HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting June 6, 2017
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
JUNE 6, 2017
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., June 6, 2017, the Hon.
Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Jefferson, Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, Fennoy, D.
Williams and Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
ABSENT: Hon. Hasan, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission. (Participates
in voting by telephone)
Mr. Mayor: Colonel, I’m going to call you over here for a minute and I’m going to have
you get a, have a little conversation over in latrine with the Sergeant over here.
Mr. Sias: Excuse me that would be, Sergeant Major, sir.
Mr. Mayor: I couldn’t finish it; we’re having too much fun today. All right, we’ll call this
meeting to order. Good afternoon, everybody. It’s a good day in Augusta. It’s been a great year
and once again, John, we are here to do the people’s business. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Yes, sir, at this time I call your attention to the invocation portion of our agenda
Reverend Marcus J. Rogers, Pastor of the Williams Memorial CME Church will deliver invocation
after which would you please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
The invocation was given by Reverend Marcus J. Rogers, Pastor, Williams Memorial CME
Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: Reverend Rogers, thank you for coming to be our Chaplain of the Day. We
want to applaud your efforts for your civic and spiritual guidance in this community and we
welcome you here from the Windy City. Would you join me in welcoming him? (APPLAUSE)
The Clerk: At this time we would ask our Human Resource Director Mr. Mike Loeser ---
Mr. Loeser: Thank you ---
The Clerk: --- in recognition of our Years of Service Employees.
Mr. Loeser: --- thank you, Ms. Bonner. Good afternoon Mayor Davis, Commissioner,
special guests, Directors and citizens of Augusta Richmond County. My name is Michael Loeser,
Human Resources Director for Augusta-Richmond County. Today is my pleasure to recognize
our May 2017 Years of Service Recipients. For the month of May 2017 we have 24 employees
celebrating 5 to 20 years of service with Augusta-Richmond County. This afternoon we would
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recognize our 25 to 50 years of service recipients. We have one that is here today Kathleen Daniel,
Sheriff’s Department for 35 years of service. (APPLAUSE)
DELEGATIONS
A. Ms. Brenda Durant, Executive Director Greater Augusta Arts Council regarding
presentation to the city of the newest Arts in the Heart Poster.
The Clerk: At this time I call your attention to the Delegation portion of our agenda. Mr.
Mayor, can you come down to receive presentation from Ms. Durant, please?
Mr. Mayor: Yes.
Ms. Durant: In recognition of all the work that the City of Augusta does to support the
Arts in the Heart Festival, I’d like to present our official poster this year to the Mayor for the City
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of Augusta naming the City of Augusta as the presenting sponsor of the 37 Annual Arts in the
Heart of Augusta Festival. (APPLAUSE) And the artists of the poster are here (inaudible).
(APPLAUSE)
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Mr. Mayor: September the 15 through the 17 of 2017. This is an international event;
it’s not just a regional event but an international event and so we encourage all of our citizens to
come out and participate in the Annual Arts in the Hearts of Augusta Festival. Brenda, thank you.
Brianne, congratulations. Ms. Jackson, thank you.
The Clerk: We’ll find a place on our Brag Wall.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
B. Glennis G. Davis regarding law enforcement accountability.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Davis, again if you’ll state for the record your name. You have five
minutes.
Ms. Davis: Okay, my name is Glennis G. Davis. Giving honor to God and to each of you,
law enforcement accountability. I know that’s a hard topic. It’s not a popular topic but I’m here
to present the truth to those of you who are not aware of the following complaints and concerns.
Well deserved appreciation for good conduct versus concerns for their conduct and all in between.
As evident over the past years and ongoing problems and concerns have over shadowed the good
especially sometimes when law enforcements’ behavior if exhibited by the citizens would call for
reprimanding and/or jail. The Coroner’s Office and the Sheriff’s Departments staff have failed in
their sworn oath to serve, protect, fight for justice etc., for the people and this very well known
because I have experienced it. This has been all too evident in the case involving my brother, a
hit and run victim that resulted in death in July 2012. There has been failure to initially provide a
thorough investigation, question on following some protocol and nonresolution to complaints after
going up the chain of command. To top all that no response from Sheriff Roundtree to this present
day and no return calls after requesting continuously to speak to him. There has been no response
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or return calls from Coroner Bowen either. Because I had the right to propose legitimate concerns
and exercised that right I was met with disrespect, much opposition of obtaining records to include
open records that I had a right to get. No communication, after that no resolution by internal affairs
who became a part of the problem. In addition, all this led to cover-ups, conspiracy, false
information, some legal documents sent to me reports without signatures, no contact alert to deny
me any communication with news media, agencies, public offices. A major form of retaliation
and abuse of power which abuse comes in many forms but it is definitely still abuse. Honestly, a
concern for me today is for more retaliation just for being here today, just for speaking out and
exposing deficiencies. If you complain the complaints end up right back to the Sheriff’s
Department. They know this. More checks and balances and monitoring should be in place to
insure fairness in the complaint process especially when the complaints involve inside law
enforcement departments. Others with similar concerns that do not have the finances to pursue
legal representation when their voice is not heard. There are many of them. They say what is the
use, nothing’s going to be done. In conclusion with the media coverage just within the past months
and beyond some misconduct in the justice surfaced. Where’s more transparency and
accountability, unacceptable, so much easier to just look the other way. One thing for sure the
truth has been presented here today. Thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Ms. Davis. Any questions?
Mr. M. Williams: I had a question for Ms. Davis.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Ms. Davis, if you’ll come back. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9 for a question.
Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Davis, I want to thank you for ---
Mr. Mayor: The question is coming from ---
Ms. Davis: Oh, okay, I was trying to see who it was coming from, I’m sorry.
Mr. M. Williams: --- I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot on my plate this morning ---
Ms. Davis: Okay.
Mr. M. Williams: --- this afternoon whatever it is so I’m normally more louder than that;
you would’ve saw me before you heard me. But I just wanted to say how I thank you for being
brave enough to come and at least exercise your right to complain. Let me inform you not just the
Sheriff we have today but all of the Sheriffs elected in Georgia is absolute. I mean this body can’t
direct anything with the Sheriff’s Department. We can’t tell the Sheriff to put a car on the street
or take a car off the street. We do handle his budget but that’s where the buck stops at but I would
tell you to stand tall on what you believe. If you feel like you’ve been mistreated, I think somebody
from that office ought to at least try to accommodate you. Now I’ve never been on the Sheriff’s
Department. I’ve never had to serve in that roll but I can imagine how they get a lot of people who
have tried to either get some resolution to a real problem or tried to create a problem that really
wasn’t there and they have to make that decision. But I just wanted to say to you that I do hear
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you, I do appreciate you and I pray that you’ll get some resolution for what you’re dealing with.
Thank you so much.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, Commissioner Sean Frantom is out
today however Commissioner Ben Hasan will be participating in today’s meeting via telephonic
communications so I call your attention to our consent agenda, Commissioner Hasan is on the line
now. Our consent agenda consists of items 1-19, items 1-19. For the benefit of any objectors to
any of our alcohol petitions once those petitions are read would you please signify your objections
by raising your hand.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bonner, can you suspend for a moment?
The Clerk: Oh, Tom Robertson?
Mr. Mayor: Yes ---
The Clerk: Oh, okay ---
Mr. Mayor: --- it’s been brought to my attention that Tom Robertson is the speaker on ---
The Clerk: --- on behalf of Mr. Frank Anderson, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
C. Mr. Frank Anderson regarding the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam. (Requested by
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle)
Mr. Mayor: Tom, you’ve got five minutes.
Mr. Robertson: Yes, sir, I don’t look like Frank Anderson and I’m not but he wasn’t able
to come and talk to you folks today so I want to tell you a little bit briefly about the New Savannah
Bluff Lock and Dam. Our communities have a problem with this structure and the proposition put
forward by our elected officials in Congress and the Corp of Engineers where last fall Congress
passed a bill the WIN Bill they call it. I can’t remember exactly what that stands for but at any
rate it has two options in there for putting piles of rock in the river, basically to two different ways
and taking out the New Savannah Lock and Dam. These options neither one of them technically
work because you can’t raise the flood level and you can’t lower the pool for some technical
reasons and if you put a pile of rock in the river that’s pretty much impossible to happen. And so
we have a situation where in our communities North Augusta and Augusta have some
unreasonable things that could happen to us that are economic and human health and safety and
other environmental risks which are too complicated to go into right this minute. According to the
Corps’ own documents these rock weirs would cost more than rehabilitating the Lock and Dam,
as much as twice as much. They would potentially lower the pool even though the WIN Act says
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you can’t do that. It could potentially cause increased flooding in the pool, which is the ten miles
of the river from the Lock and Dam up to the city, in spite of the fact that Federal Emergency
Management Agency Regulations say that you can’t raise the flood level. It would result in
permanent loss of navigation in the Savannah River and cause siltation and debris buildup and
perhaps a temporary loss of the pool during the period of construction. And in that pool we have
a number of industries that depend on the water there including the City of Augusta and North
Augusta. Ironically this Corp of Engineers project would make the Savannah River navigable in
Savannah for ships and non-navigable for man except for fish here in Augusta for us. Fortunately,
we believe there’s a common-sense solution. Area stakeholders have put forward where the New
Savannah New Bluff Lock and Dam would be rehabilitated so that you can work the gates and let
water in and out as necessary, construct a fish bypass around the Lock and Dam which was
approved through all the environmental agencies back in 2012 and then evaluate how there might
be some localized spawning habitat downstream. All of this to make up for a potential 8% loss in
the population of the Atlantic and Short Nosed Sturgeon due to the harbor downstream. So, we
believe that there is a good solution to this problem that’s probably the quickest to be implemented.
It may well be the cheapest but right now it would take some congressional action to allow this
alternative to be studied. And therefore, I would recommend to you folks that you consider passing
a resolution supporting this position of our citizens. As of right now the Corp of Engineers had a
comment period that ended last Saturday. I don’t know how many comments were put in by whom,
we could probably find that out in due time, but there we at least over 500 letters from Augusta
citizens that went in in favor of this position. Our group of citizens interested has met with the
Georgia Ports Authority at their office in Savannah. They are in support of this position provided
it doesn’t slow down the harbor project. The Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce has written
a letter in favor of this, the Mayor of North Augusta’s in favor and the most recent person is Mr.
McMurray, Russell McMurray, the Commissioner of the Georgia DOT, intends the tell the Ports
Authority that he is in favor of it and he has consulted with the Governor’s Office and the
governor’s office is supportive as well. But this is a rather difficult situation to bring about but we
believe that it’s the right thing for our city and our middle Savannah and we urge you to please
support that position if you will.
Mr. Mayor: Tom, I appreciate those comments. Let me share with our elected officials
that there’s been ongoing work on this for a number of years. The Chamber of Commerce has
been engaged in this discussion, the consortium which I was brought in on last year while these
conversations were in motion. Had a group of stakeholders and business stakeholders, the City of
North Augusta and the City of Augusta are on. Our own Tom Wiedmeier was a part of the
consortium and has been for many years and of course the stakeholders that you have been
referencing have all certainly weighed in. The City of Augusta too has weighed in on this. On
last week we transmitted a memo from the Mayor’s Office to the Corp of Engineers. We have
been involved in a series of meetings directly with the Corp of Engineers so Augusta has not been
silent with regards to this. With all of the information that we have available to us we have taken
that information and I believe consistently responded along with the consortium with a general
emphasis around repair of the lock wall as you were indicating and that has been our position here
in the city as well. And so that was communicated and transmitted on last week so while there are
certainly other stakeholders who have been engaged in this make no mistake about it, this city
government has been engaged in that conversation and discussion as well. The Chair recognizes
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the Commissioner from the 8.
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Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Robertson, as far as I believe it’s the consensus
up here on the Commission, I hope it is, is to repair the lock and dam, get it operational to where
it’s functional to where it could control the water level. I believe it’s between 113 and 115 what I
have been told but there’s some confusion because we’re not privy to all the years of information
that you are aware of as well as some of the other people who support this bill. Between the rock
weir and the fish ladder tell me the difference between it please ---
Mr. Robertson: Okay.
Mr. Guilfoyle: --- or tell the Commission.
Mr. Robertson: In 2012 there was a plan which was put forward by the Corp of Engineers
which would build a fish passage around the South Carolina side of the dam. And that fish passage
was, went through all the environmental studies and what have you but the project did not include
repairing the lock and dam. And the Corp realized in 2015 of thereabouts that unless the lock and
dam was fixed it didn’t make too much sense to spend $30 million dollars to construct a fish
passage around it if it was eventually going to fail. And so the Corp has been trying to get rid of
the lock and dam for 30 years and so their notion was not to spend money on the lock and dam.
So there came a plan through their value engineering process to replace the lock and dam with a
sloped weir this rock that would be 2500 feet long, half a mile long, upstream of the lock and dam.
And so a weir basically is where water pours over the top of this pile of rock and the lock and dam
would be taken out of service. That’s alternative one. The second alternative would be to build
that same pile of rock over the top of the lock and dam, repairing the lock wall but only to repair
the lock wall to hold the rock in place, not to do anything that helps Augusta. So the weir and the
ramp over the dam are in effect the same thing and both of those things block up the river from
navigation and siltation and other things. What we miss in all that is if the lock and dam were
repaired, the gates can be opened and the water let out and controlled in that fashion. For example
last, not last January but January a year ago we had about a 25-year flood which you all remember
the river was about at the top of the bank and there was some houses over in the South Carolina
side that got flooded. And at that time the gates in the lock and dam were completely up, hoisted
out of the way. In fact the river didn’t even know the lock and dam was there, and it still almost
flooded some neighborhoods over here. So if you couldn’t open those gates which you couldn’t
with a pile of rock instead of those gates, those floods would be worse and more often so we think
it’s a really dangerous thing for our city and for our community. But unfortunately the original
plan of fixing the lock and dam and putting the fish passage was eliminated by Congress and so
there are only two options and both of them in my opinion are bad. So, I think what needs to
happen is Congress should allow the Corp of Engineers to consider this alternative, the original
one, which was to fix the lock and dam and the passage around. And even if you kept the two
alternatives that are in place now maybe you can consider three alternatives but at least there would
be one among them that would be a good alternative. And I’m just expressing my personal opinion
that I think we’re going to have problems and maybe both of those alternatives might not even be
approvable.
Mr. Guilfoyle: All right, Mr. Mayor, can I continue, sir?
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Mr. Mayor: You have the floor.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you. In regards to the fish ladder, you explained the rock weir.
Would you explain the fish ladder because Mr. Simpkins had came before us I guess about six,
seven months ago and had no desire for a fish ladder to go across his property.
Mr. Robertson: Well, it’s sort of funny about that. I was, I talked to Roy Simpkins about
that very thing and initially he really didn’t like the idea of a 400-foot wide rock passage going
around thousands of feet a couple thousand feet through his property which would allow the fish
to come around the lock and dam. And in fact the size of the fish passage was so large that the
normal flow of the Savannah River would go around through the fish passage at all times and not
even really go through the gates. But I think when Mr. Simpkins, who is the land owner on both
sides, but I think his vision extends further than his own property, at least that’s my impression of
that was that the two alternatives we ended up with were worse than the one he was initially
opposed to. So I think in his mind he changed his mind and was willing to support the initial
position that I believe he first was against.
Mr. Guilfoyle: All right as far as the funding NOWA is a funding source for the fish ladder
or fish weir or stone rock weir. Where’s the funding going to come from for the lock and dam to
redo it.
Mr. Robertson: Well, all of the money really I mean the place where the money is is the
Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. I mean if the money doesn’t come from there I don’t know
where it would come from. But the harbor folks are willing to consider this as the preferred option
because they think it would be cheaper and quicker than the other two and it’s the only one that
really doesn’t hurt Augusta I think.
Mr. Guilfoyle: All right and the third and final question, Mr. Mayor, I spoke with the
young lady from Savannah Riverkeepers last night and whether we put in a rock weir or a fish
ladder we’re going to lose the Savannah Boat Races regardless, is that correct?
Mr. Robertson: Well, that’s my understanding. I’m not involved in those projects but
Dayton Sherrouse tells me that you have to have a certain amount of cover over those training
walls or an old jetty that goes down the middle of the river it’s about a mile long in the downtown.
And way back in the day it diverted the channel to the Georgia side to keep the channel scoured
out. But it’s only about two or three feet below the water so you have to be sure to get the water
level up high enough and they can do that with the lock and dam gates to cover over those so they
don’t come into play and become a safety hazard. If you have to change and let more water out at
Clark’s Hill or somewhere, then you create a current there that didn’t exist before and it’s not like
a lake so whether that would send the boat races somewhere else, I’m not sure I’m qualified to say
that but it would change things and make it more difficult to do.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Well, Mr. Mayor, I have an agenda item number 21 if we could support the
renovation of the Savannah River Lock and Dam and I believe the Corps is going to determine
which direction either the fish ladder or rock weir, it’s not in our hands but I believe other cities.
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I appreciate you sending out this email and correspondence with the Corps and I believe that’ll be
your same opinion by looking on your paperwork, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Chairman, I appreciate that. We’ve got more comments that are
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coming to you, Tom. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. Tom, I’ve got a couple of quick questions for you. Number one.
If no work is done of the lock and dam based on your expertise and information you’ve been privy
to, what is the life expectancy of the lock and dam and what is the present deterioration rate of it
i.e., is it moving three or four inches a year, a foot a year, or a foot every five or six years? That’s
the first question.
Mr. Robertson: Well, I don’t think it’s moving right now. What’s happening is the way I
understand it is it’s being undermined from the downstream side. And the lock wall sits on piling
and it’s been undermined so if you fill a lock up with water the wall might move a little bit so to
keep that from happening the Corps closed the lock. The gates seem to work fine but again that
thing was built in 1937 and not maintained very well since in my lifetime pretty much.
Mr. Sias: 1945.
Mr. Robertson: And I, so you know it’s said to be in bad shape. The Corp of Engineers
will not share the current information with the general public even though we asked for that and
they told us we couldn’t have it because it was in draft form. So I don’t know the current situation
but I think it’s safe to say that’s it’s deteriorating every year because nothing’s been done.
Mr. Sias: A follow up on that. Now the Corp of Engineers get blamed for a lot of things
but in most cases we find out that they follow the law and the law about the lock and dam was
navigation and we haven’t had anything navigated up and down the Savannah River in quite a
while through the lock. So when we talk about that and you mentioned the fact of Congress and
this question is for you but I would also like to hear what the Mayor has to say about this. What
has, what position that you are aware of that our Governor and our Senators and our US Reps have
taken on this position of the CSRA area requesting repair? Congress has passed laws one originally
had no money for repair but they are saying keep the pool level but the money hasn’t been there.
Now we’re borrowing it from the harbor expansion and so are you aware of any position that our
senior political leaders who are in Congress or in state level has taken on this position?
Mr. Robertson: I am. That’s maybe a lot of different questions but I’ll try to do those, I’ll
answer the last one first. Representative Allen voted against this bill because it was bad for
Augusta. His office is taking the lead on trying to get legislation to change it. They have been in
contact with the senators and expect to meet with them this week or next. Representative Joe
Wilson on the South Carolina side has met with leaders there. I was there and his opinion is he
couldn’t have voted against the bill as a big bill because it included funds for the Charleston Harbor
but he is very concerned about what’s happened here locally and he represents the other side of
the river. Representative Jeff Duncan used to represent the other side of the river and he’s in favor
of legislation that would allow the lock and dam to be repaired. You were quite right in saying the
Corp of Engineers follows the direction of Congress and if Congress tells them to do two
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alternatives that’s what they’re going to do and they’re not going to consider something that’s not
authorized by the Congress so it would be some action taken needed by the Congress to do that.
Now there’s an opportunity to amend the Transportation Bill for this summer that includes
authorization and also funding for the Savannah Harbor Project in September so there’s probably
a window of opportunity to make this happen and the Commissioner of the Georgia DOT is
committed to help make that a reality. And now just a word of history. Last fall the head of the
Savannah Harbor Project and the head of the Savannah District Corp of Engineers met here in
Augusta and to talk about how this upcoming bill before it was passed and both of those groups
agreed that we should ask Congress to study three alternatives instead of two and those included
the leadership of those two organizations. And they sent word by their little cell phones right in
the room there which was kind of weird for an old guy like me to see but they sent it to Washington
with the idea and everybody thought well that’s going to get in the conference committee bill and
it’s going to be passed. Well, guess what. It got up there and it didn’t get in so I think we wouldn’t
be here talking about it today if we were able to weigh these options on their technical merits but
the Corp can’t deal with something that Congress has told them not to do if that makes sense.
Mr. Sias: Thank you. Mr. Mayor, if you could share with us if you don’t mind our
Governor’s position on this and maybe even information with South Carolina if possible.
Mr. Mayor: Well, I certainly wouldn’t speak for our governor but I’ll speak from a
historical perspective and that is that what’s tracking for all of this and you know again certainly
which brings us to this point is the Savannah River Harbor Expansion project or SHEP as it’s
referred to, the deepening of the harbor there in Savannah. That’s what’s driving this. I think it’s
imperative for all of us to understand in terms of this conversation that this issue as it relates to the
New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam is a part of that overall project. There has to be an identified
solution that construction starts first before they move forward with SHEP. That is the timeline
upon which we’re operating from and again if I were taking a historical narrative I think the
position of the State of Georgia is without question we have to get SHEP done, the harbor
deepening done. For those of us in Augusta and certainly our neighboring communities for us that
means well that’s true but we need to make sure that the solution for what we do with New
Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam is consistent with being able to maintain our pool at a current level,
that we also have in place a mechanism to be able to control floods whether it’s real or perceived
and the locks give us an opportunity to be able to do that. Many of you remember the drawdown
back in 2005 and what it did for the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam area and the park out
there. We do not want to find ourselves in a position where that happens again. While all of that
is true I think our posture is that we don’t want to give the perception or implication that we’re
going to do anything to try to hold up SHEP. I want to make sure that everybody out there listening
and watching understands that but Augusta will be very clear in communicating that we want the
lock repaired, the Lock and Dam repaired. That is our position number one. And so I think the
Governor understands that, the Georgia Ports folks understand that, the Corp of Engineers who are
in town on last week they understand that. That was communicated by both myself and Mayor
Bob Pettit, the Mayor of North Augusta. And so everyone is clear of what our combined positions
are as it relates to our communities. I think that’s where we are, Commissioner.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I really appreciate that. And I just want to close with
this comment. I think that all of our citizens and our organizations if we feel that this lock and
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dam is that important to our City of Augusta and the CSRA then we need to be petitioning, calling,
emailing our governors and our, our respective governor for each state and our congressional
leadership to support us on this. So, thank you, Tom.
Mr. Robertson: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: I’ll close with this. The document or the timeline that we’re tracking towards
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last week was June 3. The scoping process where comments were to be received that took place
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on June 3 i.e. this past Saturday was the date that those comments from any private citizen, any
organization, municipality etc. was due. And I think those timelines have been met. They’re going
to now take that information, they being the Corp of Engineers, they’re going to take that
information and it will help them drive to getting to a solution that will then be prepared for
additional comment which is what we’re hoping to able to help drive what that looks like.
Commissioner Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: My question’s been answered, Mr. Mayor. I just want to ask Tom if
that’s a viable, opening up the river for the boats and stuff out of Savannah. Is that doable for us
to have what we need with the water level and the boats opening? If that’s so important or if
something came six/seven months ago and talked about this issue and we kind of let it roll our
heads. So my only question is, is both of those things doable? Can we do both?
Mr. Robertson: Yes.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay and then we need to get in touch with Corp or whoever and charge
to go ahead and proceed with something because it’s sounds like it should’ve been done yesterday.
And so we ought to be in that vein, Mr. Mayor, as far as I’m concerned.
Mr. Mayor: So I think what you’ve heard thus far, Commissioner, is that that has been
done. Those communications have happened by a number of organizations. As you see from the
document that was just handed out, Tom is representing Augusta area stakeholders. The
Municipality of North Augusta has communicated, the City of Augusta has communicated, the
Chamber of Commerce has communicated, the consortium has communicated. Notwithstanding
Tom references a number of 500 perhaps individual communications that have gone out. There
have a number of meetings that have happened in the city, one at the boathouse that Tom and
others chaired and led. There’s been a chamber meeting that happened last week that
Commissioner Sias and I were a part of and so I think those things are happening and we’re
tracking towards consistent communications right now in terms of what we want to see happen.
All right, thank you, Tom.
Mr. Robertson: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, item number 22 is a companion item to what Tom Robertson
had just said and it basically dictates everything that you had spoken about. Can we go ahead and
vote on that or not?
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Mr. Mayor: No, it’s part of our regular agenda. As we decide on whether we’re going to
move items into the consent phase you have the opportunity to be able to do that at that time.
Mr. Guilfoyle: No problem, Mr. Mayor.
The Clerk: Okay, our consent agenda consists of items 1-19, items 1-19. For the benefit
of any objectors to our alcohol petitions, would you please signify your objections by raising your
hand? I’ve lost Mr. Hasan. I call your attention to:
Item 2: Is a request for an on premise consumption Beer & Wine License to be used in
connection with Twisted Burrito located at 4107 Madeline Drive.
Item 3: Is for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in
connection with the location at 813 Broad Street.
Item 4: Is a request for a Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the
Fifty Six Pub located at 4020 Mike Padgett Highway.
The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those alcohol petitions?
Mr. Sias: None noted.
The Clerk: Okay, our consent agenda consists of items 1-19, no objectors to our alcohol
petitions.
Ms. Jackson: Excuse me, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to delete item number one from the agenda.
There was an inadvertent substitution of a wrong item as the attachment to number one. I’d like to
delete that all together.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, certainly. All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the
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8 Commissioner Guilfoyle back to you now.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Oh, to see if I could add a consent item?
Mr. Mayor: Certainly.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, if there’s no problem with any of my colleagues if
I could put on consent agenda item number 22.
The Clerk: Would that be the Resolution of Support for that item right, sir?
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
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Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’ve got a, excuse me.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got a couple of items I want to pull but I want to at least get an
answer before I decide on item one. Ms. Jackson wanted to delete that which belongs to the body
now but I’m trying to figure out the part of the noise ordinance that I talked with Ms. Wilson about.
Do we need to delete this whole thing, Ms. Jackson?
Ms. Jackson: I would prefer we delete it at this point and bring it back to the next
committee.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I’m going to go ahead and agree to that. I just think there’s some
business owners who’ve been trying to get some things, some processing done they’ve been held
back because we had done something with this. And that part is certainly bothers me. There’s
some issues being handled now on that same concept but then we not doing everybody the same
way, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to pull items number 5 and 8 as companion items. I have a couple of
comments I need to make. I’m not against either one of those but I do want to make my comments
on 5 and 8 as companion items.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right let me, okay, that’s fine. All right, the Chair recognizes the
Mayor Pro Tem.
Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to consent 25 if that’s the will of the body please.
Mr. Mayor: I think I’m opposed to that. I’m just kidding.
Ms. Davis: Dennis, what’d you do, what’d you do to the Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Just kidding. He and I work well together, I’m just kidding. The Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right, any other motions to add or remove from the consent agenda?
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Ms. Davis: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PLANNING
1. ZA-R-248 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission
to approve a request to amend the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta Georgia
by adding Noise (Ordinance) to Section 2-Definitions, Section 4 – Off Street Parking and
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Loading, Section 21 – B-1 (Neighborhood Business), Section 22 – B-2 (General Business).
(Approved by Commission May 16, 2017 – second reading)
PUBLIC SERVICES
2. Motion to approve New Locations: A.N. 17-17: request by Michael S. Fredericks for an on
premise consumption Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Twisted Burrito,
LLC located at 4107 Madeline Dr. There will be Sunday Sales. District 3. Super District 10.
(Approved by Public Services Committee May 30, 2017)
3. Motion to approve New Location/License Transfer: A.N. 17-18: request by Charles
Kendrick for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in
connection with Kush located at 813 Broad Street. There will be Dance. District 1. Super
District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee May 30, 2017)
4. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 17-19: request by Susan J. Faircloth
for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with
Fifty Six Pub located at 4020 Mike Padgett Highway. There will be Dance. District 1. Super
District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee May 30, 2017)
6. Motion to approve award of the contract for Bid Item 17-156, the HVAC replacement at
the May Park and Bernie Ward Community Centers to the low bidder, Waters Mechanical
for $259,000. (Approved by Public Services Committee May 30, 2017)
7. Motion to approve a request for the purchase of a 2017 Genie GA 3232 Scissor Lift from
United Rentals at a cost of $26,039.00 as approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission at
their April 27, 2017 Meeting. (Bid Item 17-259) (Approved by Public Services Committee
May 30, 2017)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
9. Motion to approve the replacement of one Ford F-350, Dual Rear Wheel (DRW), truck
for Engineering Maintenance from Fleet Capital Outlay for 2017. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee May 30, 2017)
10. Motion to approve award for replacement of the roof on Friedman Branch Library to
the lowest bidder, Roofing Professionals, Inc. of Grovetown, GA, in the amount of $162,900,
bid item 17-168. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee May 30, 2017)
11. Motion to approve the expansion of the Laney Walker Enterprise Zone. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee May 30, 2017)
12. Motion to approve extending the lease with the US Navy for the Naval Reserve Center
on Central Avenue through June 2018. Lease payments are $1 per year, Augusta has no
financial or maintenance obligations under this lease. (Approved by Administrative Services
Committee May 30, 2017)
13. Motion to approve a request to display historical documents within a county facility.
(Approved by Administrative Services Committee May 30, 2017)
PUBLIC SAFETY
14. Motion to approve reappointing Fire Chief Chris James to the Region VI EMS Council.
(Approved by Public Safety Committee May 30, 2017)
15. Motion to approve acceptance of a supplemental State grant in the amount of $6,200 to
support the operations of the State Court Veterans Court program for the period of April 1,
2017 – June 30, 2017. (Approved by Public Safety Committee May 30, 2017)
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FINANCE
16. Motion to approve the FY2018 Budget calendar. (Approved by Finance Committee May
30, 2017)
ENGNEERING SERVICES
17. Motion to approve Amendments to Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee May 30, 2017)
18. Motion to approve granting Georgia Power an easement on 2715 Ingleside Drive (Tax
Map 025-2, Parcel 124-01) in order for them to relocate three power poles and a distribution
line required as a result of the Berckmans Road Widening and realignment Project, as
requested by AED. Also approve having the agreement executed by the appropriate Augusta
official(s). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee May 30, 2017)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
19. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Commission held May 16,
2017 and Legal Meeting held May 30, 2017)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
22. Motion to support the effort to save the middle of Savannah River Lock and Dam and to
refurbish the Lock and Dam. (Requested by Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle)
APPOINTMENTS
25. Motion to approve the appointment of Commissioner Dennis Williams as ex-officio
member to the Augusta Aviation Commission. (Requested by Mayor Pro Tem Mary Davis)
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
The Clerk: Do you want to add or pull any, Mr. Hasan?
Mr. Sias: Too late.
Mr. Guilfoyle: He probably fell asleep.
Mr. Mayor: He should go back to vacation.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan, are you voting, sir? Okay well, we just voted on the consent agenda.
Did you have, you’re voting yes, okay. Hold on just a moment okay that motion carries with Mr.
Frantom out and Mr. Hasan is voting yes.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 1-4, 6, 7, 9-19, 22, 25\]
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, so everyone who is here for a liquor license petition the
consent agenda has been adopted and you’ve been approved, thank you.
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Mr. Hasan: (inaudible).
The Clerk: No, sir. We’re dealing with, sir?
Mr. Hasan: (inaudible).
The Clerk: Okay, we have two items pulled items number four and I don’t know where
we’re headed. Hold on. I don’t know where the Mayor, are you going ---
Mr. Mayor: I’m going to five and eight.
The Clerk: He’s going to items five and eight.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, five minutes. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9
Items five and eight, five minutes.
PUBLIC SERVICES
5. Motion to approve adopting the City’s Destination Blueprint by the Augusta Convention
& Visitors Bureau (ACVB). (Approved by Public Services Committee May 30, 2017)
8. Motion to approve adopting the City of Augusta’s Public Art Masterplan as facilitated by
the Greater Augusta Arts Council. (Approved by Public Services Committee May 30, 2017)
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like for these to be companion items. These
was, they came to our committee I expressed then the same sentiments now that I don’t want to
approve something that after it’s approved and then you find out exactly what it is. We talked
about, we mentioned this morning about the water works and the paintings around the water facility
up on Highland and Wrightsboro Road which is very nice but I don’t see the diversity at all in that
particular painting. I do see some fish and some other wildlife, birds and whatever, but I don’t
want to sit here and support a, and I’m not against it but I just want to make sure that anything
being put in this building or in this community that we as elected officials have at least a bird’s
eye view of what was there versus what has already been put there. Now I don’t what, Tom, he’s
a great artist I guess in his own right but being over the water pump we, he hadn’t any say so. And
I think it looks good but I just don’t see the diversity that it ought to have in the City of Augusta
on that wall. So I can’t support anything that I don’t see already that I don’t know what’s going
to be there or have an idea what’s going to be there by just giving my support. Now I’ve been
hearing that you know everything’s inclusive and we’re going, and I’ve been hearing that all my
life and it ain’t always happens, Mr. Mayor, but that’s my opposition to this and I wanted to express
that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. M. Williams: So I guess my question is this coming back to show what’s going to be,
the art that’s going to be placed around whatever we do whether it be with the CVB or with the
public art, will we have an input as an elected body to know what’s going to be where, where it’s
going to be at, what corner, what street, what area?
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, the answer to that is yes but I must rant. I mean we talked about it
before, Commissioner, that the goal is to the point in time of adoption of this. What this effectively
is saying for Items 5 and 8 is consistent with what we’ve done for the Recreation and Parks
Masterplan and that is that we affirm in the concept associated with this document, that is the idea.
And so that’s effectively what you’re voting on and at the point of time that we go from concept
to creation and there are resources that are being invested you’re going to have opportunity to help
shape that in this item what that looks like. That’s what’s going on.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, and I’m in agreement with that concept but if you look at
the concept with all of the plans that we’ve got around Augusta that has always been there. But
that hadn’t always taken place. It’s always said that we are going to be inclusive, it’s always
indicated and that’s sounds like we’re all singing the same song. But somebody’s out of tune and
that throws everybody off when it comes to that. And those days are over. I mean I think we ought
to be at least privileged to what’s coming down. It shouldn’t be that hard to show what potential
plans are and what we’re looking at doing and what we have done. Other cities have surpassed us
by leaps and bounds doing different things, inclusive things for their city and I have not seen that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay so again I’m going to yield to Ms. Durant and then I’ll come back and
I’ll make a comment. Ms. Durant.
Ms. Durant: According to the agreement that we signed with the City of Augusta this is
your plan. I’m talking about the Public Art Masterplan. I’m not going to speak for the Convention
and Visitors Bureau but the system for public art is that we have a panel that we’ve approved.
They will give recommendations to the Arts Council who will approve their recommendations and
send them to Glenn Parker. Glenn Parker will bring them to the Commission for approval.
Mr. M. Williams: May I respond, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Absolutely.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Brenda, and please I’m just I understand what you’re saying
but I’m going back to the boxes on the street that we painted that looks very nice.
Ms. Durant: Yes.
Mr. M. Williams: This body and I’m not the only Commissioner that’s been here a long
time, Mr. Mayor, it’s catching up with me every day but I’ve been here a long time and even when
those boxes were painted I didn’t know anything until it was painted. They was and they’re very
nice now I’m not, this is no knock. I’m just trying to talk about the inclusiveness that we ought to
be able to know what’s coming down the pipe before it gets there. It’s too late to spend money
then turn around and say you know we need to change that. I’m switching gears just a little bit so
you won’t think I’m crazy. I had the Recreation Director do some work at one of our local pools
and if you have seen that after it was finished I was really embarrassed. We went by and looked
at it and had to redo the whole thing again because people’s mindset of their mindset and I don’t
16
have a problem with that. But I think as an elected official we ought to have everybody’s mindset
at the table versus just some people. So this is not ---
Ms. Durant: I do want to talk about the boxes for just a second. That was prior to our plan
and approval but we did go before the DDA with the plan for the boxes and I believe that was the
meeting you were present at, Commissioner Williams, because there was only one box that we
sent out the call for artists that we were very specific about. You had asked for that box to be
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dedicated, one box to be dedicated to James Brown and placed at the intersection of 9 Street. So
you were at a meeting early on in the planning because we honored that request that you gave us
at the DDA meeting and when the boxes were chosen we had about forty images that came through
and we did have city representation on the panel that chose the final 24 boxes.
Mr. M. Williams: And if I had not pressed that issue that may not be the one I mean not
be one of those so that just proved my point, Brenda. And so I think we’re on the same page I
mean but I just think we’ve got to start to think a little bit differently and do some things a little
bit (inaudible).
Ms. Durant: And I think we’re on that right track.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve.
Ms. Davis: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second and we’re voting on Items 5 and 8. Voting.
Mr. Hasan and Mr. M. Williams vote No.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 7-2.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, there’s a gentleman in the rear that I do want to acknowledge you’re
present. I don’t know you but you raised your hand as if you wanted to speak so we’re not again
this is not our delegation portion of the meeting but we’ll be happy to again if you wanted to
comment in this space with regards to these two items we certainly can get you to sign up and
we’ll give you an opportunity to speak at our next meeting. Okay, thank you. Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Are we going to 21 or 23/24 first, sir?
Mr. Mayor: We’re just going straight down.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
20. Approve establishing a subcommittee to review and recommend changes to the city’s
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance how zoning exceptions are done in residential
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subdivisions and in other areas. (No recommendation from Public Services Committee May
30, 2017)
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. We discussed this item back at our last committee meeting. This
is a relatively simplified and clear request that we establish, as we’re moving forward to make
changes to our zoning ordinance that the and Planning and Development has already initiated that
process. The request here is from that we establish a subcommittee to also have an opportunity to
have some citizen and Commission input into this process and what some changes that we might
recommend as a subcommittee to go along with this. One thing I want to be clear. This was not
talking about establishing a subcommittee to monitor and oversee the Planning and Development
or the Planning Commission. This was a committee to recommend some changes to the process
as we are going through that. So I want to ask my colleagues consider that and support that and
this committee can have either some citizen members or it can have a great opportunity for citizen
input. Either way is what I think is justified for our citizens as we look at what special exceptions
and other things in zoning that effect the places where we live and raise our families. Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 the
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Engineering Services Chair and then the Commissioner from the 9 Administrative Services
Chair.
Mr. Fennoy: Move to approve.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Jefferson: Second.
Mr. Mayor: I’ve got a motion and a second. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9 Administrative Services Chair to speak to the matter.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve got no problem with a Commission
Subcommittee but I don’t think that we should have a citizen subcommittee out so to speak we
won’t be able to get the mass of people we elected by the people to represent them. If we want to
look at some zoning changes or the way zoning’s being done I think this body ought to have a
subcommittee versus having a task force or a citizen subcommittee along with that, that can get I
mean where do we cut the number off at. If you did that and ten more wanted to come and then
ten more wanted to come I think that would create something. If you want to do a subcommittee
among this body, I’ve got no problem with that and we can sit down with Ms. Wilson and sit down
with Planning and Zoning and any other department and ask about how the process works, how
other cities are doing it and whatever. But if we don’t do that then we’re going to open up what
some people may call a Pandora’s box so I can support a subcommittee of this body but not a
subcommittee for just out there.
Mr. Mayor: I think that’s certainly duly noted and recognized. All right, the Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 10.
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Mr. G. Smith: Ms. Wilson is the Director of the Planning and Zoning Committee so I can’t
understand why we hired her to do a job with the committee she’s got and then we’ve got a
committee looking on what committee and the next thing you know you’ve got several different
opinions and we spend a lot of time and wasted money on getting everybody’s opinion. Why don’t
we just have a write in and save some time and let Ms. Wilson review what she likes and what she
doesn’t like she can throw in Pile 13. Now, I want to be on the committee.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. G. Smith: No, I think we hired her as Director we ought to listen to what their
committee has to do versus bringing in another committee. If we’re not satisfied, you know, make
replacements.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I just want to clear up a couple of things and I’ll start with the
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latter from my distinguished colleague from the 10. Ms. Wilson doesn’t head a committee. Ms.
Wilson heads our Planning and Development Department. We also have a Planning Commission
and both of those bodies follow the law. And what I’m asking for is a committee to make some
recommendations as to how that law is formed. They don’t form the law. This body forms the
policy and the law. And so in that light that’s what this committee is being requested for is to
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recommend changes to that. Secondly, to my distinguished colleague from the 9 I wasn’t really
asking for a citizens committee. This was a subcommittee and the only point was we appoint
who’s there and my simple statement was that if we had wanted to appoint some citizens we don’t.
So I’m just pleased to have this body’s appeared support to have this subcommittee established.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Absolutely, sir. All right, the Commissioner from the 6.
The Clerk: Yes, sir, I don’t think, you have no comments right, sir?
Mr. Hasan: No comment.
The Clerk: Okay, no comment.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion to approve and a proper second. Voting.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Mr. Sias, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Hasan vote
Yes.
Ms. Davis, Mr. M. Williams and Mr. G. Smith vote No.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 6-3.
Mr. M. Williams: Point of Order, Mr. Mayor.
19
Mr. Mayor: All right, state your inquiry.
Mr. M. Williams: Who’s going to select this committee? Now this body voted on it so
who’s going to set this committee up?
Mr. Mayor: I have a suggestion.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ve got three or four but that doesn’t mean I want the one to set it up,
I’ve got three or four suggestions.
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Mr. Mayor: I’ll defer mine and I think the Commissioner from the 4 he certainly has
requested it and I think what he was trying to allude to was that you all should probably each select
a citizen from your representative areas and districts and you can put them there if you make it a
citizens committee, I think that’s what he’s suggesting.
Mr. M. Williams: Well and that was my point, Mr. Mayor, when I made that statement. If
I select someone from my district and I’ve got the Supper District so if I select someone from my
district and somebody else wanted to be on that can I tell them that you can’t be on there without,
I mean I think we opened up a Pandora’s Box when we draw the community in on such like these
ordinances. Now if this body ought to be able to do that but ---
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Mr. Mayor: Well, let me let me be wise and let me defer to the Commissioner from the 4
and maybe he can fully articulate what he’d like to see happen.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would as far as having only members on this
subcommittee on this Commission I’m absolutely fine with that but it will still give our citizens
an opportunity to come in and be heard and that’s the most important thing is for them to have the
opportunity to be heard and make their suggestions or comments to that subcommittee. So, I’m
absolutely fine with only Commission members being on the subcommittee, Mr. Mayor, no
problem at all.
Mr. Mayor: Well, all right, so you’ve already adopted and established a subcommittee and
so maybe what should happen at this point is that the Chair from Administrative Services and the
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Commissioner from the 4 caucus together and work on how to best do that, that’s what we’re
doing. All right, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Item number 21, sir?
Mr. Mayor: We’re going to go home before 4:00 o’clock.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
21. Discuss/report from Administration regarding the matter of city-owned equipment being
used on private property in Lincoln County. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
20
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was going to ask the Administrator to brief us
but after having a Legal session set up she, it may be better to wait until we go into Legal and to
discuss those things that won’t get us in another situation. So, we’ve move that to.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, thank you. All right, we’re going to defer that one Madam Clerk.
(No action is taken on this item)
The Clerk: Are we going to 23?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
23. Report from staff on scope of services completed and total expenditures to date for
services rendered by Cooper Carey. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9 and then we’ll hear from
we’re going to hear from, you come on, Director Ladson.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Director Ladson.
Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, on the first sheet that you actually
have, the 11x17, this is basically where we’re at on the downtown TIA Projects. As you can see
there are seven projects that’s slatted for downtown as it relates to the TIA Projects and the budget
amount for the concept plan is $1.2 million dollars. And we have invoiced, we have received an
invoice of $750,000 dollars which is approximately 62% that has been invoiced. If you look at
the second sheet it’s two pages and this was a part of the RFP that was, that was used initially to
get consultants on this particular project and this was basically the scope of services. So the scope
of services for this project basically and the majority consists of infrastructure and that’s the basics
of the downtown TIA Projects, it’s basically an infrastructure project. There is landscaping and
urban design that’s included in these projects which you may have seen it’s the concepts plans and
there’s also quite a bit of public participation on these particular projects. So that’s kind of where
we’re at as it relates to the downtown projects.
Mr. Mayor: We have some questions, Commissioner?
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Ladson, I need to know exactly which plan
we’re talking about and what would and what has happened with that plan, where we are what,
some details. Now I understand about the T-SPLOST money and what we’ve got but the money
we spent with Cooper Carey and the design work that they have done. Where are we now? The
only thing I see out of my eyes is the grass that we put on Broad Street and the tree was taken
down when I got all those calls from the tree huggers. So I need to know exactly what is being
21
done with that and where we are with whatever program. I mean I’m looking to see something to
happen with the plans or whatever. I mean are they still being worked on? Is that what I’m
hearing?
Mr. Ladson: I think okay, I think we’ve got you’re referring to the James Brown ---
Mr. M. Williams: That’s one side, that’s one side I wanted to know how much money we
have spent with this architect in the beginning and now I’m trying to get over to the other side
where James Brown supposed to be. But I’m asking how much money we spent how many
projects are you working on I guess would be the answer to that seven of them?
Mr. Ladson: There’s seven projects and they have spent 62% of that which is $750,000.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay and out of those seven projects none of them are finished none of
them are ready to?
Mr. Ladson: No, there’s a on, if you look at the very end of the sheet there’s the percent
thth
completed on the very end which the 9 Street James Brown that 64% they built, the 13 Street
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that’s 68%, Telfair Street that 63%, 5 Street 63%, 6 Street 53%, Broad Street 60% and Greene
Street 63%.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay Mr. Ladson help me out now since they are the firm who I guess
doing the drawings is that right?
Mr. Ladson: No, no they are the firm they are the firm that’s actually doing the concept
plan to basically come up with the standards and those types things as it relates to really our
infrastructure.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Ladson: The majority of the percentage complete or the bulk of this project is
infrastructure type stuff.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay so let’s stick with the infrastructure then I’ve got no problem with
that I want to see what they have laid out, I want to see what has been done for $700,000 dollars
and we’ve got seven plans and we’re doing some work I think already right?
Mr. Ladson: You mean construction?
Mr. M. Williams: Any that’s right construction (inaudible).
Mr. Ladson: No sir.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay so what are we doing we done spent $700,000 dollars what are we
doing?
22
Mr. Ladson: This is basically what we’re doing what’s in this in the scope of services here.
The part of it is the water, sewer, stormwater, sidewalk, curb and gutter, lane width they have done
all the survey work they’ve done the subsurface utility engineering all that stuff has been done.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay and ---
Mr. Ladson: Now that’s not stuff that you put on plans but that’s stuff that you have to
research and you have to do a lot of reconnaissance on and that’s a part of the scope.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay so that brings me to the point of getting a group from somewhere
else to do the work we’re doing right here in the city that’s bringing me right around to what I’m
really thinking about how we have gotten a group who’s working in every facet in several different
places we’ve got seven right here and none of this is the James Brown stuff is that right?
Mr. Ladson: No sir this ---
Mr. M. Williams: Okay.
Mr. Ladson: --- let me clarify that. The James Brown stuff that you’re referring to is totally
separate from this. That small piece there was a piece I think it was like about $10 to $12,000
dollars that came out of discretionary. We can’t use TIA funds to on a separate project legally you
can’t do that.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay now I want to stay legal so I mean ---
Mr. Ladson: That’s but we can use the discretionary funds these are actual project funds
for downtown.
Mr. M. Williams: All right let’s switch over to the side where when we met you and I met
with this firm to do this work on the James Brown side and we talked about the interaction stuff,
stuff that we wanted to see. When I was at their last meeting with them I was told about they had
the expertise that could do stage type stuff and they had some drawings they showed us, none of
that has come around yet?
Mr. Ladson: They did the drawings with the lightings the drawings where you had the
hardscape all that stuff was done. But if you recall when I came before the Commission the last
time to actually give an update we had some funding issues. But then also a scope change to where
we were, they well not we but there was some talk about placing the changing that scope all
together and have things to happen where the Common is at. On a couple of those meetings I
wasn’t privy to those meetings.
Mr. M. Williams: Have we ever hired any local contractors to do this kind of work for us,
have we got anybody here that can do that?
Mr. Ladson: Are you talking about the some of the concept plans ---
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Mr. M. Williams: (unintelligible) that they’re doing I mean do we have anyone we can
reach out and touch?
Mr. Ladson: --- I’m sure I mean I’m sure we have some firms that can probably do some
concept plan, yes.
Mr. M. Williams: There was a plan Mr. Ladson and the Mayor wants to get home by 4:00
o’clock so I’ve got to speed it up. But there was a plan that was done that was in the newspaper
that Sylvia Cooper put in there that I thought that Cooper Carey did but it ended up being done by
somebody else. And it was something that we, this body never talked about some of them was
really different but I thought this was the group that did it until later. But there was a plan that was
put together that was something in there that you could physically see that was something to excite
you to make you feel like you was moving in the right direction. These numbers and these different
projects that they’re working on and been working, how long is this project been going on or these
projects been going on Mr. Ladson?
Mr. Ladson: This is a, these projects about the end of 2015 ---
Mr. M. Williams: The end of 2015.
Mr. Ladson: --- yeah but we’re on schedule. I mean and that’s why I put the actual let
dates of these projects. When you refer to TIA projects these, one of the projects is a Band 2
Project the remaining of them are Band 3. The Band 2 Project can let any time before 2019 and
we have that scheduled to let in 2018 and that’s the James Brown Project. The remaining projects
can’t be let no earlier than 2020 because that’s when the funds are going to be available.
Mr. M. Williams: Who makes the decision to let the, to decide on which projects is what,
who makes that decision?
Mr. Ladson: Who decided on who picked these projects?
Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, who decided which projects go what’s on first and who’s on
second.
Mr. Ladson: There was a TIA committee and GDOT is involved in that. For the CSRA
area there are eleven counties, there were two representatives from each county. From this at the
time it was the Mayor and the Commission and they determine which projects along with the other
ten counties which projects are on that list.
Mr. Mayor: Abie if I can I’ll speak to that issue as well. At time you had Mayor
Copenhaver and you’re Commissioner of record was Joe Jackson ---
Mr. Ladson: That’s correct.
Mr. Mayor: --- they were all part of the roundtable.
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Mr. Ladson: That’s correct.
Mr. Mayor: Representative Barbara Simms and I were part of the Executive Roundtable
from the State Legislature.
Mr. Ladson: That’s correct.
Mr. Mayor: And those projects were vetted on in the community first and then they were
brought to us as the roundtable to end up finally vetting which is how we ended up with the list of
projects across the entire county or should I say the region. And so I think there was input from
the body at the time, I don’t remember who all was on the Commission but it probably would be
safe to say that the Dean he was a member of the Commission at that time.
Mr. Ladson: Also we submitted a list of over 100 different projects that list was whittled
down to 50 projects. So they were, like I said that was the decision that was made by (inaudible).
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Ladson the architect my last question who selected the architect?
Mr. Ladson: We selected the engineer for this project, it went through a Procurement
process of an RFQ.
Mr. M. Williams: All right Mr. Mayor that’s all.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right can I get a motion.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Motion to approve.
Mr. Jefferson: Second.
The Clerk: Receive as information?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, okay voting we’ll receive it as information. Voting.
Mr. Hasan: (inaudible).
The Clerk: No sir we’re doing them individually we’re on item number 23 now. There
was some discussion pertaining to 24 but they were done individually. Are you voting on this one
to receive as information?
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
The Clerk: Okay, all right.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
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The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
24. Discuss/update/report from staff regarding the James Brown Enhancement Project.
(Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: My question is to the Engineering Mr. Ladson Mr. Mayor where are we
with this?
Ms. Jackson: Actually sir I was going to have Mr. Parker address this item from Recreation
and Parks.
The Clerk: Mr. Glen Parker from REC is addressing the Commission regarding this item.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Parker?
Mr. Parker: Thank you sir. Where we are right now as staff we feel like regarding the
plaza itself we have done what we’ve been tasked to do by the Commission at this point that was
removing the trees, doing the landscaping those kinds of things at this point. I think what we
would be looking for there’s been a lot of talk moving, changing, adding you know interactive,
different displays a number of different things. What we’re looking for I think at this point is some
clear direction from the Commission on which way you would like us to take the plaza part of that
obviously goes with what is going to happen at the Common. So that’s sort of what I think in a
nutshell what we’re looking for from the Commission is some definite directional which way you
would like us to go is that to hire someone like you just talked about or wait on the Cooper Carey
recommendation to come forward.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner?
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you Mr. Mayor. Glen I’m kind of disappointed I mean if that’s
what ya’ll was waiting on I’d have thought you all would’ve came and at least asked this body as
to what they wanted to do and I put it on the agenda to talk about it because there hadn’t been no
action. We did move the trees and we had the conversation about the trees and we down the
sprinkler system I believe for the water. We had the Master’s come up and we ended moving the
what was that, mulch that was put down but nobody said a word nobody, Engineering nobody out
of REC nobody had said a word. Unless somebody gave you an order to stop I thought we
would’ve had somebody come and say look where do you want us to go now I’m hearing you’re
looking for some direction. I’m thinking in my mind we already some direction out there that
something was going to be happening with the benches and the history of James Brown. We did
meet and I guess with Mr. Ladson’s office with Cooper Carey to talk about some interaction stuff
and they assured us that they could do that but everything just came to a halt. So, I’m glad to know
ya’ll are looking for some direction now and I hope this body can give you some direction. After
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putting the grass down and moving trees I hadn’t seen anything. I went down when they were
digging up the shrubbery and stuff and they were laying down the stuff for the sprinkler system
but since then nobody even said a word nobody asked about it nobody inquired nobody brought
nothing to this body or said anything. So, the direction is still the same in my mind maybe this
body’s got another direction but I’m still thinking we want to proceed with what we talked about.
Mr. Parker: I think one of the things we want to be very careful of is not doing anything
on a short-term basis that would absolutely contradict what Cooper Carey is going to recommend.
I’ve seen some of their very preliminary plans but I haven’t seen anything that they’ve developed
recently, I’m not sure what they developed recently regarding James Brown Plaza.
Mr. M. Williams: Well I agree with that Glen and when you’re trying to, I mean we’ve
been talking about this we started a subcommittee Sammy when you talk about a subcommittee it
still don’t mean you get much done. We started a subcommittee and met several times about how
what we needed to do and we needed to do it and everybody seemed to be onboard when they
leave out but they get outside and get in the fresh air and the forget they lose it so to speak. So I
don’t know what’s changed in my mind nothing has changed but I don’t know where we are now
myself because I thought we were still working. But we’re waiting on Cooper Carey if we’re
waiting on somebody who’s waiting on somebody we’re going to be still waiting. So I’m trying
to figure out I mean we ought to do something if it’s wrong at least we know how to correct it but
that’s the problem I’ve got with the City of Augusta we’ve been sitting back waiting on somebody
else to do it. We are the ones we’ve been waiting on we are the ones ought to be moving this thing
forward we ought to be the ones that’s pushing it. And we’ve got people that accept these jobs to
do that but then we don’t get anywhere. So I’m very disappointed Mr. Mayor I don’t know what
to do or say at this point because we, Sammy you might need to help me I heard the Army was
always hurry up and wait maybe that’s not true but I know it is around Augusta we hurry up and
wait on, what are we waiting on?
Mr. Mayor: Okay well ---
Mr. M. Williams: I hadn’t been in that part but ---
Mr. Mayor: --- all right so this is what we’ll do I’m going to recognizes the Mayor Pro
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Tem and then I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 1, the 8 and then I’ll close out.
Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor I was going to, I agree with Commissioner Williams that we haven’t
regrouped again as that subcommittee and kind of looked at where we are now, it’s been a while.
So Glen do think that now would be a good time to bring Cooper Carey back to see what they’ve
done because we did see the initial drawings but that’s been probably over six-months ago now.
So I think maybe that’s the best next step we do have that committee we were starting to kind of
make some progress and we’ve stalled. So Commissioner Williams do you think that would
probably be the best next step to get our committee back together with staff and see where we are
but I want to make sure it’s feasible for Mr. Parker to make that happen.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
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Ms. Davis: Do you think that now would be a good time to be able to get them back?
Mr. Parker: I do.
Ms. Davis: --- and have some new ideas or progress ---
Mr. Parker: Yes.
Ms. Davis: --- yes, okay. Can we work with ---
Mr. Ladson: Mr. Mayor and members, I’m confused because what do we want Cooper
Carey to do. Cooper Carey has a scope of services which is what I handed out. Now if we want
them to do some extra additional things then that’s an amendment to the contract. I think we need
to be clear on what we need before we leave.
Ms. Davis: --- Mr. Mayor, real quick, the last committee meeting we had there were
drawings brought to us about the interactive statue and that’s what Commissioner Williams keeps
going back to.
Mr. Ladson: Those drawings have been completed. The problem when we came the last,
well, the last meeting was the cost. I don’t know, I put the cost and what we actually needed to
complete that but then there was another meeting and there was another update with the
Commission after that which was stated that they had formed another committee and there was
going to be some work now done where the Common’s is at. Now we weren’t, the Engineering
Department wasn’t privy to that so that’s the guidance I think we kind of need here.
Ms. Davis: Which way to go, yeah, which we don’t know yet ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, I’m going ---
Ms. Davis: --- maybe it’s not time to get Cooper Carey back.
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, I’m going to come to Commissioner Williams’ defense not that he
needs defending but I think to your point, Director Ladson, you’re completely accurate. If we
draw everybody’s attention back to the downtown TIA Projects if you just focus on the Project
No. 6 which is the Broad Street component from Washington Road to East Boundary they’re not
even proposing to let that contract until 2022. Now what Commissioner Williams has consistently
talked about and this has been a part of his economic development subcommittee that I’ve attended
two meetings, only two meetings and his consistent conversation has been around what are we
going to do with just the plaza in terms of enhancement. This body had to Director Ladson’s point
had an opportunity when he shared with you what the funding looked like, what that needed to be.
I remember that number Mr. Clarke being about $145,000 dollars and that time this body walked
away from that conversation. Commissioner Williams has been consistent in saying we’d like to
see something happen. We talked about it, we talked about it, the drawings were in fact completed
and so if you’re going to have a complete conversation you’ve got the tie the issue of the James
Brown Plaza with what does that look like in terms of the overall effect, the Project No. 6, which
28
will be let in 2022. Does that impair, does that enhance, does that mitigate that project and if those
projects can be done in a standalone fashion then I think this body needs to work collectively with
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the Commissioner from the 9 and say we’re going to move forward and get that done. That’s
what he’s asking for and he has been consistent in asking for that. He is not relenting and he said
it’s time for us to quit talking. Let’s get something done. You have drawings, the Director says
they’re completed and I know for a fact that there’s money out there to get it done if this is what
we want to get done. That’s where he’s at. And so the question of today is are we going to put an
item on an agenda based on what Director Ladson has indicated not because folks are opposed to
it but this is an enhancement to the James Brown Plaza as we know it. That’s the question that’s
before us, not another one.
Mr. M. Williams: Comment, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: And I’m support of all that but everybody there’s no many different
factors to this that we don’t who’s on first and what’s on second and people are saying if we do
this we can’t do that. If we do this that’s in the wrong spot or we’re going, but we’ve got to do
something in order to create something else to do something else but we have not done anything
except move the trees and move the shrubbery. And that was an enhancement because it looks a
whole lot better there now with that gone. But I’ve got department heads who are assigned to
doing these tasks and instead of saying well if it was a money issue that they don’t control, I
thought it should be brought back to this body and say and hey, this is what we need.
Mr. Mayor: So we were trying to help to win just a minute ago ---
Mr. M. Williams: I understand, I understand but ---
Mr. Mayor: --- come back this way, come back this way.
Mr. M. Williams: --- but I’m ---
Mr. Mayor: --- I know, I know.
Mr. M. Williams: --- you can’t win when you’ve got ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, the question before you again is there’s a cost associated with this and
the question becomes with the drawings that were completed, all right, so Commissioner from the
st
1 I think what he’s about to do is recommend taking those drawings and bringing it back and
attaching a funding to it. I got him to and tell us that we’ll put it on the next committee cycle
agenda. I think that’s what he’s about to tell us.
Mr. Fennoy: Yeah, we could also do that, Mr. Mayor, but what I’m understanding from
Mr. Ladson and Mr. Parker is that they have so far have done what they have been asked to do.
Now a few minutes ago, a few minutes ago when Ms. Durant was up here, you know, we asked
that before you do anything you know bring it back to us so we have a look at it. I mean we can’t
29
have it both ways. I mean if we want them to operate on their own that’s one thing but if we expect
everything that they do to have our stamp of approval that’s something different. If they have
done what they were instructed to do then if they need some direction from us as to what is it that
we want to see done and hopefully they’ll get back with us to let us know what it’ll take to make
that happen.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Abie and Mr. Parker did what they were told to do
and they done it in time. Now they’re looking for new direction. I don’t know if this will stick
but it’s something I was thinking of. Every time when we look at the James Brown statue what
do we see? We see James setting up there on the granite, clean area around it but in the background
you’ve got that glass front window. Try this. I don’t, Mr. Mayor, I don’t know who to delegate
this to but that belongs to Jeff Kurelic see if we could put a projection and do the videos of James
Brown on that projection so when you are looking at James Brown you got his music and you’ve
got his movement. That’d be a cheat but it’d be an attraction. I know everybody’s laughing on
that one it’s just an idea.
th,
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right so to the Commissioner from the 9 can we table this issue?
All right, we’ve got a motion to table this issue.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Do you have a comment?
Mr. Hasan: No, ma’am (inaudible).
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Motion to table this issue.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. Jefferson: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’ve got a motion to table with a proper second. Voting.
The Clerk: They’re tabling the item, sir. How are you voting?
Mr. Hasan: (unintelligible).
The Clerk: To table the item.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
The Clerk: You’re voting yes, in the affirmative?
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Mr. Hasan: Yes.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie.
LEGAL MEETING
A. Pending and Potential Litigation.
B. Real Estate.
C. Personnel.
ADDENDUM
26. Motion to approve going in to a legal meeting.
Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to go into an Executive Session to discuss
personnel.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. Voting.
The Clerk: Sir, they’re voting to go into Legal.
Mr. Hasan: I hear, yes.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Hasan: (inaudible) part of that conversation?
The Clerk: Yes, sir. I’ll get you in. I’ll just patch you in once we get in there. Ms. Davis,
she’s out?
Ms. Davis and Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
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Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bonner, the Commissioner from the 9 is going to ask for a roll call vote
so just be prepared for that. All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie.
\[LEGAL MEETING\]
28. Motion to approve execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s
Open Meeting Act.
31
Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to execute the Closed Meeting Affidavit.
Mr. Williams: So moved.
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
The Clerk: Gentlemen, we’re voting on the Closed Meeting Affidavit. Mr. Hasan, do you
want to participate since you were ---
Mr. Hasan: Are we voting on (inaudible).
The Clerk: --- no, no just the Closed Meeting Affidavit. Okay, Mr. Frantom, you wasn’t
in there but do you want to ---
Mr. Frantom: No (unintelligible).
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie.
ADDENDUM
27. Motion to accept the resignation of Mark Johnson, to waive the notice of resignation
required by Section 500.312 and to pay three months’ of severance pay contingent upon Mr.
Johnson executing a voluntary separation agreement and release.
Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to except the resignation of Mark Johnson, to
waive the notice of resignation required by Section 500.312 and to pay three months of severance
pay contingent upon Mr. Johnson executing a voluntary separation agreement and release.
Mr. Mayor: That’s the motion.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
The Clerk: Wait a minute, who made the motion I didn’t ---
Ms. Davis: So moved.
The Clerk: --- okay Ms. Davis and Mr. Smith.
Mr. Guilfoyle: That’s in lieu six months is that correct, Andrew?
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Mr. Mayor: Attorney MacKenzie, would you please read it again.
Mr. MacKenzie: Sure.
Mr. Mayor: All right so, everyone.
Mr. MacKenzie: Motion to accept the resignation of Mark Johnson, to waive the notice of
resignation required by Section 500.312 and to pay three months of severance pay contingent upon
Mr. Johnson executing a voluntary separation agreement and release.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second all those in favor ---
Mr. Hasan: (inaudible) roll call vote ---
Mr. Mayor: --- yes, Commissioner Hasan, we’re going to do a roll call vote.
The Clerk: Okay Commissioner Marion Williams had already requested a roll call vote.
I’ll let the Mayor respond to your request for Personal Privilege.
Mr. Mayor: We’ll just take a roll call, Ms. Bonner.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: We’re going to take a roll call vote right now, Commissioner. We belabored
this long enough.
Mr. Hasan: (inaudible) vote is not complete I haven’t voted yet.
Mr. Mayor: Well, either has anyone else.
Mr. Hasan: I haven’t voted yet, Mr. Mayor, so I didn’t get chance to make a point.
Mr. Mayor: Well, we’re going to vote now. Ms. Bonner?
The Clerk: Ms. Davis.
Ms. Davis: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Yes.
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The Clerk: Mr. Guilfoyle.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk: Mr. Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: I’m waiting for a Point of Personal Privilege because we didn’t vote
(unintelligible), Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Move on.
Mr. Hasan: You’re violating the policy.
The Clerk: Are you voting, sir?
Mr. Hasan: I’m waiting for my Point of Personal Privilege first, Ms. Bonner.
The Clerk: Okay. Mr. Jefferson.
Mr. Jefferson: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. Sias.
Mr. Sias: No.
The Clerk: Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. D. Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: Yes.
The Clerk: Mr. M. Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: No.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Frantom, Mr. Guilfoyle, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. G. Smith, Mr. D.
Williams vote Yes.
Mr. Sias and Mr. M. Williams vote No.
Mr. Hasan not voting.
Motion Passes 7-2-0.
Mr. Hasan: Can I have my Point of Personal Privilege now, Mr. Mayor?
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: (inaudible) read into the record for the public to know what we just did that
Mr. Johnson said that he told Mac McKinley Williams who’s retiring at the end of March that he
could use the excavator to top of the hill to help Troy Meeks. Mr. Johnson stated that he needed
to elevate the person taking Mr. Williams’ place on his retirement and that he could not get an
accurate assessment from the new supervisor with Mr. Williams on site. Mr. Johnson stated that
he told Mr. Williams that he come in in the morning to check in then (unintelligible) work and
return at the end of the day.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Hasan ---
Mr. Hasan: (Unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: --- Commissioner Hasan, suspend, Commissioner Hasan, suspend.
The Clerk: The Mayor is asking you to suspend, sir.
Mr. Hasan: (Unintelligible). Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: This meeting is adjourned.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
Lena Bonner
Clerk of Commission
CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy
of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on
June 6, 2017.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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