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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting August 1, 2017 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER AUGUST 1, 2017 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00, p.m., August 1, 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, well, good afternoon, everybody. We’re excited to be here to do the people’s business on this day. We’re excited that we’ve got Youth Leadership Augusta who’s here with us on today. I know there’ll be some recognitions. Our Chamber and our Tax Commissioner Steven Kendrick do an outstanding job with that. Probably the finest Youth Leadership Program in the country if I say so myself, John Clark. And we’ve got a lot of business before us but welcome to your local government. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Thank you, sir. At this time we will have our invocation delivered by the Reverend Williams Bass, Pastor of the Tremont Temple Baptist Church. And we would like our Board of Education Member Ms. Patsy Scott to please lead us into the Pledge of Allegiance. The invocation was given by Reverend Williams Bass, Pastor, Tremont Temple Baptist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. Mr. Mayor: Reverend Bass, if you’ll come forward. Again, we want to thank you for serving as our Chaplain of the Day as Pastor of Tremont Temple Baptist Church. You not only serve your parishioners but you serve this entire community. And we thank you for your spiritual guidance and civic leadership that are a continued example for our community, thank you so much. Would you join me in thanking him for serving today? (APPLAUSE) Ms. Bonner, before we go home I want to make sure we take this up first. You have in front of you the revisions to the Commission agenda and this is nothing more than the second reading of a matter that you’ve already adopted. And that is the Procurement Code to include the adoption of Public-Private Partnerships or Unsolicited Proposals. Effectively all we’re doing again is just reading it for the second time. You did not waive that at our last meeting, okay. That’s all this is so I’d like to get unanimous consent to add this to the agenda. Mr. Sias: So moved. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I have a question. Mr. Mayor: Okay but do you object? 1 Mr. Hasan: If I don’t get a question answered, I will. I mean in order words I can, are you going to put it on the consent agenda or are you going to put this on the regular agenda? Mr. Mayor: Well, you’ve debated it multiple times already. You’ve had the first reading of it --- Mr. Hasan: No, sir, Mr. Mayor, I object then. Mr. Mayor: --- and you’ve now got it in front of you for just a second reading, okay? That’s all it is, Commissioner. Mr. Hasan: I just had a question, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: I’m going to give you a chance to ask your question --- Mr. Hasan: --- oh, okay. Mr. Mayor: --- I just want you to know what our posture is. We’ve already approved it but I’m going to give you a chance to ask your question. Mr. Hasan: Okay, okay --- Mr. Mayor: All right? Mr. Hasan: --- is that now or what do you want to do? Mr. Mayor: I’d like for you to do that now go on ahead and take this up. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, all I want to know is Line 3 on that where is says this partnership becomes effective on this adoption in a court of applicable laws. I just want some clarity is --- Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner, just suspend. All right here’s what I’d like for you to do. All right, if you’ll direct us to page you’re referring to and what paragraph and line. Mr. Hasan: --- Page 1 where the ordinance itself is at Section 3 at the bottom of the page. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right if everyone would direct their attention to the ordinance that’s after the first two pages and again, continue. Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to know is there a conflict in terms of the Procurement Department headed by Ms. Sams sent us out a timeline schedule that when she’s going to bring someone in because this is around unsolicited proposals. And at that time bringing in unsolicited proposals it also gives an indication also in the bottom of that is as I th look at this it says, Georgia Procurement Registry 9-21 through the opening January 4 end of 2 thth March 8 of each year. In other words in many ways the 9 month of this year they’re going to th start I guess entertaining bids per se and then by January the 4 of next year will be an opening where those unsolicited bids or proposals will be accepted. Is that a conflict with Line 3 saying that the minute that we approve this it is adopted at that point in terms of ready to implement, that’s all I’m asking. Mr. Mayor: Well, no, it doesn’t mean that. You know just like you would with any ordinance it becomes effective at such time and the reality of it is when I sign it, it becomes codified in the law. What Ms. Sams has provided for us is an implementation strategy that takes us from this. There’s a meeting I believe she’s got scheduled in September which is what you’re referring to. The full implementation of this in terms of us actually being open for unsolicited proposals I think that timeline is in January 2018. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, sir --- Mr. Mayor: Okay --- Mr. Hasan: --- it has my support, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: --- all right. All right, so without objection this is now added to the agenda, okay. Mr. Sias: Consent agenda? Mr. Mayor: I’m okay with that as well. Mr. Sias: Consent agenda. Mr. Mayor: Yes, all right without objection. Thank you. All right, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: I call your attention to the recognition portion of our agenda. First, we would like to ask Mr. Mike Loeser, our Human Resources Director, to please come forward for recognition of our Years of Service Employees Mr. Mayor, Ms. Jackson. Mr. Loeser: Thank you, Ms. Bonner. My name, good afternoon Mayor Davis, Commissioners, special quests, Directors and citizens of Augusta-Richmond County. My name is Mike Loeser, Human Resources Director for Augusta-Richmond County. Today it is my pleasure to recognize our July Years of Service Recipients. For the Month of July 2017 we have 28 employees celebrating from five to twenty-years of service with Augusta-Richmond County. This afternoon we would like to recognize our 25 to 50-years of service recipients, when I call your name please step forward. Carol Neal Scott Augusta Regional Airport with 25 years of service. (APPLAUSE) Frankie Parker, Utilities with 30 years of service. (APPLAUSE) RECOGNITIONS Municipal Certified Elected Official 3 A. Certificate of Recognition presentations to Commissioner Sean Frantom, Ben Hasan and Sammie Sias from the Georgia Municipal Association and Carl Vinson Institute of Government University of Georgia associated with completing the required hours of training to obtain their Municipal Elected Officials certification. The Clerk: At this time, we’d like to recognize members of the Augusta Commission. Commissioner Sean Frantom would you please come forward along with Commissioner Ben Hasan and Commissioner Sammie Sias. (APPLAUSE) We would like to honor Commissioner Frantom, Hasan and Sias for completing the required course work and completing and obtaining the training hours to obtain their Municipal Elected Official Certification from the Georgia Municipal Association and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government University of Georgia. Congratulations Commissioners. (APPLAUSE) The Clerk: RECOGNITIONS Richmond County Tax Commissioner’s Office B. Ms. Aliegha Brigham: RE: Certificate presentations to City of Augusta Youth Leadership Summer Internship participants. Ms. Brigham: Good afternoon to Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, Madam Administrator, elected officials, department heads and guests. My name is Aliegha Brigham, Project Manager for the Tax Commissioners Office and Administrator for the Youth Leadership Augusta Program. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you the 2017 City of Augusta City Interns and present to them their completion certificates. For the past eight years the City of Augusta has invested in the Youth Leadership Augusta graduates and have offered them the exclusive opportunity to work in various departments. Please join me in congratulating these students. (APPLAUSE) As I begin to call the students names, parents and departments are welcome to stand when your student’s name is called. Students, please join me as your name is called. Ms. Kayla Griffin – Outstanding Utilities Intern. (APPLAUSE) Maggie Weistroff – Outstanding Engineering Department Intern. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Emma Huffman – Augusta Law Department Intern. (Applause) Ms. Katrina Visintainer – Outstanding Environmental Services Intern. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Christian Blaise – Outstanding Mayor’s Office Intern. Mr. Jackson Blaise – Outstanding Sheriff’s Office Intern. Ms. Amahya Moore – Outstanding Coroner’s Office Intern. Ms. Bailey Markwell – Outstanding Animal Services Intern. Mr. Tristan Woods – Outstanding Information Technology Department Intern. Ms. Taylor Lewis – Outstanding Recreational Department Intern. Mr. Matthew McIntosh – Outstanding Augusta Fire Department Intern. Mr. Nicholas Koenig – Outstanding Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Intern. Mr. Gregory Smith – Outstanding Planning and Development Intern. Ms. Anna Tinsley – Outstanding Marshal’s Office Intern. Ms. Kayla Washington – Outstanding Procurement Department Intern. 4 Ms. Brigham: I would also like to recognize the few departments whose interns weren’t able to be here with us. We have Human Resources who had Ms. Erin Snead – APPLAUSE – Also Parks and Recreation who has Ms. Christina Albright – APPLAUSE – The Marshal’s Office who also had Mr. Sam Cunningham – APPLAUSE – and we also had one student who is at Octavio, a local small business Mr. Michael Nellins. – APPLAUSE. We would now like to offer a few students the opportunity to briefly share with the Commission their personal experiences this summer. We’ll begin with Ms. Anna Tinsley and then we’ll have Mr. Gregory Smith and then we’ll have Ms. Kayla Washington in that order. Thank you. Ms. Tinsley: Hello, my name is Anna Tinsley and I’m a Senior at Richmond County Technical Career High School. This year I interned at the Marshal’s Office. Going into this internship, I had no idea what to expect. I’d heard rumors that the Marshal’s didn’t really didn’t do much of anything, that they weren’t, they didn’t have a lot of jobs. Going into this internship I felt that that’s not true. They deal with evictions. They also deal with like trash overgrown yards, illegal dumping, they do a lot of stuff and they have a lot of programs. I am thoroughly happy and overjoyed I was selected for this internship. I got to meet some pretty cool people, there’s always laughs in the office every day and I’m going to miss coming here every day and working with these guys and having a good time answering phone calls and doing paperwork but they made it enjoyable. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Smith: Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Gregory Smith and I’m a rising Senior at A.R. Johnson Magnet School. First and foremost, I would just like to thank God for giving me the utmost opportunity to work with some of Augusta’s finest employees. Secondly, I would like to thank Youth Leadership Augusta and the Tax Commissioner’s Office for help funding this and allowing this internship to happen. And lastly, I would like to thank the Augusta Planning Department because I’ve had the best experience this summer here at the Augusta Planning Department. Some of the things I’ve gotten to experience were going out with Code Enforcement and looking at abandoned houses and houses that were on fire and just talking to the community especially those that are homeless or just didn’t have a place to stay. I also got to work with the Augusta Zoning Department or the part of the Augusta Planning Department looking at requirements for certain zones in districts. I also got to work with Site Review or Planning Review and that was also amazing as well just looking at the code and how buildings are supposed to be built according to the code and how the code changes over time. And I also got to work with Licensing and the permitting. With that I got to look at what you need a permit for and what you need a license for and I didn’t know that contractors had to have a permit to work in Augusta so again thank you. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Washington: Good afternoon my name is Kayla Washington and I’m a rising Senior at Westside High School. I had an intern with the Procurement Office and before I started, I had no idea what they did. I didn’t know that if you wanted to purchase something everything had to go through the Procurement Office so I learned that, it was amazing working with the ladies there, they’re so much fun, it’s never boring there. And that’s pretty much it. I really enjoyed this internship. (APPLAUSE) 5 Ms. Brigham: I would also like to give some adults from the different departments the opportunity to speak if they would like. Any volunteers? Not everybody speak at once. Ms. Eskola: Augusta Animal Services would like to express gratitude to Bailey our intern she was terrific. She was just magnificent she was self-initiator, she’s accountable, she was very flexible with her hours and scheduling according to our needs. She got to do everything. She fostered kittens and puppies and scooped and sprayed down, bathed and gave shots or worked with them giving shots. She got to observe surgery, she did a little bit of everything. So, we sure do appreciate her and I personally don’t know what I’m going to do without her, she was wonderful. Oh, and she promised she would keep volunteering. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Allen: Good afternoon. I would like to speak in regards to our intern that we were very grateful to have. Tristan did an awesome job. He came in and he was very quiet and he came in and he said you know, I want to work on security. Of course with everything going on with Cyber in this world today that was a great path for him and it was great that we had an opportunity to get somebody who’s as interested in technology as we are. Tristan came in did a lot of research, worked on actually our Security Awareness Information that we had to submit to Administration in regard to making security training mandatory. At first I was a little questionable about making it mandatory but Tristan did all the documentation to justify why it needs to be something that’s mandatory and something that we really need to take seriously. I am very proud of Tristan. He did a tremendous job with the City of Augusta’s Information Technology Department. He has also been accepted to do an internship with NSA out on Fort Gordon. That’s an awesome, awesome tremendous accomplishment that he should be very proud of. And we in Information Technology I told him that if we have any positions open during the time that he finishes high school because he’s now a senior a rising senior so he’ll be doing that as well as working and doing his internship at NSA that we’ll be very, very honored to have him as part of our team because he’s an awesome, awesome kid. So, congratulations, Tristan, and this is a great program. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Ms. Brigham: Thank you so much to everyone and thank you to our students for being willing to work with us and come back and spend time with the different departments. As we close, I would also like to give a special thanks to our Chairman of Youth Leadership Augusta Mr. Steven Kendrick. (APPLAUSE) And all of our advisors but we do have a few with us today Ms. Julie Kelling (APPLAUSE) Mr. Jonathan Davis (APPLAUSE) and Mr. Kenneth Presley (APPLAUSE). Thank you so much for your time. Mr. Mayor: Thank you all. (APPLAUSE) The Clerk: DELEGATIONS C. Ms. Ethel Jenkins regarding revocation of the Policy that requires Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to submit an audit and/or review who receives $50,000 or less. Ms. Jenkins: Good afternoon. My name is Ethel Jenkins and I want to say good afternoon to all our Commissioners and to all elected officials and especially our Mayor. My name is Ethel 6 Jenkins and I am an advocate of Small Non-Profits. And what I’m requesting today is your assistance on Small Non-Profits that have been adversely affected by a policy voted by the Augusta Commissioners. This policy requires Non-Profits receiving $25,000 dollars or less to have a review completed by an accounting firm however the original policy required a full audit. The financial burden placed up on these small non-profits who have budgets under $100,000 dollars is great. The dollars that are donated are earmarked for essential services for our participants. Small Non-Profits do not have large staffs and have to leverage funds in such a way that most of the funds are used for services not salaries. The State of Georgia and the Federal Government do not require audits or reviews from agencies receiving under $50,000 dollars in funding. Augusta- Richmond County has set a higher standard to receive local funding. Many of these Small Non- Profits are seriously impacted by these policies, I understand it and as most of you know providing essential services to the most needed and vulnerable constituents in our neighborhood. I do hope your constituents from all districts have called you, emailed you or texted you and they are expecting to hear back from you or mail letters to you so, today we come before you to seek your support. I know the question will arise over revocation of a policy that has already been done but we need you to take a look at this policy so that because non-governmental agencies would no longer be required and this has been done before during the SPLOST funding season. Of note it is said that Historic Augusta received $250,000 dollars. I am requesting that you invoke Augusta- Richmond County current policy an instituted policy in line with the state government. Thank you. Mr. Mayor: All right thank you, Ms. Jenkins. All right, thank you very much. Madam Clerk. The Clerk: I call your attention to our consent agenda. Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bonner, okay all right, are there any questions with regards to the delegation’s comments, any questions? Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, can I have a question please, sir? th. Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9 Ms. Jenkins, would you please approach, come back? Okay, you may have a few questions, okay? All right, Commissioner. Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Jenkins, I may have a question but I do have a comment as well. I know there are a lot of non-profit organizations help a great deal in this community with agencies and groups who don’t have anywhere else to go. A lot of people may have not experienced any of those agencies and they may not find it necessary but I do know how important the non-profits are. There are certain groups that are for profit then there’s non-profit. I guess my question is what around the state is the other cities I guess comparable to Augusta? Are you saying that the state and other cities around are different from the rules that we have? Is that what your question is? Ms. Jenkins: At this time I have not personally we may need to get someone in who works in the non-profit organizations. As I said this is the information that I was given but they did not 7 give me a copy of what they were doing in the other cities but I certainly would be glad to research it for you. Mr. M. Williams: Well, I would love to know and everything revolves around money and people don’t like to talk about it but I mean you know you can’t never have too much money I don’t guess. I mean I have a lot of stuff but I ain’t never had too much money. My point is, Reverend Bass, is that I want to be considerate of those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Ms. Jenkins: Right. Mr. M. Williams: And we are our brother’s keepers and we don’t look at it like that but when you talk about tax dollars and I know there’s a difference in ministry and local government. But when we give to some and we put restrictions on some and don’t put them on the other ones I think there ought to be at least looked at. So, I want you to know your words didn’t fall on deaf ears. I do have compassion, I do understand what you’re trying to say. Ms. Jenkins: I do understand that --- Mr. M. Williams: And --- Ms. Jenkins: --- and I know you do. Mr. M. Williams: --- I would love to look to see what we can do or what the other cities are doing and we ought to be comparable versus putting any burden. Ms. Jenkins: And as I said and I’ll be glad to help you research you and get it back to you the Commission if that’s what you need. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, that would help me a lot. Ms. Jenkins: I will do that. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Jenkins: Any other questions? Mr. Mayor: No, ma’am, thank you. Ms. Jenkins: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. All right, Ms. Bonner. The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of Items 1-10 with the additional of our addendum item regarding the P-3 Proposal, consent agenda Items 1-10 with the addition of our addendum item. 8 th Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Chair, with the consent of my colleagues I would like to add Items 13, 15, 16 to the consent agenda Items 13, 15 and 16. Mr. Mayor: Okay without objection. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner st from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: I’d like to add Item 18. Mr. Mayor: All right, there is an objection. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from th the 8. Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, during the Public Services Committee last week we had Items 11 and 12. I did not have a quorum and I know that’s coming up and if we could just go ahead and let the applicants be approved and let them be about their way. Mr. Mayor: All right, so what I just heard is that --- Mr. Guilfoyle: Make sure there’s nobody opposed. Mr. Mayor: --- a query whether there’s any, Commissioner, we’ll, I’ll ask you to waive on that we need to read their names etc. for the record and the best place to do that is at that time. Mr. Guilfoyle: All right. Mr. Mayor: I’m confident your colleagues will move expeditiously to approve those. Mr. Guilfoyle: All right and before we approve this consent agenda can we make sure we give recognition to Ms. Lockett in the house and tell Mr. Lockett I said hello. Mr. Mayor: All right, okay fantastic, we do see Ms. Jewel out there absolutely so thank you for coming. And you all know why she’s here and again it’s on the consent agenda, Ms. Jewel, and they’re going to move forward with that, all right fantastic. All right, the Chair recognizes the th Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’ve got a question on Item 2, agenda item 2. I’m not opposed to it but I do have a couple of questions and I’d like to at least have an opportunity to ask those questions I want to pull that --- The Clerk: Pull that one? Mr. Mayor: Pull that one. All right, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Our consent agenda consists of Items 1-10, the addendum item regarding the P-3 Proposal, Item 13, 15 and 16 and the pulling of Item number 2. 9 Mr. Sias: So moved. Mr. Frantom: Second. CONSENT AGENDA ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 1. Motion to approve proposal from McMillan, Pazdan, Smith Architecture in the amount of $150,000.00 to design renovations and additions to the Maxwell Brach Library at 1927 Lumpkin Road. (RFP 17-173) (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) 3. Motion to approve a request from Ms. Faye Smith on behalf of the “Early Risers Walking Group” to name the walking track at the Henry H. Brigham Community Center in honor of former Commissioner Bill Lockett. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) 4. Motion to approve authorizing staff to draft a code amendment to improve the bid evaluation process and bring it back to the Administrative Services Committee for review. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) 5. Motion to approve award for replacement of the roof on the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) South Augusta Precinct Building to the lowest compliant bidder, Horizon Roofing of Monroe, GA, in the amount of $147,777. (Bid 17-179) (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) 6. Motion to approve award for replacement of the roofs on the three Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) Special Operations Buildings to the lowest compliant bidder, Roofing Professionals, Inc. of Grovetown, GA, in the amount of $167,400. (Bid 17-193) (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) PUBLIC SAFETY 7. Motion to approve revised FY18 State Court DUI Court grant award. (Approved by Public Safety Committee July 25, 2017) ENGINEERING SERVICES 8. Motion to approve Purchase of Two Reservoir Mixers for the N. Max Hicks Water Treatment Plant under Bid Item 14-194. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee July 25, 2017) PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 9. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular and Special Called meetings of the Commission held July 18 and July 25, 2017. APPOINTMENTS 10. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Davis Bartholomew to the Augusta Transit Citizens Advisory Board Representing District 1. PUBLIC SERVICES 10 13. Request the Augusta Commission approve the five (5) year lease with Societe International de Telecommunications Aeronautiques (SITA) as approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission at their June 29, 2017 meeting. 15. Approve request for two (2) Victim Advocate positions and Supplemental Pay for one (1) State-Paid Assistant District Attorney (ADA). (Approved by Finance & Public Safety committees and no recommendation from Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) 16. Approve request for three (3) Assistant District Attorney (ADA’s) positions. (Approved by Finance & Public Safety committees and no recommendation from Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) ADDENDUM 19. Motion to approve amendment (Ordinance) to Augusta, Georgia Procurement Code to include the adoption of Public-Private Partnership P3) “Unsolicited Proposals”. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 11, 2017) (Approved by Commission July 18, 2017 – second reading) Mr. Mayor: Voting. Motion Passes 10-0. \[Items 1, 3-10, 13, 15, 16, 19\] The Clerk: I call your attention to the Public Services portion of our agenda, Items 11 and 12 Alcohol Petitions. PUBLIC SERVICES 11. New Location Application: A.N. 17-22: A request by Myles Jay Sword for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Lidl U.S. Operations located at 1096 Alexander Drive. District 7. Super District 10. Item 11: Is a request by Myles Jay Sword for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Lidl U.S. Operations located at 1096 Alexander Drive. Mr. Sword: Myles J. Sword, 219 Dakota Court, Evans, Georgia. Ms. Walton: Do we have any objectors? This application has approval of the Planning and Development and the --- Mr. Guilfoyle: Motion to approve. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a motion and a second, please vote. Motion Passes 10-0. The Clerk: 11 PUBLIC SERVICES 12. Location Transfer: A.N. 17-23: A request by Valarie W. Jenkins for an on-premise consumption Beer License to be used in connection with Whitehead Grill located at 2425 Milledgeville Rd. District 2. Super District 9. The Clerk: Any objectors Ms. Walton, no objectors, okay. Ms. Jenkins: Valarie Whitehead Jenkins, 3729 Rio Ridge Drive, Hephzibah. Mr. M. Williams: So moved. Mr. Jefferson: Second. Ms. Davis: Okay and this has been approved by Planning and the Sheriff’s Office? Okay, we have a motion and a second please vote. Motion Passes 10-0. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you. Madam Clerk, if we’ll go back to 2 please. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 2. Motion to approve by Resolution the FY 2017 Annual Action Plan for the following programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. (Originally Approved by Commission on October 4, 2016). (Approved by Administrative Services Committee July 25, 2017) Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Welcher, Commissioner Williams pulled this so Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Yes, Mr. Welcher, you and I had a conversation at committee but I’ve still got a couple of questions. I’m in support of this but I just need to get some clarity. You had CHODO’s down on your backup and I’m trying to decide about the CHODO. I thought we didn’t have any more CHODO’s and is there one do we, first I guess my question is do we still have CHODO’s I thought they was --- Mr. Welcher: You have one CHODO --- Mr. M. Williams: one CHODO? Mr. Welcher: --- you have one CHODO as well as other working Non-Profit Development Organizations. 12 Mr. M. Williams: Okay, see I was under the impression that we had changed that acronym I didn’t know, we didn’t have any CHODO’s but we do have one CHODO now. Mr. Welcher: You do have one. The whole idea of it being designated a CHODO as opposed to a non-profit has to do with what we consider a set aside amount of funding but there’s not a lot of. Based on the amount of funds that come in through your HOME Program the set aside is only a little over $100,000 dollars so there’s not a great benefit to the CHODO versus the non- profit. The CHODO as well as your working non-profits have the same benefits afforded to them. Mr. M. Williams: Okay, that gives me a little clarity. I thought they all had changed to non-profit and we didn’t have any more CHODO’s. That helped me out a lot but I understand a little bit better let me go back to the next question. The Financial Literacy and the Fair Housing is that the same program --- Mr. Welcher: No, sir. Mr. M. Williams: --- that’s a different program? Mr. Welcher: It’s different. You know Fair Housing currently we have two Certified Housing Counseling agencies, CSRA EOA and Promised Land, those are the two Housing Counseling Agencies that we fund. Financial Literacy is a different pot of funding. In the past what you’ve had over the years you’ve had where we just provide a Housing Counselor. Well what we’re doing that’s not enough anymore, Commissioner. When you just talk about having a future home buyer show up and provide counseling and then we give them a certificate. That’s not enough in 2018. Where we are now we want to be sure that when we put a home buyer in a house they clearly understand what a front-end ratio is, a back-end ratio, debt coverage ratio and we want to be sure they understand what equity is in their home. So that’s the reason why we’re making a push to say just providing home buyer counseling is not enough so we’re providing literacy after the person has closed on the home. Mr. M. Williams: I’m on the same plan with you. I agree with that but I’m just a little bit concerned because I asked this question at committee whether that’s going to be done in-house or outside. I was asking you will you be in competition because I’m trying to make sure that it’s not an us versus them type of situation. I’m still on your team so I just want to know what the play is. I don’t what to try to throw a basketball down a football field you know I want to be in the right game all right? Mr. Welcher: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: The CSRA well I get that I think my other question got answered but if it’s not outside if it’s not inside competition with other agencies they’re competing for the money because if I’ve got the purse strings, and me and you have had this conversation too, if I’ve got the purse strings I’m going to make sure my needs get met before somebody else’s needs get met --- Mr. Welcher: I understand. 13 Mr. M. Williams: --- common sense right so that’s why I asked the question. Mr. Mayor, you’re back but Ms. Mayor Pro Tem, I make a motion to approve. I wasn’t against it, I just wanted to those answers clear. Mr. Sias: Second. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: We have a motion and a second please vote. Motion Passes 10-0. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Welcher. The Clerk: Top to bottom? Mr. Mayor: Top to bottom. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 14. Discuss bringing the Augusta Probation Services Department in-house. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams) th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m going back on the football field with a basketball again but I want to, I had this agenda item to be placed on the agenda because of all the conversation and all the things that’s done transpired with our Probation Services. You know we were in a year this time last year we had a probation system that was at a disarray with the penalties or the fines being more than the probation service being. People were being mistreated and charged more and just a lot of stuff had happened. And then we brought somebody in. We had to be post-certified to certify that we had a good system and I thought we had something working well but evidently that’s not happening, Mr. Mayor. With all of the conversation that I’ve heard is about how bad it is now but six-months ago it was the best thing since sliced bread but now it’s turned to nothing with suspension, being placed on leave and all the other things happening. Mr. Mayor, I think we need to as an elected body to bring this back in house either put it under the Administrator or up under the Commission or somewhere where the Commission can hopefully get a good standing on Probation Services. So versus the non-profits just talking a while ago about how people are being mistreated, that’s a place when you go there you ain’t got no smile on your face even though you was wrong, even though you done messed up. You want somebody to have some mercy, you want somebody to have some understanding, you want somebody to give you some consideration. And I really feel bad because I when I look at those people who are dealing with that for whatever reason and I’m not excusing anybody for breaking the law but when you break the law and you’re being put on probation, then you’re being treated less than animals I think there’s some issues we need to be very considerate about that. So I’m making a motion we bring this Probation Services back in house temporarily either under the Administrator or this Commission until we can do something to alleviate the problem that’s going on over there. 14 th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, we’ve been, there’s a handful of people including the Administrator, the Attorney, Finance, Commissioner Bill Lockett at the time, myself but we had unanimous support from this whole body in order to bring in the probation in-house. We knew in the beginning after following the same footsteps guidelines from Athens-Clarke County that there was going to be some bumps in the road, no different than starting your own business. You don’t make a business succeed overnight. With this Augusta Probation, we’re finding out what’s happening through the papers or after the fact without no discussion with Judge Watkins. It would be nice if Judge Watkins would actually reach out or if we could actually move this forward to committee to where we could have a one on one conversation. I have not heard anything bad about the lady that we hired to run our Probation Office. There was nothing through Judge Slaby that indicated anything was wrong. Judge Slaby had retired as of yesterday and as of yesterday the young lady was put on administrative leave with no regards, no understanding as far as for us. But one thing with that action that you will have number one, in order to run a Probation Department by a city county you have to have a post-certified officer in charge. You just can’t put anybody off the street, you just can’t pick somebody that’s not post-certified. I don’t know if there’s his intent is to put it out on the market to attract qualified people. I don’t have a clue. We’re actually asking ourselves questions and most likely answering our own questions which is not a fair method of trying to resolve a problem. If Mr. Marion Williams would move this forward to the committee under the Public Safety and that would be under Dennis Williams and request Judge Watkins, we can’t tell him but we can request that for us to sit down and have a discussion about this. That way we can come up with solutions. So that’s where I’m at with this, sir. I do not want to bring it into, the Administrator has her plate full. It’s just not designed to be run by a Commission because we’re not in the law, we’re not in the court system. And to be truthful it’s over every one of our heads trying to run a Probation Office. Mr. Mayor: Okay, let me address a couple of things one, that motion from the th Commissioner from the 9 has failed. It did not receive a proper second all right, so we’re at st ground zero. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a motion that we have the discussion around the Augusta Probation Services moved to Public Safety at our next committee meeting. And also ask Judge Watkins to make himself available if he can to entertain any questions or concerns he may have about the Probation Office. Mr. D. Williams: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second to defer this to the Public Safety th Committee which will be scheduled for August the 8 and for one Judge David Watkins to appear. th All right, we’ve got a motion and a second the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve got no problem with my colleagues trying to send this to Public Safety Committee but let’s be reminded that I think the Probation Director is on administrative leave at this point and being on administrative leave that means that we have 15 no one who’s post-certified should be over that facility. So where does that leave her for that length of time and where does that leave this Probation Services for that length of time which no one is there to guide the ship so to speak, so if we do that and I’ve got no problem doing that. Now my colleague said that we don’t have the expertise in Probation. I’ve been here longer than anybody’s been here I guess and I don’t know if we’ve got any expertise in any department so what makes that different. My point is we ought to put this office under the Commission until we can get our feet up under us and know what we’re doing, find out which way to go and keep the Probation Services going. Those people are not standing out there saying well I don’t have to pay a probation fine then. The state demands that we have a post-certified person in that position and we’ve got one but being on administrative leave says that they’re not there now. So I wouldn’t th want sit until the 8 of this month to find out what my fate is and not be I think that it’s really, I mean we’re going to have to do something, Mr. Mayor, we’re going to have to do something we might not want to do it but we’re going to have to do something. Mr. Mayor: You know I’ve said it before you always ask the right questions and every one of the questions you asked today are spot on. All right, I’m going to I’m going to I’ll extend that invitation to him, I’ll do that, I sure will absolutely I’m going to bring it all together is just a second, Ms. Bonner. All right I’m going to ask the Attorney, I’m going to ask the Attorney because the th Commissioner from the 9 has well said you again most recently this body, this body approved a th probation order that the Commissioner from the 4 asked about on multiple incidences, most importantly asked as to why the judges had not executed that. And we came back and made some additional changes and as I understood at the time that was being adopted by the judges. And now we come back today to find out that not only has that not been delivered back to us or at least I don’t understand it to be delivered back to us but there’s been an action by those same judges to th, now decide to your point, Commissioner from the 9 that the Chief Probation Officer of record will be removed and placed on administrative leave. So, we’ve got a couple of things, Attorney MacKenzie. One, you statutorily have a position you now don’t have anyone in that position. The deputy as we all are aware of given the storied history short it is, is not post-certified so where are we? Mr. MacKenzie: It’s my understanding that the deputy’s not post-certified as a peace officer but is post-certified under the probation designation of P.O.S.T. There are a number of other post-certified officers that do work in probation. As you all know, this is a very recent action that the existing Chief was placed on administrative leave status. It’s my understanding Judge Watkins was out of town until recently so I don’t know who he if anybody has put in there on an interim basis. As far as an update on the status of the signatures on the most recent version of the agreement it was my understanding that Judge Slaby had started to circulate that around, it was being executed and I expect to receive that back. I don’t think the action in Probation had any impact on the execution of the agreement. Mr. Mayor: Well again, I’m your friend but you told us that last week and we knew all of this before Judge Slaby was to be departing. And again, I’m going to stand with my Commissioners on this one and that hadn’t happened so we’ve got all these actions taking place and we’ve tried to be a friend to the Judiciary. We will continue to do that but we have to have partners in that process, we have to have partners in that process. Right now that’s not necessarily th what’s happening. All right, I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 6. 16 Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, a couple of things I mean I agree with what you in terms with what you want to do with it. I think it would be mindful on this an answer on it but we may be talking about personnel matter. So by putting it on the Public Safety may be a good start but it may very well end up in Legal discussing this issue. Another thing is when we’re talking about a person being post-certified, there are several persons now to your point the Deputy Redd in particular is not but most of the top brass are post-certified folks who based on the criteria of the order that we set here in conjunction with the courts there are plenty of people over there. Now who that has been designated to I have no idea but I think we need to be mindful saying but there are persons there to do that. Either way you look at it you’ve got a two-fold there. We’ve asked for a person to be post-certified at the top level the deputies and things of that nature but we also if you want to resort back and go to the worst case scenario we’re talking about DCS Certified you’re talking about Redd. You know so we know based on the criteria we said Redd would not qualify to be in that command. Another thing we need to be mindful of when we say you have to be post-certified to do probation work well we need to be mindful that’s only the case because of the criteria we set here in Augusta. That is not a state statute. Mr. Mayor: I believe the gentleman knows of what he speaks and it raises in my junior attorney voice it raises a conundrum, Sylvia, a conundrum that we find ourselves in. And if it’s not addressed I think I read where you wrote this interesting word a time back we will have a kerfuffle on our hands. Mr. Hasan: That’s a good one, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I think we all recognize we have an issue and a problem and I won’t state my position that I had originally about Probation Services. But I will say this. Between now and Tuesday there’s an opportunity to get some things straight and on Tuesday whether we do it in Legal or whether we do it in Public Safety Committee there’s a time for some tough, hard conversations. I know we won’t get the answer to everything today so I look forward to some conversations and stuff between now and Tuesday and for us to have a very hard conversation on Tuesday and I’d like for us to move that forward. Thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second. Now we’re prepared to vote. All th. right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner form the 9 State your closing argument. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m listening what we have put together here in the local government to put this office in place and I really thought we had something that we could be proud of and was working well. Then all of a sudden it kind of changed and I don’t understand how it changed or why it changed. But you’re talking about being post-certified, there a lot of post-certifications for law enforcement but probation had to have special, I don’t want to say training I don’t know but the order I think and I’m not familiar with the order like I need to be states that the top three people will be post-certified for probation not just post-certified. There’s a lot of police officers that’s passed post but I think we put and someone said earlier we put something together different here but what happened to the employee though is my concern for 17 the next seven days or eight days to sit and then don’t know their fate at the end of that or what’s up or what’s down, I guess, Mr. Mayor. So, I’m a really a little bit worried about how, why we don’t take it back in and run this system or keep that person running that system until we can get our feet up under us because we don’t know nothing about it, nothing at all. Sentinel was here and left. We hired a company out of Athens, Georgia that was charging us $15,000 dollars a month, Donna Williams, I need your expertise to help. But they were charging some astronomical number to come in here to help us with post I’m sorry help us with probation. And then under order Judge Slaby we had to have somebody. They came in and charged us an outrageous amount of money. We hired somebody that kind of took the program over and showed us because they had experience they didn’t come on the last train coming out of Dallas. They had 25 years of experience I believe. So, I’m a little bit worried about where we’re going and how we’re doing this thing and how we’re treating it like it’s not important and it’s very important. So whatever the committee wants to vote on is fine but we ought to be considerate of people who work for us and doing a good job. Mr. Sias: Call for the question. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. I believe the gentleman knows of what he speaks. I think you’ll waive calling for the question everybody’s prepared to vote at this time. All right, voting. Mr. M. Williams not voting. Motion Passes 9-0. The Clerk: ENGINEERING SERVICES 17. Discuss the two Augusta Environmental Services Department events regarding the contracted hauling companies and their associated subcontractors. (Requested by Commissioner Sean Frantom) th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7. I believe we have with us Ms. Lori Videtto and Administrator Jackson to speak to these two matters. Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So these incidents occurred I guess in the last three weeks and I just kind of wanted to talk about them a little bit to see where we’re going moving forward so, Lori, I have some questions for you. On as far as our contracts we only control the prime contractors we have nothing to do with the subs, can’t help the subs, is that correct? Ms. Videtto: Correct. Mr. Frantom: Okay, because a few weeks ago we were talking about helping subs on this floor and I just want to make sure that we all understood that. The truck that was in the video on the TV stations, was that a yard waste truck? Ms. Videtto: Yes. 18 Mr. Frantom: Okay, that was a yard waste truck. And if these trucks include non-contract waste what are the possible consequences of the contract? Ms. Videtto: Our contract currently states that if non-contract waste is mixed with a contracted services then that is considered a breach of contract. Mr. Frantom: And what are the options if they breach? Ms. Videtto: Termination of the agreement. Mr. Frantom: There’s no 90-day --- Ms. Videtto: There is a process to follow through the breach provisions but and there’s some dialogue that has to happen through that process but ultimately that’s the direction that you’re headed. Mr. Frantom: Okay. On the second incident the individuals picked up bulk waste that was outside of the contracted rate, gave the individuals cash. Do we have any protections for future incidences or have we implemented anything since we learned of this incident? Ms. Videtto: We have internally. Some of the things that we’ve put in place are to verify with our haulers that the technology on the trucks is working because we do have the systems on the vehicles that allow us to know where they are, what they’re collecting. If it is out of compliance, we get photographs and things like that. That’s a huge step for us because we need to make sure and be able to verify where those things are occurring. Some of the other things that we do is we’ve stepped up our follow up, we’ve stepped up our follow up with our customers and we’ve stepped up our field checks. We follow the trucks and see what they’re doing just so we can actually see and can verify that these things are occurring correctly. Mr. Frantom: And what about as far as the camera system on the trucks do they all have them or do they have to be implemented like what’s the? Ms. Videtto: They have still cameras on them and they are able to be used and I’ll be honest with you they are a little be touchy because you have a camera and a computer system on a large vehicle, I mean that’s just going to be a little bit touchy as you go. But if the systems are working appropriately you do have the ability to see those pictures you do have the ability to track the truck. It has a GPS system on it so you know where they are at any given time. Mr. Frantom: And I guess in my closing comments I just think that you know we’ve got to value the contracts that we have and hold these prime contractors to standards understanding that we can’t do anything to the subs. So thank you, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: You’re very welcome. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6 th followed by the 9. 19 Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Two of the questions that my colleague Commissioner Frantom posed to Ms. Videtto I think is still a little fuzzy in terms of what we can do and what we can’t do around the subs because when you hear Ms. Videtto and we’ve had this conversation before and so I want to just kind of broaden this. When and what was said to us at one point is that it’s a hands off with the contracts in terms of once we give them to the primes. The primes handle the subs but that’s not the case. This government led by the Environmental Services Department is monitoring this whole contract and that’s why you heard Ms. Videtto made mention that there’s a team. When I say team I mean a couple of employees I don’t mean 11 or 12 people basketball football team of people that are following and making sure that these things are happening. What they’re following is the primes as well as the subs; they’re monitoring them both. Many times we as Commissioners I will say for myself let me take personal blame for this that when I have a concern or my constituents have a concern about debris being on the sidewalk or being there too long and it’s not been picked up, I don’t call Inland, I don’t call Advance we call Environmental Service. Enviromental Service for all intents and purposes dispatches someone there to rectify that problem so we are involved with that contract; that’s my point we are involved with that contract. The other issue I think it was two issues that you first but really we’re trying to rectify and look at these things holistically, I’ll just do it that way, holistically so it’s not hands off in saying what we can’t do by way of talking to the primes and trying to get their consent. When you just mentioned about yard waste that’s what it is about the yard waste and bulk waste being put in the same vehicle there’s been some legislative changes on the state level, there’s been some changes in terms of trying to talk with the primes. Also in talking with the Engineering Services Department to rectify some of those things to get some relief in many ways so those things are being worked on by the Administrator and others as we speak around this I think around this audit of sort that Ms. Jackson has been tasked to do by this Commission. So, some of those things I think we’re kind of getting ahead of. I do understand us inquiring about this incident pay to play if you want to give it that name and those kinds of things I understand that. But those other issues will come back to us so we look at them from an auditory perspective and whether some of the conversations have already been had. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Lori, I need to ask a couple of questions related to this. When do our new garbage contracts come back up for review or --- st Ms. Videtto: The current agreement is, terminates on December 31 2021 that we would start talking about it probably a year or 18-months ahead of that. Mr. M. Williams: Well, you know and I said this several times, Mr. Mayor, we’re trying to pick up a 100 pounds of garbage that we were doing twice a week trying to do it once a week now and really half of this community if not more but at least half of this community is getting trashed more because those same cameras that you’re talking about on those trucks or if you go down the road, you’re going to find out that more stuff is on the street over the top of the cans, spilling outside the cans because people are trying to put 100 pounds of garbage once a week. Now people are paying more money for less service. I think that’s our fault. We as elected officials we took the word of the Director and we bought into that. But anybody that’s riding around on garbage day can see how much more trash is getting spread all over the ground versus picking the 20 garbage up. Now I have to admit to make it I used to think that once a week was fine and it is for me because it ain’t anybody but me and my dogs and they don’t put nothing in the garbage but people who got a family, people who got children, people who got other stuff trash builds up. And there’s no certain day that trash builds up. It ain’t like on Friday you just say you know what all my trash is going to come in you might buy something today you might even pick up something at the Flea Market, you might come home with anything and your trash may be filling in at any given moment but we are still letting people suffer. I see people with two cans now, two and three cans out there and they say you’ve got to pay for an additional can, that’s not right. It’s no knock on you now I’m just --- Ms. Videtto: But one of the conversations that we have to have is right sizing the service and if things are changing and it’s no longer the right-size for the constituency then that’s something we have to look at --- Mr. M. Williams: And I --- Ms. Videtto: --- and that happens over time. Mr. M. Williams: --- agree with that. What I don’t want to do to right-size the service is charge people any more than what we are charging them now because they’re paying more for less service now. And you say well we don’t want the trucks on the street everyday but you’ve got two or three trucks coming down the street the same day. I mean it’s the same wear, it just don’t make good sense. Someone mentioned about the subcontractors and the subs did an outstanding job picking up garbage because they was hungry for business, they work hard and they appreciate the opportunity to work with this city. They did everything we asked them to do. Now all of them are gone, maybe there’s one, no more than two. And I hear people saying technology you know and things have changed but why would we pay the kind of money we’re paying, Mr. Mayor, to get less trash picked up and charge the taxpayers more money to do that. So, I guess that’s a fight we’ll have to fight another day, Lori, I just wanted to bring that, I appreciate you stepping to the plate and doing what you’re doing too, thank you. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, thank you as well. I’m going to give it back to the Commissioner from th the 7 for a closing argument. Mr. Frantom: You know I think there’s been some good discussion. I think obviously with the audit Ms. Jackson’s doing I think some of that will come to light. But I just think we have to be accountable for all our contractors because it doesn’t send a good message to the community when they see things like this or hear about them in the community. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner. All right, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATOR 21 18. Motion to approve proposed rollback mill rates for each taxing district, advertise the required 5-year history of the digest and to schedule the date of the meeting for August 15 at 2 PM to adopt the proposed rates. Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Administrator Jackson. Ms. Jackson: Thank you, sir. This is our recommendation for the mill rate for 2017. This has to do with the budget year that we’re currently in. As you all know we set a budget at the end of the previous year for the upcoming year. The tax bills go out typically in August or September of the current year to raise revenue for the current year just so everybody’s clear this is setting the millage rate for 2017. We are recommending the rollback rate and Ms. Donna will give a detailed description of how she calculated that based upon state regulations. We are anticipating that the rollback rate will result in a slight, very slight decrease in property taxes. For instance, if you own a $100,000 dollar property that decrease would be approximately 28 cents. We are looking at that difference between that revenue as what we projected in our budget being a drop of approximately $200,000 dollars which given the scope of our budget is a very small percentage. I provide that to you by way of overview from here. Ms. Williams will get into the detailed discussion and hopefully we’ll get your approval for our recommended rate. Mr. Mayor: All right, Ms. Williams. Ms. Williams: Good afternoon. The tax presentation is pretty much the same as you received in your agenda packet. The only change would be I made a correction on the last page because I forgot to change the date. So, we’ll go through it relatively quickly and if you have some questions when I get through I’ll be happy to try to answer those for you. The first slide is a repeat of what you see typically every year. It’s the requirement from the State of Georgia that tells you the process for setting your millage rate when you accept the rollback rate that is calculated per the formula provided by the state. You have to advertise a 5-year history of the digest and the current years proposed millage rate and it has to appear in the newspaper one week before the scheduled adoption date and also tell you the scheduled adoption date in the body of that ad. The second slide is pretty much what I just covered it tells you how to go about advertising the rollback rate and what is required should you chose to propose the rollback rate as your annual millage rate. Mr. Mayor: Donna --- Ms. Williams: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- can you suspend for a moment. Okay we --- Ms. Williams: Go to the end? Mr. Speaker: (inaudible) question --- Mr. Mayor: --- well, we’re going to give you a chance we’re going to give you a chance to ask the question. I think we’ve been sitting on go --- 22 Ms. Williams: Okay. Mr. Mayor: --- this is no this is no disrespect to our Finance Director but there’s been a lot of conversation over the last two weeks about this. Folks have had a chance to position themselves and know what they’re ready to do. And we’ve got a motion it’ll come in just a second. All right, Donna, you’ve got a question we’ll let you answer the question. All right, the Chair recognizes th the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Williams, I just need to just take your crystal ball out and help me understand by rolling back this 28-cent deal here what’s that going to do for us going forward because we’ve got another budget going to be coming up pretty soon and we’ll be trying to figure out what we need to do. Now if we rollback the 28 cents what will that do when we get ready, are we going to roll back the 28 cents and then charge then $28.00 dollars next year. Ms. Williams: My crystal ball does not tell me what you guys are going to do next year -- - Mr. M. Williams: Okay --- Ms. Williams: --- I’m hoping to make it through the process we’ve got going right now. Mr. M. Williams: --- okay, I’m just asking, I understand because I don’t know what to do I’m telling you. Thank you. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4 for a motion. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I’m going to make a motion to approve this but before I do that I just want to ask Ms. Williams, what was that date you changed? Ms. Williams: On the subsequent actions, your original packet said that the targeted date th. th to mail out the bills was August the 12 That’s if you don’t approve it until August the 15 it’s going to be pretty tough for Mr. Kendrick to get those out. I’m not sure he and all those interns could put them out three days before you guys approve it so I just changed it to, we’re talking to th staff in his office they said that if it is approved on August the 15 which is the scheduled date for nd this schedule that their target date for mailing the bills is September the 2. Mr. Sias: Move to approve. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, voting. Mr. Guilfoyle votes No. Mr. M. Williams votes Present. Motion Passes 8-1-1. 23 \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] 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 August 1, 2017. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 24