor: --- they are. Everybody just suspend. Very good, all right so Commissioner th from the 9 again all we’re doing right now is really deleting it from the agenda, give them an 7 opportunity to work on it. I think you certainly support that. I think the Commissioner from the st 1 supports it as well and you’ll have plenty enough time in our next Committee meeting and debate it and talk about it. We just want to delete it from the agenda. Mr. M. Williams: (Inaudible) motion (unintelligible) so moved. Mr. M. Williams: He needs authorization now. Nobody has agreed to anything yet so that’s what he’s asking for. That doesn’t mean that he needs a motion just yet because you have to have I think, Ms. Bonner, I mean I talked to your Attorney today unanimous consent to that, is that right? Okay and I’m considering it. I’m not against it but I’m asking the question because when stuff gets on my agenda I go through it, I look at it then I get here and then they want it to be pulled off and I want to know how, why and, you know, how do we address it. I’m not here to fight it and I’m going to concede to doing what you requested, Mr. Mayor, again. Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chairman from the Administrative Services Committee has moved that we delete these from the agenda. Can I get a second? Mr. Sias: Second. Mr. Mayor: All those in favor will vote yea and those opposed will vote no. All right, I think it was unanimous but he is, he made the motion. He’s all in. Mr. M. Williams abstains. Motion Passes 9-0-1. Mr. Mayor: All right next item, Ms. Bonner. Before we go any further --- Mr. Guilfoyle: Point of Privilege, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: --- I’ll come to you in just a minute. I want to update our city on a few things. A couple of things that are of note and importance. I want to thank all of the Commissioners and community stakeholders who came out on last week to support the SOGO efforts. I want to thank Administrator Jackson for her presentation and the work that she helped provide in terms of putting that together and making that a successful event and to the developers and the community from Augusta who supported that. If it’s any indication of success I received a call from the owners of the mall on Monday who stated that they wanted to talk and needed about a 45-minute call to see how we can proceed and move forward in terms of getting something done quickly so I want to give you that update with regards to that. Once again thank everyone who supported that event participated in it. It is the first step in several steps that we will leverage in terms of transforming that area into an area that’s thriving with new development and redevelopment with the efforts of this body, not a single person, but this body so, again thank you. I also want to make mention that Augusta was announced on yesterday that Augusta’s been selected as one of ten new cities to participate in the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Initiative. As many of you know we started that discussion on last year. Augusta has in fact been selected. We are now one of 77 cities to be a part of the What Works Cities Initiative. It’s exciting for us and more importantly it gives us an opportunity to use data in the public space. Augusta is the first city in the State of 8 Georgia to be named a What Works city and will receive technical assistance from a host of wonderful partners Harvard Kennedy School of Government Performance, John Hopkins University Center for Government Excellence, Results for America, the (unintelligible) Foundation and that initiative is being led internally by Maurice McDowell in the Administrator’s office, Mike Blanchard in the Information and Technology Department and Ms. Tanya Gibbons out of the Mayor’s office. I’m very excited about that. It places Augusta in an elite group of cities across American in terms of midsize cities that are using data to make decisions. And from a performance perspective very excited it’s another feather in our cap, John, that causes Augusta’s star to continue to rise across the nation. I want to bring it closer to home. We’ve been tracking I know several of the Commissioners have been engaged in some of these discussions as well. I know Administrator Jackson has been tracking some of these items but day 40 of the Legislative Session is Thursday. They will (unintelligible) on Thursday. There are a number of very, very important pieces of Legislation that are still yet to be debated on. Senate Bill 2 I’m mentioning these because everyone of us needs to call our local elected legislator whether it be the House Members or the Senate Members. We need to give them a call. Senate Bill 2 that’s the Local Government Business License and Permitting and Fee Schedule that has the onerous effect of having unfunded mandates on this government. There is an amendment, it is an amendment that’s going to be offered by House to strip that out of it. We need that amendment and so I would ask you to call your Legislator and encourage them to support the amendment from Majority Whip Chris Coomer. That’s going to be debated on Thursday, an extremely important piece. If they pass that SB 2 will mandate that cities and counties create an expedited process for permits and licenses and then create processes to acccept two payments form each permit or license and then establish a fee reduction schedule. As I have now sit on this side, Sylvia, leave local government to us and let the state folks do what they do and leave local government to us. There’s another bill that is of extreme importance I think as it relates to us, House Bill 470, it’s Grants for Military Communities. When you think about what’s happening in the Department of Defense there are installations across the country we’re very fortunate that Fort Gordon is one of only a few if not the only one that continues to take on new missions and continues to grow. House Bill 470 Grants for Military Communities would create the Governors Defense Initiative. It’s a program that’s administered by DECA the Department of Economic Development and will provide goal-based grants with local matching funds to communities that are impacted by the presence of military installations. That’s another measure that we want to make sure we call our legislators and support. There’s another measure that is of extreme importance to us. This has import to our Planning and Development and it’s House Bill 160, that’s the Georgia Commission on Transit Governments. It not only will affect our Planning and Development but it will affect our Transportation Department. It is an opportunity to create a statewide commission that’s appointed by the Governor, the Speaker and the Lt. Governor and then the local jurisdictions the MPO Chair would be on that and that’s one that we want to make sure we’re tracking. Again 40 days that feels like forty years will come to a conclusion on Thursday and I would ask us to please write those down, pay attention to them and then there are two more that are extremely important. House Bill 419 that’s Fireworks, increase local control. Last year the legislation did something, didn’t really consult with local governments but now we’re selling fireworks and many of you got emails. I got emails. I’m quite sure most of us got emails about the noise in the neighborhoods and so this piece of legislation pursuant to local noise ordinance it will allow governments to regulate that. The Senate amended this bill to allow fireworks to be detonated without regard to local noise ordinance on the weekend, before a holiday and two days before a holiday. Holidays would be 9 defined as all state recognized holidays. We need to make sure we call our legislators because your local constituents are going to call you because booms, pops and blurs and fizzes are going to go off in your neighborhood and you’re going to want to know why and it’s because of what’s been done by our friends in Atlanta. Then the final one is Local Government 911 Authority and that’s creating a 911 Authority and the Department of Revenue once again somebody else handling the fees and then redistributing those back to us. I would ask every one of you to call your legislator Representative Martineau, Wayne Howard, Bryan Prince, Senator Jones, Senator Stone and Senator Lee Anderson and encourage them with regards to these measures. They are important to the City of Augusta and certainly to the State of Georgia. Thank you. The Chair recognizes the distinguished Public Services Committee Chairman Commissioner Guilfoyle. Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, one question. I appreciate you bringing us up to speed on what’s going on in Atlanta at the state level. Whatever happened to the resolution that’s about to get pushed forward about changing the election date? Mr. Mayor: Well that’s an excellent question. That is an excellent question and I don’t have an excellent answer other than to simply say that that measure was stalled. That’s the best way I can say it. Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay. As far as my Point of Privilege, Mr. Mayor, as far as once we get done doing the people’s business with this agenda item I’d like to go ahead and make a motion that we go into Executive Session for pending litigation and personnel. Can I get a second on that? Mr. Mayor: I hadn’t recognized you for a motion. I hadn’t recognized you for a motion. Just hold, just hold, just hold. You asked for a Point of Personal Privilege; you didn’t ask for a motion. At the appropriate time if there’s some discussion about this matter that I think you’re premature in we’ll come back to it, okay? Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, would you please clarify what you just said please? Mr. Mayor: I think you’re premature in your actions right now and at the appropriate time I’m going to talk to you about it and others and then we’ll decide what we do next, okay? Mr. Guilfoyle: Today. Mr. Mayor: I wouldn’t have it any other way. Mr. Guilfoyle: Can we get legal counsel to see if I could actually make that motion and get a second? Mr. Mayor: No, no, you cannot. I’m going to move on with this part of the agenda and as I stated I will come back to you, I will, but not right now. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of Items 1-4, Items 1-4. 10 Mr. Mayor: The Chair will entertain any motions to add or remove from the consent agenda. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: I’ve got you, I’m coming to you. All right, the Chair recognizes the th Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: I’d like to add Items 8, 9 and 10. The Clerk: 8, 9 and number 10. Did we hear you correctly, sir? Mr. M. Williams: 8, 9 and 10 --- The Clerk: Okay. Mr. M. Williams: --- write that down too --- The Clerk: --- I know that’s why I said did we hear you correctly. Mr. M. Williams: --- write that down. I’m trying to get to Legal. Mr. Hasan: I’d like to add, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, I’d like to add Items 15 through 23 to the consent agenda. Mr. Guilfoyle: 24 all we need is a second reading. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, a question if I can. I don’t want to pull any of those. st Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Yes, Mr. Mayor, I’d like to add Item number 20, add Item number 24 to the consent agenda. Mr. M. Williams: With objection, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: All right, you have an objection, I’ve got you, I’m coming. The Chair th recognizes the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to add number 25 for the second reading. Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, I’d like to add Items 5, 6 and 7. The Clerk: For the record, Mr. Mayor, could we acknowledge that the petitioners are here and that there are no objectors? 11 Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am. The Clerk: Okay well, we’ve got to acknowledge Ms. Walton, Mr. Sherman, are the petitioners in the Chamber? Are there any objectors? th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, on the items you requested the condemnations what exactly would that do? What are we doing? I had people ask me about those. I know we’re doing some work there but this would actually do what I guess Tom or somebody can explain. Mr. Mayor: Well, it’s consistent with all of the condemnations that we do. The Chair recognizes the Engineering Director to so all right hold on, just hold on. All right, Commissioner th, from the 9 are you objecting to these being added to the consent agenda? Mr. M. Williams: No, sir, I wanted clarification on it and that’s why I addressed it the way I did that the ones on Fairhope Street especially. I have constituents there asking me about what was being, they got letters and they, it’s I think it’s a similar process I told them. I’m in favor I think the people are in favor but when they ask me I’d like to be able to explain what we just did --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah. Mr. M. Williams: --- so I don’t know. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, so that’s fine, give us a very short explanation. Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, this is a Marion Homes Project Phase III and we’re pretty close to putting this out for bid. We’re looking at sending this out for bid right after Masters and I think it’s Fairhope on those streets. What we’re doing is we’re getting a temporary, basically getting temporary construction easement which means that we’re just doing some work to the driveway and on their property and once the project is completed that easement or that property reverts right back to them. Mr. M. Williams: And the property will be placed back like it was. Mr. Ladsen: That’s correct in fact it’ll be better. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: All right. Ms. Davis: Move to approve the consent agenda. Mr. Frantom: Second. 12 CONSENT AGENDA PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 1. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held March 21, 2017. APPOINTMENTS 2. Motion to approve the appointment of Ms. Shannon Rogers to the unexpired term Alexia D. Davis of Animal Services Citizens Advisory Board representing District 2. 3. Motion to approve the appointment of Ms. Sharon Smith to the Board of Zoning Appeals effective April 1, 2017 representing District 5. 4. Motion to appoint Mr. Andrew J. Williamson to the Augusta Port Authority representing District 1. PUBLIC SERVICES 5. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 17-11: request by Abdullah Khalifa for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with th 5 & Jazz located at 580 Broad Street. There will be Dance. District 1. Super District 9. 6. Motion to approve New Ownership Application A.N. 17-12: a request by Sapna D. Patel for a retail package Beer 7 Wine License to be used in connection with B P National Hills at 2733 Washington Rd. District 7. Super District 10. 7. Motion to approve New Application A.N. 17-13: request by Craig Calvert for a retail package Wine License to be used in connection with Calvert’s Restaurant located at 475 Highland Avenue. District 7. Super District 10. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 8. Motion to approve a request from Sheriff Alfonzo Williams, Burke County, GA Sheriff’s Office to purchase surplus prisoner transport van. 9. Motion to approve Augusta Utilities Department-Construction & Maintenance Division requests for the replacement lease of two currently leased sewer vacuum trucks. (Bid Item 16-214A) 10. Motion to approve replacing (1) one Chevy Impala for the District Attorney’s Office (1) for the Marshal’s Office and adding (1) one additional Impala in the Solicitor’s Office using SPLOST Phase VII-Public Safety Vehicles. ENGNEERING SERVICES 15. Motion to approve and award the preliminary engineering concept phase of the Design Consultant Services Agreement to Wolverton & Associates, Inc., in the amount of th $491,688.00 for the 15 Street Pedestrian Improvement Project as requested by the AED. RFQ 16-246 16. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (048-4-012-00-0) – 420 Fairhope Street. 17. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-072-00-0) – 427 Dupont Street. 18. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-114-00-0) – 433 Fairhope Street. 13 19. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-129-00-0) – 525 Fairhope Street. 20. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-150-00-0) – 515 Dupont Street. 21. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-165-00-0) – 514 Dupont Street. 22. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-189-00-0) – 102 McElmurray Drive. 23. Motion to authorize Condemnation to Acquire Title of a Portion of Property for Right of Way (Parcel 061-2-201-00-0) – 148 McElmurray Drive. OTHER BUSINESS 25. ZA-R-246 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve petition to amend Section 13 (R-1E – One-family Residential) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia by adding Special Exceptions in the R-1E Zone – Village Green. (Approved by the Commission March 21, 2017 – second reading) Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda. Madam Clerk, do we need to read 15 the caption? The Clerk: We can. Item 25 is a request for concurrence to amend Section 13 One-family Residential of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta Georgia by adding Special Exception in the R-1E Zone – Village Green – second reading. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All those in favor will vote yea and those opposed will vote no. Motion Passes 10-0. \[Items 1-10, 15-25\] Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, okay, here’s our posture. We’re going to stand at ease for five minutes, five minutes, we’ll stand at ease for five minutes. I want to see the Administrator the Attorney and the Administrative Services Chairman. Item number 24. The Clerk: ENGINEERING SERVICES 24. Motion to determine that Railroad Avenue (in its entirety), Roulette Lane (from McCauley Street to Hunter Street) and Floyd Street (from Roulette Lane to the Southern Property Line of 1419 Hunter Street), as shown on the attached plat has ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it or that its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public interest, and to receive as information the results of the public hearing held regarding the issue of abandonment pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 32-7-2, with the abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the appropriate party(ies), as provided by law and an easement to be retained over the entire abandoned portion for existing or future utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering Department and Augusta Utilities Department and adopt the attached Resolution. 14 th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I wanted to discuss this issue. When we go to abandoning these streets that have been named Hunter Street, McCauley Street in what vein are we doing this and why I guess would be my question to whoever can the Director can address that? Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Director Welcher. Mr. Welcher: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, what this is is this is a concerted effort with the Foundry Place Project. If you see here, you see the blue which outlines the 7.6 acres which would entail if approved the 221-market rate unit complex. So the request before you today is to approve if you follow my cursor to approve the abandonment of Railroad Avenue which is this cul-de-sac here which is not used. It’s also to approve a portion of Roulette Lane if you follow my cursor here from McCauley Street to Hunter Street here to abandon that portion of Roulette Lane. And it’s also to abandon Florence Street you can’t see it because of the trees but if you follow my cursor here it’ll go from Roulette Lane down here. We currently had public meetings around this issue as recently as a couple of weeks ago here in the Chambers. There were several homeowners or persons from the community who came and spoke on this behalf and Attorney Wayne Brown can attest to that the meeting was recorded. There were no persons that opposed the project. One thing or (unintelligible) opposed the abandonment. But one thing I would notate I think is very important. This project stops here at 1419 Hunter Street. It does not affect the four homeowners that are currently on Hunter Street. However, it was made clear and it has been spoken and designed to the fact that the persons who live here on Hunter Street will have access to the back of their properties as well based on the design of the Foundry Place Project. So, this is the request put before you today. Mr. M. Williams: If I can continue, Mr. Mayor. My concern before I can support this abandonment that would give I guess the go ahead. I’ve still got concerns about the property itself. I think this body needs to go physically lay our hands and eyes probably on this property to see where this location’s going to be and look at how much investment we’re going to bond or allow to be put placed in there. When you’re talking about the $950.000 dollars a month rent that will be charged on a normal basis I guess maybe a little less or maybe a little more, I’ve still got some issues with that, Mr. Welcher. Me and you talked about it. We talked about affordable homes but there’s going to be a few residents a few people that’s moving in there in the area probably maybe going to school, maybe going to Augusta State but there’s going to be a very small number of people that actually live in the City of Augusta that’s going to stay here to be going to move in there so I’ve got some reservations. Before I pass this I think we need to go back to the table and look at this. I’m not against the project I’ll say that again but I’ve been concerned all the time about how much money that we spent in that piece of property. I went by and physically looked at that piece of land that we’ve got to clean up still after we bought that and I’m a little bit disappointed as to what we’re doing and the direction we’re going in. Now growth is something I know it’s going to happen. Some of it needs to happen, some of it I’ve been in favor of but just because it’s growth we’ve got to be smart about growth. We’ve got to make sure we’re dotting our ‘I’s’ and crossing our ‘T’s’. It looks good across the road on the other side where the state college had done all of that. They’ve got deeper pockets than we’ve got we’re going to have to do something a little bit different. I just think we ought to be mindful of what we’re fixing to do and not do it too fast 15 and make sure that we are not getting ahead of ourselves. You mentioned not this meeting but previously that we relocated a couple of families, and my question was where did that money come from. I hadn’t heard that explanation yet. If you can’t give it to me right now then that’s fine but if one dollar of federal money was spent in that project on anything that changes the scope of that project, that’s where we have eliminated some people who had to be added into that and I’m searching now to make sure that we have not used any funds that we shouldn’t have used, not shouldn’t have used, any funds that we borrowed from the federal agency to go in that project. If it’s one dollar I’m concerned about it. Now that hadn’t been brought out yet but I’m hoping it’s brought out sooner or later that we did or we didn’t. Hopefully we didn’t but either way I think we’ve got to be very careful about what we’re doing in that area. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’ve got several hands here. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner st from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Welcher --- Mr. Welcher: Yes, sir. Mr. Fennoy: --- within a three-mile radius, four-mile radius of that area, how many low- income properties do we have? Mr. Welcher: You have approximately 240 to 500 public housing properties in itself so if you take about 400 and additional affordable housing units that are being constructed and developed by three area nonprofits who are partnering with our department you have between four and five hundred affordable housing units with the majority of them being public housing units. Mr. Fennoy: What kind of risks does a project like this put the city in? I mean think that your presentation is saying that at any given time there’ll be insurance taken out to make sure that we don’t lose any. Mr. Welcher: Yes, and keep in mind this is just for us to move one step closer. I mean you still in answering your question a couple of ways you still have the opportunity for us to be able to come back before you with the last to ask for a request for issuance of bonds. From a protection standpoint, the City of Augusta is protected on several different facets. From a progression standpoint, all property has been acquired. The property has been acquired at a price of about $1.2 million currently appraises for $1.5 million. We have properly relocated all of the persons who were part of this project. There are only three homeowners on McCauley Street and I will confidently say that the homeowners that we relocated are put in a better situation than they currently were. We even had one homeowner who was relocated and she wanted to move to Atlanta. She moved to Atlanta which was permissible. There’s no federal funds in this project. This project is 100% funded with bond funding as well as with hopefully private investment funding. So from a protection standpoint the City of Augusta is protected from the environmental piece from the environmental knowing there’s a Letter of Credit that has come from the developer wherein if the City of Augusta backs out now we have a Letter of Credit on hand to move forward with the cleanup of the Foundry site. If we are to move forward with construction the City of Augusta is covered there. Payment of performance bonds for insurance if the developer decided 16 to back out during construction you could pull a Payment Performance Bonds there. The bottom line of it is the City of Augusta will be leasing this land to the developer so the City of Augusta at the end of the day maintains that control. The City of Augusta is not selling this property but it is entering into a lease with the developer per se for this development. Mr. Fennoy: As far as economic development, what would the impact of a project like this have as far as economic development in this area? Mr. Welcher: Well, I mean what it would do it would do several things. I mean one when you talk about economic development you’re talking about housing, commercial retail as well as providing jobs. So from a job opportunity doing construction you’re looking at over 100 jobs being created. You know once the development is online you’re looking at between 10 and 15 permit jobs. You know you’re talking about I just stated to you when we bought this property it was $1.2 million. The value has increased from $1.2 million as of January to $1.5 million and that’s just the land. So, you’re talking about a major development impact and the area has gone deprived and destitute for the last 30 to 40 years so that is economic development in itself. And what we anticipate is with the development of this magnitude it will spur and help complement futuristic developers who have interests coming into this area. It has already sparked interest with other gateways into the community if I can speak of the Twiggs Street corridor as well as your James Brown corridor. And it’s sparked interest to the point wherein we have developers just coming to the table who are bringing 100% of the funding to be able to develop the type of development they’re looking to develop. So this is just a market rate unit the City of Augusta our department will continue, yes, sir. Mr. Fennoy: He answered my question. Mr. Mayor: I know he did. All right, I’m going to ask everybody to suspend. We have here in Item number 24 a very simple request and that is to abandon in place. That’s all we’re asking for a motion to abandon in place. We talked about the merits of the project; we talked about whether we should and all of those are important they are they absolutely are important just not right now all we’re asking for today is a motion to abandon in place. And you still have a lot of work to do to get this project. You haven’t voted on whether you’re going to support bonding in this project. You haven’t done any of those things and so what I would caution Mr. Welcher on today in moving forward is when you put items related to this project on the agenda you piecemeal it, it leads to this, it leads to this variety of conversation. And with all great respect to my colleagues they’re asking the right questions but if you piecemeal it we’re going to be here having all these conversations until such time you bring us a full project that they may can sink their teeth around. So I would encourage you to not piecemeal this, not bring it back with this piece of property that, get us a full project, you’re already tracking towards that and then we can vote on it together, okay? Mr. Welcher: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: All right, so the matter that’s before us, Commissioner Hasan, is a simple matter it’s a motion to abandon in place these properties. 17 Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, a Point of Personal Privilege. Mr. Mayor: I’m coming to you again I’m going to give everybody and opportunity to talk --- Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Mayor: --- I am but I just want to bring everybody back to the matter at hand. It’s just a motion to abandon in place a piece of property. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner thth from the 6 and then the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor first I’d like to start off I won’t have to make no comments if I can tie into a Segway into your comments just now which was piecemealing it? Mr. Mayor: Yeah. Mr. Hasan: And if you don’t want to piecemeal it and a way we can resolve that today is put it off the agenda. Mr. Mayor: I couldn’t agree with you more --- Mr. Hasan: So do you want to do that? Mr. Mayor: --- I wanted to but --- Mr. Hasan: Well, let me make a motion to put it off the agenda then and we won’t have to get into my all my comments. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: --- I don’t think that, again you own the property at this point, is that correct? Mr. Welcher: We cannot move forward to --- Mr. Brown: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, this is not an item to acquire property. This is just abandonment a road that has no public use. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, we understand that --- Mr. Mayor: I know --- Mr. Hasan: --- we understand that, that’s not necessary --- Mr. Mayor: --- absolutely I know --- Mr. Hasan: --- we understand that. 18 Mr. Mayor: --- again I mean whether we do that today or tomorrow it’s going to get done. Mr. Hasan: So we’ve got a motion and a second, Mr. Mayor, to pull it off the agenda. Mr. Mayor: You know you can go ahead, Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown: The importance of at least abandoning the roads the public hearings have been held, citizens did show up there were absolutely, they had questions, there were absolutely no complaints no one on that road objects to it. The only question is should the city be paying to maintain a road that there’s no public use for and there are other ways to get in and out. Everyone in the neighborhood who came and there were representatives from the neighborhood. There were people who live on the road, people who live next to the road, there we no objections. The timeline that Housing is using toward the development this is here as one little piece of it because they cannot move forward if these roads are still public roads. To abandon this road it simply means Augusta will still own the road but they will not be a part of the Augusta roadway system. That’s all we want to do is remove these roadways from the roadway system. Augusta still has the property; the Commission still has control. They are not being deeded at this time to anyone. th Mr. Mayor: Attorney Brown, the Commissioner from the 6 told you they fully understand that, I understand it. That is not the question. That is not the question today. Everybody fully understands what abandon in place means that it will not be for public use. Attorney Brown: I --- Mr. Mayor: So here’s, no, no, no, not today. All right, here’s what I’d like for us to do let’s vote on the underlined motion and that is to abandon in place with the understanding that they not come back piecemeal in this project. Mr. Hasan: Well, let me further make my comments, Mr. Mayor. If you’re going to leave because we made a motion and a second now so we need to vote that up or down because I’m not rescinding the motion. Mr. Mayor: Or you could withdraw it. Mr. Hasan: I’m not planning on withdrawing. Mr. Guilfoyle: I could do substitute motion. Mr. Mayor: All right, let’s let the Commissioner have his comment but --- Mr. Hasan: Okay. Mr. Mayor: --- okay hold on just a minute, hold on. All right, I know it’s getting late in the evening but this is what happens all too often we’re trying to get to a better place all of us and one of the ways you do that is by taking projects, bringing them to completion from cradle to 19 creation to the grave. This is an example of where this would be better if we did that. You’re going to come back some weeks from now with a whole bond package, et cetera, come back at that time. I understand you want to make sure that you abandon in place and get people off of it; we fully understand that. I’m going to get a substitute motion in a minute. I’m going the recognize th the Commissioner from the 6 I’m going to give you two minutes, all right two minutes you may not need it all and then I’m going to come down here, that’s right I’m going to come down here to th the Commissioner from the 4 all right. And if he waives then we’re going to vote. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, my colleague Commissioner Fennoy made a great point about insurance what insurance we have that we won’t lose any money. My real concern has never been about that. It’s concerned about this governments investment in this. When I think about a project like Gilbert Manor the city decided to invest $10 million dollars or lend MCG at that time $10 million dollars. As a result of that they were able to acquire Gilbert Manor, demolish Gilbert Manor, recoup their money back into SPLOST however that goes. But at the end of the day we end up about a $160 million dollar return on that investment. Also, we’re talking about right now we’re looking at the Golf Garden Hall of Fame Golf and Garden Fame whatever we’re going to look at possibly the Governor has decided to put $50 million dollars in there. We’re going to come up $10 to $12 million dollar parking deck as we understand it. With that that’s $5.00 dollars for every one dollar that we put in, you know, and so when you’re talking about that, Mr. Mayor, this is a highly unusual investment, I don’t think the city is that desperate. One of the things we learned from your retreat the other day every one of those investors was saying or those marketing persons or those construction persons they were mentioning about when you have the land that in essence you are in control. You can dictate the terms and where we are right now we’re investing 80% of the money. We also own the land and it’s just not great a return for us to do that, Mr. Mayor, at the end of the day. When you talk about no federal money may not be in this project but at the end of the day what it is here in no uncertain terms if you have not used federal money if you use any money CDBG money whatever that is federal money as I understand it unless it’s from bonded money for Ms. Beard cast her vote back when we were talking about the convention center and the revitalization of Laney Walker Boulevard. And if that’s the case then the spirit of her vote is being violated here. Now I can tell you that first hand, Mr. Mayor, because I worked as a consultant with one of the consultants with the ACD at that particular time I know what the intent was. I know the audience that they entertained at Beulah Grove Baptist Church, I went to every meeting. Now I put out signs, I invited folks to the meeting, I done a follow up so I know what it’s supposed to look like as a result of that money. So if we use that particular money that was not intent intended to do what we are talking about doing there putting that kind of money in to the tune of what you’re talking about. We will have if everything stays on par we will have $28.3 million dollars in this project as opposed to the developer having less than $5 million dollars in this project. There is no reason on God’s green earth for us to make that kind of investment. We’re not that desperate; we can do better than that, Mr. Mayor, with our resources we can do better than that. Mr. Mayor: I believe the gentleman knows of that of which he speaks and with great th passion. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir, I’ll be very brief and I want to make my statement more to Mr. Welcher and the Administrator. When we started this project I’ve always been in full support of it but I’ve run into a little bit of a concern. And as we move toward what we need to do on the 20 River Front which is I want to say extremely critical to so many facets of this city moving forward over the next few years. For me this particular project I support but I support it in second place to our other looming project, I want to make that clear. So, I have a concern if we move forward on this project with the bonding we may be putting some impediments toward our very critical project on the River Front. That is my concern at the moment. It’s not completely locked in concrete but I would truly have to be convinced that this investment on this area what we’re talking now should be having the precedent over our project that’s upcoming that we also have to bond. So that is my real concern and for me this project comes in not dead but second, thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All of these are excellent points. All right, we’re going to th recognize the Commissioner from the 9 for close, okay all right, I see your hand. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’m just thinking that if this is the direction we’ll be going in I’d like to know why this move today’s got to be done in such a way because if we still own the property and nobody’s complaining, nobody’s there. There are a lot of city properties that we out to be condemning and taken off the city’s back. This one piece of property shouldn’t impede that. It shouldn’t be that important to have to do today but it sounds like it’s something that Attorney Brown thinks we ought to go ahead and do to keep the process going. I totally disagree with that I think that we need, we’re still in the driver’s seat, we’ve still got the same things he said so if we don’t do it today we’ve got a chance to do it next week or next time. People done met on it already, we ain’t got to go back to that process. They already there’s no complaints. I don’t understand the need today to go ahead and do that. I’m concerned I mean like I said Mr. Welcher mentioned about developers coming in and bringing 100% financing coming into this thing but here we are we’re going to put our own land and probably 80 or 90% ourselves in. So if all that was as good as seems or sounds and other developers coming in bringing 100%, somebody at least ought to bring in 50% and we shouldn’t have to be bonding have to be doing all the stuff that we’re doing. I think there’s some things we need to talk about. We need to make sure that we’re dotting our ‘I’s’ crossing our ‘T’s’ and I’ve been on the project trying to support it. I’m still supporting it but I just want to be careful I want to slow it down I want to slow my roll just a little bit, Grady. So I don’t want to run over nobody. I want to make sure that we’re dotting our ‘I’s’ and crossing our ‘T’s’ and if everything’s on the up and up, we shouldn’t have no problem with that but if there’s an issue that we’ve got to go and so something today or tomorrow, you’re not going to have my support on it I can tell you that now so. th Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’m going to come back to the Commissioner from the 8 I’m going to digress again, Ms. Bonner. There’s a lot going on in the City of Augusta on next week. We’re excited we’re going to welcome fans, golf patrons, family members and everybody here to the Masters Golf Tournament. I want to remind everyone that the kickoff on next week with the Mayor’s Masters Reception looking forward to every one of you being a part of that it’s going to be a lot of fun --- Mr. M. Williams: We ain’t got no tickets yet. Mr. Mayor: --- once again we’re going to be honoring Laura Coble, Bev Dolan and --- Mr. Hasan: Knox. 21 Mr. Mayor: --- Jeff Knox, great Augustans, three great Augustans and, Sylvia, I’m excited about that. It’s long been our goal to let that week be something even more, Ms. Jackson, and I’m pleased to inform on today that I have some friends who are going to have an event in Augusta on th August the 5 which is Wednesday. There’s a website called the Augusta Jam.com we’re bringing a friend called Snoop Dog into the City of Augusta. I don’t know if that gives me Gangsta status or what but Snoop Dog is going to be it in the City of Augusta so we’re excited about that. Again, the goal with Augusta Jam is to have a signature event that has community import and that they have a way of reaching back into the community bringing individuals from across the golf spectrum and being more diverse and inclusive during that week here in the City of Augusta. And the first one the inaugural event will be on Wednesday at the Country Club, all right so look forward to again, Robin knows who it is. All right, we’ve got a comment from the Commissioner, th Commissioner from the 8 state your inquiry, sir. I’m coming back to you, you wanted to be recognized, all right you have the floor. Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, this whole Foundry Place has been approved all along by the Commission from its embryo state to where it’s at now. We want Mr. Hawthorne to bring everything as a total package but you can’t put a package like this all at one time because it’ll be dissected and that’s the reason why it’s being brought in pieces. You can’t obtain all the property in this area at one time because there’s negotiations, deals that have to be cut, locating the people who owns the properties it’s not an easy task. Hawthorne as well as Wayne Brown has been open and transparent during this whole ordeal. This agenda item has nothing to do with what you spoke about, about the concert, it’s about the abandonment of a road. But the abandonment request has been reviewed by all essential county departments and the Administrator and approvals was received to the abandonment request. It’s done been through our entire staff to approve this now it’s just sitting on the floor and we want to stop roads and my motion is to approve this for the abandonment of the roads. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, you mean substitute. Mr. Guilfoyle: Substitute motion, sir. Mr. Mayor: All right --- Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, the substitute that would be automatic wouldn’t it? There doesn’t need to be a substitute for that. Mr. Mayor: Okay so all right here’s our posture. All right we’ve got a substitute motion on the floor and a proper second. All those in favor will vote yea and those opposed will vote no. Mr. Sias: We’re voting on the substitute right, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: That’s correct. 22 Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Ms. Davis, Mr. Frantom, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith vote Yes. Mr. Sias, Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Hasan and Mr. M. Williams vote No. Motion Passes 6-4. Mr. Mayor: Okay, Mr. Welcher, I’m going to go back to my comment. I don’t know much but, Tom, I do know a few things about leading projects. Did for over 22 years. You never bring a project forward until it’s ready for primetime and if we’re going to be having these piecemeal conversations it does you a disservice, it does this body a disservice. You’ve got to secure property go through those steps do all of the things that are necessary and bring the complete project to us. Mr. M. Williams: Point of Personal Privilege, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: All right, hold on I want to make sure we’ve got other stuff we’ve got going on. Ms. Bonner, is there anything else before us? The Clerk: No, sir, that’s the agenda. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, now is your opportunity, sir. Mr. M. Williams: I just want to comment about this particular project and what it’s doing. Now I was in support but I’m taking my hands off it now. I’m not going to be lead down the road with a project like this one with all the stuff that’s proposed out there but not really being shown and if there wasn’t no rush. I understand my colleague said it takes time to put these kinds of projects together and I don’t put them together but I have to vote on them. And I know what the outcome has been and will be if we continue down this path to continue to have people come in and build. We’re pushing some part of the community out and we’re pulling another part in and I totally disagree with that. I’ve been telling Mr. Welcher that forever and a day we’ve been talking back and forth. Now you can trick me about a lot of things but there’s a lot of things I’m up on and I think this project is headed down the wrong road. It’s the will of this body buy I’m taking my hands off. I’m not supporting it anymore. I was willing to support it and willing to try and make sure everything was done, but I don’t see that. I don’t see what the rush was coming in here talking about how we’ve got to approve this abandonment today as if we’re going to lose the property somebody else is going to take it from us. We still own it, it’s still ours, it ain’t ready for primetime like you said, Mr. Mayor, so I ain’t putting no time on it. I’m through with it. Mr. Mayor: All right. LEGAL MEETING A. Pending and potential litigation. B. Real Estate. C. Personnel. ADDENDUM 26. Motion to approve going into a legal meeting. 23 Mr. M. Williams: Move to go into Legal. Mr. Hasan: Second. Mr. Mayor: I’m going home. Any other business before us, Ms. Bonner? The Clerk: No, sir, that’s it. Mr. Mayor: Attorney MacKenzie, is there a reason we should be going into Executive Session? Mr. MacKenzie: I think there was a request by some Commissioners to discuss pending and potential litigation. Mr. Mayor: Okay, so that’s pending litigation that might be the (unintelligible). Mr. MacKenzie: Potential. Mr. Mayor: Okay, so we’re prospecting. Mr. Hasan: Wasn’t personnel be on that too, Mr. Mayor, or limit us (unintelligible). Mr. Guilfoyle: Prospecting. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I need a Point of Order from my attorney --- Mr. Mayor: No, no --- Mr. M. Williams: --- yes, sir, I need a Point of Order from my attorney. I requested to go into Legal. I need to know whether or not I can request to go into Legal as an elected official and he can identify whether I have to have a legitimate or whatever reason I need to have if I request of any of this body elected to get seven votes, seven Commissioners together along with the Mayor to request to go into Legal. Do I have that authority, that right as an elected official? th Mr. Mayor: All right, so, Attorney MacKenzie, the Commissioner from the 9 does not have the floor. He has not been recognized to speak, he’s talking out of order and as such he has not been recognized. Mr. Guilfoyle: Point of --- Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second and you’re going to vote on that okay. We’re not going to debate it. He has not been recognized to speak. Mr. M. Williams: I need a Point of Order from my Attorney --- Mr. Mayor: Voting. 24 Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Voting. You’re voting about whether you’re going into Executive Session that’s what you asked for and you’re going to vote on it. It’s that simple. Mr. M. Williams: That’s going to be good. I mean it’s crazy, man, people making up rules as they go. Now we need to follow the rules. If they’re the rules, they’re the rules. Mr. Hasan: I thought we’re voting, Mr. Mayor. Mr. M. Williams: Like it or not like it anybody up here’s got the right to request to go into Legal and that’s what the Attorney’s supposed to do. Mr. Guilfoyle: It didn’t work for me. Mr. M. Williams: If the Mayor wants to excuse himself, he can go. We’ve got a Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Sias and Mr. Fennoy vote No. Motion Passes 8-2. \[LEGAL MEETING\] 27. Motion to approve 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. Sias: So moved. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor: Voting. Mr. Guilfoyle: Ya’ll enjoy your Masters Week. Mr. Sias: Don’t get in front of me because I’m going to run over you. Mr. Guilfoyle: You ain’t going to run over me. Mr. Mayor: This meeting is adjourned. Ms. Davis and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 8-0. 25 Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, are we going to your little thing on The Commons? Mr. Mayor: No, I’m just put out with everybody in here right now. Mr. Speaker: (inaudible) it’s probably mutual. Mr. Fennoy: We didn’t get no tickets. Mr. Mayor: No tickets. Mr. Hasan: You just have to pay for The Common, that’s all. \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] 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 March 29, 2017. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 26