HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting November 6, 2018
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
NOVEMBER 6, 2018
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., November 6, 2018, the
Hon. Hardie Davis Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Guilfoyle, Sias, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis, Fennoy, D. Williams,
Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Good afternoon, everybody. We are here to do the people’s business in the
City of Augusta. It is Election Tuesday. I hope that if you have not gone on and voted that you
will get out and make it happen after our time together. We’re excited about what’s going on in
Augusta and certainly the great State of Georgia. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. At this time we will have our invocation delivered
by Frederick L. Patterson, Pastor of the True Vine Baptist Church, after which we’d have our
Pledge of Allegiance. And we would like to ask Commissioner Grady Smith’s daughters to
please lead us.
The invocation was given by Reverend Frederick L. Patterson, Pastor True Vine Baptist
Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
The Clerk: The Office of Mayor Hardie Davis Jr., by these present be it known that
Reverend Frederick L. Patterson, Pastor True Vine Baptist Church is Chaplain of the Day. His
spiritual guidance and civic leadership, serves as an example for all citizens of Augusta. Given
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under my hand this 6 Day of November 2018, Hardie Davis Jr., Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Would you join me in thanking and congratulating Pastor Patterson.
(APPLAUSE) Today we are here not only to do the business of the people but we are here to
acknowledge the passing of another very dear friend of ours in Commissioner Andrew Jefferson.
It’s again a tough time for us on this body. Just a few weeks ago we had the homegoing
celebration of one Commissioner Grady Smith our friend, our brother, the father of these two
young ladies here on the front. And just three weeks later we’re at this place again a most
unusual place for any government and certainly here in the City of Augusta. Our prayers, our
heartfelt condolences, and our extensions of love and compassion go out to the Jefferson Family
his wife Pat, children, the siblings and friends who have known Andrew Jefferson and this
community for decades. Andrew Jefferson was in fact as we said last week a man’s man just
like Grady Smith. He was a Georgia Bulldog fan and much to my chagrin he was an Atlanta
Falcon but I never held that against him. But more than anything he was somebody’s father,
somebody’s husband, somebody’s son, a brother, an uncle and we will deeply miss him just as
we’ve said about Grady Smith. Today we have an opportunity to turn the page on one chapter
and that is our friend in the person of the late Commissioner Grady Smith with the appointment
of a member who was most recently elected and that is John Clarke. But I want to ask this
community and certainly this body that as we take time to reflect, to immortalize those who have
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served this community and served their families and then served the constituencies that they
represented that we not lose sight of the most important thing that any of us have is the gift of
family. It is the gift of family. We have this precious and unique opportunity to be the great
ministers of our day as elected officials but we must never lose sight of the fact that we have our
families before we get elected while we are elected and when the lights get turned off we will all
go home to someone we hopefully and prayerfully believe loves us just as much as they did
before we ever had a title in front our names. And so on this day as we come to this occasion for
the appointment of a new member of this body, John Clarke has not come to replace Grady
Smith. That cannot be done but what he does come to do is to fill a position that is granted by
the people, the people of this city, the people of this county who have extended their well wishes
and the gift of opportunity to one John Clarke and that is why we are here to be a part of that
process. But when all of us leave this place no one will replace us. They will only step into a
role that is granted by the people and it must be honored and treasured as such because it is in
fact a great privilege and opportunity to be the voice not just a vote. And so today, Madam
Clerk, we’re going to move to the item Election of Officers. I’ll yield to you and then we’ll
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recognize the Commissioner from the 6.
The Clerk: Yes, sir, I call your attention to the Election of Officers portion of our
agenda.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
B. Motion to approve the appointment of Super District 10 Commissioner-Elect John
Clarke to fill the unexpired term of former Commissioner H. Grady Smith, III and be
sworn in immediately. (Commissioner Ben Hasan)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, per the statement made by the
Clerk a motion to approve the appointment of Super District 10 Commissioner-Elect John
Clarke to fill the unexpired term of former Commissioner H. Grady Smith, III and to be
sworn in immediately. Ms. Bonner, do you need me to repeat that?
The Clerk: No, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second, voting. All right, suspend, suspend,
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everybody suspend. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 State your inquiry.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I have some problems with this appointment. I don’t know how
his name came up and whether any other people were considered for this position. John Clarke
was elected by the people to start his term in January 2019. This I have no say so over or no
control over but John Clarke is also the person that posted on Facebook that if niggers in
Ferguson don’t want to be called niggers they should act like niggers. This is the same John
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Clarke that thought it was humorous, thought it humorous to post that and refuse to take it down.
This is the same James Clarke that lied and said somebody hacked his Facebook page and he
don’t know how it got there.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner ---
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, sir ---
Mr. Mayor: --- would you suspend?
Mr. Fennoy: --- for a minute, yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: I’m going to ask you to suspend, I’m going to ask you to suspend. To the
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Commissioner from the 1 I’m going to ask you a question. Do you object to the motion?
Mr. Fennoy: I do.
Mr. Mayor: Okay and it is certainly well within your right to do so. You can do that by
the normal sign of voting yea or nay. Are you prepared for that?
Mr. Fennoy: No, sir. I object not only to the motion, Mr. Mayor, but to the process.
What process was used for this appointment? Who else was contacted? Nobody asked me.
Mr. Mayor: I believe the gentleman knows of what he speaks and I’m certainly not
debating that. I don’t want to be heavy handed today. I really don’t. I don’t want to be heavy
handed and I have a hope that you all don’t have to put me in a position to be heavy handed but
let me tell you how this is going to work. We have an appointment opportunity in front of us.
We have unexpired term that must be filled and I wasn’t contacted either but that does not negate
the fact that we have an item on the agenda that’s placed on the agenda just as everything else
gets put on the agenda. And we have a motion with a proper second. What I’m going to ask you
to do right now is vote. Okay, that’s what I’m going to ask you to do.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, can I get a Point of Personal Privilege? I appreciate what you’re
doing. Can I get a Point of Personal Privilege please?
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’m going to recognize you at the appropriate time ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- not right now.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
Mr. Fennoy votes No.
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Motion Passes 7-1.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, all right, we’re going to stand in recess for the
swearing in of one John Clarke at this time.
The Clerk: We ask Commissioner Elect John Clarke along with Ms. Ashley Kelley, Ms.
Catherine McKnight along with Judge Doug Flanagan to please come forward.
Judge Flanagan: Raise your right hand please, Mr. Clarke. I, John Clarke, do solemnly
swear and affirm that I’ll truly and faithfully perform the duties of the Office of Commissioner of
Augusta, Georgia to the best of my ability. I further solemnly swear and affirm that I am not the
holder of any unaccounted public money due this state or any political subdivision or authority
thereof. And that I am not the holder of any Office of Trust under the Government of the United
States or any other state or any foreign state which I am prohibited from holding by the laws of
the State of Georgia. And that I am otherwise qualified to hold said office according to the
Constitution of the United States, the Laws of Georgia and I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the State of Georgia so help me God.
Mr. Clarke: I do.
Judge Flanagan: This is the government so you know there’s two forms. Keep your
hand up, sir. I, John Clarke, a citizen of Augusta, Georgia and being an employee of Augusta,
Georgia and recipient of public funds for services rendered. As such employee I do solemnly
swear and affirm that I will support the Constitution and other states and the Constitution of
Georgia so help me God.
Mr. Clarke: So help me God, I do.
Judge Flanagan: Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 10, John Clarke, let’s
congratulate him. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Clarke: Thank you. This is a bittersweet day for many reasons. I lost two good
friends within three weeks: a childhood friend Grady Smith and a friend in my senior years
Andrew Jefferson. I never celebrated my victory. It was full of controversy; so be it. I asked for
forgiveness and explained my position and what happened in my life. I will not go there again. I
am who I am and I love people. It’s not a white thing, it’s not a black thing, it’s the right thing. I
will endeavor to do my diligence for each and every citizen of Augusta, Georgia. I will work
with this body. I will work with the department heads and I will work diligently with our Mayor
Hardie Davis to make this one Augusta. For those of you who supported me, that support me
now, the organizations, the individual people, and the voters that voted for me, I thank you. But
for the ones that didn’t and they still have hardness in their hearts, I will still work just as hard
for you because that’s who I am. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
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Mr. Mayor: Would you join me and stand and congratulate our newest Commissioner.
(APPLAUSE) Okay at this time the daughters of our friend Commissioner Grady Smith, they
want to place a flower at the post of Commissioner Jefferson, is that correct? So we’re going to
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give them an opportunity to do that. To the gentleman from the 8 and the gentleman from the
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4 I’ll ask them to suspend for a moment, just stay with us for a few minutes, gentlemen. All
right, we also have Ms. Anita Jenkins and Ms. Bridget Walton the sister of Commissioner
Jefferson and a colleague if they will come at this time they also have some things they’d like to
place.
RECOGNITION(S)
Congratulations:
A. 2018 October Years of Service recipients.
The Clerk: We call your attention to the Recognition portion of our agenda. We would
like to offer our congratulations to our 2018 October Years of Service recipients. We ask Dr.
Gwendolyn Connor our H.R. Director please come forward to make those presentations, Ms.
Jackson.
Dr. Carter: Mayor Davis, Commissioners, special guests, directors and citizens of
Augusta, Georgia my name is Dr. Gwendolyn Conner and I serve as your H.R. Director here for
Augusta, Georgia. It gives me great honor and pleasure this afternoon to recognize our October
Years of Recipients who have serviced either 5 to 20 years or who have serviced between 25 and
50 years. We have a total of 22 individuals who have served here with Augusta, Georgia for 5 to
20 years but this afternoon it gives us great pleasure to recognize two individuals who have
served between 25 and 50 years. And the two individuals will be in the person of one we ask
Ms. Amy Jordon from the Utilities Department who has 30 Years of Service to please come
forward. (APPLAUSE) Secondly, we would like to recognize Ms. Robbi Martin, Ms. Martin
has served 30 years and she’s with Parks and Rec. (APPLAUSE) Please let’s congratulate these
two young ladies. (APPLAUSE)
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, before you step away, Madam Clerk, I want to go and get
unanimous consent to add the addendum item and the leading item what I believe to be ---
The Clerk: Fourteen.
Mr. Mayor: --- fourteen it’s actually, is it 14 or 13 no, I think it’s 13.
The Clerk: Thirteen, thirteen.
Mr. Mayor: Right, it’s 13. All right one of the lead items 13 from the agenda and add the
addendum item, do we have any objections? So regarding Item 30 Item 13 that has a 30-day
comment period and ---
The Clerk: It is, sir ---
Mr. Mayor: --- it is 14?
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The Clerk: --- it is.
Mr. Mayor: Does the same hold true for 14, not 13? Okay Item 14. Item 9 that’s just
information that they’re going to bring but we’ll hear that at the appropriate time on the regular
agenda.
The Clerk: Well Item number, the additional information will support Item number 9 but
if it’s approved under the Consent Agenda we won’t talk about it later.
Mr. Mayor: Now we’re going to pull it ---
The Clerk: Oh you’re going to pull it ---
Mr. Mayor: --- (unintelligible).
The Clerk: --- okay, all right.
Mr. Mayor: So without objection, okay without objection, okay. Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
C. Ms. Vera Brady regarding neighbor’s unattended animal.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: I’m sorry ---
Mr. Hasan: --- may I speak to Ms. Brady?
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah well, we want to make sure she’s here.
Mr. Hasan: I definitely have to tell you now.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Bonner, you can remove Ms. Brady from the
agenda. Myself and Commissioner Sias had a conversation with her yesterday, she’s in District
6, and Animal Services is getting with her. As a matter of fact, they went to her home yesterday
to try to resolve some of those issues and spoke with her neighbor as early as today so at this
point they’re trying to resolve the issues that she has and she’s in District 6.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
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Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I saw this on the agenda and I was glad it was
placed there. I’m sorry Ms. Brady’s not here to express her thoughts about her problem with the
unattended animal but there is a large problem around the city with unattended animals. And I
was hoping we would have some discussion today so we can find out from Animal Control what
needs to be done and what can be done to try to eliminate those problems. Now I don’t know
about District 6 as a whole but as to district Super District 9 all four of those districts still have
that same problem. So I guess my question is to whoever’s going to address Ms. Brady’s
(unintelligible) can they explain to me is the program working, do we need to do something else
or is there any reason for the unattended animals? I don’t know who’s going to address this, Mr.
Mayor, I would think somebody’d be here because they didn’t know Ms. Brady was not going to
be here.
Mr. Mayor: Ok we’ve got Ms. Eskola. All right if Ms. Eskola, if you’ll approach. All
right now let me say this we someone who was supposed to come and speak as part of the
delegation. And while we recognize this is an issue in Augusta and across communities,
neighborhoods, etc., what I don’t want to do is end up trying to debate and or solve that today.
We were going to hear from someone who is going to express a concern and this is again it’s
appropriate to have some inquiry but what we’re not going to debate it and try to fix Animal
Services today.
Mr. M. Williams: No, sir, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- can I respond to that?
Mr. Mayor: --- Ms. Eskola.
Mr. M. Williams: Can I respond before Ms. Eskola speaks?
Mr. Mayor: Well I was, she’s going to answer your questions.
Mr. M. Williams: Yeah but I need I mean I could’ve placed it on the agenda myself, Mr.
Mayor, whether it’s been through Public Safety or whatever. And since it was on the agenda
today I didn’t say anything because I thought we were going to have someone to address it that
we could ask questions of that constituency or Ms. Eskola. So I don’t want to debate it. I’m just
I mean since it’s on the agenda and there are some serious issues in District 1 and 2 for sure but
all across this city where people own animals such as myself but I try to make sure they are
attended to. And when this happens it creates a lot of other things but Ms. Eskola’s about to
touch on that too so I guess I need to know from you do you want me just to wait and put it on
another committee agenda and come back and talk to the committee, is that what you’re asking
to do? I have no problem with that either.
Mr. Mayor: Well, here’s what I’m saying. Someone was supposed to come and speak.
They chose not to, that matter was addressed by their Commissioner. And as such we don’t have
to hear this issue today because it’s already been resolved. And now to the degree that you’re
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going to expand it and say well we need to talk about Animal Services and unattended animals in
the neighborhoods this is not the time for us to do that.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay so I’m going to yield Mr. Mayor and I’m going to ask the Clerk
to put this on the next committee agenda and we’ll talk about it again then.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, fine.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Ms. Eskola.
Ms. Eskola: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: Ms. Bonner, did you get that?
The Clerk: (Inaudible).
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, thank you. I needed a Snicker bar this morning. Only thing that
saved the Mayor just now was a Snicker bar.
The Clerk: I appreciate that, sir. I call your attention to our Consent Agenda which
consists of Items 1-21, Items 1-21. 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 2: Is a request for a retail Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection
with L&D Wine & Spirits located at 1631 Gordon Highway.
Item 3: Is for an on-premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in
connection Pinot’s Palette located at 630 Crane Creek Dr.
The Clerk: Are there any objectors? Our Consent Agenda consists of Items 1-21 with no
objectors to either of our alcohol petitions.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, I’d like to pull Item number 9 from the Consent Agenda. I’d
like to add Item 25 and add Item 26. Madam Clerk, while we’re at it if there’s no objection I’d
like to send Item 27 and 28 back to committee. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 1 the Engineering Services Chair.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, at our last committee meeting we didn’t have a quorum, didn’t
have an opportunity to discuss any of the items on the Engineering Services. So I would like to
send 29 and 30 back to committee so that we can have a discussion on these items also.
Mr. Mayor: Without objection.
Mr. Sias: Reference 29 I’d like to find out from the Engineering Director (inaudible).
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Mr. Mayor: All right so Utilities Director Wiedmeier the question before us is whether
that’s ---
Mr. Wiedmeier: No, we could, we’re okay with that.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay, all right very well. Okay, the Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I want to make sure first that Ms. McCoy, on Item 24
Commissioner Fennoy I talked with Ms. McCoy the other day and she’s, we’re getting
information from Utilities and Engineering. And so we’re going to have a meeting to all get on
the same page, she wasn’t going to be here.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so we’ll send it back to committee as well.
Ms. Davis: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, very well. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to pull Item number 6 and Item number 12.
Okay we’re going to ---
The Clerk: We’re going to add all of Item 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 to the Consent
Agenda to be referred back to committee, is that okay?
Mr. Mayor: 25 and 26 are being added to approve ---
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- they’re not going back to committee.
The Clerk: The remainder items will be added to the consent to be sent back to
committee.
Mr. Mayor: We’re going to pull item 14, Madam Clerk, because I have a question now
looking at that. It talks about infusing additional funds for (HOPWA) I want to make sure those
are current funds as opposed it being tied to in any way to Item number 13, it probably isn’t
which is 2019 dollars. Okay they’re using existing dollars for that. They’re winking at me,
somebody’s winking at me saying that’s true, okay we’ll leave it where it is.
The Clerk: Okay.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1, I’m sorry from
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the 9 we’re not pulling 14. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
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Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’ve got a question on Item 19. I don’t have a problem
with the issue but I do have a question.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so we’re pulling Item 19.
Mr. Frantom: Motion to approve the agenda.
Mr. Mayor: Hold on, I want to make sure, okay all right so we’ve got two things. I want
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to make sure that we recognize the Commissioner from the 9 He wanted to pull Item number
19. All right, the Addendum item we want to add to the consent agenda, that’s the
Intergovernmental Agreement pilot program. We want to add that to the consent agenda,
without objection. All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the, you good, Madam
Clerk?
The Clerk: Yes, sir, Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Frantom: Motion to approve.
Ms. Davis: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PUBLIC SERVICES
1. Motion to approve the Renewal and Amendment of Augusta Public Transit
Management and Operation agreement dated Augusta 1, 2013 by and between Augusta,
Georgia and McDonald Transit Associate Inc. for the first renewal term of August 1, 2018
to July 31, 2020. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 30, 2018)
2. Motion to approve New Location: A.N. 18-37: request by Lonnie Hooks for a retail
package Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with L&D Wine & Spirits
located at 1631 Gordon Highway Ste. #6. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved by Public
Services Committee October 30, 2018)
3. Motion to approve New Location: A.N. 18-38: request by Kimberly Oberkirsch for an
on-premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with
Pinot’s Palette located at 630 Crane Creek Dr. District 7. Super District 10. (Approved by
Public Services Committee October 30, 2018)
4. Motion to approve the Change Order #1 with Chaplin & Sons Bid #18-179. (Approved
by Public Services Committee October 30, 2018)
5. Motion to approve the development of a cost package for the purchase of a used pontoon
boat for river activities to include checking with the Procurement Department to determine
the proper procurement process for the purchase and checking with the Department of
Natural Resources to determine if the boat needs a captain. (Approved by Public Services
Committee October 30, 2018)
7. Motion to approve the name change from McDonald Transit Associates, Inc. to RATP
Dev USA, Inc. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 30, 2018)
8. Motion to approve the recommendations outlined by the Entertainment Zone
Committee regarding the defined entertainment zone area, an amendment to the noise
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ordinance, encroachment on the sidewalks and the use of food trucks. (Approved by Public
Services Committee October 30, 2018)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
10. Motion to approve request from Recreation & Parks for the purchase of one new
Backhoe Loader. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 30, 2018)
11. Motion to approve Utilities Department-Fort Gordon Division request the purchase of
one new mini tracked loader, Ditch Witch of GA – Bid Item 18-251. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee October 30, 2018)
13. Motion to approve the FY2019 Annual Action Plan for the following programs funded
by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Home Investment Partnerships (HOME)
Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, Housing Opportunities for Person
with AIDS (HOPWA) Program and Continuum of Care (CoC) Program. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee October 30, 2018)
14. Motion to approve infuse additional funds to assist Project Sponsors with day-to-day
operations. Repurposing Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds to
support Project Sponsors with operations of currently implemented program services will
reduce lapse in services for clients during restructure to outlaying counties. (Approved by
Administrative Services Committee October 30, 2018)
PUBLIC SAFETY
15. Motion to award RFP 18-237 (911 Ergonomic Workstation Program) and to authorize
purchase. (Approved by Public Safety Committee October 30, 2018)
16. Motion to approve the application and acceptance of annual grant funds in the amount
of $50,000.00 from the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and
authorize the Mayor to execute the necessary documents. (Approved by Public Safety
Committee October 30, 2018)
17. Motion to accept an award in the amount of $31,696.00 from Edward Bryne Memorial
Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
(Approved by Public Safety Committee October 30, 2018)
18. Motion to approve contract with Tyler Technologies to implement Eagle Recorder for
the Clerk of Superior, State & Juvenile Court. (Approved by Public Safety Committee
October 30, 2018)
20. Motion to approve a partnership between the Augusta Judicial Circuit Adult Felony
Mental Health & Veterans Court Programs and Family Counseling Center of the CSRA.
This partnership will provide the court programs access to qualified licensed professional
consultants that will provide state court certification required services to the participants
of the Adult Felony Mental Health and Veteran’s Court Treatment Court Programs.
(Approved by Public Safety Committee October 30, 2018)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
21. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Augusta Commission held
October 16, 2018 and Special Called Meeting held October 30, 2018)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
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24. Ms. Francine McCoy regarding the paving of Bussey Road.
25. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for
permanent easement and temporary construction easement (Parcel 153-0-018-00-0) 4230
Windsor Spring Road.
26. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for
permanent easement and temporary easement (Parcel 166-0-023-00-0) 4252 Windsor
Spring Road.
27. Approve and adopt the ordinance to establish the Keep Augusta Beautiful Commission;
Article 7, Sections 1-4-95 to 1-4-102 of the Augusta Code; and waive the second reading.
28. Approve authorization for the Environmental Services Department to draft a revision
to Section 4-2-6 – Fees for use of Augusta-Richmond County Solid Waste Landfill and to
bring the draft back to the Engineering Services Committee for review.
29. Consider award of Bid #18-295 to Blair Construction, Inc. to construct the Fort Gordon
Cyber CoE Campus Sanitary Sewer Extension under the Task Order Program for
Infrastructure RFQ #16-178 in the amount of $2,403,595.50.
30. Motion to approve contracting with Cavanaugh & Associates, P.A. to provide
Professional Services consulting engineering services for the Utilities Department’s Water
Loss Program and Audit.
ADDENDUM
31. Motion to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with Georgia Department of
Corrections for the Superior Court of Richmond County to be able to participate in a no-
cost pilot program through which offenders in the custody of the Department may appear
virtually for court appearances.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 10 this is your first vote, voting.
Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 1-5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13-18, 20, 21, 24-31\]
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
9. Motion to approve the Resolution to allow the Mayor to execute all Grants offered to the
Augusta Aviation Commission having expedited deadlines for the remainder of 2018 and
the year 2019. (Approved by Public Services Committee October 30, 2018)
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Airport Director, Mr. Judon. I believe he
has some information he wants to share with us. You can pass that out now, yes sir.
Mr. Hasan: He already passed it out.
Mr. Mayor: He already passed it out, okay ---
Mr. M. Williams: I didn’t get one.
Mr. Mayor: --- I didn’t see it.
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The Clerk: The minutes okay, I thought he had done something separate. It’s attached to
the addendum item.
Mr. Hasan: (unintelligible) 27.
Mr. Mayor: All right, very well. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don’t mind stuff that’s coming but I’ve got a
serious problem when we have this opportunity to get this stuff. Unless there’s an emergency or
something that had to be done that we didn’t have time to do why do we allow anyone to bring
us something and lay it up on our desk and expect us to read it and then understand it and then
vote on it? Now I mean --
Mr. Mayor: Well ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- Commissioner was, my colleague was right a while ago. There
ought to be some conversation. Unless there’s an emergency situation that something had to be
done, I’ve got no problem with that but we get a lot of stuff and when people bring me stuff I lay
it right here in File 13 because I ain’t going to sit here when you had it all weekend long then
give it to me 20 minutes before you want me to vote on it and I’m supposed to know what I’m
voting on ---
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- I’m supposed to understand it? I know ya’ll went to Georgia Tech
you say where did you go? I don’t know where ya’ll went but I mean I didn’t get that
speedreading course to bring it back and sit here today to do that.
Mr. Mayor: --- they actually taught me that at Hephzibah High School.
Mr. M. Williams: Well, I didn’t go to Hephzibah. That’s another thing so now stay in
your lane now, Mr. Mayor, you don’t want to go there. Stay in your lane. But and Mr. Judon
don’t you think this is, personally it’s not about the airport but I get tired of people bringing us
stuff up here at the last minute and you, you might as well keep it.
Mr. Mayor: All right, well, let me speak to that. I want to try to help Mr. Judon, I don’t
want him to try to step into that. All right, the Chair recognizes the Airport Director.
Mr. Judon: I think what this may be is I was asked last week in the committee meeting
by Commissioner Hasan which airport commission meeting this particular action was passed and
I could not remember at the time. So it was the September meeting so it was, so the change is
not very substantive it was just again verifying what that date was.
Mr. Mayor: That’s correct.
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Mr. M. Williams: Here we go again with those one on one shots. We take one
Commissioner and ask for one thing and another Commissioner asks for something else. This
body needs to know as a whole what everybody’s doing we ought to be singing the same song.
We may be out of tune but ought to be singing the same song. And that don’t happen because
there’s too many of us calling the shots so to speak, having you, Mr. Judon, that the airport
somebody else brings you stuff and gets you stuff it ought to be brought back to everybody. I
mean we just ought to be on the same page that’s all I’m saying, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah I know and the gentleman has great passion for what he’s saying. And
again this is a simple request for some additional information. The reality of it is this request has
come ever since I’ve been the Mayor and we should just vote on the matter and all we’re doing is
re-executing (unintelligible).
Mr. Sias: Move to approve.
Mr. Frantom: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second, all right voting.
Mr. M. Williams abstains.
Motion Passes 8-0-1.
Mr. Mayor: Top to bottom.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
6. Motion to approve tasking the Central Services and Recreation Departments with
making some initial improvements at the Lake Olmstead Stadium in the $30,000 range in
order to begin holding events in 2019. (Approved by Public Services Committee October
30, 2018)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I had this pulled because in looking at
the items I think they’re headed in the right direction in terms of the repairs they’re going to
make but also what can get kind of confusing and it may not happen in this particular instance on
this particular project but when I think about Central Services is the one that supposed to be
doing all of the repairs and things of that nature to our facilities and I do consider this one of the
facilities. I know we get kind of technical about that word facility as of late and so you’ve got
Recreation doing half of it and Central Services doing half of it but all of it is an upgrade and so I
think in the long haul we need to try to streamline this process because sometimes when you get
to a point when you’re trying to get some work done then you’re who’s on first and who’s on
second at any particular time it can cause a lot of harm. So when you’re talking about painting a
fence I do know Recreation has a couple of painters, remove a section of centerfield fence and
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install slated double gate I’m trying to wonder why Central Services can’t do that. Remove
netting behind Homeplate, rent a lift, Central Services looks like it should be a part of all of that.
And so that’s just my concern about how do we dual-out that instead of just letting Central
Services do it and be responsible for it and it won’t be all over the place. That is one part of my
concern. The second part of the concern is on the back not so much a concern is something I’m
hoping that we will won’t approve at this particular time as it pertains to this particular project.
And I believe for the first year we’ll not try to worry about a promoter and just worry about that
going into next year. If we need to do that this year we kind of get all the kinks out and not waste
our time see exactly where we’re going so when we get a promoter we’ll know exactly what
we’re doing after spending necessary money. If indeed we don’t do it, we’re not holding up the
staff’s time putting an RFQ together at this particular time so just pass on that part of this overall
process. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right so ---
Mr. Frantom: Motion to approve.
Ms. Hasan: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. Hasan: We’re taking out promoting, sir.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, so all right, hold on a minute, hold on a minute. All right, I’ve
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got a motion. All right I’m going to go to the Commissioner from the 7, state your motion.
Mr. Frantom: As reads on screen there’s no promoter in there.
Mr. Hasan: The promoter is on the backside of it.
Mr. Frantom: I thought we discussed that (inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: Oh you mean on the motion, okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, so we’re going to the main motion, the underlined motion to
approve what you see.
Mr. M. Williams: Before you vote Point of Order, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I’m going to come to you.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I want to make sure everybody’s tracking.
Mr. Frantom: The promoter’s not a part of it.
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Mr. Hasan: So the Health Department none of that’s a part of this none of that, okay.
Mr. Frantom: No, just the front.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Well, let’s just make sure we clarify that because ---
Mr. Hasan: Exactly.
Mr. Mayor: --- it only reads but one way and you read two sides of the paper so let’s at
least be clear about that alright? I don’t think there’s any unreadiness to support doing that but
let’s just be clear what we’re approving. What we’re approving to the Commissioner from the
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7 whether you want to iterate these items are not minus what’s on Page 2 you’re more than
welcome to do that the draft deck, outfield, would you like to do that?
Mr. Frantom: I mean if you need me to I mean draft deck ---
Mr. Mayor: Hold on a minute, let me get Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: The attached presentation was presented during the Public Services
committee meeting and the motion made by the committee, the recommendation was only to
address those items that covered the $30,000 dollar repair and renovation. The attachment is just
for information that was submitted. This is the presentation that was submitted however the
committee only chose to address the initial renovations and to the stadium at this time.
Mr. Frantom: Motion to approve.
Mr. Hasan: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: All right very good, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Do you want to clarify the part about Central Services and Recreation
Department? Are we leaving both of those in to do the work so we know who did what and who
did not do it? Are we still going to keep them joined together or are we, and I think what the
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Commissioner from the 6 said that he thought that one agency and Central Services was the
agency to handle it and not Recreation. But as the agenda item reads it says Central Services and
Recreation Department so are we alleviating one or are we leaving them both in there?
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Madam Administrator.
Ms. Jackson: If we could for the purpose of moving forward because I think we’ve got
some entities that are interested in using the (unintelligible) fairly soon. If I could ask you all to
approve this now and I and my staff will go back later on to see if there’s a way to separate or
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change the level of responsibilities but we would like to move forward at this point at least
getting the approval so we can start getting things in order in a timely fashion.
Mr. Mayor: All right, without objection. All right, we’ve got a motion with a proper
second, voting.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
12. Motion to amend the current Healthstat contract effective December 3, 2018 to include
replacing the need for an Occupational Medical Doctor position with a Nurse Practitioner
position. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee October 30, 2018)
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, My concern and my question rather about the
contract thank you. How much Mr. Mayor can I go, how much are we saving on this here, this
amendment that’s been put before us?
Mr. Schroer: I can get that number for you, sir. I’m not quite sure the difference between
the Occupational position and the Nurse Practitioner. The Nurse Practitioner is a lower rate ---
Mr. Hasan: Sir?
Mr. Schroer: The Nurse Practitioner is a lower rate than the physician.
Mr. Hasan: Yeah okay well here’s my question because it may not be explained. I look
at we move from I think from 160 to 103 in terms of hourly wage, is that correct?
Mr. Schroer: I’m not sure, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Okay all right yeah it’s right here. If I’m wrong my colleagues will correct
me as I go. So it’s about $57.00 dollars an hour.
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: And if I do $57.00 dollars an hour times forty that’s about $2,200 dollars a
week. That comes to about $118,000 a year if my math, my multiplication is correct.
Mr. Schroer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: And the contract is for 3-years with two one-year renewals in a span of three
years we’re talking about $355,000 dollars and if we use all of the other two one-year terms that
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gets us right at about $600,000 dollars yeah $600,000. So are we saving that per making this
move? That’s my question.
Mr. Schroer: Our cost will be that much lower, sir, because we do not have a physician
in-house. We will have a nurse practitioner.
Mr. Hasan: Okay so does the contract come back to us or do we just operate from this
amendment because the six-hundred, now it’s actually more than that because I’m not talking
about the 4% annual raise or 4% increase per the contract so does the contract come back to us
and we reassign, be reassigned here be authorized here or just you believe it’s sufficient for us to
do this amendment here that you have before us.
Mr. Schroer: We’re under the impression that it was just sufficient for the amendment to
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be approved. The contract was approved at the March 20 meeting I believe so we’re just
substituting a nurse practitioner for a physician. That’s the only change in the contract is just the
personnel.
Mr. Hasan: But the numbers have changed, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: So hold on a minute, hold on a minute, are you going to direct your
questions to Dr. Conner?
Mr. Hasan: Well let me, go ahead, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: I want to make sure, we’re all over the place right now, Let’s direct our
questions to Deputy Director Schroer and Director Connor and then if we need to ask other
questions then we’ll get to those. And if we need to have Madam Administrator answer the
question then we’ll pose the question but ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- let’s not back, bounce back and forth ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay ---
Mr. Mayor: --- if you don’t mind.
Mr. Hasan: --- okay. Well ya’ll what I was saying, Mr. Mayor, let me just caption that
again. At $57.00 dollars an hour that we’re saying from $161.03 and I was wondering will we
actually would that savings actually coming back to the government. And if that’s true then the
contract over a 3-year period is $357,000 dollars a little bit more than that if you do the 4%
annual increase. But if you factor in per the conversation last week there’s two one-year
renewals so if you give it a total of 5-years that’s a total of right at $600,000 dollars. So my
question has the contract been officially reduced by that unless I’m misunderstanding this here.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, you’re telegraphing. It sounds like you’ve got more than one
question and you’ve got the question of is this and automatically renewing contract was one and
then number two the issue are those savings realized over the life of the contract or upfront?
Mr. Hasan: And third is do that come back before us or the amendment here that we’re
making should be sufficient and who signs it at the end of the day?
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right is this a, is this a three or five-year contract?
Mr. Schroer: It is a three-year contract with the option for two one-year renewals.
Mr. Mayor: Okay so the amendment that is being that is under consideration is to amend
the contract the base three-year contract, is that not true?
Mr. Schroer: That is correct.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right it is amending the base three-year contract and to the degree
that you amend it, that amendment would follow for each of the subsequent one-year renewals if
this body chose to renew it, is that also not true?
Mr. Schroer: Correct.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, are you comfortable with that?
Mr. Hasan: All I’m saying is do we see where, how do we recognize the savings you
know we won’t officially know it that’s what I’m asking.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Administrator.
Ms. Jackson: Yeah I’m still, I think I was trying to respond to the second question. I
think one of your questions is at the point of renewal does it come back before the Commission?
That’s not the question.
Mr. Hasan: The first part of my question let’s move away from the four-year and fifth
year. My initial question is over a three-year time frame there’s an automatic $355,000 dollars
there and if we amended it and we saved that money, I’m saying does the contract come back to
us sign it. And if that’s not the case, do we and is that $355,000 actually what we’re saving.
Will that contract be reduced by $355,000 dollars whether it comes back to us or not, is it being
reduced by that much?
Ms. Jackson: When you move from occupational medicine position to a nurse
practitioner there should be a net savings annually based upon the cost differential of those two
service providers.
Mr. Hasan: You said what I already know ---
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Ms. Jackson: Okay ---
Mr. Hasan: --- I’m asking ---
Ms. Jackson: --- and, and are you so therefore are we paying the vendor overall less for
this contract?
Mr. Hasan: --- yes, that’s what I’m asking.
Ms. Jackson: Yes, we are paying the vendor less that we had anticipated because of the
differential in the skill levels and therefore cost of those service providers.
Mr. Hasan: And that information should be before us to show us what we’re saving and
not just talk us through it. I would like to see where the contract is actually being reduced.
That’s my point, we have no way of knowing. I can see, I can follow the math but I don’t have
the contract to see that somebody’s actually reducing the contract on our end.
Mr. Mayor: I believe that’s a reasonable request. Again it’s left to assumption you adopt
the amendment and whether those dollars show up in the General Fund some other Special Fund
you’d like to know that, that’s certainly a reasonable request.
Ms. Jackson: And that reasonable request then you’ll get a summarized document to you
showing exactly what the savings are over the life of the contract.
Mr. Mayor: So is this a time-sensitive matter?
Ms. Jackson: Actually it is because we’d like to open the Wellness Center on December
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10 and we’d like to bring the nurse practitioner onboard the week prior to that so, yes.
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Mr. Mayor: So today being the 6 and we do it December 13 on our Special Called
Meeting agenda.
Ms. Jackson: We can do it next week.
Mr. Mayor: All right, that’d be fine. All right if we can do that, that’d be fantastic. All
right so if we can get a motion refer this to the next to the Special Called Meeting agenda.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Motion Passes 9-0.
The Clerk:
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PUBLIC SAFETY
19. Motion to approve the purchase of a Natural Gas Generator at a cost of $30,805.00 for
Fire Station 9 from Elite Energy Systems. Bid Item 18-241 (Approved by Public Safety
Committee October 30, 2018)
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My question was this Natural Gas Generator I
guess the first one we’re having Chief James (inaudible) Ms. Jackson or anybody.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Chief James to speak to what this is for.
Chief James: Yes, sir, this is for a backup generator for, replacing the old one that’s at
Station 9 that the repair people have told us that it’s lived it’s life and we’re replacing that at
Station 9 so that if we have a power outage you have the generator will kick on to make sure the
fire station is powered.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay and that was my question; we are replacing one generator.
Chief James: Yes, sir, they had one that has been there for many years and what it would
take to fix it you might as well buy another one we were told.
Mr. M. Williams: That kind of helps me out the natural gas the one we got now is not a
natural gas, you’re saying Mr. Fire Chief?
Chief James: Yes, sir and we were, we have some stations that have natural gas and we
have some stations that still the guys have to go out and pull the diesel into the little tank to make
sure it stays filled. Anytime that we have been replacing them, we have been replacing them
with natural gas so that when the power goes off it always just kicks on automatically because
it’s hooked to the natural gas.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, Mr. Mayor, that helps me understand a little bit better. I’m
going to make a motion to approve ---
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. M. Williams: --- this is, you said this is the first natural gas or do we have other
natural gas?
Chief James: We have ---
Mr. M. Williams: I’m talking about generators now.
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Chief James: --- yes, sir we have some other ones. We have some that are natural gas
that are still backed up by propane so we do have some that run off of natural gas as the main
power that powers the generator.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay I’m good, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Are you going to make a motion?
Mr. M. Williams: I thought I made a motion.
The Clerk: We have one.
Mr. Mayor: We’ve got a motion and a second, voting. Oh I’m sorry, we’ve got more
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questions. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 7.
Mr. Frantom: Is Anderson Power the same as Elite Energy Systems ---
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. Frantom: --- there’s no Elite in the it doesn’t say.
Chief James: Right, sir, and on the Save Form that they turn in Procurement and
Procurement turns into us it’s Anderson Power System working as Elite Energy Systems.
Mr. Frantom: --- okay, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, we have a motion and a proper second, voting.
Motion Passes 9-0.
PLANNING
22. 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 (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 application 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 to adequately illuminate the
parking area but must be directed away from the existing residential properties. A business
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license for the operation of a paid parking lot shall be acquired, prior to any parking on the
site taking place. (Requested by Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the distinguished Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, this has been brought up before. It
was actually the applicant Michael Thurman that has two already in place parking spaces. Over
the years we’ve had residents from this area complaining about people parking in the roads,
blocking their driveways etc. There’s a lot of the students or employees that attends the
ASU/AU whatever it’s called at this time but this applicant here already been through the
process twice for the two parking lots that’s there currently with two separate entrances and
exits. And this third what we have up on the board now is the third that ties the two parking lots
together. Again what it does is actually benefits this area it’s all private, fenced in, it’s lighted
for safety. Michael even already had included reaching out to the residents and some of the
residents have reached to some of the Commissioners that has a concern about it. Michael
Thurman is willing to after 7:00 o’clock let the residents use the parking lot for in the evening
times as well as the weekends. So I see the positive in the use for it. It’s more set up for safety
because by design with it being a fenced in area people have to use the crossing guard so they
could cross the streets without having to worry about getting hit. My other challenge that I see
the original, one of the original lots that was sold to him eleven years ago was actually from my
good friend and colleague Andrew Jefferson. He realized that the need for a parking lot was
there and he sold it with that intent. Over the years Michael Thurman had purchased the other
property and this final property that’s right before us actually came from the Land Bank to tie the
properties together. Plus it being fenced in you no longer have access to the railroad tracks
which is provide is probably dangerous at that moment but it provides security all the way
around three sides around and opened up to the street. I don’t know what else this gentleman
could do. He followed the procedures that we set in place as far as policy. Going through the
Planning and Zoning actually have to wait 30 days for each of the three. If anybody came
forward their concerns was minimum. It’s passed Planning and Zoning unanimously three times
and I don’t, I think it’s a great thing to have downtown. I don’t live downtown so it does not
affect me personally but my motion is to approve this.
Mr. Frantom: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right I’ve got a motion and a second. The Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I heard my colleague talk about where the
property came from and who sold it and what he sold it for and all that’s good but I represent
some people who have lived in those areas and still live in those areas for many, many years.
And it sounds good to say well we’re going to alleviate the parking that’s in front of your door
and you can use it at night but if you alleviate the parking I don’t need to move my car at night
over to a parking lot if I’ve can park in front of my door so that’s not going to benefit the people
that live there as far as moving their cars at night or on the weekend. My problem though is this
water that’s running off of these paved lots and the lighting that people are going to have to deal
with in the neighborhood. Now we’ve got a meeting set up already I think the date has been
23
changed because of the Pastor of the church couldn’t be accommodating at that time and he’s
trying to work out a time through License and Inspection. We’re not trying to hold Mr. Thurman
up in any kind of way but I’m not going to sit here and say that that’s not an issue. I don’t think
you want to sit in your living room when a bright light from some pole’s shining in your window
whether it be your bedroom window or your living room window or whatever it is. Then you’ve
got the water that we’ve already been complaining about the water’s not moving fast enough
anyway because the way the city set up the water’s flowing from a parking lot into your yard. So
I just think we’ve got a meeting set up that the residents can come out and express their opinion.
I can’t support this now and I won’t support now until at least I have an opportunity to talk to the
people that live not nobody got no business in that area but people that live in that area. People
have got to drive through the water, people have to walk through the water. The people who
know the water comes from the parking lot right in front of their door and stay there but they
don’t have no pavement in front of their door. They don’t have no sidewalks, there ain’t much
dirt left but there might be, Ms. Bonner, because the water washes all that down too it takes it on
down. So I’ve got some serious issues with that when we’ve got three that we done allowed to
be put in there anyway. And I know growth when growth comes you’ve got to be prepared for
the growth. You’ve got to grow with it but until these residents have a voice and have a say as a
representative of that area I can’t sit back and say that’s a good thing. That’s not a good thing.
It’s good for the business man and Mr. Thurman was going to do a free parking lot but I think
he’s being paid for every car being parked on that lot. The residents ain’t going to get nothing
but some water and some lights in their eyes. When I’m trying to sleep I don’t want no lights
shining on me, Dr. Conner. You’ll be waking me up sure enough then. So my question is this is
just about basic rights and human needs. These people have been suffering for a long time and I
know pretty much what are we going to do? Are we going to continue to let them suffer, are we
going to keep dumping stuff on them over and over and over? The train, there’s nothing you can
do about the train. The train comes through there, Ms. Bonner, blows the horn so loud you think
you can hear it in New Orleans the way it comes through there but the people deal with that
because there’s nothing they can do about that but I ain’t going to sit here and open no lights to
go up there to blind them in the eye with the train waking them up already. Now maybe they
done got used to it you know I lived by the railroad tracks before I worked there. You get used
to the train but you can’t get used to that light I guarantee you. So my colleagues can support it
if they want to but I just think it’s unfair to the residents that are living there to at least have a say
about what they’re dealing with. To alleviate a problem for Augusta State is one thing but to
alleviate a problem for the taxpayer who live there who don’t park no cars, who say they can’t
get in their own driveway because there’s so many cars there can’t get, the garbage man can’t
pick up the trash, Mr. Mayor, because the cars are blocking the trash can from being picked up
by the arm but a lot of them are just poor folks. We don’t worry about them now do we? Well I
do. That’s all I’ve got, Mr. Mayor. I can’t support that.
Mr. Mayor: I understand. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1st.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I guess my question is where does it all end? And I would like
to ask my colleagues and even the people in the audience how many of you all want a parking lot
next to where you live? We were supposed to have had a meeting with the residents in that area
and we requested that the meeting be held at Antioch but the residents was told that the meeting
would be held here at the Municipal Building last Thursday at 4:00 o’clock. And anybody that
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has been in this area lately will know that it is very difficult to find a place to park in this area at
4:00 o’clock because of the advanced voting that took place and we are talking about elderly,
elderly people. And I guess my concern is that as another piece of property becomes vacant do
we extend the parking lot and as another piece of property becomes vacant do you continue to
extend the parking lot. Now my questions is where does it all end and what impact will it have
on the people that have lived there for 40 and 50 years? They don’t want a parking lot next to
their house. They don’t want a parking lot in their neighborhood. The parking will be for the
students at Augusta University. If parking is needed at Augusta University let Augusta
University find a place for the people to park but don’t let it be at my expense. I’ve lived here all
of my life and it’s not fair to the people that live there all of their lives and until a meeting takes
place between Mr. Thurman, Planning and Zoning and the commissioners it will be very difficult
for me to move forward with this agenda item.
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Mr. Mayor: I understand. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I’ve got a couple of questions that I would like to ask. Mr.
Mayor, is there, a question I would like to ask you is there any residents from the area in the
audience today?
Mr. Mayor: Well, I can speak to that (inaudible).
Mr. Sias: No, no I mean I’m asking you asking that through the Chair now unless you
want me to.
Mr. Mayor: All right, do we have any residents who are here for this matter? Any
residents if you’re in the audience today for this matter?
Mr. M. Williams: They didn’t know they’re supposed to be here, Mr. Mayor, they ain’t
going to raise their hands.
Mr. Mayor: I understand, I knew that was going to come up next.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay well he’s (unintelligible).
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Mr. Mayor: Hold on, let’s recognize the Commissioner from the 4 Come on, you have
the floor, go ahead.
Mr. Sias: One thing I would like for my colleague’s said I’d like for Mr. Thurman to
clarify that and I really looking to call him up but he said, my colleague said something that I
haven’t seen and I might have missed it but I’m just curious if Mr. Thurman could explain the
part about the residents being able to use it free after a certain time. I would like to hear an
explanation of that and is that weekends, holidays or what. If it’s going to be a free time
provided I would like to be clear on what that free time is and any conditions that go with it.
Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. All right, I’m going to ask both Sherman and Thurman if they’ll
approach. Thurman, if you’ll come to this side with Director Sherman as well, if you’ll come on
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this side, if you’ll come to this side please. All right and so I’m going to pose a series of
questions, pose a series of questions. All right pursuant to the matter that’s before us please
clarify the issue around parking after hours and the availability of that parking to residents ---
Mr. Sias: On weekends and holidays.
Mr. Mayor: --- on weekends and holidays, during the week.
Mr. Thurman: Yes, sir. The way the parking lot’s going to be designed is we’re selling
individual spaces and those spaces will be reserved spaces and they will be good for the students
from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. that’s class time and so forth. After 7:00 p.m. there are no longer
reserved spaces so if the neighborhood needs to use it for overflow from Laney Walker Stadium,
church has overflow, people have a big house party. They’re welcome to use it free of charge
Monday through Friday after 7:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. and weekends.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Is that, and the reason I’m asking about the weekends and holidays is because
AU may be having events that these students come back to. So you’re saying that other than
Monday through Friday 7:00 to 7:00, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in other words your parking thing
your parking area that you own will be available to the public any time it’s other than those
times.
Mr. Thurman: Correct, yes, sir.
Mr. Sias: And as far as for lack of a better word security, maintenance and all of this
stuff will these folks that are using it will they have any responsibilities for that at all? For an
example somebody breaks in somebody’s car on the weekend on your parking lot, help me
understand that.
Mr. Thurman: Unfortunately, it’s just like anyone who parks out here. If someone
breaks in the car the city’s not going to pay for it. It’s the individual’s auto insurance that takes
care of that.
Mr. Sias: So are you going to have a sign out there park at your own risk?
Mr. Thurman: Yes, sir.
Mr. Sias: Okay, I just wanted to understand that piece.
Mr. Thurman: You’re going to follow all the rules that (unintelligible).
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My position in previously supporting those other
parcels that Mr. Thurman has mentioned I don’t have a problem with it. I can really see a real
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value in it. But at the last meeting when this item was discussed Commissioner Marion
Williams, Commissioner Bill Fennoy who are the Commissioners for that particular district
made mention of some concerns that they had from the neighbors. I also mentioned that Ronny
Brown was I think this parcel’s directly next to his piece of property and in being in a
conversation with him previously he was in support of it but Mr. Fennoy mentioned some
individuals that I’m not familiar with that have some concerns about it. I also want to be
supportive of what the community has to say around the issue so from that point we agreed to set
up a meeting of sort in the neighborhood and that was going to be at potentially Antioch Baptist
Church as Commissioner Fennoy mentioned. And so that’s what I’m looking forward to being
supportive of it and with that I’ll be doing the same thing I done last time because I’m not
against the project as much as I’d like would like to hear from the neighbors. I think there’s one
things that’s been constant here I’ve have not gone against the wished of the neighborhood and at
this time I want to hear exactly where the neighborhood stands on this particular issue and I’ll
support it accordingly at that particular time. So once again I will be abstaining on this particular
issue.
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Mr. Mayor: I understand. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, thank you. Out of respect and after hearing Commissioner
Marion Williams and Bill Fennoy as well as Commissioner Hasan out of respect when is this
meeting set up I need to ask, through the Chair.
Mr. Sherman: We can, excuse me, we’ve been working on setting up a meeting and
we’ve had a couple of dates that have fallen through, actually three, so we expect to have it the,
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I’ll tell you in just a second. We expect to it back on the commission agenda by the 4 if not the
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29 I believe is the, hold on one second.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Christmas time?
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Mr. Sherman: Yes, by the 4.
Mr. Guilfoyle: Okay. Mr. Mayor, I’d like to rescind my motion for this meeting to
happen so my colleagues that represents that area will have time to sit with the citizens and
discuss this, if they have any issues.
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Mr. Mayor: Does the Commissioner from the 7 yield? All right, so that motion is
withdrawn and we’ll refer this back to, refer it back to the full Commission for the December
meeting the first meeting in December. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you. Mr. Sherman, because of the contentiousness of this issue when
you have that meeting scheduled because you’re talking about bringing it back to Commission
the question in my view was when is the meeting with the citizens? So I would appreciate it if
you would get that to Ms. Bonner so we would all know so if we want to go we can all go.
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Mr. Sherman: We will do that. We will notify all of you, the Administrator etc. of the
meeting date as soon as we have it confirmed up.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, we won’t put this on another agenda until such time as that
meeting takes place ---
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- I don’t want to be premature and say it’s going to happen the first
meeting in December then someone else can’t get a meeting. Okay, all right, thank you.
The Clerk: Item 23, sir?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, ma’am.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
23. Receive report from the Solicitor General regarding the October 20, 2018 Records
Restriction Summit. (Requested by Commissioner Dennis Williams)
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. At this time I’m going to call on the Solicitor
General and turn it over to her for her report.
Ms. Loggins: Good afternoon Commissioners. Again I want to thank you all for your
support for the Record Restriction Summit. At this time we want to give you all a report on the
numbers of what we did and then if it’s allowed we’ll have some brief presentations. At this
time I would like to call up Shay Alexander for the report.
th.
Ms. Alexander: Briefly the Record Restriction was held on October 20 There are 958
applicants, 2,845 charges 49% of those charges were restricted that day. I’ve done record
restrictions throughout the State of Georgia. This is one of the most successful summits that
we’ve had in the state so I just wanted to report that to the Commission today.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Ms. Loggins ---
Ms. Loggins: Yes ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- for the benefit of the audience, myself and some of my other colleagues
would you give the benefit of this program?
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Ms. Loggins: --- yes, thank you, Commissioner. Basically the law changed back in 2013
dealing with record restriction. And basically record restriction means is that under certain
circumstances certain charges can be restricted from the view of certain people specifically for
employers or people that make housing decisions. And the reason that’s important is because
sometimes those service barriers for people getting jobs and getting housing and it was unfair
when these things or charges were dismissed in some cases particularly for the misdemeanor and
felonies but yet it still showed up on the their criminal history. And even though that person
was not ultimately convicted of that charge sometimes there’s a stigma and employers and other
entities will hold that against them. And so with the change in the law what we are trying was
help people get past that barrier. By restricting things that are allowed by law, now we just
didn’t make up our own laws but things that were already set by the Governor through his
criminal justice reform that said these particular charges and these certain circumstances could
be restricted off of people’s records. And we had this summit to kind of streamline that process
because normally it would take anywhere from six to nine months and we were able to do that
process in a limited time. We did it as a service to the community and for those who were able
to come, the response that we got from the people, we had people that traveled from Florida that
had to leave the state because they couldn’t get a job with a certain criminal history but they
were able to get one in another state and now they shed tears of joy because they were able to
come back to a state that they love and to be able to get employment. And we had other similar
stories of people who this was very important to them so I commend you all for supporting this.
And like I said from the numbers you can see we have affected a lot of people, we had a positive
impact. At this time I would like to bring up Senator Jones for some brief acknowledgement.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner from the 1 he still has some comments.
Ms. Loggins: I’m sorry.
Mr. Fennoy: And I have a question, another question. If I’m filling out an application
and they ask me have I ever been arrested and I’ve had my records cleared up, you actually have.
So how should I answer that question?
Ms. Loggins: The key is very clear of how that question is answered but I’m going to
turn it over to our Legislative Representative here to say how he set that up in Legislature.
Mr. Speaker: So if it actually has been expunged then you’re actually not convicted of a
crime so there is no convictions so the answer would be no. And now we’re actually doing the
records restriction expungement. Now is actually automatic, it’s not like it used to be when you
actually had to file for $25.00 dollars. We have two, there’s two separate things what we used to
call the old expungement. Now it’s actually supposed to be doing automatically through the
Prosecutor’s Office so you don’t even have to apply for that part. And then the second part is do
a restriction where it would not be seen at the local Clerk’s Office also so it should, before it
might have been a question whether you could do it because you actually had to make an
application. Now trusting the Prosecutors to do exactly what they’re supposed to do which they
will I would pretty much say yes absolutely say you’re not going to have, you do not have a
conviction on your record.
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Mr. Fennoy: So I could go ahead and fill out some applications (unintelligible).
Ms. Loggins: Now I want to be clear. Everything necessarily is not restricted so if you
have some other charges that weren’t able to be restricted, you’ve got to answer truthfully, okay?
Mr. Fennoy: Thank you (unintelligible) my job?
Ms. Loggins: If it’s allowed for us to do the brief presentation, thank you.
Senator Jones: Thank you. I just want to give a couple of presentations because of the
fact that it took such a concerted effort by elected officials, many of them were constitutional
officers. One of the first things we had to do was actually have a place to actually have this
Restriction Summit and so I want to have someone come up from Good Shepherd Baptist
Church because they allowed us to actually use their facility to have it. Second, we could not do
this without our Superior Court judges because they’re the ones who actually have to sign the
order to restrict so we want to have a representative from Superior Court judges.
Mr. Speaker: I’m representing Judge Brown, he and I have the same amount of
(unintelligible).
Senator Jones: Also the same for our State Court judges because they are the ones who
have to sign the order actually to restrict. And I will say that that was very unusual because
normally they would have a period of almost 30 days to actually sign an order to do a restriction.
They signed it right there on the spot so they were doing something outside of their normal
purview.
Ms. Loggins: And I just want to slip in real quickly I want to give a special presentation
to Judge Hunter, Judge McIntyre, Judge Watkins and Judge Blanchard. They actually attended
restriction and actually signed it on the spot and they were there at the summit from 10:00 to
4:00 and they were there all day so I’m giving them special recognition. (APPLAUSE)
Senator Jones: And also we needed assistance from the Richmond County Public
Defenders Office. They worked overtime basically and so if we have any representatives from
that particular office we’d like for them to come up also. All of this was also dependent upon
and as you see there was quite a bit of interconnectivity that we had to have. Information
Technology had to have all the computers put together at Good Shepherd Baptist Church so we’d
like to acknowledge them.
Ms. Loggins: And I would like to give a special recognition from the IT Department for
Tony Wright is he here, he went over and beyond the call of duty.
Senator Jones: Also within this we had to have a representative from the Richmond
County Sheriff’s Office so if they would come forward. The Sheriff was integral in the
standpoint that all initial applications must go through the Sheriff’s Office. They’re the ones that
actually do the initial application process so when you hear that almost 9,000 cycles there they’re
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the body that actually had to go through those initially and they did a tremendous job in doing
that. (APPLAUSE)
Ms. Loggins: And again want to specially recognize Ms. (unintelligible) from the
Sheriff’s Office. She really went over beyond the call of duty in helping us make sure this
happened, thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Senator Jones: And we had to have Security. Without a doubt we had to have Security
because we had so many persons that were going to be coming there and it went very smoothly
and we like a representative from the Marshal’s Department to come forward please.
(APPLAUSE)
Ms. Loggins: And as Lt. Douglas is coming up, he also gets a special presentation for
going over and beyond the call of duty.
Senator Jones: And of course we had to have the cooperation, we had to have the support
from this body and key to that would be our Administrator Ms. Jackson so we want to also
acknowledge her. (APPLAUSE) Having said having support from this body she just one leg of
this particular body so we also want to acknowledge the Augusta Richmond County Board of
Commissioners and also Mayor Hardie Davis, thank you very much. (APPLAUSE) Everyone
has to, before you actually get your record restricted has to go through the Clerk’s Office. The
Clerk has to do all of that particular paperwork so we want to acknowledge the Richmond
County Clerk’s Office led by Clerk Sullivan. (APPLAUSE) And they want to acknowledge, we
want to acknowledge our Chairperson our Chair Lady of this particular Records Restriction
Summit and that was our Solicitor General Omeeka Loggins. (APPLAUSE) And then we want
to acknowledge our person who actually did all of our much of our research and actually helped
us put things in line and that is Ms. Shay Alexander. She came from Fulton County and she did
a tremendous job. She is the one who helped us tremendously to actually understand the process
and actually put the process together. She was our consultant, she drove here from Fulton
County on numerous occasions and she was invaluable to this process so we want to congratulate
and thank Shay Alexander. (APPLAUSE)
Ms. Loggins: And last but not least I would like to thank Senator Jones because he
worked very hard in Atlanta and brought this to Augusta so. (APPLAUSE)
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. One thing I’d like to say about this Records
Restriction Program it was really a good program to help benefit our community. And the first
day we held the press conference announcing the program it was several hundred people coming
to the library looking to get their records expunged. But it was a very good program where all of
the agencies in our government worked together and came out with some good. We were able to
restrict some records maybe not all of them but some but that in turn would add to our workforce
and it was a good deed for the citizens of our community. So I appreciate the work that the
Commission did and also Ms. Jackson for being resourceful in finding the funding that was
needed. (APPLAUSE)
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Can I ask Ms. Loggins a question? Ms. Loggins, what was the cost for
implementation of this program?
Ms. Loggins: I believe our budget was around $17,000 and what we used it for was
office supplies because we had folder and packet for every file. We had to print off the criminal
histories and records. It was also used for overtime for certain employees. Some officers were
able to do comp time but some officers had to have overtime. Because it was an all-day event
we fed the volunteers. What else did we use it for? Supplies, food so yeah I mean we used
every bit of it too.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and do you are you planning to ask for $17,000 to in 2019 to do the
same thing all over again?
Ms. Loggins: Between $15 and $17, that’s the target we’re trying to hit so yes, sir. I
don’t anticipate it’ll be more than $17. We’re hoping to try to tweak and maybe come in a little
bit less.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and my last question, Mr. Mayor. If when you request this if Mr.
Jones, Senator Jones could put together some numbers about the economic impact of having
these records done away with will have on our community it would be for me very helpful.
Ms. Loggins: Thank you. We’ll work with our consultant (unintelligible) and Ms.
Sullivan, Clerk Sullivan to have a packet that includes that information as well as the breakdown
of where the funds were spent to give ya’ll a good synopsis of what happens.
Mr. Mayor: All right, fantastic. All right as come to the close of our meeting we want to
take an opportunity to remind everyone that we are asking for your prayers and support for the
Jefferson Family. The homegoing celebration for Commissioner Jefferson will be on Saturday at
1:00 p.m. at Good Shepherd Baptist Church. The wake will take place on Friday from 5:00 to
7:00 and I believe that’ll take place also at the church, that’ll take place at the church. If that
changes then we’ll let everybody know. But again those are the dates and the times for what will
be taking place. Before we leave let’s just take a moment we’re going to just pray for their
strength if you’ll pause with me. Gracious and Eternal God, it is you who we seek for comfort.
It is you who provides us with our peace. And Lord God as we pray for the Jefferson Family all
of them Ms. Jefferson, Ms. Pat, the children, the siblings and all of their loved ones may your
hand be upon them during this time to strengthen and comfort them. And, Lord God, allow this
community to put our arms around them for times such as this, this we do pray and ask in thy
name, Amen. This meeting is adjourned.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
Lena Bonner
Clerk of Commission
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CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy
of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on
November 6, 2018.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
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