HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting November 7, 2017
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
NOVEMBER 7, 2017
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., November 17, 2017, the
Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Jefferson, Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, Davis, Fennoy, D. Williams, Hasan
and Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Absent: Hon. M. Williams, member of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Good afternoon, everybody. We are going to call this meeting to order. Ms.
Bonner, the first thing I’d like to do is go ahead and get consent to add these items to the agenda
without objection. We have consent to add these items to the agenda.
Mr. Sias: No objection.
Mr. Mayor: Without objection.
Mr. Mayor: All right, very good, okay. We are excited to have our Superintendent of
Schools with us today. I’m going to yield in just a moment to Ms. Bonner but I do want to
acknowledge our Superintendent Pringle who’s going to come up in just a moment but we’re very
excited to have her here with us. I am her biggest champion and we are excited that our schools
are graduating students at 80%, first time in ten years, one in ten years, we’re very excited about
that, very excited about that. So, all right she’s going to share some of the good stuff with us but
every chance I get I’m going to tell everybody that, I’m going to tell everybody. And I am a
product of the Richmond County Public School System. That was for Commissioner Sias, Ms.
Bonner. All right, the Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: At this time I call your attention to the invocation portion of our agenda. We
ask the Elder Daniel Gant, Pastor of the Mason Chapel Church of God in Christ to please come
forward to deliver our invocation after which we would ask Superintendent Pringle to please us
into the Pledge of Allegiance.
The invocation was given by Elder Daniel Gant, Pastor, Mason Chapel Church of God in
Christ.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: To Elder Gant we want to thank you for being our Chaplain of the Day and
thank you not only for your leadership there with the congregation there and Mason Chapel Church
of God in Christ but for your example in this community to all of our citizens. Would you join me
in congratulating him and thank him for being our Chaplain of the Day today. (APPLAUSE)
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The Clerk: At this time we would have recognition of our Employee of the Month. We
ask Administrator Jackson, the Mayor to please come forward and Mr. Michael Loeser our H.R.
Director will acknowledge our employee in recognition for Years of Service.
Mr. Loeser: 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’s my esteemed pleasure to recognize our October Years of
Service recipients. For the Month of October 2017 we have 15 employees celebrating 5 to 20
years of service with Augusta Richmond County. This afternoon we would like to recognize our
15 to 50 years of service recipients, when I call your name please come forward. Tameka Allen,
IT 25 years of service. (APPLAUSE) Quincy O’Bryant, Fire Department 25 years of service.
(APPLAUSE) James Campbell, Fire Department 30 years of service. (APPLAUSE) Tony
Collier, RCCI 30 years of service. (APPLAUSE) Lisa Sherrouse, Finance 40 years of service.
(APPLAUSE)
The Clerk: Ms. Lisa Sherrouse, thank you.
Mr. Loeser: And Mr. Melvin Tyler, could you please come down?
RECOGNITION(S)
Employee of the Month
A. Congratulations! Mr. Melvin Tyler, Planning and Development Department October
2017 Employee of the Month.
The Clerk: As Mr. Tyler makes his way down we ask Ms. Melanie Wilson. The Employee
Recognition Committee has selected Mr. Melvin Tyler as Augusta, Georgia’s Employee of the
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Month for October 2017. Mr. Tyler has been employed with the City of Augusta since May 22
2015, he transferred from the Marshall’s Office to Planning and Development. Since joining
Planning and Development he has progressed at a rapid pace within 10-weeks he completed two
separate International Co-Council Certification in the fields of plumbing and mechanics. This is
a great achievement and warrants recognition at the highest level. Shortly before the arrival of
Hurricane Irma Planning and Development began the urgent audacious task of relocating the fleet
vehicles to a location with higher ground. It was crucial to find a secure location to avoid potential
wind and flood damage from the storm. The department had an agreement with a big-box store to
move the fleet vehicles to their lot. While the relocation of these vehicles was to have begun on a
Sunday afternoon Mr. Tyler with conviction and ingenuity set out to secure an even higher location
that was much closer to the original site than the big-box store. He then oversaw the transfer of
the fleet vehicles and assured that all was handled properly and efficiently. Had this endeavor not
been handled as well as it was, the fleet vehicles not protected from the storm damage, the financial
loss would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mr. Tyler is an excellent employee
and an asset to the department he is willing to assist with any office functions to promote unity
among the work force. During his off time, he coaches baseball, football and several other sports
for Augusta Richmond County Parks and Recreation. He has collaborated with community leaders
and businesses to help raise money for such things as children’s uniforms and social events.
Working with youth and giving back to the community are among Mr. Tyler’s personal passions.
Mr. Tyler’s future endeavors include continued professional growth in Planning and Development
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and pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Southern University.
Based on this information and Mr. Tyler’s outstanding contribution to the Augusta Planning and
Development Department and his service to Augusta, Georgia the Employee Recognition
Committee would appreciate you in joining us in recognizing him as the October 2017 Employee
of the Month. Congratulations. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Guilfoyle: Congratulations.
Mr. Tyler: Thank you. (APPLAUSE) The Mayor just hit me with a cheap shot he said
Go Cowboys, I’m a Chief’s fan. But I would like to first thank my Director Ms. Melanie Wilson
she has been tremendous to all of us not just me. But it has been a great pleasure to work in this
department and continue to move forward. My colleagues that are here we work together we fight
together through anything we always make it out together. I just want to say thank you to the city
and I appreciate this. (APPLAUSE)
Ms. Wilson: I’m going to be pithy today I just want to say that Melvin has been an
incredible employee. When he started out we had to have a power meeting for probably about a
half hour and once he could’ve realized that our goals were the same and that he could move
forward within the department life has been great. So he is a tremendous employee. I’m very
proud of him and also of my staff that’s here who worked diligently to insure that all of the citizens
are safe in Augusta Richmond County. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner Jefferson.
Mr. Jefferson: Thank you. I just want to take a moment to say to the Planning and
Development Department formerly the License and Inspection Department this is a fine young
man. He has a can-do attitude. I’ve been told by several citizens he would rather tell you how you
could do something and what’s needed to be done than rather than tell you you can’t do something
so he’s very, very customer friendly and taxpayer oriented. So I think we have a fine asset in this
young fellow here and this is just the beginning. Once again, congratulations.
Mr. Tyler: Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
ADDENDUM
33. Update from Superintendent Angela Pringle, Richmond County Board of Education
regarding the Annual College & Career Reading Performance Index (CCRPI) for Richmond
County. (Requested by Commissioner Dennis Williams)
The Clerk: At this time I call your attention to our Addendum agenda. Item number one
is an update from Superintendent Angela Pringle, Richmond County Board of Education regarding
the Annual College & Career Reading Performance Index for Richmond County.
Dr. Pringle: Thank you so much and Mayor Davis, Commissioners, Administrator
Jackson, thank you so much for having me. Commissioner Williams, a member of our Education
Committee, I really appreciate the opportunity to share with you. I can remember two or three
years ago meeting to talk about the status of education in Richmond County. We are well aware
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of our impact on economic development, workforce development and all that happens in
Richmond County. And I’d like to of course begin by saying on behalf of the Board of Education
and myself again I bring you greetings and I’m delighted to be here. The Richmond County
Schools we realize do not live apart from the community, from the educators, the teachers, the
students, board members all support raising student achievement, raising expectations in our
schools. And we have a sense of urgency we all as a community now have a different perspective
about what our children are able to do and what they have been able to do over the last two or three
years with the new Georgia Milestones. So let me share a little bit about the College and Career
Readiness Performance Index. This particular score which you’ve probably have heard a lot about
sort of adds a rating to our school. It really takes a lot of metrics and gives us one number that we
can use to describe the performance of our children. It looks at our children’s ability to pass the
test, the children’s ability to grow and improve and our children’s ability to raise themselves from
or wean our support to them to raise themselves from the bottom of what we call quartile and so
there is good news. There was a new test administered to students four years ago and I can honestly
say that our children struggled to really get to grasp the concepts but due to the hard work of our
teachers, our administrators and certainly our community, we have seen that gap closing. And so,
I’ll say to you that this year our district wide CCRPI, that College and Career Readiness
Performance Index, went up 6.6 points and that is significant for us. A lot of us have the number
60 stuck in our minds because of all of the OSD Legislation that was before us two or three years
ago or a couple of years ago and so, we have decided that that is the measure for us relative to
moving forward. Our elementary schools saw an increase of almost six points, our middle schools
saw an increase of six points and our high schools saw an increase of ten points, our high schools
really did well. And last year we had 24 elementary schools that fell below 60. This year we had
13 all within a five or six-point range of being within that 60 which is huge. We also saw a huge
increase in our middle schools but our high schools really demonstrated the ability to serve students
by increasing the graduation rate, SAT and ACT scores, and all but one school moved above that
rate of 60 so we were very, very proud of their ability to move kids in a big way. 48 of the 60
schools saw an increase, a significant increase, 80% of our schools saw an increase on
improvement in their CCRPT score and 18 of our schools demonstrated a five-year high. And so
I really want to let you know that our schools are moving in a very, very positive direction. We
feel good about the gains they have made but again I go back to the fact that we do not live apart
from the community. Many of you have supported us through internships. Mayor Davis, the
mentoring programs the opportunity to share information in your meetings with the community,
the volunteer opportunities allowing staff to work with us on out of school structure time through
after school programs, staff working with us through Administrator Jackson on WIFI opportunities
for children. This has truly been a community effort. And if I turn and look to the audience I can
tell you I see people to my left and to my right who really have come to me and offered excellent
opportunities for children to grow and really be engaged. Our RPM partnership that you all
attended with the signing with Textron was so powerful and I can tell you we graduated 24 students
from that program already in just one year. And these are children that would never have graduated
from high school in the traditional way the time that they had so we appreciate your support there.
But in closing I want you to know that we expect of our schools to attain success in the next year
or two or beyond where they are and continue to grow. We know that again it’s going to take
organizations, it’s going to take the Chamber and their organization which again Commissioner
Williams works on that to provide out of school programs for children, internship opportunities,
after school programs, WIFI access and I cannot say enough to each and every one of you on
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behalf of the Board of Education for your involvement and commitment to the children of
Richmond County. But we are certainly moving forward. We’re moving forward because of a
great collaboration between our Board of Education and our educators across the community,
yourselves and others who have stepped up and volunteered to mentor, to engage in the learning
of children and I fully expect us to continue to grow and get off every list that they have at the
Department of Education. Thank you so much. (APPLAUSE)
nd.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2 Our liaison placed this
on the agenda, would you please give comment?
Mr. D. Williams: Thank you very much for coming down, Dr. Pringle. It’s good that our
community is aware of the great things that’s happening with our Board of Education in improving
the condition of our young people. Thank you once again for the hard work you put in.
Dr. Pringle: You’re welcome.
Mr. Mayor: Fantastic, thank you, Dr. Pringle.
The Clerk: Okay? I call your attention to the delegation portion of our agenda.
DELEGATIONS
B. Ms. Zellena Jennings regarding over grown vacant lot not being maintained.
Ms. Jennings: Good afternoon.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Jennings, good afternoon. We are going to give you five minutes if you
will.
Ms. Jennings: All right. My name is Zellena Jennings. I am a concerned citizen.
Mr. Mayor: Would you give us your address as well, ma’am?
Ms. Jennings: My address is 147 Arborside Drive in Augusta, Georgia. And I’m here to
just highlight the situation about overgrown lots and boarded up homes. And I know that this is
nothing new and that I’ve been told that there are a lot of property in Augusta that suffers the same
plight but I just wanted to have my voice heard on this because I have property that’s next to a lot
that’s overgrown, falling trees, limbs that type of thing and it’s rather deplorable. So I set out to,
I said you know I really need to do something about this or at least have my voice heard. I called
311. It was in June. Months rolled around and you know nothing was done about it but I
understood that. I was told that that was in process, they have a process of notifying the property
owner, send them a certified letter, waiting for them to respond then when they don’t respond they
send someone out to cut, mow the lawn, the lot. Well that was done in June and here it is, it was
October. I said, wow, this is a long time. What can be done about this? I called my Commissioner.
I spoke with Mr. Fennoy for a few minutes and he said you know we’ve got something on the
agenda we’re addressing that so I’m here. I‘m here to just bring attention to it more. What I did
was I called I didn’t call them but I sent a letter to the property owner. I did not think that I didn’t
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believe that something was actually going to be done about it but I wanted to be made a note that
their property was an eyesore. At times I went by one time and drove by the property and there
was a loud stench smell coming I said oh something has died on the property and I was thinking,
I said hope and pray it’s no human remains perhaps an animal carcass or something. So, but those
types of things it’s very, very perplexing. Then their tree fell over on my fence, bent that down
and I didn’t think they would also didn’t expect for them to pay for it but I had to pay for someone
to remove it from my side of the property. That being said just to highlight some of the problems
that has happened. I called 311 several times and then I called Code Enforcement. They returned
calls to me, there was response. They let me know that they would try to do something about it.
But being as it may I see you know it is a real problem and I would like to know what definite
things are being done to change things around. How is it that we can reduce abandoned properties
that’s allowed to for weeds and trees to and vines to take over and why is this allowed to exist,
what’s preventing a change? Why are property owners allowed to be irresponsible and is there a
more suitable way to control this and to do something about it. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Ms. Jennings. We appreciate you coming and have your voice
heard. Ms. Bonner, I want to, obviously there are no questions from the body but I want to digress
for just a moment before we got to our next delegate. There’s a lot that goes on in the world in
which we live in and again. Just this weekend a very tragic event happened in these United States
of America. But most importantly in a small town in Texas where a group of church members,
parishioners were there worshiping their God and in the midst what they came to know as their
place of refuge a sanctuary was turned into anything other than that. And so I think it’s appropriate
for us at this time to just again while it happened in Texas, God forbid, it would happen in any of
our locales but I do want to ask this body and our audience who is here today if we would just
pause for a moment and we’ll stand and just take a moment of silence and reflection on not only
those family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers and common parishioners there in Texas but
think about our own family, friends, neighbors, loved ones, if we’ll do that for just a moment at
this time, if you’ll stand (inaudible). Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ask everybody in this room as well as everybody
watching on TV and on their computers right now to put the family and friends of the officers of
last week that had passed away, our own local police officers. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner Guilfoyle. Again so much going on in the world
in which we live. Three of our officers who have transitioned and again may we keep their families
in our prayers, their fellow deputies, investigators, keep them all in our prayers. Ms. Bonner, I see
that our Sheriff has arrived and it’s probably a good Segway to again have him next in our
delegation lineup if you don’t mind.
The Clerk: Presentation from Sheriff Richard Roundtree regarding Richmond
County Sheriff’s Office Salary Presentation. (Requested by Commissioner Grady Smith)
Sheriff Roundtree: Good afternoon, Commissioners. Pardon me if I held you up. I had
just left the service for Deputy Wallace. Also forgive me the fact that we had scheduled to be
placed on the agenda next week but no need to postpone what I’m about to say because it doesn’t
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change anything. A few months ago I gave you all a presentation in reference to our current state
of affairs within the Sheriff’s Office. I realize that a Compensation Study has been gone on since
then but the reality of the situation is right now where we are with the amount of work that our
deputies do and the hours that they put in and the amount of calls they work within this
geographical area. Not Savannah, not Athens Clarke County, not Macon. We’re not losing
deputies there. We’re losing deputies to agencies right here around Richmond County. We don’t
have to move, don’t have to pick up and to go out and do law enforcement work. We come and
we train our deputies. One of our biggest selling points is the fact that we offer as much training
in two years that most agencies in this area will not get until five to ten years as far as experience
and then these officers leave. Our Compensation Package was not designed just for the starting
rate but also as a retention tool, a tool to the fact that when we train deputies that we keep them at
two years, we can keep them at five years, we can keep them at ten years supporting the efforts of
everything going on in Richmond County. Again, I’m not going to relive the budget presentation
that I gave you before because you have that and you have the numbers and the numbers speak for
themselves and they support themselves. Just to that fact that in this budget process one of the
things that is frustrating with us is that we’ve not been included in this process. We’ve had not
one conversation with anybody from this administration or this government about what can we do
to raise salaries in Richmond County. We have been waiting for that, we have been seeking that
throughout the year. That’s why I brought the presentation to you two months ago to open those
dialogues and in this process all we do is get numbers thrown at us. This day and age in which we
can go in now the last set of numbers was the request to cut 14 positions from your Public Safety
section. The other request we got today that I believe the Compensation Study that we’re going
to be allowed $750,000 which amounts to a 2% increase but does nothing as far as retention. The
other thing about it is our compensation for our salaries. We have been budgeting for 80 hours in
our salaries. We had to hold 20 positions out just to pay the overtime for the lapsed I mean for the
float days that the deputy, now that has been included in this year’s budget by about $900,000
dollars but by doing so our budget, operating budget was decreased by $900,000 dollars. So you
give the deputies what they’re paid to work which you must do by law and then you cut the budget
by $900,000 dollars in the operating budget again with no discussion through us. We have not had
a discussion. We want to be a part of the process. We’ve shown you for the last five years that
we have diligent with the county funds. We have not been splurging; we’ve showed you where
every dime has went to. We show you what we propose, where we’re going to spend the money
at every time above board but we’ve yet again to be involved in this process and we just ask to be
involved in this process. And we believe that the citizens of Augusta Richmond County deserve
that their law enforcement should be properly funded based on the area in which and the work that
we do. We’re not asking for anything special, I’m here to tell you. I’m not asking for something
outlandish. I’m not saying that we need to be the highest paid agency in the state even though I
feel like we should for the work that we do but I’m not asking for that. I’m asking that we be
compensated at the rate that’s comparable to the regions of this area and to be a part of the process.
We’re trying to get there. We’re willing to look at positions to being cut. We’re willing to
reallocate positions. We would do that; we just ask to be a part of the process. Again, like I said
I wasn’t prepared to give our presentation today but the facts are not going to change. They’re
not. We’re open for discussion but I’m just going to tell you that if we do not do something and
do it now because every other agency that the comparison has been, the Compensation Study has
been compared to Macon-Bibb, Athens Clarke which I talked to recently in the last year (inaudible)
each one of those agencies are getting at least a 4 to 12% increase. Columbia County has already
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gotten a 5% and expect to get another one come the first of January. These are things that are
happening everywhere else; they’re not happening here. Now we’re going out every day doing
the job, everyday, working over, working lap, and then covering every function that this county
has, every one of them. Now again I’m asking you to give the deputies what they deserve. I’m not
asking for anything above that. And like I say we would like to be a part of the budget process.
Thank you for your time. If you have any questions I’d be happy to answer them.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, I believe over the past years with previous Sheriff’s previous
administrations it was always worked hand in hand with the Sheriff’s Department as well as this
governing body. They were part of the due process. It was a give and take relationship and it
doesn’t take action from this body to request that but I think that the administration or staff needs
to sit down and discuss this. What we had last week as far as the elimination of positions nobody
knew about it I don’t believe as far as department directors, elected officials, the Sheriff. I think
he found out about it at 8:55 that morning. And I believe communication needs to happen in order
to get this to progress in a positive way.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, anybody else? All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 3 Mayor Pro Tem Davis.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I agree with that. I just want to see how we can
make that happen now because I know we’ve already had many workshops. And so I want us to
try to be proactive on this and make that happen now because I know we have to approve this
budget in the next, what two weeks? So I agree I think it’s time for open communication and to
see how we can at least have everybody to the table.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I appreciate it. Mr. Mayor, I think as we look at the
numbers today unless we’re really going to drill down or what we’re looking at today I think it
was about a $2.3 million-dollar that Ms. Jackson our Administrator has put before us through this
whole conversation. And we know for most or many of us we’re not settled with that as of yet and
I’m going to just throw this out to try to drill down to what my colleagues are saying. What Ms.
Jackson put before us, what the Administrator put before us the first time she put $2.3 million-
dollars that we had in hand, the excise tax is one of those. The excise tax was only about $1.2
million-dollars. We already reduced that. Also she had a half a mill, she had a half a mill for the
franchise fees. There’s another six-hundred a little over $600,000 dollars so right now in actuality
if you take and take the excise tax off the table, if we take the half a percent off the table, you’re
down to $400,000 dollars. So now when you do those kinds of things now remember when she
said when the Administrator mentioned that I mentioned that we need to actually go up on the
excise tax not the excise tax franchise fees a whole percent so that would give us $1.2 that would
offset the excise tax. But you still, either way you’re losing money now if you take and do the
one, so let me back up. You’re going in with a little over $400,000 dollars, Mr. Mayor, if you take
those two out. If you come back and put the franchise fees into $1.2 and you still do the $400,000
you still don’t have but 1.6 so now, here’s my point. Short of us cutting positions when I say
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cutting positions letting employees go if we’re not prepared for the most part to raise taxes we’re
not going to be able to help the Sheriff. So Ms. Jackson can sit with him, she can squeeze the
Charmin all she wants. I don’t see how you’re going to get there. Now for the record, Sheriff, you
may not appreciate Mr. Mayor can I, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
Mr. Hasan: Sheriff, if you wasn’t here earlier today one of the things based on what I just
said around raising taxes which is (unintelligible) I suggested that you have 750 positions in your
organization maybe 752, something like that. As you’re seeing the numbers or your staff’s seeing
the numbers last time they had about 89 positions, so I rounded off to 90 that were vacant at this
particular time. In trying to find money within the budget and in particular in your budget I
suggested, I don’t run your agency or know what that looks like but I suggested why don’t we if
the Sheriff can fill 50 of those positions then he may very well be fully staffed, I don’t know. But
take 40 of those positions, defund them because it (unintelligible) that thirty-four point something
and you factor in the 30 you have 45,500. Those 40 positions generate $1.8 million dollars to get
you where you need to be without us raising taxes. I don’t know whether that handicaps your
organization or your agency or not but I put that on the table today so if you hear it, it came from
me.
Sheriff Roundtree: Thank you, Commissioner, and like I said before we, 20 of those
positions have been held vacant by on purpose to pay for the float days that the deputies were
getting because we couldn’t afford to have the deputies off. We had to have them working. So
we intentionally closed those positions or defunded or held them open to pay that money. Now in
this year’s budget we put in we budget for the amount of hours that the deputies work instead of
the 80 hours they work 84 hours each pay period. So we budgeted for the money that they work
so we wouldn’t have to kill those positions. But we’ve done without them for two years and that’s
what I’m saying. We have conversations and we would definitely look at the conversation of
defunding those positions that we’ve held vacant in order to get those other funding those other
positions filled because I believe that we can retain the deputies that we’ve got. We’re hiring,
we’ve got 22 deputies coming out, 12 this Thursday and another 14 coming out next, another 12
coming out next Friday. We put a class of 22 in at one time in the Police Academy, the largest
class we’ve ever done and they graduate next Thursday. That’s 28 more deputies that will be on
the street once they get trained starting next week, that’s how aggressive we’ve been. And that’s
what I’m saying. If we have conversations about if we can cut 20 positions or 30 positions or
whatever and still maintain a staffing level and get us to where we are, we’re willing to have that
conversation. Absolutely we are. But we’ve not been afforded an opportunity to have that
conversation. All we hear is we do not have the money, we do not have the money. And we need
to find ways to come up with the money and like you said with a tax increase I understand it’s
troubling times. I understand next year is an election year. I’ve ran twice myself so I understand
this process. But I believe the citizens of Augusta if it means that a tax increase will pay for the
supplement to pay for the deputies’ raises then I will be in favor of that. I will support that. I will
advocate for that. But again that is a conversation we’ve not had or ever been presented to as an
option. We’re looking for options here but I’m just telling you that come next year if we don’t do
something and everybody else is doing something again you see I never came to you with that
20% that the Governor asked for state officers. Never even entertained it. Not once because I
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knew weren’t there. We couldn’t be there but we can be competitive here. I’m like again I’m not
competing with Macon-Bibb, I’m not competing with Savannah-Chatham, I’m not competing with
Athens-Clarke but they’re investing in their people. They’re doing it this budget cycle. Columbia
County has already done it this budget cycle. Burke County has done it. Now there shouldn’t be
a day where the amount of calls if somebody answers 5,000 and we answer 372 and we can’t be
competitive with agency’s answering 5,000 calls for service in Richmond County? We’re
Richmond County. Ya’ll know what the staffs are. You know what we’re up against every year.
I’ve lost two deputies in the line of duty this year, two in Richmond County and everyday we’re
going out doing that job, locally so I’m just asking for options. We’re willing to sit at the table
and we’re willing to do whatever it takes if it gets us there.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Sheriff, I appreciate you coming over sharing these thoughts with us.
You and I have not had any extensive conversations about this. I hear the passion in your voice.
I’m not quite sure what’s the gap but it sounds like you were prepared to come and sit down with
us and have a plan of action beyond what you shared with us a month ago about what your needs
are but it sounds like you’ve also given some thought to how you can help us get to that point. I
think that’s what I’m hearing is that you’re prepared to help us get to that point. And it’s more
than just from a General Fund standpoint finding $2.4 million dollars which is what your number
was but in light of the fact that we are trying to I guess in the first time in the history of our city
invest in all of our people and certainly your Public Safety folks i.e. law enforcement specifically
already at the top of the list in terms of how we get there. So what I’m going to ask is that again
we set up some time, Ms. Jackson, Thursday, Friday and we sit down and have a conversation with
the Sheriff specifically about you know what he’s going to bring to the table as well as what we
can do to massage this in light of where we are. So, we’ll coordinate that with the Sheriff and
we’ll sit down and have that discussion, okay?
Sheriff Roundtree: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, sir, thank you. Ms. Bonner?
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
C. Mr. Brian Green regarding the feasibility of a South Augusta Villa.
Mr. Mayor: Don’t start yet Mr. Green, don’t start yet.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Green, unless you’ve got some money I’m going to put your paper down.
Mr. Green: You’d be surprised.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Green.
Mr. Green: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is Brian Green, 1002 Green Street.
I’m here today and not necessarily about on-going issues about the arena but this may coincide
with that. My presentation is merely a suggestion and I’m merely a voice from the community.
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This issue concerning our arena by the way and I’m going to get to the South Augusta Villa by the
way it’s a political battle which only divides our community. We should be cautious of the
naysayers who imply that building a prominent structure in South Augusta or south of Gordon
Highway will only fail due to assumed crime, violence and that nobody from Columbia County or
Aiken or other such areas would support such a venue. I doubt very seriously that if such an
entertainment structure would be built at the mall site or another site in South Augusta that people
are not going to attend simply because of the location. This debate is quickly turning into a
contested political debate that is loaded with stereotype and even an innuendo while certain
individuals tout downtown as the prime or most practical location for the arena issue none have
failed to come forward with a plan to rectify homelessness and drug addicts who swarm the
downtown area not to mention drastically restructuring downtown to accommodate the pending
traffic influx as a result of Cyber Center and other downtown development. Commission, you
should have maybe three papers in front of you, one I think you’ve seen before it’s about our city.
This is like to suggest we get moving. I’m going to remind us once again 18,000 to the north,
21,000 to the west, capacity that is and 9,800 to the south to Savannah that’s as we wake up every
day. That’s preexisting. There’s something called the Hippodrome with the Border Bash over
there there’s across the bridge. There’s a kiss whatever family reunion that’s now Columbia
County. There’s, I hear there’s a pretty nice baseball park going up across the bridge also. We’ve
got to get moving. What I like about this idea is that it, I think it’s practical. I think eventually
put together a structure in South Augusta. This right here the South Augusta Villa/Entertainment
Sports Complex, I don’t have it in front of me but you have your pictures and all that for the
audience you see the picture here South Augusta attraction we’re talking about an actual villa.
Yes, Mr. Sias, I heard you mention you said you would have some money you’d be surprised.
We’re not just talking about one entity. We’re talking about something, an idea about community
partnership here, everybody coming together. There’s an organization called Fort Gordon, a major
military detachment, there’s some labor groups here, Builder’s Union, there’s a Board of
Education, there’s GRU we have the I think we have the people, entities in place we can come
forward with this. What’s wrong with discussing an idea? If I’m not mistaken maybe six of you
Commissioners represent South Augusta. This is your ground. Like we say in sports this is your
house and we’re talking South Augusta in particular. I do have a problem with every time
something’s mentioned in South Augusta it’s well it won’t work because of the crime or whatever,
there’s crime everywhere. I live downtown. So let’s not just suggest that downtown is like Beverly
Hills or somewhere with our gated communities and la, la, la. We’ve got issues down here as well
but I don’t think it’s right for the city that we hear it goes into whenever a major development is
talked about in South Augusta it’s well, you know, it’s a crime assumption. You’re going to get
carjacked by driving over there. That’s nonsense. South Augusta to me is one of the healthiest
one of the biggest tax bases in the area, retired military, retired military workers whatnot civilians.
So, I just say this I hope that we’ll put our foot forward and remember we’ve got to start being the
more competitive. South Augusta Villa can work and as you can see up there by the display the
things it can bring forth to the city. I know I kind of bounced around. I’ll entertain any questions
you may have.
Mr. Mayor: All right that’s great, thank you so much. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 8.
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Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Green, thank you for coming before us again. I know my colleagues
take special interest in it and you know what you’re doing is bring forth ideas what we could utilize
and I definitely want to say thank you for taking time to do your own studies.
Mr. Green: (Inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, you have another question. The Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Green, how are you doing?
Mr. Green: Good.
Mr. Fennoy: Do you have a proposed location for the South Augusta Villa?
Mr. Green: Well I’m glad you asked. The mall could be. The square acreage of that mall
site could and I’m glad you asked that question. It could it work for that because you see up there,
Mr. Fennoy, you’re talking about a baseball facility, you’re talking something that could be built
in segments. You have the mall facility, it could be a consideration for that. I think it would
encompass everything, your park area with a walking trail and by the way that’s the theater up
there. You could call the theater the James Brown Theater. Fresh Food Market. You’re talking
about shopping stores and yes, sir, I think that’s one location but I do think South Augusta, sir, has
the acreage needed to build a structure but you know if the mall, if the arena and the other stuff
doesn’t go there I think that would be strong consideration, it doesn’t hurt to look a feasibility plan
for that site. And look at the location right by you know it’s adjacent to Gordon Highway and
right off Bobby Jones. You’re talking about major access.
Mr. Fennoy: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Green: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Green, thank you so much, thank you.
The Clerk: I call your attention to our consent agenda which consists of items 1-28, items
1-28. For the benefit of any objectors to our alcohol petitions once those petitions are read would
you please signify your objection by raising your hand. I call your attention to:
Item 2: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection
with Super Express #1 located at 3150 Wrightsboro Road.
Item 3: Is a request for a retail package Liquor License to be used in connection with H&S
Wine & Spirits located at 3150 Wrightsboro Road.
Item 4: Is a request for an on premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be
used in connection with Augusta Entertainment.
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The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those alcohol petitions? Mr. Mayor and
members of the Commission, our consent agenda consists of items 1-28 with no objectors to any
of the alcohol petitions.
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. G. Smith: Second.
Mr. Jefferson: Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Hold on one second. Okay, I’d like to add number 32 to the consent agenda
---
Mr. Sias: And 31.
Mr. Mayor: --- and 31?
Mr. Sias: Yes.
Mr. Fennoy: --- and 29.
Mr. Mayor: And 29.
Mr. Hasan: I object to 29.
Mr. Guilfoyle: (Unintelligible) number three on the addendum.
Mr. Hasan: I object to number 29.
Mr. Mayor: All right, everybody suspend, everybody suspend. Okay all right, Madam
Clerk, we’re going to add Item 32, 31 to the consent agenda.
Mr. Jefferson: And number three on the addendum.
Mr. Hasan: I object to that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: I’m aware of that, thank you, sir. Number three is going to be on the regular
agenda okay? Again, that’s Item number 32 and 31. While I’m here at this point and we don’t
have it with us today, Ms. Bonner ---
The Clerk: Sir?
Mr. Mayor: --- I’m sorry we don’t have it here with us today but I am going to ask this
body at our next meeting i.e., on Tuesday for a Special Called Meeting. I’m going to ask this body
to move forward with affirming the appointment to the University Health Board. Chairman CEO
Jim Davis has come over here presented that information. Everyone should have had a copy of
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that. Our good friend Dr. Randy Smith, okay all right we’ll make sure all right so, we’ll make sure
we get it to you then because we need to make sure that is moved forward with and they provided
that to us yeah, I can’t remember the person. Yes, it was, it was in the consensus book and that’s
one that’s in the consensus notebook. That is a critical appointment. I’m only bringing it up
because it’s you’ve got appointments here it’s one that’s been out there for a long time and they’ve
called and asked about it and I want you to take action on it next week. All right, are there any
other items to remove or add to the consent agenda? All right there by none ---
Mr. Frantom: Motion to (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right.
Mr. Sias: Second.
The Clerk: Well, we have a motion ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay voting.
The Clerk: --- Mr. Hasan and Mr. Smith.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC SERVICES
1. Motion to approve award of the contract for Bid Item 17-230, 5-Row Bleachers at
Diamond Lakes, Eisenhower, Fleming Complex and Portable Bleachers with Safety Cages
to the low, responsive bidder, Bleachers International for $194,152. (Approved by Public
Services Committee October 31, 2017)
2. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 17-30: request by Ritaben Patel for
a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Super Express #1 located
at 3150 Wrightsboro Rd. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services
Committee October 31, 2017)
3. Motion to approve New Ownership Application: A.N. 17-31: request by Ritaben Patel for
a retail package Liquor License to be used in connection with H&S Wine & Spirits located
at 3150 Wrightsboro Rd Suite B. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services
Committee October 31, 2017)
4. Motion to approve New Location: A.N. 17-33: A request by John Canouse for an on
premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Augusta
Entertainment, LLC dba Stars & Strikes located at 3238 Wrightsboro Rd. There will be
Sunday Sales. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee October
31, 2017)
5. Motion to approve amendments to the Augusta, Georgia Code, Title 6, Chapter 2 Article
1, Alcoholic Beverages, Section 6-2-2 Definitions, Section 6-2-8 Days Sales Allowed, and
Section 6-2-77 License for Single Event, so as to provide for the designation of one Sunday
during the calendar year that bars are authorized to be open, and approve resolutions
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designating the selected Sunday for 2017 and 2018. (Approved by Public Services Committee
October 31,2017)
6. Motion to approve New Ownership application: A.N. 17-32: A request by John Canouse
for a Game Room/Arcade License t be used in connection with Augusta Entertainment, LLC
dba Stars & Strikes located at 3238 Wrightsboro Rd. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved
by Public Services Committee October 31, 2017)
7. Motion to approve authorization for Augusta to submit a Pre-Application with the
Georgia Natural Resources Department for 2017 Land and Water Conservation Funds
grant. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 31, 2017)
8. Motion to approve amendments (Ordinance) to the Augusta, Georgia Code, Title 7,
Chapter 2, Article 1 Nuisances, Section 7-2-2 Nuisances Prohibited so as to clarity the
responsibility of property owners with regard to occupied properties. (Approved by
Commission October 17, 2017 – second reading)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
9. Motion to approve tasking the Administrator’s Office to send out the appropriate memos
to departments relative to consistency regarding advertising/marketing campaigns/efforts to
include “The City of Augusta” regarding events sponsored and paid for by Augusta, GA.
(Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 31, 2017)
10. Motion to approve award for installation of a 60Kw photovoltaic solar array on Friedman
Branch Library to Hannah Solar of Atlanta, GA in the amount of $112,746.00. (RFP 17-213)
(Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 31, 2017)
PUBLIC SAFETY
11. Motion to approve the agreement and acceptance of grant funds in the amount of
$7,975.00 from the Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency to
purchase training material & equipment and authorize the Mayor to execute the required
documents. (Approved by Public Safety Committee October 31, 2017)
12. Motion to approve the Agreement with the Georgia Emergency Management &
Homeland Security Agency and approve acceptance of the grant award in the amount of
$58,000.00 (Grant No: SHO17-092) and authorize the mayor to execute all required
documents. (Approved by Public Safety Committee October 31, 2017)
13. Motion to approve the application and acceptance of grant funds in the amount of
$33,329.00 from Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency and
authorize the Mayor to execute the necessary documents. (Approved by Public Safety
Committee October 31, 2017)
14. Motion to approve resolution of Support regarding the Georgia Department of Human
Services, Division of Aging Services, Yellow Dot Program. (Approved by Public Safety
Committee October 31, 2017)
15. Motion to approve receiving input from the Sheriff and Chief Judges on the matter of
reducing the penalty for possession of small quantities marijuana to a paid fine oppose to
incarceration before a draft amendment to the ordinance is prepared. (Approved by Public
Safety Committee October 31, 2017)
16. Motion to approve a request from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to purchase a
Patrol Boat for use by the agency from Augusta Marion. ($48,098.00) (BID #17-219A)
(Approved by Public Safety Committee October 31, 2017)
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17. Motion to approve a request from Richmond County Juvenile Court for the Commission
and Mayor to accept the modification of these revised and new MOU providers for the fifth
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) Juvenile Justice Grant Award of
$300,000.00. We have included the MOU agreement with CSI, Inc. for $145,000.00 remaining
in the grant ending on June 30, 2018 and the new MOU with Family Connections of
Columbia County, Inc., (CCCC) for $84,000 to provide Aggression Replacement Training®
(ART) groups beginning October 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Richmond County has provided
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evidence-based programs this grant year beginning July 1 to ten (10) youth qualifying males
and female juveniles charged with serious felonies and property crimes. (Approved by Public
Safety Committee October 31, 2017)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
18. Motion to approve and adopt proposed Ordinance changes to the Augusta Georgia code
section 3-5-95.11 to create a Residential Parking Permit Program. (Approved by
Commission October 17, 2017 – second reading)
19. Motion to approve and authorize Augusta Engineering Department (AED) to submit,
accept and receive Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Financial Assistance
from GDOT FY2018 Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (FY18 LMIG) for Road
& Drainage Improvements & maintenance projects as requested by AED. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee October 31, 2017)
20. Motion to approve the deeds of dedication, maintenance agreements, and road
resolutions submitted by the Engineering and Augusta Utilities Departments for Granite
Hill, Section Four, Phase One, including utility and access easement up to detention pond
(pond not being dedicated). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 31,2017)
21. Motion to approve entering into a Construction Contract Agreement with the Georgia
Department of Transportation for the Marvin Griffin Road Improvements Project (PI
#0015580) as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 31,
2017)
22. Motion to determine that Woodsedge Drive, as shown on the attached plat has ceased to
be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it or that
its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public interest, and to receive
as information the results of the public hearing held regarding the issue of abandonment
pursuant to O.C.G.A §32-7-2, with the abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the
appropriate party(ies), as provided by law and an easement to be retained over the entire
abandoned portion for existing or future utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering
Department and Augusta Utilities Department and adopt the attached Resolution.
(Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 31, 2017
23. Motion to determine that Canterbury Drive as shown on the attached map has ceased to
be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it or that
its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public inters, pursuant to
O.C.G.A. §32-7-2, with the abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the appropriate
party(ies), as provided by law and an easement to be retained over the entire abandoned
portion for existing or future utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering Department and
Augusta Utilities Department. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 31,
2017)
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24. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire property in fee simple interests (Parcel 087-
2-087-00-0) – 1938 Alabama Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October
31, 2017)
25. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire property in fee simple interests (Parcel 087-
2-088-00-0) – 1934 Alabama Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October
31, 2017)
26. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for permanent
easement (Parcel 099-3-003-00-0) – 2601 Mike Padgett Highway. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee October 31, 2017)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
27. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held October 17, 2017, and Special
Called meeting held October 31, 2017.
APPOINTMENTS
28. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Erich Braun to the General Aviation
Commission - Daniel Field representing District 1. (Requested by Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
APPOINTMENT(S)
31. Approve Commission Consensus Appointments to the Richmond County Board of
Health. (Requested by Commissioner Sammie Sias)
1. Dr. Cheryl Newman to fill unexpired term of Ms. LeValle-Evans;
2. Ms. Merian Robinson. (Stoney Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Society)
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3. Ms. Patricia Lynch-Hayes. (10 District of GA Nurses Association)
4. Mr. W. Steward Flanagin, At-large member
32. Motion to approve adding the position of Warden of the Richmond County Correction
Institution (RCCI) as a member of the E911 Advisory Board.
Mr. Mayor: While you’re voting on that I appreciate the presentation that Mr. Green
brought before us I wasn’t aware of it. But I want to draw your attention to Item 6 it was in the
paper just a few days ago and that is Mr. John Canouse doing business as Stars & Strikes at
Wrightsboro Road, the Big Lots shopping center. It’s very exciting. I think they’re going to be
having a grand opening next week. I believe that’s their target date. Next week will be another
week of hits in the City of Augusta and I’m not talking about baseball but, it’ll be another week of
hits ground breaking for us, Starbucks $130 million expansion and then with the grand opening
for this right here along with the topping off ceremony for the Georgia Cyber Innovation and
Training Center. So if anybody’s wondering where you want to be it’s called Augusta. All right,
Ms. Bonner.
Mr. M. Williams out.
Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 1-28, 31, 32\]
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bonner, I want to go to Item number 29.
The Clerk:
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ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
29. Motion to adopt the Authorizing Resolution providing for approval of an
Intergovernmental Redevelopment Contract, between Augusta and the Urban
Redevelopment Agency of Augusta, in support of the Foundry Place project to be leased by
the Urban Redevelopment Agency of Augusta to Columbia Ventures, LLC pursuant to the
referenced Lease Agreement, subject to incorporating the modification terms contained in
the October 2, 2017 Columbia Ventures, LLC memorandum to Augusta. (Requested by
Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
Mr. Guilfoyle: Motion to approve.
Mr. Jefferson: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, all of that’s good. I want to hear from the Commissioner from the
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1 who added this division. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, one of the reasons I had this item added to the agenda is that the
Foundry Project is badly needed in our community and the timing is excellent to, for a project like
this to get started. It would have a positive impact on a depressed area. I mean if you ride through
that area, you see nothing but adverse poverty, you see a lot of abandoned houses. Ms. Jennings
talked about the, not necessarily on this particular area but the same issue that she had exists in
this area right here. I think it would be a great asset to our community when you look at the fact
that the old Cherry Tree is going up in that neighborhood and I think that it would give a real good
look to the area. One of the biggest besides the abandoned houses and besides the vacant lots the
call I get the most about is the fact that we don’t have a grocery store. And I’ve been working
with Mr. Welcher on a grocery store when Ms. Allen was Interim Administrator. She tried to get
a grocery store in that area. And one of the issues that we had is that there was not enough per
capita income in that area to justify a grocery store. Again with the projects coming up, I think it
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would be an asset when you look at the 15 Street corridor and what it’s going to look like. I think
all of this would actually compliment downtown Augusta and make downtown Augusta a great
place for people to live. It would remove blight, remove contamination and it would increase the
tax base of this area significantly. It is a historically depressed area and it’s time that we do
something about it. We have the support of Beulah Grove supports this project, Antioch supports
this project. We have we have a lot of low income and subsidized housing units in this area already
and Mr. Sias is kind of telling me to shut up on the side. But I think it’s a good project. I would
like to know, Mr. Mayor, if I may from our Administrator if she has had an opportunity to vet this
project and what her thoughts are.
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Mr. Mayor: I think the Commissioner from the 4 was trying to get you to ---
Mr. Fennoy: Shut up?
Mr. Mayor: --- suspend, yeah.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, all right.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If we could have the presenters present this deal,
the numbers to the community so they understand this deal before we go on I’d appreciate that. I
think the citizens need to understand what we’re about to sign up for from a dollar standpoint.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I think that’s well within your right. All right, Mr. Welcher, if you’ll
bring your partners along with you. Did you all bring a presentation today?
Mr. Welcher: We’re prepared, we weren’t prepared to present but we do have a
presentation to speak specifically to the numbers ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. Welcher: --- if asked.
Mr. Mayor: --- let’s draw everybody’s attention to Tab 29 in your notebooks. All right,
so if you would if you’ll tell us your name and who you’re representing. All right, in our notebooks
we have, I just want to again make sure we’re all tracking the same place. All right, we have in
our notebooks a couple of documents this is an Authorizing Resolution that is in our notebooks is
that correct, Ms. Jackson?
Ms. Jackson: That’s correct.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right and that Authorizing Resolution is that a document that is
executed by this body or is that executed by someone other than the City of Augusta?
Ms. Jackson: I will turn to Mr. Jim Plunkett so he can respond to that question.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I just want to ---
Mr. Plunkett: Mr. Mayor, the lease agreement would be between the URA and the
developer. There’s an Intergovernmental contract so much an IGA that would be executed
between Augusta and the URA to support the project.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, very well. Okay so we’ve actually got a couple of documents.
The IGA is the first document then there’s a URA Authorizing Resolution, the least agreement
and so forth in here as well, three documents that are here, is that correct?
Mr. Plunkett: Yes, sir, there’s an Authorizing Resolution that will be adopted. There’s a
form Intergovernmental Contract and the lease is attached as a reference item so that you would
not be looking at a document without it. The other part of the motion refers to some modifications
to the lease agreement and that is based on the memo from Columbia to Augusta. Those
modifications have not been incorporated into the lease but if this approved they would be. That’s
why it’s part of that motion.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay and those modifications, is Attorney MacKenzie aware of those? Are
you going to communicate that to us when you give or you answer the Commissioner’s question?
Mr. Welcher: Yes, sir, we’re prepared to do that as well.
Mr. Mayor: Okay so we’ll clearly know what those modifications are, Attorney Plunkett?
Mr. Plunkett: Yes, sir, it’s part of your materials that there in your book but also as the I
think Noel was going to speak to those specific things that have changed in terms of the agreement,
they’re all positive to Augusta.
Mr. Mayor: Okay very good, I think that’s what everybody’s going to want to know. All
right and so whoever’s the presenter if you would state for the record your name.
Mr. Khalil: Hello good afternoon Mayor, Commissioners, citizens of Augusta. My name
is Noel Khalil. I’m the CEO and founder of Columbia Residential 25-year old company based out
of Atlanta, Georgia. We have been working several years with this potential site. We have taken
over in our 25-year history many blighted, challenging sites. If you come and visit Atlanta we’ve
taken over (unintelligible) housing project sites. They were very blighted and people were very
down on it and we were very successful in redeveloping them into award winning, rich
communities. You have something here that’s an advantage that a lot of other communities don’t
have. All of that development activity with the Cyber Terrorism facilities, the medical facilities
with the university facilities you have a foundation or I would say an anchor that we’ve historically
not had with redevelopment projects that we’ve done in this community so I speak very highly, I
just applaud the leadership of this city. So when we came and looked at this many other developers
would look at it and say they wouldn’t see a rose. We see a potential rose here. We went back to
the community after some concerns were communicated to us and said what can we do to
restructure the transaction in a fashion that would be to protect the City of Augusta even further
than it currently is and I just wanted to tell you about the modifications. One of the concerns we
heard from the community was the concern about well, we think the cost of construction is too
high. Now if you look at the body of work that Columbia does this number, the numbers that we
project are consistent with those projects that we’ve done in Atlanta, in Augusta, in Columbus.
We just came back from there in having a grand opening is consistent with the development we’re
doing in other communities. However to give a greater assurance to the City of Augusta we’ve
agreed to sit down and said we would publicly bid the construction component of the project so
there would be no argument or no question asked about the integrity of the numbers, so that’s
number one. There was a concern that maybe Noel and his team members I say Noel because I’m
going to have more guaranteed risks than my younger team members, we didn’t have enough skin
in the game so we’ve agreed to increase our equity commitment to 20% to $6.6 million so we will
put a lot more skin in the game. Number three, we’ve extended our guarantee period for an
additional 12 months after construction is completed to assure you coverage that we successfully
do this development. And I want to say something to you that’s very important. It’s a big
(unintelligible) community. You know the bankers here. The bankers here know the bankers in
Atlanta. You mention Noel Khalil’s name to them and ask them, in 25 years with all the lending
I have 7,000 units in my portfolio now, in 25 years of doing business not one mortgage payment
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has been missed in 25 years. You can call Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Synovus, Bank of
America et cetera. Never missed a mortgage payment in 25 years. We had dog project though in
25 years. I’ve always kept them afloat I had a project in Houston, Texas cost me several million
dollars to keep afloat. I have none recourse mortgage from Massachusetts Mutual continue to
make my mortgage payments until I was able to restructure the transaction in a favorable fashion.
So it’s our record of 25 years I would encourage you, I feel comfortable calling out the bankers in
your community to ask them to do some homework on Noel Khalil and the Columbia Residential
Team Columbia Venture Team. We have a commitment now to spend 15% at minimum of 15%
we’re going to seek a higher goal of using a hard course to be used with local contractors and we
also want to have a rich and robust and we’ve had a successful history over years of doing MBE
as well and WBE and DBE. And the additional factor is that we make, one of the deal
modifications that we’re prepared to make is to refinance or extinguish the debt through a sale
within seven years. Frankly the way the market is right now, the availability of capital, we think
once we successfully stabilize the project there will be marketability for this project in the market
to make this note go away but we’re not guarantee that’ll happen in 24 months or 36 months but
we feel very confident that when we successfully lease this project out that it will be a very positive
and physically, I think you can see by looking at the rendering this will be a wonderful addition to
this blighted area. I think this blighted area will become a rose in your community.
Mr. Mayor: All right, fantastic. All right Noel, no that’s Mr. Khalil Noel Khalil okay. All
right you’re going to do the, again Mr. Khalil thank you for sharing that with us and the gentleman
there is going to speak to that.
Mr. Von Trapp: My name is Jake Von Trapp. I’m a partner with Columbia Ventures, thank
you for being here, thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, you want to go through your slide deck ---
Mr. Welcher: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: --- maybe not all of them but the appropriate ones? All right, so if you could
just share the numbers of the project that’d be good. All right, so we’ll ask for two things so let’s
do this right here. All right Hawthorne, Director Welcher, here’s what I’d like for you to do. If
you could send that presentation to Ms. Bonner so that it could be sent to all of us that would be
one. But for today’s purposes if you could just go through the project budget breakdown and walk
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us through that which I think is consistent with the Commissioner from the 7 and the 6 and
that’ll be good.
Mr. Welcher: Yes, sure.
Mr. Mayor: Yes, so we need and electronic copy of the slide deck for our purposes as well,
okay?
Mr. Von Trapp: Yes.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you very much.
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Mr. Von Trapp: Okay again Jake Von Trapp with Khalil Ventures. Thank you,
Commissioners thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ll just go through briefly how we get to the total project
cost. I should also note that and for the record state that up until the day of closing we work every
day to reduce costs, find areas of savings while maintaining a certain level of quality. That’s part
of what we do as a developer so these numbers are subject to change and will move within a tight
window up until closing. I think it’s important to note that when this presentation was put together
we had a number on a 90% permit set that indicated that our construction costs would be $24.1
million, that’s what you see before you today. We’ve now committed to publicly bid the project
so that while that number is indicative of where we think the costs will be when we go out to
publicly bid and submit to the lowest qualified bid, that number could be different and we’d expect
hopefully it’ll come down but we can’t guarantee that. The construction contingency is just the
basis of the construction cost industry standard would be somewhere between 3 and 7% for a new
construction project like this 5% is a very reasonable number. We have a certain amount of
abatement associated with the Foundry parcel itself. This is a firm estimate that we have from an
Environmental Engineer is in the ballpark of $75,000. You see the soft costs below that. That’s a
mixture of mostly professional design firms we, architecture so for the building itself in civil
engineering that’s (unintelligible) engineering a local firm they also did the surveying work. And
then there’s a host of other things the other big number in there is the FF&E which is essentially
the all of the furniture, fixtures and equipment within the amenity spaces and the common areas.
We always capitalize a certain amount of reserves and we understand that during lease-up we
aren’t going to have enough income to cover our operating expenses when we open up day one so
there’s some reserves in there and also a marketing reserve that makes up the 365. Development
fees are typically range in between 3 and 5% of total development costs less the fee itself unless
(unintelligible) the 1.1 is consistent with that, within that range I think it’s three and a half percent.
Capitalized Interest Funds so that’s a fund that is funded upfront to service debt while we are
constructing the project and then the balance or really the transaction cost for the bond itself so as
this sort of breaks down between and this has now changed with the deal modifications. So if we
call roughly a $32 million dollar total development cost that’s all of the costs that it will take to
get it built. Leased up including financing costs, reserves that I discussed we have committed to
bring 20% of the total capital stack to the table in equity so roughly $6.6 million and the balance
we are seeking through the URA with the lease document functioning as the mechanism by which
we will service the debt. We have committed to personally guarantee the debt both individually
putting our houses on the line, our personal assets on the line as partners as well as our corporate
guarantee and we have a series of safeguards in place both in the deal structure itself but also
funded in cash to insure that the debt is both serviced currently and then ultimately extinguished.
Are there any other questions about the numbers?
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Mr. Mayor: Yes, the Commissioner from the 7 has a series of questions and then we’ll
come back for more.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So you just said that the numbers have changed
where 20% is from Columbia Ventures. Is that the six-point supposed to be the 6.3 right here is
that ---
Mr. Von Trapp: That’s correct ---
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Mr. Frantom: Okay.
Mr. Von Trapp: --- 6.6.
Mr. Frantom: Okay and then my other question is this is market rate housing?
Mr. Von Trapp: That’s correct.
Mr. Frantom: What’s the, what’s going to be the rate? Is it $1,100? Is that the minimum
and then what’s the market rate, what are we looking at for these?
Mr. Von Trapp: What is the average?
Mr. Frantom: What are you going to charge? Is it $1,100, is it $1,500?
Mr. Von Trapp: Yes so the so we have one bedrooms, two bedrooms and three bedrooms.
We have the breakdown is approximately 77 ones, 112 twos and 32 3-bedroom units so if you just
look at the overall average, if you blend it all together the average monthly rent is roughly $1,200
dollars.
Mr. Frantom: So if it’s not selling do you have the ability to lower the rate which would
change the performa?
Mr. Von Trapp: Do we have the ability legally?
Mr. Frantom: If you can’t sell your 221-units and you’ve got 150 that are rented, do you
have the ability to lower the $1,200 dollar rate to a $1,000 or $1,100 and then how does that change
the performa based on what you’re projecting?
Mr. Von Trapp: Yes, so I think if I’m understanding your question the question is do we
have margin over ---
Mr. Frantom: Right.
Mr. Von Trapp: --- the debt service payments in order to cover if we have to lower our
pricing or we aren’t able to lease-up as fast yes and the answer is absolutely we do. The project
currently under the current structure covers the debt I think at a 135 rate so that’s kind of generally
on the high end of what a lender would require in the private market. Well it’s actually above
what a lender would require.
Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Plunkett: Mr. Frantom, the study issue as well the part about the guarantee. So, if they
reduce the amount of rents on a per unit basis the individuals in corporate still has to make the
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difference and the lease payments. So, the company itself makes the total payment. How they
lease that income is up to them.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: First thing I’d like to say Mr. Khalil it was, I appreciate you giving us some
history once again about the success of your company over 25 years. I think it’s never my position
was never and I’ll vote against it today but I know the votes are here to pass it so I’m not speaking
and thinking I can hurt the project. My concern is always been the investment that the city’s
putting in. We’re putting for every dollar we’re putting in 80-cents of every dollar. Now that truth
be told we’re putting in more than that because we own the land that we purchased for $1.1 million
dollars so that’s what concerns me the most. When we talk about Beulah Grove, I think if this
goes well or whether it does not go well I don’t know but on the other side of Lee Beard Way on
the corner there’s a church there and I think there’s an intent of Beulah Grove to build that out to
a strip mall or something along that corridor there. Then you go to Laney Walker Boulevard and
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11 Street there, there’s something the catholic hall there, former catholic school there something
there as well. My concern is we’re setting a precedent in lending these types of resources out
which will impact our Craig rating at some point in time that has really no bearing on you but
we’re setting a precedent because I’m going to start a project right down the street I going to see
how they done business with the previous person. It’s just like selling a piece of real estate. I want
to know what the real estate seller is going to dictate what the next person is going to get for their
property. That’s my concern. I don’t question the validity of the project. I question our investment
and should we be investing in that kind of thing, that’s what concerns me. Then I heard, I think I
just heard the gentleman say Mr. Von, Mr. Jake, can I keep it simple?
Mr. Von Trapp: Yes sir, Jake’s good.
Mr. Hasan: Yes sir, Mr. Jake, I heard you just say the market today has that this facility,
that these homes or these apartments can be built these units for a little over $20 million dollars or
something like that. Did you say that? What did you say?
Mr. Von Trapp: I’m not understanding your question, the hard costs or what’s specific
(inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: Well let me kind of, what I’m assuming you’re saying when I look at
construction costs to the tune of $24 million dollars I thought you were saying that when and Mr.
Hawthorne too so let me ask a different question let me restructure the question and get it this way.
It was mentioned today but also Mr. Welcher mentioned yesterday in the news report that you
know in hearing some of the concerns of the Commissioners one of the things that he heard one
thing we heard about our investment in it as I’m speaking to now. With that being said he said
they planned to bid out construction of it. If that happens, if that lowers that, how does that benefit
the city and why don’t we bid it out first and see before we go bond it or is that the intent because
that could lower our investment.
Mr. Welcher: You’re correct. I mean the way the document reads is that the max allowed
was up to $27/28-million that’s just the max allowable. But it has always been our intent and will
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remain our intent to be sure that we remain good stewards of the commitment, so you know if we
can get the lower per unit costs is really what we’re striving for. There’s been a lot of interest, you
know it’s my hope ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Welcher ---
Mr. Welcher: --- yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: --- that’s not my question.
Mr. Welcher: Okay.
Mr. Hasan: --- my question is if you was to go out and you get a lower, you get a lower
estimate so we can build it, you’ve got $24 million dollars here. If you can happen to build it for
$21 million dollars, how does that impact the city in terms of what we are lending or either should
we go out and get the builder first and then we come back and do the bonding and bond to that
specificity?
Mr. Welcher: (Inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: Sir?
Mr. Welcher: It’s based on a total (inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: I can’t hear you, sir.
Mr. Welcher: Our amount would be lower based on the percentage that we’re actually
infusing into the deal so our amount would be lower.
Mr. Hasan: So you’re going to put it out for bid first before we go to the bonding table?
Mr. Welcher: Yes.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Jefferson: Call for the question, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Hasan: How can you call for the question, man, I’m talking.
Mr. Jefferson: I thought you had finished.
Mr. Hasan: You couldn’t have thought that.
Mr. Jefferson: I do apologize. I thought you had ended your conversation.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Hasan, would you suspend just for a moment just for a
moment I’m going to give you floor ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- I’m going to give you the floor. Okay all right, again these are fair
questions. We’ll let the questions be answered and asked appropriately. Mr. Khalil, would you
step forward?
Mr. Khalil: Under the lowering and the construction costs of the project, we’ll transfer the
benefit to the city on a pro-rata basis. Let me explain what I mean by that. If there’s a million
dollars’ worth of savings, 20% of those savings will go to reduce our exposure. 80% will go to
reduce your exposure.
Mr. Hasan: I’ll live with that, Mr. Mayor, and finally I want to look at the document and
the Resolution. On the final page of the resolution on Page 5 I have some concerns about the
language there. When you look at Item 4 Page 5 on the resolution when you go back to 29.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, if you’ll give us just a moment. Okay, all right what section
and what page are you on.
Mr. Hasan: I’m on Page 5 on the Resolution number four item number four on Tab 29.
Mr. Mayor: Tab 29 and ---
Mr. Hasan: And the Resolution.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, just give us a moment, that’s the Authorizing Resolution.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay and you’re on Page 5.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Sias: You’re talking about (inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: Yes sir, yes sir.
Mr. Mayor: I’m not sure, I’m not sure I’m tracking with you guys on the page.
Mr. Sias: What he’s basically saying and someone executing in your stead. That’s what
he’s referencing.
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Mr. Hasan: What concerns and Mr. Mayor as I read this (inaudible) is says that the Mayor
Pro Tem may take any action or execute or deliver any document agreement or other writing that
the Mayor’s authorized to actually deliver pursuant to this Authorizing Resolution, Mr. Mayor, we
don’t operate like that.
Mr. Mayor: So ---
Mr. Hasan: It doesn’t say in the absence of the Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- well ---
Mr. Hasan: Then you go to the next one let me ---
Mr. Mayor: --- well, let me help you with that.
Mr. Hasan: --- okay.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Plunkett, you and I have had this conversation before where you came to
my office on a previous occasion and this was done and we struck it because it was not standard
practice and it shows up again in this document where that historical so, Commissioner, to your
point I’m encouraged that you all are seeing that but I’ve had this conversation. Ms. Bonner, I
hate to bring you into this one but you and I have had this conversation before where this is not
consistent with our documents and again what we will do is strike Item number four.
Mr. Plunkett: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Hasan, the intent is this is that in the absence of the Mayor
---
Mr. Hasan: It doesn’t say it.
Mr. Plunkett: --- well, I’m explaining to you the intent of the document is that so that it’s
clear that an assistant clerk or alternatively the Mayor Pro Tem. It’s in the Charter that way in the
absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem can. It’s just for clarity purposes. We’re happy to
insert in the absence of the Mayor. The question then comes into what is the absence of the Mayor
---
Mr. Hasan: Well ---
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Plunkett, suspend, suspend. You and I have had a thorough conversation
about this matter. We had the same conversation in the presence of our attorney and we struck
that. The Charter as we all know again provides for not only what the role of the Mayor is but in
the absence of the Mayor what this city will do. We have not taken steps to again in legal
documents codify that, write that down and save that that the Mayor Pro Tem or the Assistant
Deputy Clerk, we’ve never done that and so we’re not going to begin that today. We will strike
paragraph four ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: Madam Clerk ---
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Mr. Mayor: --- just as we’ve done before because again it is the practice of this government
in the absence and again statutorily we know what absence means. And so we start, you know,
playing fast and loose, adding and inserting these things but historically from a bond document
standpoint and again whether it be in the ordinance and it be in a legal document we’ve always
understood and known in this government what that means so now I’ll go so far again as to say an
assistant or Deputy Clerk of the Commission. Everybody knows how that works and that is in the
absence of Ms. Bonner those individuals that she has in her office they will find and they will sign
and execute that. Again, we don’t, what we are not going to do today is make much of this and it
becomes a news conversation. We’re better than that in this local government okay, we are better
than that. And so that’s not going to be what we’re doing today all right? But you raised a very
good point ---
Mr. Hasan: But I have ---
Mr. Mayor: --- I appreciate you catching that.
Mr. Hasan: --- another section, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Hasan: So we do let Ms. Bonner look at that they won’t let anybody sign that until --
-
Mr. Mayor: Well ---
Mr. Hasan: --- let’s go to number one, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- I’ve had this conversation on multiple occasions, Commissioner.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, also number one when it says number one ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: Page four?
Mr. Hasan: --- page four, I’m sorry, yes. I’m going to start where it says the contract. The
contract shall be substantial forms submitted to the Commission with such changes, corrections,
deletions, insertions, validations, additions or admissions that may be approved by the Mayor the
Consolidated Government whose approval there shall be to a conclusively evident by the execution
of the contract. I’m concerned with that one too.
Mr. Guilfoyle: You don’t want the Mayor in it?
Mr. Hasan: No, we’ve got an attorney for these documents. Mr. Mayor and the Attorney
can work together on them. The Mayor don’t make changes in documents in legal documents no,
he don’t do that.
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Mr. Guilfoyle: We’re splitting frog hairs now.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Hasan: Well no, it’s right. The Mayor don’t make changes in legal documents.
Mr. Mayor: All right, this is what we’re going to do. We’re going to suspend all just for
a moment because this is where we are. This is, I hate to take this issue and raise the question of
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germaneness. Everything that the Commissioner from the 6 they are valid concerns and again
here’s my better word today. We will always have our attorney go through these documents for
appropriateness my best word today appropriateness and they will comport with what our code
says particularly in terms of how we execute and enforce the laws, ordinances et cetera of this
local government. And where necessary, Attorney MacKenzie, you make the appropriate
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adjustments which is again I think the Commissioner from the 6 point. The matter that is before
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us today is again whether or not you’re going to approve, hold on Commissioner from the 4 I see
your hand, as whether or not we’re going to be prepared to approve the project itself with the
appropriate project budget. Given the fact we’ve heard three major modifications have been
brought forward and you’ve articulated those modifications, Mr. Khalil, that were raised earlier in
different settings. I think that is the question that is before us today. Commissioner, I see your
hand and so that’s what you’ve done for us and I want to make sure that the Commissioner from
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the 6 doesn’t have any other specific questions. And I’m going to come this way and then we’re
going to move forward with taking a vote knowing that I will not sign documents until they’re
appropriate, Attorney MacKenzie is very well aware of that. Most everybody in this local
government knows that I don’t just sign. I read and it takes a little longer but I will always do that
and have done that since day one January 1, 2015.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, do I finish?
Mr. Mayor: You are. The floor is yours, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I may be wrong on this but I’m going to ask something.
Your support is there, Mr. Mayor, I’m very aware of that.
Mr. Mayor: Who’s that?
Mr. Hasan: I said your support, your support to pass this.
Mr. Mayor: Support to pass this.
Mr. Hasan: Support to pass this. Mr. Mayor, I would recommend because of the resolution
is a part of this contractual agreement that we do not sign off on this until these documents are
straightened out. I think when it comes to a resolution the resolution ought to be before us. It is
not before us appropriately you have just admitted, you know, that acknowledge, I’m sorry, that
these are things here that’s troubling. I don’t think you’ll be in different place next week than you
are today because (unintelligible) straighten these documents out we shouldn’t straighten these
documents. First, when you say you have prior conversations we’ve got to sit here and debate
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these issues about something that never should’ve been in there. And I think it’s only fair, Mr.
Mayor, that we don’t have a resolution before us appropriately that we should not proceed on this
today.
Mr. Mayor: Well, again I think that it’s well within each and everyone’s right to have that
appropriate opinion. I’m going to differ just today with you. We’ll find common ground another
day but I think again we’ve had enough debate. If there’s support for it it’ll be here tomorrow.
It’ll be here next week as well. But my assurance to you and to this body is that the Commission
can certainly take action but until a signature is on those and in this case the Mayor’s signature is
on those the documents won’t go anywhere. We won’t be able to move forward until they’re
accurate. Attorney MacKenzie, are you tracking what we’re indicating?
Mr. MacKenzie: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, very well. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner
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from the 4.
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Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I have a lot of respect for my colleague from the 6 so I wanted
to ask a question of my colleague if that would be appropriate and allowed. Did you have any
other issues besides Item 1?
Mr. Hasan: Well, no, not really, Commissioner. I appreciate you being concerned about
my concerns. I just don’t think we should do the document today. Thank you, sir, but I appreciate
that.
Mr. Sias: And I get that point like I say I have great respect for that. And I think in
retrospect to that if we move forward today, I’m comfortable with that but I definitely believe
that these documents should come back with the appropriate change, changes made and we
be able to view those no later than next week. And at that time in respect to what the Mayor
has said it might be appropriate then that he do his signature next week and I think that will
answer all our questions. And if the maker of the motion I would ask that he make his motion
or amend his motion to include those changes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Madam Clerk, did you get that?
The Clerk: Uh-hum.
Mr. Mayor: All right so why don’t I suggest the following, why don’t I suggest the
following. There is support for this, Attorney MacKenzie ---
Mr. MacKenzie: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Mayor: --- I think that’s fairly clear. That we work to clean these documents up and
at our special called meeting on Tuesday we’ll then adopt these and they’ll have an opportunity to
look at it and we’ll move forward with that, sound appropriate?
Mr. MacKenzie: Sounds good to me.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so let’s move forward we’ll vote and then you’ll get a chance to go
look at them on next week on Tuesday’s meeting. Is everybody okay with that?
Mr. Fennoy: You’re going to approve it today and look at the documents, I’m okay with
that, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: Is that what you’re asking Commissioner from the 4?
Mr. Sias: Yes, sir. As I said I respect my colleague’s thoughts and concerns down there
and if we can get that verification on Tuesday prior to your signature.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, sounds good. All right, I’ve got a motion and a proper second with that
amendment. All right voting.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Mr. Sias, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. G. Smith vote
Yes.
Ms. Davis, Mr. Frantom and Mr. Hasan vote No.
Mr. M. Williams out.
Motion Passes 6-3.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Khalil and the partners of Columbia Ventures, again we’re looking
forward to a project that is comparable to the good work that you all have done in Atlanta. I did
not realize it until today that you were a contemporary of Mr. H. J. Russell, the late H.J. Russell.
Mr. Khalil: He was my mentor.
Mr. Mayor: He was your mentor, that’s right. I understand you worked for him in fact he
called you and you went to work for him for half your salary. Very good, it’s paid off for you,
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thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, you mentioned that Mr. Khalil went to work for him for half of
his salary ---
Mr. Mayor: That’s correct.
Mr. Fennoy: --- but I looked up Columbia Ventures and over the past 25 years they have
spent over $2 billion dollars in projects so he got it in the long run.
Mr. Mayor: I would mention another fact but ya’ll wouldn’t like it.
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Mr. Fennoy: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to give everybody a chance to step out of the Chamber
who are leaving. All right, Ms. Bonner, we’ve got item number three ---
The Clerk: We have number thirty.
Mr. Mayor: --- and thirty as well.
The Clerk: Do you want to do three now?
Mr. Mayor: I’m following your lead, Ms. Bonner.
The Clerk:
ADDENDUM
35. Motion to approve publication of the proposed budget allocations for the required 30-
Day Public Comment Period and subsequent submission by Augusta Housing and
Community Development of the FY 2018 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 and the Housing Opportunities for
Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee
September 26, 2017; public comment period ended October 30, 2017 – no comments; HUD
submission no later than November 15,2017)
Mr. Mayor: All right, Director Welcher.
Mr. Welcher: Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, this item before you is a
request for approval of our 2018 Annual Action Plan. To date all compliance measures have been
met and there have been no comments received over the last 30 days so we’re here before you
asking for your approval of this 2018 Annual Action Plan.
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: I support this. Can we send a press release out about this because I think
people don’t understand the good work sometimes that we do in the community. And I think it’s
important that we show these organizations that we’re benefiting because we’re not only benefiting
your department we’re benefiting other department as well so the community knows what’s going
on. Thank you.
Ms. Jackson: Most certainly we can.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, voting.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, hold up, hold up, hold up, hold up.
The Clerk: I’ve got you on that.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, I appreciate it.
Mr. Mayor: Mr. Mayor, ya’ll going to make me lose my religion.
Mr. Mayor: Hold on I didn’t see you because again we have this very, very, very, very
antiquated system called hold up your hand. And even though it’s 2017, you know, they have
meeting management systems that you just kind of push a button you see a light but we have this
very antiquated system called hold your hand up. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner holding
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his hand up from the 6.
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Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to say first my colleague from the 1 he wasn’t blocking
me he had his hand up too.
Mr. Mayor: I didn’t see it.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, on the, I’d like Mr. Welcher where you have economic
development, is this a change of language from the Business Development? Is it the same thing
or something different from the last time before you went out from the 30-day cycle?
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Mr. Welcher: This was what was presented to you on the, on September 26.
Mr. Hasan: So it was Business Development at that time. It wasn’t Economic
Development.
Mr. Welcher: Economic Development is the overall category which includes
entrepreneurship, training, workforce development, façade program and business development so
it includes all four of those subcategories.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, but at the time, okay let me just ask, let me do it a different way, Mr.
Welcher. Is this okay well is this the one that you said last time it gives us the capacity to borrow
up to eight and a half million dollars if we desire to?
Mr. Welcher: Yes, sir, that section. Economic Development you can rephrase it however
you would like but, yes, it does.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, that’s my concern. Who authorizes that? How does that go and do we
need to potentially borrow eight and a half million dollars because you highlighted that last time
we was here up under Business Development because you won’t have, you won’t own up to that
now but that’s okay, but go ahead.
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Mr. Welcher: What I was referring to was the Section 108 Loan Guarantee which is an
opportunity or a way for the City of Augusta to borrow three and a half, five times the amount of
our Federal Allocation which basically is like $1.6 million. So you do five times so the max we
could borrow would be about $8.3 million that’s just an avenue of funding engine that allows us
to be able to have a pot of money in and above the allocation we receive on an annual basis to do
things such as economic development, housing rehab or public facilities. And what I was referring
to was just in this day and age of budget cuts everyone looking for additional funding that’s just
an economic tool that we can use. But one thing is very clear. The Section 1 Loan Guarantee
Program Application is very involved. It takes about eight months to a year to put together and
you have to be very specific in the type of projects that you’re actually going out for. When I say
that the funding structure the development budgets have to be intact, the funding structures have
to be intact as well as commitment so that would be something that we couldn’t do alone. We
would have to work with you all and it’s money potentially that could be used in and around
Augusta Richmond County.
Mr. Hasan: When you say business development and things of that nature, I don’t have a
problem with it but I do know from the bonding capacity that the last time we bonded for the Laney
Walker Development Corporation thank you, Laney Walker Development area Revitalization
Area you have over $2 million dollars left now. I think in what 20, when will we be able to bond
money again?
Mr. Welcher: 2020.
Mr. Hasan: 2020. So we’re talking about a good two and a half years ---
Mr. Welcher: That’s correct.
Mr. Hasan: --- two and a quarter-years now to do that. And so I don’t see why the eight
and half million dollars becomes a focal point for us in this regard but I’d just like to bring it to
our attention. Will you come back? You just mentioned that you would not pursue this per the
Administrator. Would you come back to the Commission to move forward on that? No, ma’am,
Ms. Administrator. What I said, let me be very clear what I said. That the Administrator could
then have the authority to authorize you to go pursue eight and a half million dollars short of the
Commission approval.
Mr. Welcher: That definitely would be something. If we went after Section 108 Loan we
would definitely work through the Administrator and because the, we would have to seek approval.
We would seek approval on that.
Mr. Hasan: Are we saying the same thing?
Mr. Welcher: I think we’re saying the same thing. Your $200,000 dollars that you’re
referencing in Business Development what we’re talking about is based on the amount of money
that we would borrow based on interest rates liable rates now if you borrow it we wouldn’t, if you
borrow $8.3 million ---
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Mr. Hasan: Mr. Welcher, my question simply was if you was to decide to go after the eight
and a half million dollars which is five times your annual budget, would you, would you, would
the Administrator have the authority in your mind to authorize you to do that or do you think that’s
a Commission action, that’s my question.
Ms. Jackson: It’s a Commission action.
Mr. Hasan: But why would you make him say something he firmly don’t believe?
Ms. Jackson: I don’t know if I understand your question.
Mr. Hasan: He’s a department head. You do know that, right?
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, hold on, hold on, everybody. It’s late in the evening and the
sun is going down. All right ---
Mr. Guilfoyle: Call for the question.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right.
Mr. Hasan: I’m through, Mr. Mayor.
st
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Don’t we have a motion on the floor?
Mr. Mayor: We do ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- second.
Mr. Mayor: --- and a second. Voting.
Mr. M. Williams out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
30. Report from the Augusta Fire Department relative to the department’s First Responders
process/procedure to address/treatment of drug overdoses. (Requested by Commissioner Bill
Fennoy)
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Fire Chief, oh, Commissioner Fennoy, all right this
is your agenda.
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Mr. Fennoy: The reason I had this placed on the agenda is because the news is constantly
reporting about the opiate and I just wanted to make sure that if the Fire Department responded to
a call are we in a position to treat it and if so what do we have in place.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. Fennoy: So I think that the Fire Chief could probably answer that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Chief James.
Chief James: Mr. Mayor and Commissioner, as the Commissioner well stated over the
past several years our country has experienced an opioid epidemic as it relates to citizens
overdosing. In the past few months the President of the United States has said that the opioid
epidemic has become a national emergency. I will, can submit to you that in the past month or so
the Augusta Fire Department has implemented a new S.O.P. on responding to overdoses and opioid
overdoses and poisoning signed off by myself and Dr. (unintelligible) our Medical Director. We
have in 2016 and in October of 2016 we had four overdose calls. In October ’17 we had eight,
November of last year we had none. In the first six days of November this year we’ve responded
to two in the first six days. What we have done is not only on our ambulances but we have now
purchased Narcan to go on each and every fire apparatus that we have. So a month or so ago we
spent a little over $2,600 dollars to put Narcan on all first responding units, all fire trucks that
respond to these types of calls. Since we’ve done that in the past month we have used it eight
times. We’ve administered eight doses of Narcan to citizens that have overdosed. So it is an
epidemic that while it has affected other areas in the country more severely in before us it is
something that I have seen that’s kind of been moving this way and I can assure you that we have
put out the training tapes, our personnel have trained, they’re prepared to do it. So not only do we
have the Narcan on our ambulances but every fire truck has that so when they get there as first
responders to overdose they can administer that Narcan to save the citizen’s life.
th
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6 for a question.
Mr. Hasan: Chief, you might have said this and I apologize if you did Narcan is that, that’s
what Narcan?
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Is that for all of any type of overdoses along the lines of drugs?
Chief James: Right, it inhibits the drug from affecting the brain so it stops that. In the
EMS we say it takes your high away immediately.
Mr. Hasan: Okay whether that heroin, whether that’s cocaine, whether that’s crack?
Chief James: Right it ---
Mr. Hasan: All of those?
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Chief James: --- stops the drugs from affecting the brain immediately.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to receive as information.
Mr. Hasan: Second.
Mr. M. Williams, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Frantom out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting. Is there any other business before us, Ms. Bonner? No, sir.
That motion carries with Mr. Frantom, Guilfoyle and Marion Williams out. No, sir, that’s it.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I think you’ve got Rob ---
The Clerk: Number three?
Mr. Mayor: Number three.
The Clerk: No, that was on the addendum agenda, number three on the addendum agenda
not on the regular agenda, okay all right.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
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
November 7, 2017.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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