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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting October 16, 2018 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER OCTOBER 16, 2018 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., October 16, 2018, the Hon. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding. PRESENT: Hons. Jefferson, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, Fennoy, D. Williams and Hasan, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Absent: Hons. Guilfoyle and Smith, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission. Mr. Mayor: Good afternoon, everybody. We are here to do the people’s business on this day. And as we call this meeting to order I would ask all of us to one be mindful of a series of events that have transpired in the last less than 24 hours and to keep the family of Melquan Robinson in your prayers. Anytime a child is affected, it is one of Augusta’s children and it’s imperative that we again embrace the family as a community and those family members that we may know of directly or personally during this time as well as continue to lift up in prayer the other individuals who were affected as a result of last night’s tragic event. Madam Clerk, at this time as we call the meeting order I yield to you. The Clerk: Thank you, sir. I call your attention to the invocation portion of our agenda, Pastor Jan Oglesbee, Senior Pastor Woodlawn Methodist Church after which we’ll have our Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. The innovation was given by Pastor Jan Oglesbee, Senior Pastor Woodlawn United Methodist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. The Clerk: Office of Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. by these present be it known that Pastor Jan Oglesbee, Senior Pastor of Woodlawn United Methodist Church is Chaplain of the Day. Her spiritual guidance and civic leadership serves as an example for all citizens of Augusta. Given th under my hand this 16 Day of October 2018 Hardie Davis Jr., Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Would you please join me in thanking Pastor Jan for coming to be with us today. (APPLAUSE) I know we’ve got a number of things in front of us. I do want to mention a few items of interest to the community at large. We’re very excited to share just a few of these things in advance of the next delegation and that is FIRST TEE of Augusta Rock for Dough, Darius Rucker will be returning to FIRST TEE to headline the 15th Anniversary Drive for Show Rock for Dough concert. 2019 marks the first time that Rock for Dough has taken place at FIRST TEE since 2012 and we’re very excited about that. I know there was an announcement earlier this morning I think a couple of our folks, Commissioner Frantom was there to be a part of that, and we’re very excited about bringing that back into the very heart of the City of Augusta. We also want to thank everyone for their efforts during Hurricane Michael. We were fortunate in the City of Augusta to have minor damage, some power outages and wind and rain but we were spared significant damaging issues unlike some of our neighboring cities. Ms. Jackson, again thank you 1 for the work that our team has done in making sure that we keep all of our citizens safe. A lot of times we take for granted that just because we are mobilizing people that that’s what happens but I’ll be the first to tell you that the power of prayer and being persistent where storms are concerned has been very helpful to this community as well to those of you who pray when these issues are coming in our city so thank you for that. I also want to share with everyone that the Boys and Girls Club of Augusta celebrating of Georgia is celebrating National Lights on After School Day th at the E.W. Hagler Club in Augusta. They’re hosting an open house on Thursday October the 25 from 4:00 to 5:30 and they hope that those of you in the community and us can come out and join them. There will be kid and adult friendly afterschool snacks. I think they’re talking about celery and carrots, Commissioner Hasan. You’ve led tours and some additional special surprises for our youth who attend the club so these are opportunities for us to reengage in our community, real exciting news and things that are going in our city. We’re also very fortunate to have a partner like Georgia Power. They restore power to 97% of more than 375,000 customers who were impacted by Hurricane Michael. Richmond County is now, Commissioner Frantom, at 100% restoration had I known you were out I would’ve bought you lunch, I didn’t know. And then finally advance voting began yesterday to all of our citizens you can vote anytime Monday through Friday between 8:30 to 5:00 p.m. here at the Municipal Building. Again these are updates of what’s going on in our city and we want all of our citizens to be kept abreast of what’s taking place and engage in a city that works for all of her citizens, a place where people want to live, learn and work and raise a family, Madam Clerk. The Clerk: Yes, sir, I call your attention to the Delegation portion of our agenda. DELEGATIONS A. Greater Augusta Arts Council presentation of the City Arts Grants awards to Arts Nonprofits. Ms. Elam: Good afternoon. I am Alicia Elam and I am on the Arts Council Board of Directors, Vice-President of Programs and I’m very pleased to be here to present these fine cities worthy organizations. Each year the City of Augusta allocates funding to the Greater Augusta Arts Council to distribute to the nonprofits’ arts community. For fiscal year 2019 funds were reallocated in increments of up to $7,000 dollars to support general operating expenses or projects for sixteen different organizations. We are grateful for city leaders who recognize the importance of public financial support to sustain a wide variety of artistic discipline and expression. So thank you to our Mayor Hardie Davis, our Commissioners, our Administrator Ms. Janice Allen Jackson and various city leaders who are supportive of this venture and without which we would not be here today, thank you very much. Funding through the fiscal year 2019 Annual City Grant Program enabled arts organizations to provide programming and educational opportunities throughout Augusta-Richmond County, to promote metro Augusta as a cultural destination, to build the capacity and stability of Augusta’s arts and cultural organizations, to enhance the economic development of the city through the arts and to share arts programs activities with underserved audiences. Two types of grants are made possible by the City Arts Grant Program, the Arts Works Grant and Art Challenge Grant. Art Works Grant are for organizations general operating expenses. Art Challenge Grants are dedicated to project-based funding. This year eleven organizations were awarded Arts Works Grants and five were awarded Art Challenge Grants. So at this time I am pleased to announce our awardees and ask them to come forward to receive their 2 funds. First, I would like to recognize the Augusta Ballet the representative for the Augusta Ballet who received an Arts Works General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Augusta Choral Society received an Arts Works General Operating Fund Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Augusta Concert Band received an Art Challenge Grant for Special Project Funds. (APPLAUSE) The Augusta Mini Theater received an Art Works General Operating Fund Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Augusta Players received an Arts Work General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Augusta Symphony received an Arts Work General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) Creative Impressions received an Art Challenge Special Project Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) Colton Ballet Company received an Arts Work General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) Gertrude Institute of Arts received an Art Works General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Imperial Theater received an Art Challenge Special Project Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) Jesse Norman School of the Arts received an Art Works General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Morris Museum of Art received an Art Works General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) Sacred Heart Cultural Center received an Art Challenge Special Project Fund Grant. (APPLAUSE) Storyland Theater received an Arts Work General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) Suzuki Strings received an Arts Challenge Special Project Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) And last but not least Westabou received an Art Works General Operating Funds Grant. (APPLAUSE) The Clerk: I call your attention to the consent portion of our agenda which consists of Items 1-36, Items 1-36. For the benefit of any objectors to our Planning petitions once those petitions are read would you please signify your objections by raising your hand. I call your attention to: Item 2: Is a request for a change of zoning from a Zone A (Agriculture) to a Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property known as 3722 Wheeler Road. Item 3: Is a request for a Special Exception affecting property known as 4012 Belair Road with conditions. Item 4: Is a request for a Special Exception to establish a Boarding House located at 222 Greene Street. Item 5: Is a request to establish a special needs preschool affecting property at 3104 Skinner Mill Road. Item 6: Is a request with conditions for a Special Exception to allow a Tavern Painting Studio with alcohol affecting property known as 630 Crane Creek Drive. Item 7: Is a request for a change of zoning with conditions from a Zone R-1 (One-family Residential) to a Zone P-1 (Professional) affecting property known as 1230 R.A. Dent Blvd. The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those Planning petitions? I call your attention to our Public Service portion of our agenda. If there are any objectors to any of our alcohol petitions would you please signify your objections by raising your hand once the petition is read. I call your attention to: Item 9: Is a request for an on-premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be th used in connection with the location at 302 10 Street. Item 10: Is for an on-premise consumption Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location at 312 Timbercreek Lane. 3 Item 11: Is for an on-premise consumption Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with the location 3706 Mike Padgett Highway B. The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those alcohol petitions? Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission, our consent agenda consists of Items 1-36 with no objectors to our Planning or Alcohol petitions. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the th 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve got a couple of items I wanted to get some clarity on, Mr. Mayor. We can go ahead and pull them or we can take them one by one. I’ve got about five I think. Mr. Mayor: If you’ll tell us what they are, we’ll just pull them. Mr. M. Williams: Okay we’ll pull them let’s start with Items 4, 6 --- The Clerk: Four and six, sir? Mr. M. Williams: --- right, clarity on 7 as well 17, 21 and 31. Mr. Mayor: All right so again, Madam Clerk --- The Clerk: Numbers 7 --- Mr. Mayor: Four, six, seven, seventeen, twenty-one and thirty-one. Again that was 4, 6, 7, 17, 21 and 31. Are there any additional requests to pull or add to the consent agenda? The th Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item number 28 to get some clarity from the Administrator. Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right, any others? I’ll entertain a motion. Mr. Frantom: I’ve got one. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7. Mr. Frantom: Can we add agenda item number 40 to the consent? Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I object to that. Mr. Mayor: All right, so there is objection so there is objection, okay? All right Item 37 add that to the consent agenda. 4 The Clerk: Could you note, Mr. Mayor, that that would be adopted by Resolution? Mr. Mayor: Yes. The Clerk: Okay. Mr. Mayor: All right, again Item number 37 by Resolution add to the consent agenda. Ms. Davis: Motion to approve. Mr. Frantom: Second. CONSENT AGENDA PLANNING 1. FINAL PLAT – HAYNES STATION SEC. 9-S-869 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve a petition by the Cranston Engineering Group, on behalf of COEL Development Co., requesting final plat approval for Haynes Station Section 9. This residential subdivision is located on Copse Drive and contains 46 lots. DISTRICT 3 2. Z-18-47 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve, with the conditions stated below, a petition by Piyush Patel, on behalf of Hasanali V. Fatteh requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property containing approximately 0.33 acres and known as part of 3722 Wheler Road. Tax Map 030-0-041-00-0 DISTRICT 3 1. Final site plan shall meet the Tree Ordinance regarding 30% tree canopy, street-yard requirements. 3. Z-18-39 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve, with the conditions stated below, a petition by Zahra Faraj requesting a Special Exception to establish a Family Personal Care Home per Section 26-l (h) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia affecting property containing 1.1 acre and known as 4013 Belair Road. Tax Map 038-0-061-00-0 Continued from September 2018 meeting. DISTRICT 3 1. The home shall be actively staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 2. A private office shall be provided for staff to conduct business. 3. No more than sic (6) residents shall be permitted to reside in the home. 4. If needed separating existing bedrooms shall be demolished to create bedroom that meet the required floor area for the number of individuals residing on the property. 5. All work required to bring the structure into compliance with applicable codes shall be completed by a licensed and bonded contractor. 6. A satisfactory inspection from all applicable building inspection officials and a re-inspection by Code Enforcement must be obtained within six (6) months and prior to the applicant obtaining a local business license from Augusta, Georgia or the Special Exception is void. 7. The applicant will have to obtain a license with the State of Georgia and proof of compliance with the minimum requirements of Chapter 111.8-62.01 of the O.C.G.A must be provided within six (6) months and the applicant must obtain a local business license from Augusta, Georgia or the Special Exception is void. 8. All other state requirements for personal care homes must be met. 9. If wheelchair bound persons reside in the home all 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design requirements must be met, including but not limited to: a. All doorways must be at least 3 ft. wide. B. At least one bathroom that permits a 5 wheelchair dependent person to use all bathroom facilities unimpeded. 10. All conditions must be met before a business license shall be issued. 11. All previous uses are void and no use of the property shall be permitted until the special exception has been granted and all requirements to operate a personal care home have been met. 5. Z-18-45 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve with the conditions stated below, a petition by Jennifer Jones, on behalf of Eastview Apartments LTD and Joan Williams, DBA World of Discovery Daycare, requesting a Special Exception to increase the allowed building size from the existing 5,100 sq. ft. to 21, 000 sq. ft. in a B-1 (Neighborhood Business) Zone (15,000 sq., ft., is the maximum permitted) to establish a special needs pre-school per Section 21-2(a) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia affecting property containing 1.24 acres and known as 3104 Skinner Mill Road. Tax Map 017-0-025-00-0 DISTRICT 7 The applicant shall petition the Board of Zoning Appeals to bring the existing nonconforming structure into compliance with required front setbacks. The area of the proposed structure shall not exceed the requested 21,100 sf. There shall be no additional access via Skinner Mill Road. Issuance of development permits shall be contingent upon the submission and approval of plans meeting all applicable development regulations. PUBLIC SERVICES 8. Motion to approve the Sec. 5339 Augusta Public Transit grant application between the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Augusta, Georgia. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 9. Motion to approve New Location: A.N. 18-34: request by John Allen Johnson for an on- premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Riverside th Smoke BBQ located at 302 10 Street. District 1. Super District 9. (Approved by Pubic Services Committee October 9, 2018) 10. Motion to approve New Location: A.N. 18-35: request by Harinderjit Singh for an on premise consumption Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Gordon Highway LLC located at 312 Timbercreek Lane. District 5. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 11. Motion to approve New Ownership: A.N. 18-36: request by Daniel Magania for an on- premise consumption Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Mr. Pepperoni LLC located at 3706 Mike Padgett Highway B. District 1. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 12. Motion to approve Mr. Michael L. Roth as the new General Manager for McDonald Transit. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 13. Motion to approve submitting a grant application on behalf of Lower Savannah Council of Government (LSCOG) utilizing the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as the pass-through agency. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 14. Motion to allow the Administrator to meet with the Engineering, Utilities Departments and the Augusta Canal Authority to address the issues of the maintenance of the third level th Canal in the area of the old Southern Feed Mill located on 7 Street at the Third Level Canal. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 15. Motion to approve executing the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Services Contract between the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Augusta Planning and Development Department. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 9, 2018) 6 ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 16. Motion to approve the award of contract for the replacement of the Augusta Judicial Center Return Air System and HVAC Upgrade to Trane Commercial Systems Ingersoll Rand of Augusta in the amount of $142,973.00. RFP 18-220 (Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 9, 2018) 18. Motion to approve to applying for an extension from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for the Service Delivery Strategy 2018 due October 31, 2018. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 9, 2018) PUBLIC SAFETY 19. Motion to accept and approve the allocation of funding for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) in the amount of $325,000 to implement the Hazard Mitigation Grant program. (Approved by Public Safety Committee October 9, 2018) 20. Motion to accept the Federal Fiscal Year 2019 VOCA Allocation Grant Award from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) for the period October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 in the amount of $61,710 with matching funds of $15,428 identified in the Solicitor’s Office FY 2018 budget. (Approved by Public Safety Committee October 9,2018) FINANCE 22. Motion to approve a request from Mr. Patrick Feistel for the abatement of the taxes for the Garden City Rescue Mission in downtown Augusta, Georgia. (Approved by Finance Committee October 10, 2018) ENGINEERING SERVICES 23. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for permanent easement and temporary construction easement (Parcel 166-0-023-03-0) 4252-D Windsor Spring Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 24. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for permanent easement and temporary easement (Parcel 166-0-023-04-0) 4252-E Windsor Spring Road. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 25. Motion to approve and receive as information the maintenance and monitoring services for the new Traffic Engineering ITS network in the amount of $75,000 funded thru SPLOST VI. Also receive as information GTS Solutions providing the required emergency services as determined by the Augusta Engineering Department (AED). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) th 26. Motion to approve Engineering Services for AUD’s Fort Gordon 15 Street Collector Sanitary Sewer Project to W.R. Toole Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $209,944.15. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 27. Motion to approve proposal from Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. (GMC) to provide engineering services for Utilities Department’s Fort Gordon Cross Basin Lift Station and Force Main project in the amount of $344,000. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 29. Motion to approve the Deed of Dedication and Maintenance Agreement from KIR Augusta I 044, LLC. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 7 30. Motion to approve the procurement of Chemical Feed Pumps for Highland Avenue Water Treatment Plant to Tencarva in the amount of $51,845.00. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 32. Motion to approve the installation of thirteen streetlights on Copse Drive $85.00 per year. This is also the approve a new lighting tax district for the 50 lots associated with the above road. Requested by AED (Traffic). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 33. Motion to approve the installation of fourteen streetlights on Inverness Drive and Bellingham Drive $85.00 per year. This is also to approve a new lighting tax district for the 53 lots associated with the above roads. Requested by AED (Traffic). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 34. Motion to authorize Addendum No 1 to CCI Contract Callers Inc. (CCI) Master Professional Services Agreement with Augusta Utilities Department (AUD) and approve Augusta Engineering Department (AED) entering into Collection Services Agreement with CCI for Stormwater Utility Fee delinquent accounts collection as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) 35. Motion to approve entering into a Construction Contract Agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for the Wrightsboro Road Improvements (Marks Church Rd. to Augusta West Pkwy) Project (PI#015976) as requested by AED. Bid Item 18- 127 (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018)n PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 36. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Augusta Commission held October 2, 2018 and Special Called Meetings held October 2, 2018 and October 9, 2018) ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 37. Request approval by the Mayor and Augusta Commission to submit the Completed final Augusta 2035 Comprehensive Plan to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. (No recommendation by Administrative Services Committee October 9, 2018) Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, voting. Mr. Guilfoyle and Smith out. Motion Passes 8-0. \[Items 1-3, 5, 8-16, 18-20, 22-27, 29-36, 37\] Mr. Mayor: Okay, what we’ll do, Madam Clerk, go from top to bottom but I do want to take a moment. I know with so much going on it’s also an opportunity for us to keep in our prayers th, one of our own, the Commissioner from the 10 Commissioner Grady Smith, who took a fall and I would ask everyone to lift him up in prayer as well for a speedy recovery and then he can get on back in the saddle as he would say --- The Clerk: Amen. Mr. Mayor: --- that’s right and play baseball and tell a story or two. All right, Madam Clerk. 8 The Clerk: PLANNING 4. Z-18-44 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve, with the conditions stated below, a petition by Eric Parker, Boarding House, 222 Greene St. requesting a Special Exception to establish a Boarding House per Section 17-2 (Multiple Family Residential) and Section 26-1-u (Special Exception) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia affecting property containing 0.18 acres and known as 222 Greene Street. Tax Map 047-4-118-00-0 DISTRICT 1 1. The existing structure must meet the performance standards as set forth in Section 26-2-u of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. 2. Off-street parking must be provided as shown on the concept plan dated 5/2/2018 or a detailed plan for on-street parking, access to public transportation, and/or alternative travel methods must be provided to the Planning and Development Staff for review to determine if allowance may be made. 3. All conditions must be met within six (6) months of approval or the Special Exception shall be void as stated in Section 17-8 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commission from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I pulled this item because I wanted to get some clarity as exactly what we’re doing, Rob. When you hear the words Boarding House that’s not always been a pleasant experience for a lot of people but maybe I’m in that number that really don’t understand so what really would that consist of? Mr. Sherman: This is again it’s at 222 Greene Street and the applicant is a member of the Clubhouse, the organization that sets up incubator programs to help new businesses get started. The tenants will apply and be eligible to live in the boarding house for up to a year and participate in the incubator program. Mr. Mayor: All right, suspend for just a moment. I’m going to give it back to you. I see Eric Parker whose name is listed here he is that representative from the Clubhouse if you’ll come and approach and just in case the Chairman from Administrative Services has any questions, he may or may not of you but, all right, Commissioner, continue, sir. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m just trying to make sure that I understand what I’m voting on here. And, Rob, you said that the incubator will have will house people up to a year you say? Mr. Parker: Correct, yes, it’s a one-year long grant program that we have from the Kaughman Foundation where participants are only accepted into the program we provide them with office space and education so they can grow their business as well as housing through the this particular program. And so with the first year of doing our program because we didn’t have the special exception we had to find other housing accommodations but we’ve graduated eight entrepreneurs and out of the those they’ve created fifteen jobs in the community. 9 Mr. M. Williams: When the program is ended, will this revert back if you don’t do another grant? I don’t want to approve this and it’s a standard there. You know I’m just trying to make sure because I’m thinking someone says well that’s a boarding house maybe I can go get a place too but I’m not in an incubator program I can’t, I’m not participating in that. Will I be able to lodge there up to a year myself or does it end when the program ends and reverts back to the state that it’s in now? Mr. Parker: Yeah and I understand your question. So our intent is to renew funding for the program so that we could continue doing it and if for some reason we weren’t able to renew the program for that particular grant, we would continue to pursue funding so that we could provide housing for entrepreneurs in the community. But we don’t have a desire to run a boarding house outside of providing it for entrepreneurs. Mr. M. Williams: And with that I’m just using this seat where I sit and know that someone else will say, I’m just trying to dot i’s and cross the t’s to make sure we won’t rent it to something that we didn’t even ask a question about. I don’t know your program. I’m not against the program at all I’m going to support it but I just wanted to ask those questions so we can’t say you know nobody said that and we have a lot of that here, Rob. Mr. Sherman: If I can make one comment, Commissioner Williams. If the use ceases to exist for one year, it loses the special exception. Mr. M. Williams: Okay and that helps me understand it all, Mr. Mayor. I’m going to make a motion to approve. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay, very good. We got a motion and a second, voting. Mr. Fennoy, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 7-0. The Clerk: PLANNING 6. Z-18-46 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve with the conditions stated below, a petition by WaltzTangoFoxtrot, LLC, on behalf of Crane Creek Retail Partners, requesting a Special Exception to allow a Tavern (Painting studio w/alcohol) per Section 21-2-d (Neighborhood Business) limited to Suite 106 of existing shopping center as part of property containing approximately 7 acres and known as 630 Crane Creek Drive Tax Map 016-0-051-00-0 DISTRICT 7. 1. The Special Exception request shall be limited to the building addressed at 630 Crane Creek Drive, Suite 106, in the shopping center. 2. The business must acquire a business license and comply with all applicable licensing requirements, including regulations on alcohol sales. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. 10 Mr. M. Williams: The same question, Rob. A tavern studio is somewhat different and I’m glad to know we’re getting unique in doing some things that hadn’t been done before. But can you help me understand what exactly how that’ll work a studio and tavern? Mr. Sherman: So we had an inquiry, it’s been several months ago and in this case it’s an art studio where you go for art lessons and they sell art supplies as well. But they want to offer art classes and as part of that they want to be able to offer a drink or a beer and wine. The alcohol ordinance is really written to allow restaurants, hotels to have an alcohol license or bar. What they’re applying for we thought that we’d want to be more progressive with the way that they’re, we’re interpreting the alcohol ordinance and we thought that it was a reasonable request. But it really her use doesn’t fit the alcohol ordinance but by allowing a tavern in a B-1 Zone which is allowed by a Special Exception and that’s in the zoning ordinance and they can have seating for up to 40 people then it is allowed. So what they’ll be doing is getting a tavern license doing business as an art studio and so you have to be 21 to go in. Now the way in our discussions the applicant’s figuring that less than say 30%, 25% roughly of her annual revenue will come from the sale of alcohol so it’s just incidental too the operation of an art studio. They’re in other areas so we thought it was a reasonable request. And we want to come back to you or it may be appropriate at this time for some direction on whether or not we should amend the alcohol ordinance to allow this by right rather than having to fit it in as a tavern when it’s not a tavern but it will be an art studio that they want to offer a glass of wine so. And again we are finding it in other cities. We’re also finding salons that have been asking about being able to sell alcohol. Mr. M. Williams: Rob, I’m thinking that George Eskola and Hawthorne Welcher was in with the 40 other people in there supposed to be painting there’s going to be more than paint flying I guarantee you. I’m just I mean I’m not opposed to this either but then what about Sunday sales? Now you know we’ve got --- Mr. Sherman: No Sunday sales. Mr. M. Williams: --- well okay I mean but we need to have an understanding at least I do because if you fit in one area and you don’t fit in another one. Mr. Sherman: Well the, as far as regulating with regard to the alcohol, that’s considered a bar a tavern and those rules apply so you have to be 21 and it’s the regular bar hours. I think that the applicant said maybe until 9:00, 9:00 o’clock, 9:00 p.m. and then they would not be open on Sunday. But again at the same time that I’m saying that we do want to do some more research and bring back to you for discussion amendments to the alcohol ordinance saying it could make a better fit in the way we’re going about it. But this will work if you approve it. Mr. M. Williams: One more question, Mr. Mayor, if I can. Mayor Pro Tem, who’s, I’m sorry Ms. Mayor Pro Tem. Even with our Rec centers we have to have an officer present when we’re having alcohol even in our Rec centers. Now are we going to allow 40 people to go in a art studio? Will they have to have an officer present as well? 11 Mr. Sherman: They haven’t applied for the alcohol license or has not gotten into the process of coming before you but once that comes in there’ll be meetings with the Sheriff’s office to determine if that’s needed Mr. M. Williams: So the Sheriff made that decision? Mr. Sherman: Have not yet. Mr. M. Williams: I know but he will is that what you’re saying he will? Mr. Sherman: Richard Mr. Elam or (unintelligible) deputies. Mr. M. Williams: Okay, switching gears, who makes the decision about our Rec Center because doesn’t the Sheriff make them as well because --- Mr. Sherman: Well --- Mr. M. Williams: --- we have, I mean if it’s going I say if it’s a rule it ought to be across the board so everybody we shouldn’t be you know we’re picking and choosing. But people come in and they rent out facilities and because they’re going to have alcohol and they’re not even selling it but because they’re having alcohol they have to have an officer. Mr. Sherman: --- and then based on the occupancy loads that may be required. If they’re going to have the alcohol at the Rec centers I think it’s a policy that they a police officer or a fireman if need be. Mr. Sherman: You’re the Director, Rob. I’m going to make a motion to approve because you brought it and I’m sure you done vetted it and I asked some questions so. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Hasan: Ms. Madam Chairman? Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, ma’am. Mr. Sherman, just for the record I know you were saying you all were considering amending the ordinance. How many, how often do you get these kinds of special requests? I think you just mentioned beauty shops and things of that nature. I’m kind of tough to see how that beauty shop would make the cut if you decide to do that. I know I’m just touching into your conversation it’s not an agenda item but knowing that people bring their small daughters in there particularly to get their hair done and you just mentioned the age of 21 where alcohol is actually sold beyond traditional restaurants. So you don’t have to get into it I’m just saying to think about that in terms of doing that. You ought to wait, I would suggest possibly unless you get a lot of requests to wait and see how this has worked out six months to a year before we talk about amending the ordinance just for that unless you’re getting quite a bit of requests. Thank you, Madam Chair. 12 Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a motion and a second. Please vote. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 8-0. The Clerk: PLANNING 7. Z-18-48 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve with the conditions stated below, a petition by Michael Thurman requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-1 (One-family Residential) to Zone P-1 (Professional) affecting property containing 0.19 acres and known as 1230 R.A. Dent Blvd. Tax Map 046- 3-183-00-0 DISTRICT 1 The site shall not be available for parking until such time as all requirements have been met. Furthermore, the lot be fenced to prevent parking on the site, until such time as all site improvements can be executed; The applicant must start development of the parking lot within six (6) months or the property reverts to its previous zoning designation of residential use; residential use prevents the use of the property as a parking lot; The applicant must provide a detailed engineered Site Plan that meets all development regulations in place at the time of the submission of the site plan; The site, including all properties zoned in 2017, must be enclosed on all sides with a 6 ft. solid fence or wall. This includes the property lines adjacent to the railroad. Security lighting must be provided adequately illuminate the parking area but must be directed away from the existing residential properties. A business license for the operation of a paid parking lot shall be acquired, prior to any parking on the site taking place. Mr. M. Williams: Rob, can you handle this? Mr. Sherman: Yes, sir. This is right off Augusta Avenue, I think there’s five parcels involved. Four of them have already been rezoned to Professional. The applicant just became the owner of the last parcel. He’s applying to rezone it to P-1, it will be a parking lot. It’s sort of a horseshoe shaped parking lot, and then we’re recommending that it be approved and there’s some conditions on it. Roughly 70 parking spaces is what it will accommodate with his concept plan so he’ll have to come back with his engineered drawings to get through the complete site plan review process. And one of the requirements or conditions is that he have a solid board fence along the common property lines with adjoining properties. Mr. M. Williams: Madam Mayor Pro Tem? Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you. Rob, this is not a new. It’s not a new situation here. We had, I had people to come down who was really disappointed and upset about making a parking area in there to park cars, I understand it’s needed but at the same time I’ve got residents that live there and have been living there for a long time. Have we considered the water runoff that’s going 13 to create from another parking surface that’s going to be put there and what impact that’s going to make on those residents? Mr. Sherman: There should be a negative, no impact on the adjoining properties. Again if the zoning goes through or this gets approved the next step for the applicant is to get a site plan drawn up by an engineer showing how he’s going to control any water runoff. Mr. M. Williams: Okay and since I’m not an engineer I’m going to call on Mr. Mayor and let him help me figure this out here. I mean just a parking surface you’ve got to have, that water’s going somewhere. Now I understand I mean I can’t engineer the directive but I do when water falls it’s going downhill. That’s been proven already. So my question, Rob, is what are we doing, what our engineers are telling us if we approve this and the people’s that there that’s dealing with the water and have that with the water, it’s in a bad area anyway who have not had very much drainage for a while. Construction’s been going on across the street at MCG which I guess is really implementing having any additional parking over there. So I’m not going to sit here and act like I don’t see that. I need to know from somebody in this department not the person that’s applying but from Engineering in here what could be done, I mean is there going to be a retention pond? There’s no room for that. Mr. Sherman: You know and you’re right, there’s not a lot of room and I’m not sure how he will have it engineered but the retention could be even in the parking lot just a swale, say in the drive through area, just a place for the water to sit and run out, some controlled outlet before it goes into the city’s storm water system and according, I think they’ll proposed to have it piped underground, just store it underground in pipes. Mr. M. Williams: Okay --- Mr. Sherman: And then there was another condition that’s on lighting and the lighting is to be directed on to the property and not to have an impact on adjoining property owners. Mr. M. Williams: --- okay, this lighting, this talks about the adequate lighting illuminating from the railroad security light I mean what is that? Mr. Sherman: The lighting from the railroad? Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, the security lighting that must be provided it says to provide ---- Mr. Sherman: Yeah --- Mr. M. Williams: --- the lighting over there. Here you are, I say you here we are we’re trying to I guess appease the neighborhood by getting the water runoff but you’ve got lights that’s going be affecting people in their area at night especially at night when you’ve got this lighting that’s going illuminate the area. It’s going to put something in somebody’s window. A fence ain’t going to stop the light now so -- 14 Mr. Sherman: --- you know what we’re putting in here is that the light be directed onto the parking lot and I’m sure that if someone is affected by it, we’ll hear from them and if we do, if we are, then they can go out and just shade off the back side of the light if it happens to be that situation. But the idea is to control the light so that it doesn’t have an impact on the neighbors. Mr. M. Williams: I can’t support this one, Rob. I supported the last two and you brought this one too but I’m going to make a motion to deny because the neighborhood shouldn’t have to deal with people, business coming in and making money versus the neighbors who’ve been invested there for a number of years so my motion is to deny whether I get a second or not, whether is passes or not, I can’t support it. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a motion and a second to deny. Is there any other discussion or any other motions? Mr. Thurman: Can I say something? Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes let me get Commissioner Fennoy real quick and then yes, Mr. Thurman. Mr. Fennoy: When this issue, when this issue came up before, many of the people that live in that neighborhood were concerned about their neighborhood being converted into a parking lot. And unfortunately there are properties in this neighborhood that for lack of a better term have been abandoned but you also have people that have lived in that neighborhood for 40, 50, 60 years. The same issue, the same people that complained are the same people that have had issues with leaving their homes and when they come back they don’t have a place to park on the street, so many cars being on the streets that if there was an emergency, an emergency vehicle or firetruck couldn’t get through. Another complaint is the water runoff. Mr. Scofield who lives on, I forgot the name of the street but already he’s saying he has issues with runoff on his property and nothing has been done about it. So I don’t want to see this neighborhood converted into a parking lot. I don’t think it’s fair to the people that have lived there all their lives and so I can’t support it either. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay if we could hear from Mr. Thurman. You’ve heard some of the concerns up here and I’d also like to here during these meetings that ya’ll had with the Planning Commission if the neighborhoods were vocal in those meetings before the approval. But, Mr. Thurman, if you’ll kind of address some of the concerns that have been brought up please. Mr. Thurman: Yes, ma’am. First of all, we’re doing this because there’s a need. As you said people are very upset. They can’t get into their own houses because people are parking down there. So this is going to take a minimum of 70 cars off the streets and give them a place to park. We dealt with MCG; they have a crossing guard right there so it’s a perfect place to have parking so that they can be escorted across during peak hours and someone got hit by a bus a few years ago so they’re paying for a crossing guard. The neighborhood like you said it’s a horseshoe shaped so there’s two houses in the center and I have their, they’re very happy that I’m doing this, this is going to make the area look better. Mr. Brown who I believe Mr. Hasan you spoke with them last 15 year when I was talking about this and Mr. Wilson also who lives next door. As far as any runoff what we’re doing is going to require the runoff be controlled so we’re actually going to be taking care of Mr. Scofield’s problem by building one of the, I’ve already spent $10,000 dollars on engineering because you last year were gracious enough to award the property on either side. And I tried to get the one in the center but the Land Bank would not allow me to would not go and try to purchase the land on my behalf because it was somebody’s great-grandfather whatever they couldn’t get a clean title to it until I was able to get those two parcels zoned. So once I did that they said it would be three to six months, it’s now eleven months. Finally I was able to acquire it so I put a lot of money into this but so now the property is available to me so we’ll be taking care of the water runoff, the lights. Do you have a picture, Rob, of the, the way it’s designed the lights will be pointed toward the parking I mean toward the railroad track and toward empty lots. There are no houses that are going to be directly beamed with this light because there aren’t any houses near there except for Mr. Scofield’s and the two in the center which the light will be pointed away from. There are parking lots in the neighborhood and you can’t just take an empty lot. Rob will attest to this and make it a parking lot. You have to have buffers, you have to have trees, you have to do a lot of things so a little empty lot here a little empty lot there further in the neighborhood cannot be made to do so. But like I said there are several churches there that rent their parking to MCG. They’re making money doing it. There’s parking further down where the football field is, the Richmond County rents that out to MCG so I would just be adding to that. Closer to the school less walking distance for the students, taking places that have been neglected for I don’t know 20- plus years and making a nice place to go. Also there have been zero people to any of the meetings last time or this time expressing any negative impact to it and just had something else it must’ve slipped my mind. We’ve talked with the Fire Department. We’ve got all that under control. It’s just a matter of getting it done. There’s no negative reasons for doing it. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, thank you, Mr. Thurman, Commissioner Frantom. Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Rob, he just answered the question but I want to hear from you. At the P and Z meeting was there any people against it? Mr. Sherman: No, sir, it was unanimous. Mr. Frantom: With that being said Mayor Pro Tem I’d like to make a substitute motion to approve as it reads. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a motion. Do we have a second on the substitute? Mr. Jefferson: Second. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a second. Commissioner Fennoy and then Commissioner Williams. Mr. Fennoy: Rob, who’s responsible for putting up the zoning changes signs? Mr. Sherman: Our staff. 16 Mr. Fennoy: Okay and normally where are they placed? Mr. Sherman: On the property at the right-of-way where the public can see it. Mr. Fennoy: Okay well, I rode by there. Mr. Scofield called me when he finally saw the signs and I rode by there and I didn’t see it. And I called him back and he said I’ll meet you over there and I’ll show you where it is. And the sign was about two or three feet off the ground and with cars parking on Augusta Avenue it wasn’t visible. Normally when I see a zoning sign that you know it’s high enough where people can see it and I think that’s one of the reasons why nobody knew about it because I mean I rode right passed. So regardless of how this goes you know anytime you put up any more signs up or have your staff just make sure that they’re visible because it was very low to the ground. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. I don’t know how many people came this time but the last time, Rob, there was quite a number of people come down to complain not only just about the parking but about the parking lot. I heard Mr. Brown made mention he came several times and was pulled. He came several times to speak to it and it was pulled off the agenda and we had no discussion about it. Now Mr. Thurman is a business man; he’s putting his lot up I guess to make money but I’m not worried about business people right now. I’m worried about the residents that’s lived there and had invested more than any business will ever invest in there by just a mere fact of growing up and being raised there. When nobody even thought about parking cars over there because it wasn’t worth it to be parking cars. Now since MCG has moved over, we built the stadium, we gave them some parking now everybody’s just going to push those people out. I’ve got a problem with that. I mean so this about the residents, it’s about the taxpayers here, it’s not helping somebody get up and get in business. I appreciate this man for having the knowledge and know how to build a business but I think we as elected officials ought to look at the people who have paid their dues not just in taxes but in time and neglect. Now I could go around this room and start naming some stuff off, Rob, that you and me talked about that’s in that area we have not addressed yet and should’ve been addressed a long time ago and probably would’ve produced more people there to hopefully stand up and come in this room but the people in that area now have been left out. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams, let’s --- Mr. M. Williams: I’m sorry, Mayor Pro Tem --- Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: --- no, no that’s fine (inaudible). Mr. M. Williams: --- I mean I’m passionate about when people act like they don’t see the real picture. This ain’t just a glass rose we’re looking through. I mean that area’s been neglected for a long time. Now things are starting to happen in there but the residents that live there can’t go nowhere. 17 Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay Commissioner Hasan and then let’s take a vote on the substitute motion and the original motion, please. Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am. Thank you, Madam Mayor Pro Tem. To Mr. Thurman’s point and Commissioner Williams’ comment around the issue I did get an opportunity to talk to Ronnie Brown who’s in all intents and purposes the property’s directly next to their to his parents or their property. And at this point he didn’t have any problems with it. Initially they started out in a bad way but as they began to talk it through he was at peace with it. I saw him just recently and he didn’t indicate in any form or fashion that his position has changed however I do not know Mr. Scofield who’s in that area also as a resident. That’s a direct person, I don’t know him. But also what does concern me another point that Commissioner Fennoy brought out is something that Mr. Sherman and I discussed just recently and that is the placement of these notifications around rezoning the property because I had the same experience just recently to know that I thought the placement of signs was not adequate and it wasn’t placing them back in the same place they placed them at last time and so I don’t know if they’re thinking on their feet how best that people can see those signs. I’m not one to vote against what the community wants but I do know for sure Ronnie Brown being next to it his position has not changed. It is Commissioner Fennoy’s district and I will respect his wishes at the end of the day but I would not do it this way. I would suggest that, you know, you have a community meeting and let Mr. Thurman come in and talk to the residents about what he do that at the incubator business there Commissioner Fennoy or what they do at Antioch Church and let the residents come in and let Mr. Thurman explain to them once again what his intentions are because I do want to do the wishes of the community. I don’t want to hurt the wishes of the community but I do know one neighbor had to say but I will respect your position on how the community feels and I would say we do that once and then we vote it up or down but you can do what you want to do but that’s my position. So with that I’ll be abstaining until we get the resolution on that. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Mr. Thurman, you wanted to say something? Mr. Thurman: Yes, ma’am, just two more things. One thing no one showed up last year to either of the Planning meeting or this meeting to object, not a single person nor this year. I did offer graciously, gladly offer the use of the parking lot in the evenings because it’s only there for the students who are there from 6:00 o’clock to 6:00 o’clock or maybe 7:00 to 7:00 we’ll have to decide, find out exactly what the schedules are. The rest of the time the parking lot is open for the neighborhood to use which Reverend Ivey thought it was a nice gesture on my part. And also I’ve already got all the tiny smidgeon in the middle rezoned so there’s no access to that point other than my property. There’s no use of that other than going through my properties so I would just like to point that out. You’re not changing anything; there’s going to be a parking there. You’ve already okayed it; it’s just that one little area that I want to do to get a better traffic flow and make it more convenient for the Fire Department and for the students. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Thurman. Okay, so we have a substitute motion from Commissioner Frantom to approve and we’ll vote on that first please, please vote. Ms. Davis, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Frantom and Mr. Sias vote Yes. Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams and Mr. M. Williams vote No. 18 Mr. Hasan abstains. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Fails 4-3-1. Ms. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, we have an original motion to deny from Commissioner Williams vote on that please. Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams and Mr. M. Williams vote Yes. Ms. Davis, Mr. Sias, Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Frantom vote No. Mr. Hasan abstains. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Fails 3-4-1. Ms. Davis: Mr. Sherman, with a motion like, with an agenda item like this it doesn’t pass or fail. Where does the applicant stand? Mr. Sherman: What I would suggest is that maybe we do try to meet with the neighborhood and then after that meeting I’ll get with Ms. Bonner and see about putting it back on the agenda I suppose, is that the process? Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Is there I just didn’t know if there’s a timeframe that when something doesn’t pass through that before it comes back on the agenda there’s not, Madam Clerk, okay just for the applicant’s knowledge. Mr. Sherman: So we’ll move in that direction if that’s appropriate is to meet with the neighbors in the next couple of weeks and I’ll get back in touch with Ms. Bonner. Ms. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, thank you, Mr. Thurman and Mr. Sherman. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 17. Motion to approve the Commission honor the time frame set for our Executive Session of 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. and pass a resolution to: - Start the Executive Session meetings on time. - End the meeting at 1:00 pm. Items not addressed will be rescheduled – reconvene the executive session after completion of all committees. - Limit debate. - Provide Executive Session agenda and supporting material to all commissioners by Friday of the prior week, same as the commission agenda. - Package confidential or sensitive material as such. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 9, 2018) Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the th 9. 19 Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don’t know how we can put a time limit on executive meetings. I mentioned earlier, Ms. Bonner, that this Commission used to hold its Legal meeting after hours when the meeting was over with and we can take whatever time we needed. We started doing the meetings early but when you’re doing a legal meeting there are a lot of different issues and challenges that come up so how can we put a timeframe on an issue like a legal meeting? Now if we want to cut out the lunch, Ms. Bonner, and save some money and don’t eat then wouldn’t have time to I mean we can go straight into the meeting. But when you’re trying to take a ham sandwich and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich out of it, Ms. Bonner, it’s hard to do. So I pulled this item because I thought that we have in-depth conversations when you’re talking a legal matter that’s like everything else we do. That’s serious but that’s very serious when you go into Legal. So how can we put a time limit on it and just stop it and then come back to it later on? I mean I don’t think we’d get very much done, Mr. Mayor, that’s why I pulled this. And my motion would be to deny this effort, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Did that motion get a second? Move to approve. Mr. Hasan: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second. All right, the Chair recognizes st the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: I have some questions about this agenda item, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: State your inquiry. Mr. Fennoy: And if we approve this is this absolute? I mean if we don’t have a quorum, are we going to start at 1:00 o’clock, I mean at 11:00 o’clock? And if we have finished everything in Legal that needs to be discussed at 12:00 o’clock, do we still end it at 1:00 o’clock? Mr. Mayor: Probably not. Mr. Fennoy: So where do we go from here? Mr. Mayor: That’s the same thing Dr. King asked. Where do we go from here if there’s urgency of now, where do we go from here? I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the th 4, well you did you made your motion and said what you had to say. All right, I’m going to go th to the Commissioner from the 6 and then we’ll come back to (inaudible). Mr. Hasan: Yes sir, Mr. Mayor. I may not be the answer my colleague is looking for but I’d like to kind of weigh in on this question there. I don’t think the, starting at 11:00 o’clock in Executive Session will be no different when we come out here today at 2:00 o’clock if we wouldn’t have had a quorum we wouldn’t have gotten started, you know, I don’t think it’s any different. And at the same time we know if we get through at 12:00 if we’re listed to start our Public Meeting Committee cycle at 1:00 o’clock. We can’t start until 1:00 o’clock. You know I think that’s just 20 we can’t start before then because that’s what we’ve got posted to the public. Now if I’m wrong somebody can correct me but that’s what I believe. I could be wrong; I stand corrected if I’m wrong about that. Mr. Sias: You’re correct. Mr. Hasan: Hmm --- Mr. Sias: You’re correct. Mr. Hasan: --- you know your word ain’t going to do no good on this one I need another source. Mr. Sias: Ask Ms. Bonner then. Mr. Hasan: You appreciate that right, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: I did. Mr. Hasan: And so I think you know we’re always late because we’re always late and I think this thing is encouraging us to try to be on time as much as possible to get through with the people’s business in a timely manner. It gives us a basis that we don’t get it through in that appropriate time that we can come back and finish it or we can do some other things. And it’s just trying to get us to a good place and I think at the end we’ll benefit from it. These are our rules; executives abide by their own rules. When you really think about it that’s all it’s saying. These are your rules; you say you start at 11:00 o’clock. Start at 11:00 o’clock, these are your rules. You start at 2:00 o’clock, you start at 2:00 o’clock. And sometimes you know there are I do believe there are rules and there are exceptions to rules. Exceptions do happen but as a rule I think you know this just makes sense. And to get us the material and a proper time because we’re making decisions about important matters that can cost us in the tune of millions of dollars and to give us an opportunity to look over that information and make informed decisions will keep us from just operating in the blind and give us some sense of what we’re going to be discussing. All of that makes sense to me, Mr. Mayor, and I just think we ought to consider that. Mr. Mayor: Well, I think that’s why we’re here, we’re considering it. I think that you know all of these are debatable matters but I’ve said it before and I’ll certainly say it again when you start codifying the fact that you take what some will believe to be an absolutist position that you’re going at this time, you’re going to end at this time. You limit excessive debate; you know at the end of the day that in and of itself is s very interesting construct about limiting debate. And the question of the day becomes who’s going to decide to talk less, who’s going to flip a coin to talk less today and I’m not quite sure where that plays but let’s just vote on it and we’ll you know th either support it or not. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Sure. 21 Mr. M. Williams: A couple of questions. I mean I heard my colleagues talking about handling the people’s business but which is the people’s business will it be Legal or whether it be the agenda I mean which is the people’s business would be my first question to anybody. Mr. Mayor: Could you restate your question, sir? Mr. M. Williams: Which is the people’s business going into Legal handling that or the, if not handling the agenda? Mr. Mayor: All of it. Mr. M. Williams: And that’s my thinking, all of it is the people’s business. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. M. Williams: We were elected to handle the people’s business. Now it didn’t tell us that we’re going to do it in 20 minutes, it didn’t tell us we’re going to do it in two days, it said you were elected, we are the voice of the people. And if you don’t have the opportunity to ask those questions, well if I don’t have the opportunity, Ms. Bonner, to ask those questions then I feel like I’m doing the people an injustice because they elected me because they can’t come down here and talk. They sent me down here to do that. Half of this city did and I’m here and I don’t plan to cut the meeting short or stretch it longer to please anybody who wants to go home to feed the dog. I mean you should have an automatic feeder I guess. That’s what I do with mine. But my point is when you’re elected you ought to come down here and do the people’s business whatever it takes or you shouldn’t have ran for the office, it’s simple, Ms. Bonner. I used to brag of not missing any meetings. I finally missed a meeting you know but my daughter said Daddy why do you try to be there every day? I said because the day I lay off the day they’re going to pay off and I want to be there and I try to be here. And I don’t care I got the same to do like everybody else has got to do, probably more than most, but I’m elected to stand up for the people who elected me and do what is right and that’s what I plan to do. So I’m not going to cut Legal short, I’m not going to cut the Commission short. If we want to do anything I make a substitute motion to start the Legal meeting after we finish our regular Commission meeting and then we can take two days, two weeks whatever it is in the Legal meeting and do that. But I’m not going to tell you that the meeting’s going to start at 11:00 and you’ve got to be here. Mr. Mayor, when you come out I see people trying to encourage you to get started. I wish you would but I don’t try to encourage you I don’t try to get you to start before that’s your prerogative that’s one thing you can do as the Mayor. Mr. Mayor: That’s right. Mr. M. Williams: Now they may not like that, they may not agree with that but that’s what you can do as the Mayor. And I see people trying to get me to be quiet but they can’t stop me from talking, Mr. Mayor. The people sent me down here to do what I’m doing to you right now talk and I plan to do that. Mr. Mayor: And I’m going to recognize --- 22 Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, can I respond to that? Mr. Mayor: --- (unintelligible) to do that. All right, so this is what we’re going to do I’m going to recognize, your hand’s been up. I see your hand, I’m coming to you. Just take a chill pill. I’m going back this way first and then I’ll come back to this side. I’m going to recognize the th Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir and at least for just a second, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: --- I want to steal a page from your playbook. Mr. Mayor: All right, make sure it’s the right playbook. Mr. Sias: Is it not true that on normal Commission meetings we have a limit on debate on speaking terms? Mr. Mayor, now it’s a simple question now. Is it not true, is it not true, sir? Mr. Mayor: I believe the gentleman knows of what he speaks. Mr. Sias: No, I say that to say this. If that’s the people’s business we’ve already signed up for some rules in doing the people’s business. People’s business says you have ‘x’ amount of time. People are here to get their business done and we need to be respectful of their time. And I’ll say to my other colleague I think the rules say you ain’t supposed do like that but I say to the Chair this is said to honor that. It didn’t say absolute, do or die. But when we come out 30, 40, 50 minutes late, that’s just that’s just reprehensible. So we can find ways number one starting on time and we can find ways to get the point across and this is what this agenda item is all about. I’m going to support it one way or the other. So but the bottom line is it’s not to take away anybody’s talking right. This is just a little bit of we’re respecting other folks rights, thank you. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7. Mr. Frantom: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’ve got two questions. Number one is if we get an agenda packet sent to us with sensitive material, are we saying that no additional items can be put on Legal as of when we get that? Mr. Mayor: Well, that’s debatable matter as well. Mr. Frantom: Well, for me this issue is about respect. I mean yeah we’re elected we’re also elected to respect people’s calm. And so much over the last four months we’ve come out of Legal at 2:00 o’clock and yeah they’re important issues but maybe we only had to hit the, maybe we didn’t prioritize to hit the important issue only and then come back and hit the rest of them later. I do have some concerns about the way some things are worded here, but I think it is the right thing to do to come out at 1:00 o’clock because that’s when we have for the people especially because Public Services is 1:00 o’clock and those people are here and money is time for them as 23 well. They’re business owners and we should be coming out. But you know maybe would the maker of the agenda maybe at 1:00 we vote every time in Legal to come in or out or something because I think it is important that we come out at 1:00 o’clock and I just don’t know if this is hampering us too much (unintelligible). Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Well, I appreciate that and I understand the spirit in which the author of this has brought this forward. We’ve had a series of conversations and again all fun aside there are the Commission rules that again the rules say that if you’re going to do the round robin process you give each Commissioner two minutes to speak on the matter. From time to time we’ve limited debate on a particular issue on a number of times and we’ve done that in advance particularly in the case of issues that we’ve talked about on multiple occasions where we’ll limit debate to twenty minutes, ten minutes. The reality of it is again we’ll vote this up or down but we always step into this slippery slope of trying to codify action when in fact there needs to be just an understanding that if we’re going to come into Executive Session we get in there and do the people’s business. But I’m always opposed to this notion of codifying that I just think it sets a bad precedence that you spend your time trying to figure out well did we do what we said and you bind not only the current commission but future commissions to do something that they were certainly not party to or privy to. Not withstanding the concerns around providing agenda information in advance as if it were the same type of information that you get in your notebooks the reason we go into Executive Session is because there’s “attorney client privileged information” of whether we’re dealing with litigation, personnel or real estate. It’s a reason why we do that. So again bear those things in mind as you’re considering your action today. All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, voting. Mr. D. Williams, Ms. Davis, Mr. Sias, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Hasan and Mr. Frantom vote Yes. Mr. Fennoy and Mr. M. Williams vote No. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 6-2. Mr. M. Williams: Point of Privilege, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: State your inquiry. Mr. M. Williams: So if we don’t follow that then what happens? Do we get escorted out? I mean I need to know how are you going to control, how are you going to police because my understanding is that the Legal meeting belongs to the Mayor and the Commission sometimes the Attorney. But even in the absence of the attorney the Legal meeting is set for those of us who may an agenda item they want to bring in. You just wasted a vote, man, that’s all we just did but let’s go let’s move to the next one. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, can I have a point, I rarely ask for a Point of Personal Privilege, Mr. Mayor. I just need --- st. Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 State your inquiry. Mr. Fennoy: --- to be clear. I just need to be clear, I just need some clarity. So if on the days that we are scheduled to have a Legal meeting and we don’t have a quorum by 11:00 o’clock 24 and we have a quorum at 11:10 well because we didn’t start at 11:00 o’clock, we don’t have a meeting that day? Mr. Sias: May I answer that for you? Mr. Mayor: No, no, no. Mr. Fennoy: I mean that’s what we --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah that’s --- Mr. Sias: That’s the same problem (unintelligible). Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, I’m not going to do this, I’m going to leave it alone. Let’s move on to the next agenda item. We’ve got a budget presentation ahead of us. The Clerk: FINANCE 21. Motion to approve recommendation for Augusta University to manage the Cyber Center Parking Deck. (Approved by Finance Committee October 10, 2018) th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’m going to take my time since there’s a --- Mr. Mayor: Take you time. Mr. M. Williams: --- time limit on, I asked this item to be put on the agenda just to get some clarity as to exactly what are we doing with the Augusta State managing the Cyber Parking Deck. How does that benefit us, Ms. Jackson? Can you help me understand that just a little bit? Ms. Jackson: Yes --- Mr. M. Williams: I’m not opposed to it, I just need to need to get a clear understanding. Ms. Jackson: --- uh yes, sir. This is simply a recommendation for Augusta University to handle the management of that. If you all approve this item today, we will come back on the th meeting on the 30 with a recommended agreement for you all to enter into. The alternatives we considered were us trying to manage it ourselves or go with Augusta University. I am recommending Augusta University based upon the fact that they have experience and an infrastructure in place to manage because they manage the deck on their current campus. Also they’ll be involved in the facility management for the Cyber Center so it makes for a good connection between the, among the entire facility affair in charge of managing the deck. In terms of proceeds, they would ask us for $26,000 dollars as a management fee. All other fees as per our 25 agreement with the State of Georgia would be coming to us so basically they’re a conduit but the money would still come to us with the exception of what we have to pay them. Mr. M. Williams: And that $26,000 you’re talking about coming out of the parking fees? Ms. Jackson: Out of the parking revenue that’s generated. As you may recall the State of Georgia guaranteed to purchase a certain number of spaces, I can’t remember the exact number -- - Mr. Hasan: 775. Ms. Jackson: --- they will be purchasing ‘x’ number of, a total of 775 spaces in the building and there’s a guaranteed revenue stream for the spaces that they’re going to pay for. Mr. M. Williams: And the Augusta State will set the fees as to what that is? Ms. Jackson: No, the rate actually we would set the rate that’s a part of the agreement at $50.00 dollars per space. Mr. M. Williams: That’s all I have, Mr. Mayor, thank you. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5. Mr. Jefferson: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. May I address Ms. Jackson? Ms. Jackson, it’s not that I’m against Augusta State University but we struggled to come up with our share of the money to pay for the parking deck. And it was my understanding and part of my reason for voting for it that we would handle that the same way we handled the Convention Center parking, the Marriott parking and other parking and it seemed like that’s going south. Explain that. Why did we decide not to let the City of Augusta handle that? Ms. Jackson: Well in the instance with the Reynolds Street Parking Deck, the Augusta Riverfront LLC Organization actually manages that parking deck for a very similar fee to the $26,000 dollars that Augusta University is proposing. And again all the proceeds, the net proceeds come back to the City of Augusta and would in fact go toward our debt service payment. We’re just paying them a fee to manage the parking revenue generated. It comes back to our office. Mr. Jefferson: Okay if we operated, would it cost us more than the $26,000 that we’re paying them and how? Ms. Jackson: Yes, our projection was that it was costing us more. In the agenda item we talk in some detail about that. Augusta University because they have staff already that’s engaged in parking management. They feel they can manage this without having a person at the deck. They would manage with a credit card swipe sort of system there. If there are any problems or issues, it will be referred to someone that’s within their existing operation whereas we don’t have anybody at all that’s engaged in that so we would actually have to hire somebody to manage the deck ourselves and we believe it’s less expensive for them to do it. 26 Mr. Jefferson: Okay well, you know part of our identity and part of putting our stamp on it was to operate the parking deck. The more I look at the Cyber Center which like I say I’m not against Augusta University but it’s becoming more the Augusta University Cyber Center than anything else and I think this is just moving closer to that opinion if people on the outside looking in were to look at it. And I’m having problems supporting that because I supported raising the money with the understanding that the City of Augusta would run it. Ms. Jackson: Yeah well again, I just want to make clear we’re still getting the revenue from --- Mr. Jefferson: Correct but I’m not talking about the revenue. I’m talking about actually running it, controlling it in other words putting our stamp on it, you know City of Augusta parking, just like our stamp is on other parking that we control. I mean but I feel that by allowing Augusta University to run it that gives them a heads up, a thumb up or a leg up in other words it’s more controlled of Augusta University than the City of Augusta. Ms. Jefferson: Just to be clear also by the agreement until the debt is paid off, it is our parking deck in accordance with the agreement. It belongs to us in the same way Reynolds Street Parking Deck does. Mr. Jefferson: Okay I’m finished, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, voting. The Clerk: No, sir. Mr. Mayor: No, ma’am, we don’t have a motion? Mr. Frantom: Motion to approve. Ms. Davis: Second. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. Jefferson votes No. Mr. M. Williams abstains Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 6-1-1. The Clerk: ENGINEERING SERVICES 28. Motion to consider/approve funding recommendations from the Administrator to fund traffic study to address traffic issues along Gordon Hwy. between Dyess Parkway and 27 Robinson Avenue, including the communities of Haynes Station, Sims Landing and Willhaven Estates. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I pulled this item because at a committee level our Traffic Engineer, Mr. Ussery, was sharing with us and giving us an update about what they had done in that area in a different community that they had spoken with them Gordon Highway about trying to potentially put up traffic signals and try to contain the traffic flow as best they could. And one of the things he made mention is that based on where they were at this particular time that it’s going to be possibly next year before they’re able to find a funding source to do what needs to be done to start this process. I think all of us know that this has been an ongoing conversation. The young lady who has spoken with Commissioner Fennoy has been down here several times so I suggested at that particular time to the committee to allow the Administrator for them to go ahead and do the preliminary work right now to find the resources to do that and so she said she would do that and tell us how she can go ahead and get that process started. They could do the additional research they needed to do to continue this process as opposed to waiting until the first of the next year just to do the research that they need to do and so she’s going to tell us potentially where she’ll find resources. He estimated it may be between I think if I’m not mistaken between $10 to $20,000 dollars to do the body of the work they need at this particular point. Mr. Mayor: Are you in favor of it? Mr. Hasan: Absolutely, I’m in favor. Mr. Mayor: Okay, do you want to make a motion? Mr. Hasan: I make a motion once the Administrator she may say she’ll get the money from Dennis Williams and I’m against that. Ms. Jackson: As you indicated, we are estimating the cost at approximately $20,000 dollars. We can find sufficient funding to do that within the Engineering Department’s operating budget for 2018 so that is my recommendation. Mr. Hasan: I make a motion that we approve the Administrator finding the $20,000 dollars to continue this research. Mr. D. Williams: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, motion and a second, voting. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 8-0. The Clerk: 28 ENGINEERING SERVICES 31. Motion to approve entering into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two (2) Educational Institutions (Savannah State University, GA and Augusta University, GA), Nonprofit Organization (Phinizy Center) to assist in activities that are designed for stream restoration in local waterbodies. Also authorized Mayor to sign MOU as requested by the Augusta Engineering Department. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee October 9, 2018) th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I need someone to make me understand exactly what the Memorandum of Understanding would be. Ms. Jackson, can you enlighten me? Ms. Jackson: I believe Dr. Malik can handle that item. Mr. M. Williams: Okay Dr. Malik, can you? Dr. Malik: Yes, sir. This is our ongoing coordination and work with the state and federal EPD and EPA to address some of our quality issues we have with our creeks. So Augusta Engineering succeeded to get another (unintelligible) grant that’s $193,000 dollar federal money and then most of our matching is in kind. So these institutions are helping us to do some technical parts and assistance to restore the creeks that are listed (unintelligible). We have several grants. We just finished one last year, we’re about to finish one right now that was $40,000 dollars. Actually that was state approved that’s Engineering to help them to finish it up and this one is $193 and we will be coming very soon back to the Commission we have other grants that have been approved that’s $238,000 dollars. So our effort is to minimize the stress on our funding and try to seek out the federal or the state funding. But these institutions have the technical knowledge and expertise to help us at a very minimal cost. Mr. M. Williams: Another question, Mr. Mayor. Malik, would this, how will this support the by the water at the Lock and Dam? Will that affect that at all? Will that play a part at all? Dr. Malik: No, sir. This is a separate grant to address water quality issues. This particular one is to restore like failing banks, more there are sediments in the creek how they can remove the sediment and restore like fish habitats and that kind of stuff. But right now this grant is approved for the section at Rocky Creek and Butler Creek. Mr. M. Williams: Okay the Rocky Creek area, Malik, this conversation you know we’ve been having some issues over there for quite some time with the vegetation and stuff that’s in there and will this help with that? Dr. Malik: To some extent. That’s a starting point you know we tried to determine what it’s going to take to restore our creeks including the (unintelligible) including the bank failure all of the stuff, this is our quest, this is an attempt towards that. Mr. M. Williams: Motion to approve. 29 Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second to approve, voting. Dr. Malik, we’re just, we’re having a little sidebar conversation about the good work that you all have done with the Lake Aumond dredging and Hiers Pond, that looks wonderful. Dr. Malik: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Congratulations to you and your team. Dr. Malik: We got in very close to hopefully getting a permit for Lake Olmstead. Mr. Mayor: Fantastic, it looks really good out there. Ms. Davis: Mr. Mayor, just real quick --- Mr. Mayor: Madam Mayor Pro Tem. Ms. Davis: --- how many years have you been working on that now with the first permit now the second just to show. Dr. Malik: I think it’s 10 years right now but my plan is really to come back to this body and give the present what’s happened in 10 years and at the end of the day actually it’s helped a lot to see the Engineering Department. We saved a lot of money spending that money and I will present it. it’s been about $12/13-million dollars. Mr. Mayor: Fantastic. Ms. Davis: Thank you to all that you and your department did because it’s a lot of hard work. Dr. Malik: Thank you. Mr. Mayor: Excellent. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 8-0. The Clerk: ENGINEERING SERVICES 38. Discuss the issue of overflowing commercial garbage dumpsters not being serviced/emptied on a regular basis. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams) th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. 30 Mr. M. Williams: Where are we at, Ms. Bonner. I’m sorry I wasn’t --- The Clerk: Item number 38, sir. Mr. M. Williams: --- 38 on the screen? The Clerk: Yes, sir, about the dumpsters not being serviced. Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, I asked for this to be put on the agenda. I talked with Ms. Videtto at the landfill. There’s a serious issue and I know in one part of this community where the private dumpster has been allowed to obtain, the private businesses have been allowed to take their own garbage container. But they have been overflowing. Ms. Videtto might have some comments she wants to make about that. But my question is who controls that, who polices that, who’s responsibility is it to see that’s done, can you help me Ms. Videtto? Ms. Videtto: Obviously the issue is overflowing dumpsters. The problem is private businesses, residents, commercial entities procure trash services from local vendors. This is not an Augusta provided service. This is private industry that is required to have garbage service. Often times collection is not occurring and it’s a variety of reasons. It could be overfilled, it could be blocked, they could’ve not paid their bill, hazardous materials, liquids, dead animals or construction debris could be inside the container. It could be the containers are not designed for those types of materials or the container is just too small and it’s not being serviced enough. And I can pretty much guarantee that every one of you has seen something that looks something like that, that is actually an after picture. This is the one that Commissioner Williams called us about last week. So this is the actual cleaned up picture. It was significantly worse than the before picture. We came up with some solutions so we spoke with 311, the Marshal’s Office, Code Enforcement and a variety of agencies to figure out what we could do to help. I think first of all we need to work with and communicate with the service providers. If we speak to the garbage providers tell them that they can reach out to 311, Environmental Services, the Marshal’s Office for assistance and let us know that they’re having an issue. If we’re having garbage piled on pieces of property then we need to deal with that. Share the contact information, we found that a lot of these agencies didn’t know who to call unfortunately. Address the property owner, business owner or the tenant and make sure that they are aware that the code requires that they maintain their property in a litter free and that the garbage is containerized. Of course communicate to the residents that they can report this as well and it can be reported anonymously. And we’ve also set up a protocol with 311 so that if these items are entered that they get to the right place so they can be addressed. So that’s where we’ve landed as of today. Mr. M. Williams: I guess my comment is that we have employees that ride through our community daily using our trucks and our gas and everything else but nobody reports this stuff. It could be a health issue, easily could convert into some of that. It’s unsighted I mean it’s unsightly when you go into a place and see that it brings a negative thought to your mind. The businesses or the services that provide it if they’re not being paid or we give them an opportunity to do that but we really are not cleaning up. We had a name and at one time it said it was being the Garden City, Ms. Bonner, but I think the garden is going to something else. So and I guess I’m just trying 31 to find out how do we address this, how do we get on top of this. The last 14/15-years I’ve been talking about cleaning up. I’ve been talking about we done went in the inner city we carried equipment in. We cleaned up then we allow people to dump stuff and leave it on the main right- of-way and nobody says anything about it. The name of the business are on the side of the container they’re supposed to be picking it up. If they hadn’t been paid then we need to cite or somebody needs to cite somebody to make something happen. So where do we go from here? Ms. Videtto: Well, you know some of this stuff that we put into place the Marshal’s Office has taken a very strong stance on this and they responded very quickly when we reported the one over on, that I have a picture of in here. So allowing them to do the enforcement action and get these places cleaned up but then also having the communication tools. I think that was one of the pieces we were missing. I hate to even say it but people didn’t know who to call and making sure that that’s very clear and those lines of communication are there so that it can get to the right agency and it can be held accountable. Mr. M. Williams: Last year on Goodrich Street, Lori, you remember when we had a had I think several containers that were overflowed, people just throwing trash on the ground because there wasn’t no room to put it in the container. And when your crew went out the people went and started to help even throw it in. Now somebody ought to have eyes enough to see that and not let that just continue. Now whether they’re going to change that or not I don’t know but I think we make a bad situation worse when we don’t address it. So after hearing that do we need to do something as a body? Do we need to put it on the agenda to talk about assigning someone? Do we need to ask the Administrator what’s her thoughts on where we go, something? I don’t want to just talk about this because we’ve all seen it and nobody’s doing anything about it. How do we get meter readers, utility workers people who’ve got access to transportation to go up and down our streets to report this kind of stuff? Ms. Jackson, can you help me out with that? Ms. Jackson: I think the best thing I can say is we have a group of department directors that communicate with each other on a regular basis to address various issues related to cleanup. I think this is one item we can add to our agenda to come back with some recommendations on how to deal with that. I think what I’m hearing from you is that it’s not sufficient just for one department or two departments to be looking at it. You’d like for everybody to be looking as they ride down the road and feel responsible, have a stake in it so they’re responsible for reporting those things, is that essentially what I’m hearing from you, sir? Mr. M. Williams: Yes, ma’am. I mean whatever it’s going to take to get something done and not just talked about. People who are dealing with this deal with it all the time and then they got accustomed to it. They figure and a lot of them are thinking it’s normal to just leave it like that but no one wants to live like that, they don’t want to live around that. Now I can name three or four I could give you an address or street on but it’s not my job to ride up and down the street when folks make a heck of a lot more money than I make riding and don’t even call it in, don’t even make a note about it, don’t even tell nobody about it. I think we’ve got to find a way to get them to understand if you see something you at least ought to report it and that’ll help us along with the other agencies that’s supposed to be doing it. I have to tell Ms. Videtto right here she’s been working really hard trying to assist and work with lots that I brought you. I mean just myself so but a cleanup we can, you can be poor but you don’t have to be nasty. Tthat don’t make sense to 32 me for us to see stuff and just let it go as if we’re not dealing with human beings. We are, this is human life we’re dealing with. Ms. Jackson: I think that’s a reasonable request, sir. Mr. M. Williams: Okay. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’re going to recognize the Engineering Services Chairman and then th the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Fennoy: Yes, you know one of the, one of the areas where we have a problem with garbage and overflowing cans and containers is downtown and I have talked with Ms. Videtto about that issue. And they are in the process of coming up with a garbage collection plan for downtown Augusta that would address the issues downtown and I agree with Commissioner Williams if someone sees something they ought to say something. But a couple of months ago somebody sent me a picture and it was a picture of an armadillo that was laying in the middle of the street and there was someone who was in one of these machines that was painting the yellow lines in the middle of the street and they painted right over the armadillo and the caption under that said that’s not my job. Well you know, a lot of times you know we take the position and some of our employees take the position that if that’s not my job I don’t want to have anything to do with it. So at some point in time we’ve got to change that attitude of our employees because they have, they’ve seen more potholes than we do. They see more abandoned house, vacant lots than we do and they need to you know everybody, everybody needs to be involved in making Augusta the Garden City and the only way that’s going to happen is that if someone sees something then that person ought to say something about it. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Videtto, I see your solutions here and you might have already said this but so and I apologize in advance if I missed it. In terms of making contact with the service providers as well as the property owners, is there any citation that you’re considering for these apartment complexes and places of that nature who are allowing to sit there and won’t, you know, won’t pay for the hauler to dump it because you said report it to Code Enforcement or report it to the Richmond County Marshal’s Office? If they had not paid their bill under normal circumstances that vendor is not going to dump it and do we have, I know this is a running question here, do we have the wherewithal to go out and dump it or do we have to pay somebody to go get it dumped? Ms. Videtto: Typically what happens if the bill has not been paid we can work with the service provider to get the container dumped and removed and then the service provider can work with the business/resident whoever contracted the service to then recover their money. So they can dump the container, take it away and then go back and try to collect their money so it doesn’t have to sit there. Now if we need to help and clear the way so that they can dump the container we can certainly work with that --- Mr. Hasan: Okay --- 33 Ms. Videtto: --- because what happens is if you look at this picture you can’t get to the container and the container’s overflowing so you kind of have three or four items you have to deal with before this one can even be taken away so you have to move the couch, empty some of that junk out of there then they can dump it and move it. Mr. Hasan: --- so you have a particular business that has habitually allowing this to happen if we have to pay the bill for the vendor to go out and do it, do we consider to tack on some additional fees because we are spending our money to get what they should be doing as the person who’s running their business? Ms. Videtto: We’ll have to research that a little bit further. At this point I think the key is we need to get the stuff picked up, maintain that quality of service and quality of life and then we can work on the fee part of it. Mr. Hasan: Okay, in closing I’m going to say the same thing I think both of my colleagues have already said, Mr. Mayor, and that is simply we have to find a way to get all of us, all of our employees, all 2,700 of all of us to realize that all of us is on the Keep Augusta Beautiful Team and we see things that we have to report it and let it be known. And a lot of times I’ll be honest with you probably 311 you get you end up at the back of the line you know so sometimes if also do employees like on the utility truck and other trucks to offer have those Commissioners’ number and try to call them I just saw this dumpster I just saw this here and try to get it so and get those things corrected in a timely manner. So I think all of us realize we’re a part of that team the Keep Augusta Beautiful Team and we should all be saying at the end of the day Go Augusta because those are our logos as well, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, thank you, Ms. Videtto. Mr. Hasan: Excuse me, Mr. Mayor, he said he don’t want to give his number. Mr. Mayor: Well, he’ll be fine. Mr. Fennoy: I get enough calls already. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right let’s speed it up a little bit here. We still have a budget presentation in front of us. We’ve got one more item I believe --- The Clerk: That’s it the budget. Mr. Mayor: --- number 40? The Clerk: 40 was, oh yeah that’s right, 40 Commissioner Williams had it. Mr. Hasan: That was me, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: It was I recognized you, we’re going to go to 40. 34 The Clerk: ADMINISTRATOR 40. Motion to approve the award of the RFP #18-247 for the Health Insurance to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia. Mr. Mayor: All right --- Mr. Hasan: One question, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: --- I know, I’m going to call on you. Mr. Hasan: Okay, thank you. I think everyone wants to know is the premium the same -- - Ms. Jackson: Yes. Mr. Hasan: --- it’s the same. Is it still the best way for us to be self-insured? Is that still the best way based on the market? Are we paying to the tune of $30 million-dollars still a year? Ms. Jackson: One of the things while you all are looking at the numbers one of the things I’m going to talk about in the budget presentation is that this year we’ve had pretty good success with it. We’re not in a situation where we’re going to have to raise rates. I think what I like about this is that we have some control over what happens so that’s the presentation. Mr. Hasan: I just have one more final question, Ms. Jackson, and I’ll be through. You don’t have to go through the presentation. My math and I could be wrong, Mr. Mayor. I was doing the math on the 2,700 employees times $30 million-dollars that estimated about $11,000 annually in terms of what actually, if we was you know had an accident of sort and I’m just wondering is it the most economical way to go that’s all. So if the staff believes that it is based on what’s out there on the market I’ll live with that but that’s all, I’m really satisfied with that. I’m going to make a motion to approve. Ms. Davis: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion to approve with a second, voting. Mr. M. Williams: I had a question for Donna but since you done voted, Mr. Mayor, I don’t need it now. Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir, yeah, voting. Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. Smith out. Motion Passes 8-0. 35 The Clerk: Item 39, sir? Mr. Mayor: Well, we’re going to stand in recess for 5 minutes before we do that. The Clerk: Okay. (RECESS) Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to reconvene. There are two minutes the Commissioner st from the 1 recognized that there were two additional minutes that Ms. Jackson took so she’s going to take those two minutes back from you. Ms. Jackson: Okay. Mr. Mayor: All right, we can go ahead and get started. ADMINISTRATOR 39. Presentation of the Proposed Budget for 2019. Ms. Jackson: All right, this is the time of year --- Mr. Mayor: Ms. Jackson --- Ms. Jackson: --- when we present --- Mr. Mayor: --- so here’s what I’d like to do if we can since this is our first time seeing this let us see the presentation and let’s hold all questions until we get to the end, okay we’ll do the best we can to try to do that okay? All right, Madam Administrator. Ms. Jackson: --- all right thank you this is the time of year when we present our recommended budget as always it is a recommendation it is a place where we start the conversation for the 2019 budget, we have a few slides for you we’ll get through those. I’ve been asked to so as quickly as possible and you already cut two minutes off me so we’ll get through these quickly and then entertain questions and also we made out a schedule for workshops moving forward after this point. First slide represents the General Fund and Special Revenue Fund, Enterprise Fund numbers. Generally of course we talk in terms of General Fund. If we look at the bold line Total General Fund/Law Enforcement our current year 2018 it is $156 million-dollars. Due to some natural growth in our economy, which I’ll discuss later, for 2019 we’re looking at a budget of $161 million or a $5.5 million-increase which equates to 3.5%. And again that is based upon natural growth in our local economy and also we’ll be placing these numbers on our website, the entire presentation will be on the city’s website shortly after we finish this meeting if any of you need to refer back to that or refer your constituents back to that. General Fund and Law Enforcement Fund are all in balance. All other funds are balanced with the exception of Adult Probation and Streetlights. In the case of Adult Probation I think due to in various informal conversations I’ve had with several of you are aware of our concerns related to the fact that that fund is not generating as much as was projected at the time we started that program and we’ll discuss that later as well. 36 Streetlights you all aggressively approved a new scenario to fund streetlights in the current year however that is not enough to carry us through this year so we’ll have to, fortunately or unfortunately, continue our conversation about streetlight funding. Overall general assumptions for our budget one and one-half percent growth in our Property Tax Digest, 7% growth in the Local Option Sales Tax that’s the largest amount of growth for all of our major revenue sources this year. We began to see an increase in loss revenue around the time that the Cyber Center construction began and that continues so we’re very optimistic about our Local Option Sales Tax Revenues. Also in respect to the increase in TAVT or the Title Ad Valorem Tax there’s growth in the number of vehicle registrations in Richmond County which is a very good sign. Also the State of Georgia helped us out by changing the distribution formula such that as of July 1 we get more of that than we’re currently getting under the previous funding scenario. Last year we talked I think at some length about the Electric Franchise Fee and how that source is not that, that source of revenue is not growing. Given that this year we had even less come in than was projected last year at this time so we have left that funding source completely level. As for right now our expenditures for nongovernmental organizations, we’ve also left level at 2018 levels. And also want to call your attention in respect to a workshop that we had a few months ago in regards to the Augusta Utilities new rate structure. As you all know we did a rate study with that, we came back with the results a few months ago. We’ll have on the agenda coming up soon an agenda item to adopt a new rate structure for Augusta Utilities in conjunction with the study that was completed. In summary that is a revenue neutral plan which is to say we expect it to generate roughly the same amount of revenue that were generated under the current plan the difference is how would that allocate it. In a nutshell now our low users pay probably more than they should and this according to this study and this study would get less from the users on the lower end and more from those on the higher end, but again there’ll be an agenda item subsequently to talk about that. In terms of economic outlook the U.S. Gross Domestic Product is increasing for 2018 and ’19, Georgia increasing more so than the U.S. and Augusta is expected to outperform the rest of the State of Georgia in both ’18 and ’19 so that’s extremely good news for us. I think finally some of the investments that we in private industry as well as the State of Georgia paying off for us and Augusta’s local economy is going quite well. Our theme for this year’s ‘budget’ Remember last year I talked about investing in ourselves and in our workforce. We’d like to continue that theme by addressing compensation again for our employees, also another theme of committing to a healthier workforce. With the contract that you just approved we believe that we’re positioning ourselves to help our employees as much as possible. Also the second theme for this year’s budget as I’ve tried to think through the major things we want to get accomplished. One was focusing on leisure services and especial events. We’ve had lots of conversation in some of our subcommittees as well as at the dais with the full Commission about how we should take advantage of our music heritage and highlight more venues that we have for more special events, so that’s one of the things that this budget also provides for. In terms of what’s working for us based upon what you approved in the current year’s budget I made brief reference to in the previous agenda item about our cost health care, cost health trend coming in level. Many organizations almost every year they’ve got to increase health insurance rates because the cost of healthcare gets more and more expensive. Last year upon our recommendations you all agreed to make some pretty significant changes in our program that are paying off for us. We believe so both our medical costs and our pharmacy costs were able to budget at a level amount for and we’re pretty proud of that fact because it’s pretty unusual. Sometimes organizations see their healthcare costs go up 6, 8, 10, 12% every year so for us to be able to stay level and keep premiums the same for our employees we feel good 37 about. Last year you also approved expansion of our Wellness Center and relocation of that to this th campus. We expect to have an opening on December 10 of this year and add another nurse practitioner, a medical assistant as well as a wellness coordinator that will work with our employees to help them help themselves and get healthier and seek the appropriate care so we’re excited about that coming to fruition. Also in terms of investing in ourselves you know we completed a Compensation Study last year. We implemented a COLA effective January 1 of one and a half percent. We made market adjustments to meet our paygrade minimums effective March th 16 of this current year and we also implemented longevity increases for those employees on the lowest end of the pay scale that is Grades 14 and below which went into effect in March of this year. We also last year you approved an increase in the Pension Multiplier from 1.65 to 2 that resulted in employee contribution going up from 4% to 6.25 percent effective January 1 of 2019 and as well would have to increase our employer contributions to endure that that fund is adequately funded. I just wanted to bring this slide back up. I know our employees are having to pay more. This is something we discussed during the pension discussion when you all made that decision. It’s more that the employee has to pay now but it also means there’s a much greater payoff for the employee at the end and I just want to make sure we don’t lose sight of that. If you look at the very bottom line where the bold lettering, Increased Benefit Per Year. For an employee making $25,000 dollars we’re looking at a $2,800 dollar increase in an annual benefits upon retirement. For the employee making $35,000 you’re looking at a $3,900 dollar increase in the retirement benefit, and for the $50,000 dollar employee a $5,600 dollar increase in benefits, so while, yes, they are having to pay more and, yes, it’s going to pinch a little bit, there’s a long-term benefit for those employees who stay with the organization long enough before retirement. Also continuing the theme of investing in ourselves for this year, I’d like, I am recommending another one and one-half percent cost of living adjustment for all employee effective July 1 of this year. I’d also like to continue with our pattern of longevity increases for employees effective in May. Those employees would be those with ten-plus years of service to the organization. And we’re expanding the pay raise. Last year as we indicated we did it for those at the very lowest level Grades 14 and below. This year I recommend we address those in paygrades 15 to 23 and it would be the same 4, 5, or 6% increases depending on years of service over 10 years of service. Also last year when we implemented this there were some employees who missed the 10-year cutoff by a couple of days. We recommend that you pick those employees up. If you missed the cutoff last year and hit your 10-years this year we would like to pick you up and get the increase and place for you for those in Grades 4 through 14. In terms of the overall effectiveness of this on our retention efforts, unfortunately I’m in a position where we don’t have data that is as good as I would like it to be. So one of the priorities for us at a staff level next year is ensuring that we collect the right data to see if these efforts are paying off for us in terms of being able to retain our quality workforce. We threw in this slide to show you what the cost would be overall for our longevity increases. It’s by fund but again I would encourage you to look at the bottom line effective May 1, 2019 we’re looking at $570,000 dollars that’s across all funds not just General Fund so that hits our Enterprise Funds, Special Funds, etc. The General Fund number is Fund 101 which is at the very top the cost if we make this increase effective May 1 is $191,000 dollars so it’s a relatively low price to pay to reward those long-term employees. I wanted to give an example as we did last year to show what types of positions would be impacted by this. Again, it moves the bar up a little. We’re looking at I think people like firefighters, deputies, supervisor entry level supervisor type personnel, intra-level professional type personnel that follow in the 15 to 23 pay grade range. Terms of Organizational Development. We spent some time this year and 38 the tail end of last year studying operations in a few departments where they were some reasons or some concerns about which to do that. Those included Human Resources, Recreations and Parks, and Environmental Services. As a result of those studies there were recommendations to add resources to each of those departments to enhance their effectiveness and this budget does make recommendations to add personnel to those particular departments for those reasons. I’ll just very briefly, Human Resources one of the key things we identified there is that there is now a position that is a Human Resources Employee Relations and Training position. The person who’s been in that position for a few years says yes that’s my job title but I spend almost all of my time on employee relations not being able to get into any of the training aspects that would be necessary. You can’t have a successful Human Resources Department or organization without an emphasis on training so I’d like to create a full-time Training Manager in that department. Recreation and Parks as I made reference to earlier increasing our emphasis on special events and being able to further the Master Plan that we paid for a couple of years ago recommending additional resources in that department to do that as well as improving maintenance in cemeteries and downtown. As the conversation has revolved around the dais conversation in the community how can we do this better we should be able to do better so I’d like to add some resources to Recreation and Parks in order to do that. Also Environmental Services we did a Comprehensive Financial and Operational Review of that department and they discovered through that that they were relying too much on contractors and the price is very expensive. We believe it would be less expensive to go in house to get some of the type of technical services that they’re paying a lot of money for now and we believe that also would improve that department’s operational effectiveness to add those staff resources to that department. This particular slide on Leisure Services we’re looking at the possibility of additional concerts at Lake Olmstead. You see estimated revenue generation as well as projected expenses for those and a few other smaller items that our department would like to bring to bear costs, specific attention to the very last line 2020 Soul Festival Seed Money for that. We’ve been talking about having some big downtown festival where music is the focal point. Our Recreation and Parks staff has researched several other cities across the country where they do these types of things and have come up with a plan for a two to three-day festival. That festival would take place in 2020 because you need a pretty significant planning time in order to pull that together but we’d like to put aside some seed money to hire the right folks to help us pull that off in the right way. In addition, we’ve begun some conversations with the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as part of their destination blueprint. They actually said that they would put forth a significant amount of money toward doing a major festival so we’d like to work in partnership with them in order to pull that off in the late spring early summer for 2020. Also the Fire Department would bring on board a new Station 20. We anticipate in the last quarter of 2019 that station would have to be fully staffed and the staff people you see here represent staff solely for the last quarter of next year. One of the things that I don’t have a slide for but I certainly would be remiss if I did not mention is that we are also adding personnel, recommending to add personnel to our Planning and Development Department for Code Enforcement purposes, two new positions for that. In your books that you do have behind Tab 5 there’s a listing of the various positions that have been recommended from the various departments. One of the things that we also picked up in terms of Transit the good news is the revenues up also the demand for services is up in several departments. For instance the Board of Elections reported to us that they now have the highest number of registered voters they’ve ever had in Richmond County. Some of that has to do with policy changes at the state level where if you go into drivers services unless you opt out you become a registered voter so that’s helped to increase that but we’re also just frankly just seeing 39 more people coming into the community. Our school system is seeing that with an increased demand for services and we’re seeing it as well. I also want to call attention in our courts we have pretty significant also some due to policy changes but a significant number of kids going into Juvenile Court via the foster care system and so forth and we have to have personnel in order to support that. Likewise the District Attorney, Public Defender the same sort of story, you know, greater need for services. This is a chart. I won’t try to put you through so we’ll just, you can review that when at your leisure. Also next new programs I mentioned Code Enforcement. Some of our departments actually made relatively small requests but we’ve added those to the list because those also are requests for new programs which are also detailed behind Tab 6 in the document. Areas needing attention I’ve made reference to Adult Probation and Streetlights already. Public Transit and Augusta Public Library are two others that are on the radar screen. I think they should be moved up to a higher position on the radar screen just because of the apparent needs in those areas. On Probation for instance we’re in a situation where we’re spending more to set up the office and run the office than we’re generating in terms of revenue so we really have to ask ourselves some questions about what our options are. I have initiated a conversation with the Chief Judge in State Court about this. He’s very much aware of the issue and he has some recommendations that we’ll discuss later on in the process as we get into our workshops. Also we’ll have to seriously look at the option of going back to where we had been before in terms of privatization. I’m not sure that that’s the magic pill but I just want to at this point get the issue out in front of us for some frank and open discussion about what’s the best way for us to go with Probation Services. Streetlights. I don’t think there’s an additional for me to talk about that very much. In the current year what you approved the deficit is about $354,000 dollars. We estimate in next year it very well may be more than that so fortunately or unfortunately, that conversation is going to need to continue. Streetlights again we just put this up but these were the goals. We talked about generating adequate funds to maintain the system and extend lights to underserved areas and having a rate structure that appears to be equitable and uniform as possible. Transit unfortunately with all of the efforts that we have put forth with Transit our both our revenue and our ridership appear to be going down. The first set of numbers, excuse me, relates to fare revenues. You see in 2014 it was about 783,000; in 2017 it dropped to 707. Mr. Mayor: Ms. Jackson, can you suspend for just a minute. We’re going to stand at ease for five minutes. We’re going to stand at ease for five minutes. Everybody just take (inaudible). Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to suspend for just a few more moments. I’m sorry to th, report that our own Commissioner from the 10 Commissioner Grady Smith, has passed away. I just want to share that with you. The family just called and wanted us to be aware so if you hear that report it is an accurate report at this time. Okay all right, okay. Ms. Jackson: We are about complete. I want to just go to the last page where we talk about workshops. Just put that up on the screen. This is what we had planned, we have programmed. The first two to deal with getting additional information related to special events and leisure services the second related to adult probation. This is a tentative calendar if we need to move some of those dates around we certainly can and at that (inaudible). Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Ms. Jackson. I want to thank Ms. Jackson and her team and Finance and all of the departments and agencies that have worked with us to bring this 40 recommended budget forward. Again, we’ve got a preliminary calendar of work sessions you’ll hear more coming from the Administrator’s Office with regards to final dates as we adopt this. But again I would ask everyone at this time to keep the Smith Family in your prayers. Madam Clerk, if there be no further business this meeting is adjourned. All right, the Chair recognizes the st Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: (Inaudible). Mr. Mayor: We certainly can, we certainly can. We’ll communicate the same, this meeting is adjourned. \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] Lena J. 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 October 16, 2018. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 41