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Home My WebLink AboutRegular Commission Meeting November 20, 2018 REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER NOVEMBER 20, 2018 Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., November 20, 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: All right, good afternoon, everybody. We are here to do the people’s business. We’re going to call this meeting to order. The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk. The Deputy Clerk: Yes, sir, at this time we’d like to call on the Reverend Pastor Don L. Stone from the Lumpkin Road Baptist Church who will give our invocation after which we’ll stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Stone? The invocation was given by Pastor Don L. Stone, Lumpkin Road Baptist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited. The Deputy Clerk: Pastor Stone, if you’ll come forward for a Recognition from the Mayor. Office of the Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. By these present be it known that Pastor Don L. Stone, Lumpkin Road Baptist Church is Chaplain of the Day his spiritual guidance and civic leadership serves as an example for all citizens of Augusta. Thank you, Reverend. Mr. Mayor: Would you join me in congratulating and thanking Reverend Stone? (APPLAUSE) The Deputy Clerk: RECOGNITION(S) Resolution of Condolences Andrew A. Jefferson, Sr. A. Motion to ratify Resolution of Condolences in remembrance of Commissioner Andrew A. Jefferson, Sr. by recognizing him for his service on the Augusta Commission and that this resolution by spread on the Minutes of this meeting. Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Madam Clerk. We are here today to honor and recognize our friend and we have his family in the audience with us on today of our friend one Commissioner Andrew Jefferson. The Celebration of Life took place on last week and today we want to take an opportunity to as we did just a few weeks ago to memorialize our dear friend a public servant, educator, husband, a son, a father, a brother and all that he has meant to this community. Today is a day that hearts may be heavy but our hearts are still filled with much joy. Andrew provided us with that. And so just as we did a few weeks ago we’re going to do that today and I’m going th begin with the Commissioner from the 6 and we’re going to make our way this way as you again share a few words. And if you have things that you want to share and provide at the location at th the seat there on the dais, Commissioner from the 6. 1 Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for the opportunity. To the Jefferson Family we once again we express our sincere condolences to you all. I had the opportunity to work with your husband, Ms. Jefferson, the last couple of years. It was an interesting, he was an interesting guy. You had to kind of take your time and feel him out and understand him the way he was coming from because he was an astute politician. One thing I’ve always said to him that he knows how to hold things to the breast. I’m the kind of guy sometimes I can’t hold water. So with that being said you had to always just kind of keep prodding him and eventually he’d tell you where he stands and sometimes you won’t know until he casts his vote. And I think that’s a good sign of a good politician and eventually we kind of grew on each other as of late. We talked quite often, we talked sometimes in the last three months I’d say we talked sometimes a couple of times a day about things we thought was important or we thought the direction the city was going and I think in many of those issues he took the lead on and many of those issues we supported him. I think one thing in particular. I think the last big hurdle that he wanted to get something done was the Lake Olmstead. He really wanted that to become an amphitheater, he took the lead on that he was very adamant about it. He thought for a while it was going to be challenging but at the end he was successful in getting the Commission to vote I think unanimously to make it happen. And so Commissioners like myself looked forward to making his vision come true in terms of what he thought this community could look like in terms with the amphitheater would bring to this community. We did have a difference of opinion on how it should be shaped or whether we should build an arena or build a stage with the back to the net the baseball or put it out in centerfield. We came to a compromise and we agreed we think it should be out in centerfield so we came to a compromise but he was very adamant about his position. And I think some of my colleagues will also agree that as of late he began to find, when I say find his own voice in other words he was more adamant about his position which is a good sign because one thing that we lack so much sometimes we be in leadership positions but we don’t exalt that. And I think he was doing a great job of doing that and I began to appreciate him more. And myself, Commissioner Fennoy, Ms. Jackson, one his sons there, we were down to Hornsby School that Saturday. Had an opportunity to sit down and break bread with him and so that will be the moment that I will always keep near and dear to my heart to realize that that Saturday before the tragic death of his homegoing there that we had an opportunity to sit down and break bread and express once again our affinity for each other and look forward to working together in the future in some of the projects like I said about the Lake Olmstead. I look forward to help fulfilling his vision about what that should look like, thank you, Mr. Mayor. nd Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner from the 2. Mr. D. Williams: Good afternoon. I first met Andrew back in the early 90’s right before I left Augusta. We were working with the NAACP back in those days. And I left Augusta and eventually came back in 2011 and he was still around and still working hard in the community. But he was a real nice guy and he always talked about the Falcons and I didn’t know nothing about football but I just liked going to the games. But he always made it interesting and fun and he always shared about the games that he went to and I would sit there and act like I knew what he was talking about. But he was always the person with a warm smile, a kind word and just a happy, jolly spirit and that’s something that all of us could emulate by having a joyful spirit in ourselves as individuals. And when we express that we warm up to people more and we become better 2 people and interact better and we give people an opportunity to love us more. We’re going to miss him quite a bit, thank you. th, Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 10 you’re the newest one here and I know you had just a few moments with him. Mr. Clarke: I didn’t have the opportunity to serve with Andrew Jefferson but I did have the opportunity to know him for two and a half years. And in that short two and a half years I learned a lot from Andrew. He was a quiet man most of the time but when he said something people listened because it made sense with what he said. And Andrew was a teacher. He taught me and one thing that I would like to leave Andrew is since he is, was an electrician, he taught electrician and often times he was a beacon of light in a world of darkness and I would like to leave him this new LED light. We’ll miss you Andrew, thank you. st Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: To the Jefferson Family I had an opportunity to be with Andrew and his son on Saturday before he passed. And I got there kind of early and when Andrew came he asked me why I was early I said well in case your son needed any help with the hamburgers and hotdogs I’ll be able to give him a few pointers and he assured me that he didn’t need any pointers on hamburgers and hotdogs. Since Andrew has been on this Commission, he and I did not always agree and even though we disagreed, and even though we disagreed when we walked out those doors we were still friends. Andrew is what I like to refer to as a true leader and quoting Martin Luther King he said that the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others. Martin goes on to say if a man is called a streetsweeper he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say here lives a great streetsweeper who did his job well. Andrew was an electrician. He took pride in what he did so what I have here about two years ago I was able to go to the museum, the African-American museum in Washington, DC and they had some quotes from Martin Luther King and I picked this one up. It has his I Have a Dream speech. So, to the Jefferson Family when you’re feeling down, depressed I want you to pick this up and read it and read the dream because the dream lives on. Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem. Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. To Andrew’s family I just you know when I think of Andrew I think of a gentle, kind, levelheaded professional person who when you meet him and you were around him he made you feel good. He might have been having a bad day but you never ever heard that at least I never did. I never heard him complain about anything; he was always concerned about you. You know working with him the past couple of years it was just a pleasure. We would talk through issues even if we didn’t agree and you’ve heard that from a few other Commissioners. It was okay; we would just talk through it. And he’s like explain to me what you’re feeling and I’ll explain to you what I’m feeling and if we didn’t agree he was totally fine with that, always still smiling, just an instant friend. And you know in the back of the Chamber 3 here when we’re taking personal calls, he would always have to take calls for his work and I would hear him talking to his employees or to his customers and he was always just handling issues even though we were dealing with a lot up here. He would be able to change gears and you would just hear that same kind of respect even though it might have been a stressful work situation he just always held his cool and worked through it and that was just something that will always stick with me about Andrew. I think at the end of your life it just all comes down to how you treat others and in that respect, he gets an A+ and so I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to know Andrew. Mr. Mayor: Madam Administrator, church member friend. Ms. Jackson: I’m going to need some help to do my presentation. First I would like to invite the men of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to join me. This is Geoffrey Alls from our Law Department and Steven Kendrick our Tax Commissioner. They are Mr. Jefferson’s frat brothers so I asked for their assistance. And for what they are about to unveil I needed a lot of assistance because I am not the creative force in my office. Ms. Jessica Williford is. Unfortunately she’s on vacation so she doesn’t see the unveiling but she pulled this together at my request. We tried to put something together that explains who he is. The first thing I have to say about Commissioner Jefferson was that he loved what he loved and he believed in what he believed in. My tribute today focuses on those things that he believed in. First the Atlanta Braves season ticket holder, he would go up any time he had the opportunity to do that. Second the Atlanta Falcons. I don’t think anybody up here will forget when the Falcons went to the Super Bowl he came in he had every piece of paraphernalia possible that he spread out on the desk in front of him. Next the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. From Q-Dogs to Omega Men to the Sons of Blood and Thunder he represented that fraternity every day of his life and the neat little thing about that that some may not be aware of is that my sorority is an informal sister/brother relationship with the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity so we had that to connect us. Finally one of the biggest things we had to connect us was the Good Shepherd Baptist Church you see at the very top it says “Going from Good to Great Through Community Involvement” that is our theme for 2018 in Good Shepherd and Commissioner Jefferson lived that everyday of his life. Finally what we represent here is the Lake Olmstead Amphitheater that has been referenced already. He came to me one day, you know he would call every now and then if he had special things he needed to talk about. He called me one night and he talked about a few things and at the end of the conversation says, one more thing I need your help with. I said what’s that? Sure. He said I need you to help me get an amphitheater at Lake Olmstead so unfortunately he will not be around to see that when it comes to fruition but I wanted to give you a picture of what that would look like with him in it. So thank you very, very much your family for sharing him with us. We loved working with him, we know that you loved him and hopefully you’ll keep this as a token of everything he meant to us, thank you very much. Mr. Mayor: So now the question I’ve got right now is the two men of Omega Psi Phi are they going to step for him are they going to step. Mr. Hasan: They done stepped out of here. Mr. Mayor: I see oh my. All right, the Chair recognizes the Dean of the Commission the th Commissioner from the 9. 4 Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. To the Andrew family our hearts may be heavy now but God is still in control. Andrew has done something that we all have to do. I’ve been knowing Andrew off and on for quite a long time in this community. When he got elected here I put him as the Chairman of the Subcommittee for the PPM, Policy and Procedures Manual. But Andrew was a man’s man. Andrew had his own thoughts, his own way of doing things and that makes him unique like all of us. I enjoyed the time that we worked together. We talked quite a bit on different occasions about different things about this city he’s always been serving in some capacity. We all know there wasn’t anybody that he worked, he was on the School Board serving, he’s been in the teaching field for a long time but I think we just need to take those examples that he did. Some people are not giving people. Andrew was a giving person. He was always willing to do what he could when he could. He was a man’s man but he was also the type person you couldn’t run over now, don’t let that smile fool you. He could stand his ground when he had to. Now I remember because a lot of me, Mr. Mayor, Andrew would be talking and did like I do a lot of times he talked with his hands even when he stressed himself he’d trying to get you to understand what he’s really saying and there’s nothing wrong with that I think and that’s great. Andrew never talked to me about sports though he never talked to me about the Falcon, he never talked to me about the Braves none of that, because he knew I didn’t know how many men on the team. I don’t know nothing about sports. I’m not ashamed of that I’ve been on this Augusta National Golf Course but I never seen a ball go in the hole. I mean if I hit a ball that far I ain’t going looking for it. I’m through with it. But I just thank God for people who have the insight to enjoy sports you know and do that. Andrew was a true sportsman. He talked about the trips he took on occasion. He talked about, I heard him talking to Sean about season tickets and stuff man you buy a season ticket and the weather’s bad well I don’t know how you can do that. But just to tell you how committed he was to what he believed in what he did and I thank God for him. But I said earlier we all got to go that way. I mean God made that decision when we do that. We won’t ever enjoy that once that happens but that’s going to happen to all of us. That’s why Andrew worked while it was day the barber tells him that when night comes no man can work I mean you’ve got to do what you can while you can. You know people say I’ll get it right later but if you know better you ought to do better. I did find something I want to leave with him one of the old Atlanta Braves shirts and I want to leave it on his desk. I got this shirt and I don’t know when, I was somewhere I’m always doing something but because others guys would be talking about football and sports I wanted to have something so if they said go get your, I didn’t want to be left out you know what I’m saying? To the family God’s going to take care of you. Just keep doing what you’re doing learn from the good things that Andrew did and just keep your head up, we’re going to see him again maybe not on this side but we’ll see him. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Diaper Dandy the gentleman from the 7who probably was a staunch and ardent Falcons fan the Commissioner from --- Mr. Frantom: Yes I was, rise up. I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Jefferson for I guess four years now and before I even knew him I knew of him and all that he had done for Augusta Tech, all the civic groups he had been a part of, a true public servant. Mr. Andrew Jefferson is something, we need more Andrew Jeffersons in Augusta that’s for sure. I had the privilege of co- leading with him the Smoking Ordinance that we’re about to talk about. It’s probably the biggest thing we worked on together as colleagues and he and I had some disagreements but we agreed a lot on things up here and I will truly miss him. But most of ours was all about sports. It was about 5 the Braves and the Falcons every Tuesday right down there we’d talk about them. We were the Monday morning quarterbacks. I think we’re waiting on Coach Quinn to call us up to come coach the team because we knew what was wrong with them, we could’ve won that game. The Super Bowl was talked about man we didn’t get over the Super Bowl for years, for months up here. That was tough to lose. You know we have the Cowboy’s fan to my right here and that was a crushing loss this weekend. He’s over there smiling, he’s see’s him. But I’ll tell you he loved the Braves and we were so proud of how the Braves did this year. We didn’t, nobody expected us to even make the playoffs but he and I you know I don’t know how many colleagues up here that talk sports with and I just grew up all around sports and everything and I’m going to miss that with Commissioner Jefferson. To the family you’re in my thoughts and prayers as you go through this and to Commissioner Jefferson. I’ll miss you and our last words I’ll leave with you is rise up my friend, rise up. th Mr. Mayor: Thank you, Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. To Ms. Pat and the Jefferson Family my greatest condolences. I’ve known Andrew probably over 20 years and we would come in and out, see each other doing neighborhood things, neighborhood business and stuff like that. Also we was members of the Neighborhood Alliance together and also I served on his campaign one time so we have a lot of connections. I remember that thing was that brown or blue truck he used to have. I can’t remember exactly what color it was but it was but it was kind of it might’ve been a Ford or Chevy or something but I remember that from a long time ago he used to be over in the neighborhood talking and doing things. But also we had a mutual commitment to our community and one of the things that I will treasure for life but I brought it today. I’m going to give it up. When we as a neighborhood association engaged on a very, very unique project to basically do a building addition for the city we needed contractors and we needed contractors to help us for nothing really. And so when we approached Andrew about that he became our electrician of record and this memento that I treasure from that day forward was when under AA&J Electrical Company he got our permits and that was in November, I’m sorry June no July of 08 and we got the final inspection in I think that April of 2010. And this was something that was very, very close to my heart but I’m going to give it to you all. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the gentleman from the 8 who has spent more time with him than probably most of us on this dais. Mr. Guilfoyle: Thank you. There’s a void here, probably the hardest when Bill Fennoy reached out to me on that Sunday. You know I really thought Commissioner Fennoy was upset crying I knew something was wrong but I would’ve never guessed in a hundred years to be Mr. Jefferson. You know everybody behind this dais we’re here not on our own accord. It’s on an accord of us having the blessings from our family, our spouses. I would never got anywhere near this seat if I didn’t have the blessing of my wife or my family. People don’t realize what all goes on. I think John just got a taste of it over these past couple of weeks. One thing I’ve always admired about Andrew Jefferson you could call him anytime and he’ll answer or he’ll call you. He always hung up the phone with me had to get off quick because I’m long winded. I’ll be talking some financial with this government he’d say Wayne, I got to go I said all right Andrew. But a lot of people didn’t see what went on between these two chairs. He kept me calm. A lot of discussion 6 up here behind the dais you know it gets heated. Ya’ll are on the seeing end but we’re on the recipient end and I’ll go Andrew that ain’t the truth I’m going and he’ll use that deep voice, Wayne, let it alone, leave it alone that’s not right that’s wrong. He said let it lie there it ain’t worth it. He’s always done that but I wanted to say Ms. Jefferson, children, thank you for sharing what they call a true public servant. I went to the celebration of Andrew Jefferson on that Saturday. That man had touched so many lives without boundaries, had so many friends, that didn’t matter. Yeah even in my district which is further south so many people speak highly of Andrew I couldn’t find anybody to talk negative about Andrew Jefferson which says a lot about a gentleman. But I do want to say to the family thank you for sharing him with us. Thank you for sharing him with the City of Augusta because these past couple years serving with Andrew Jefferson has been a blessing for me. He’s been my calm and I want to say thank you personally and God Bless each and every one of you. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Thank you. Again to the family thank you all for giving us this opportunity to share our thoughts and our hearts with you. We want to give an opportunity to hear from Andrew’s Mom and Ms. Pat as well, okay outstanding I knew you’d have the courage to do it. I’m going to share just a couple thoughts. I’ve known Andrew Jefferson many years before I ever even got involved in politics. I’ve known him as someone in the community at Augusta Technical College. My wife worked with him and they were fast friends. She talked much about Andrew during her time at Augusta Technical College and how he was very helpful to her as she came to the school and I’ve known his family for as long through one thing or another. When I got that call from Bridgett, I didn’t know what to say or what to do other than to sit in my chair and just kind of cry and reflect on the relationship that we had. Yes, we were on opposite sides when it came to football and that’s what it’s all about and we did win on Saturday, Tammy and so you and I were at the same place with him when it came to football (unintelligible) so but we did all of that in fun. The Andrew Jefferson that I remember that I will be reminded of and reflecting on all the days of my life not just today is an Andrew Jefferson who was a family man first. We’re only saying things about him because we got the overflow of who he was at home with his wife, with his children, with his siblings, his mother we got the overflow of that. And I’m reminded of these words and I’ll close with this and then we’ll ask Ms. Jefferson to come up with Andrew’s Mom that a real man smiles in trouble. We gather strength from the stress and it grows brave by reflection. Commissioner Jefferson was certainly not a timid man but he spent the first year on this body listening, reflecting and that bravery to stand up and say something was evident. I remember in February of this year he pulled me to the side and said Mr. Mayor I’m going to say something now I’m not going to sit over there and just listen, but it’s time for me to say something. And it was through that time of reflection over that first year of seeing how this worked because it’s much different than the school board. But I’m also reminded that a creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve and not by the desire to beat others as Andrew Jefferson wasn’t interested in beating anybody. He was interested in how can we work together and get something done. That’s why he picked up the phone and called you, Ms. Jackson, called everybody on this dais to say I need your help, I need your help. And I close with this and it’s a interesting quote but I believe it's appropriate, and it says that “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who die rather we should thank God that such men lived.” I thank God that I’ve known this family and Andrew Jefferson as long as I’ve been here in the City of Augusta. My life has been made better, my family’s life and without question the city and her children have been made better because of Andrew Jefferson. Thank you for sharing him with us. Ms. Pat? 7 Ms. Jefferson: I know most of you don’t know me. Andrew did have a second part and I’m that part. First of all I want to thank the Mayor, the Commission and the city for your expressions of sympathy, condolences and support that we’ve felt these past few days. I just want to add that I really can’t add anything to Andrew’s service because his service was shown in everything that he did, every day that he walked, every day that he talked. His service to God, his service to our family, his service to this city, his service to his friends it was shown, you really can’t add anything to it or take anything away from that, I will miss that. I did ask Andrew once and I really didn’t realize the question I was asking. I said Andrew, do you know everybody and that has been proven he knew everyone and everyone knew him. He had a relationship whether it was short, long or however with everyone and it was a good relationship. And sometimes I want to say something that makes me feel better and this will make me feel better and hopefully it will make you feel better too. I just wanted you all to know that Andrew gave a lot to you all, he gave a lot to this city, he gave a lot to his community and to his family but I can guarantee you that what he gave to you is nothing to compared to what you gave him and I hope that will make us all feel better, thank you. Ms. Jefferson: Protocol has already been established but to the Honorable Mayor and his peer Commissioners I’d just like to just extend that it started from, well his generosity, his well- mannered and his loving people. That started from a long time ago and he wore many hats. I mean I was sort of surprised myself at his homegoing celebration. Well, I would hear, every time that you all come on I’d go rush to the television turn it out to see if my baby was, what he’s going to say and later he’d call me that night we’d discuss what he could discuss and I was just, it was just one thing he really had his heart in didn’t go that way and I was sort of hurt over that too but we’ll leave that one alone. But anyway I just want you all to know you all couldn’t have known a better person and everything was so positive. I have not heard anybody say anything negative about him because I, I mean he’s not perfect. He wasn’t perfect but he was so close to it. And in other words I learned I taught him a long time ago to learn to agree to disagree and that goes a long way. And with that I appreciate all of you and to his friends I mean you know you all were a joy in his life and he just enjoyed it. And I used to ask him I said well babe aren’t you tired he just goes he never stopped. But anyway and to my family the Jeffersons I appreciate all of you. And my two grandsons they just have taken well they can’t take his place but they’re so close to it and as Travis the youngest one said in the homegoing he talked to his Dad. He said Dad don’t worry about it I’ve got Mama and Grandma he said they’d be taken care of. And he also and I’m going to hold him to it save that turkey leg for me. And with that I’m going to leave you all, thank you. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: To the Jefferson Family, anyone else? Ms. Speaker: Mayor and Commissioners, my family, my sister-in-law and Andrew’s mother Andrew to the siblings was our Google. You know how you use a search engine and when you have a question or something you want to find out about you go to Google but we went to Andrew. My father died in 1987 and Andrew became the Dad of a bunch of siblings and he did an awesome job. I recently built a house and no matter what anybody told me it wasn’t right if I didn’t call Andrew and get his approval. We’re probably a lot of the part, a lot of the reasons why things happened to Andrew we probably wore him out not that you all didn’t wear him out but his 8 siblings wore him out also because he’s what we had and he’s who we trusted. And it didn’t matter he would pick up the phone even if he was in a Commission meeting he would send you a text and he was going to call you back and make sure that you were okay. It’s going to be hard every day I wake up and I cannot not believe I cannot call my Google when something’s going wrong in my life along with my other siblings. I miss him. During his campaign I was his campaign manager so he talked a lot and traveled a lot and I had the best time of my life. And the most memorable time is the time that I could speak for him I will hold that dear and true to my heart. I love my big brother, I love my Google and speaking from his siblings we will truly miss him. And thank you all for allowing him to have this seat it was a tough campaign but we did it and really look forward to doing it again, thank you all. Mr. Mayor: Thank you so much. Again to the family the things that we placed we’re going to package and we will deliver them to you all but know that this city, this government we stand with you not just as colleagues but as family, his friends. Our prayers forever be ever with you over these days and we’re here. We also want to present to Ms. Jefferson if you’ll come at this time the Commission Seal for his time in service here on the Commission. The Deputy Clerk: The plaque reads, Augusta Georgia salutes and sincerely thanks Andrew A. Jefferson, Sr., Commissioner District 5 for his outstanding dedication and service on rdth the Augusta Commission January 3 2017 through November 4 2018. Presented by the Augusta th Commission November 20 2018. (APPLAUSE) Mr. Mayor: Again thank you all so very much. Madam Clerk. The Deputy Clerk: DELEGATIONS B. Dr. Martha S. Tingen/Mr. Al Dallas regrading presentation to the Mayor & Commission from the Georgia Cancer Center and the C-Care Initiative on the Smoke-free Ordinance. Mr. Mayor: Dr. Tingen, yes, right here. Dr. Tingen: Thank you for letting us be here today. Wow, have we been blessed by hearing all this in honor of Commissioner Jefferson. I’m Martha Tingen and I serve as the Director of the Tobacco Control Program at the Georgia Cancer Center and also am the present Director of the C- Care Initiative. And you may be thinking what in the world does C-Care stand for. C-Care stands for Cancer Community Awareness, Access Research and Education and it is an organization that has reached out to over fourteen entities in our community most of them faith based and minority and underserved areas and we’re actually expanding to rural areas very soon. But we’re here today to really say Honorable Mayor Hardie Davis and all the Augusta Commissioners we are delighted to show our sincerest appreciation to you all for your recent vote for the health of our community to recognize your public health advocacy we’d like to present the following to you. And it says, The C-Care and Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University recognize Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. and the Augusta Commission as health promotion and disease prevention community catalysts by th passing the Augusta Smoking Ordinance No. 7622 November 20 of 2018. Thank you both all of you very much. 9 Mr. Mayor: Thank you so very --- Dr. Tingen: Mr. Dallas had just a few words he wants to share. Mr. Dallas: Just wanted to take the opportunity particularly with the Recognition of Commissioner Jefferson and his leadership because he certainly was one of the first brave enough to step forward and recognize the importance of this ordinance for the health of the citizens of Augusta-Richmond County. And I think it’s only fitting that we’re presenting this plaque today on the day that we’re remembering his wonderful service to this community. So thank you to you all and with that we would like to make this presentation. Mr. Mayor: --- I also want to add as you’re preparing to do that this was a very significant step forward in our city’s history. There have been multiple attempts to try to pass that. Again the leadership of Commissioner Andrew Jefferson, Commissioner Sean Frantom who helped spearhead this and the willingness of this body to support that legislation it is extremely important. And I want to commend every one of you here for taking that step forward as a city and the leadership that you all have provided, thank you so very much for being a partner with us in that and Breathe Easy Augusta, thank you. The Deputy Clerk: Our consent agenda consist of Items 1-20 and under the Planning portion of the agenda I’ll read the Planning Petitions and if anyone has an objection would you please signify your objection by raising your hand. Item 1: Is a request for concurrence with the Planning Commission to approve with conditions a petition by Maria Davis dba Haven of Peace Transitional Facility on behalf of Joseph O. Davis Sr., requesting a Special Exception to a establish a Transition House for homeless women and children on property located at 2108 Stoker Place. Item 2: Is a request for concurrence with the Planning Commission to approve with conditions a petition by Joseph Sullivan on behalf of Larry G. John, requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agricultural) to Zone B-2 (General Business) on property located at 4625 Mike Padgett Highway. Item 3: Is a request for concurrence with the Planning Commission to approve with conditions a petition by Laney Walker Development Company requesting a Special Exception on property located on Tract A-containing 6 parcels known as 1447, 49, 53, 55, 57 and 63 Wrightsboro Road and on Tract B containing 4 parcels known as property at 1469, 71, 73, 75 Wrightsboro Road. The Deputy Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those Planning Petitions, none noted Mr. Mayor. And under the Public Services portion of the agenda I’ll read the alcohol petitions and if there is anyone with an objection would you please signify your objection by raising your hand. Item 4: Is a request for an on-premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Oasis Premier Nightclub located at 1511 North Leg Road. Item 5: Is a request for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Custer and Moreland, Inc. located at 1503 Gordon Hwy. 10 The Deputy Clerk: Are there any objectors to either one of those alcohol petitions, none noted Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Thank you so much, Madame Clerk, without objections. All right, the Chair th will entertain any motions to add or remove, Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Pull Item 1 please. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Pull Item number 14 please. Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ll entertain a motion. Ms. Davis: Motion to approve. Mr. M. Williams: Second. CONSENT AGENDA PLANNING 2. Z-18-51 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Joseph Sullivan, on behalf of Larry G. Johns, requesting a change of zoning from A (Agriculture) to Zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property containing 3.16 acres and known as 4625 Mike Padgett Highway. Part of Tax Map 279-0-002-00-0 DISTRICT 8 1. All vehicle repair work and storage shall be conducted in an area enclosed on all sides by a solid wall or finished board fence at lest 6’ in height. 2. Building entrances and bay doors shall be oriented so as to minimize the impact of potential nuisances on adjacent properties. 3. A 30 ft. natural barrier must be maintained around the north, south and west property lines. 4. The conceptual site plan submitted and evaluated is for the purpose of the current zoning action only. Issuance of development permits shall be contingent upon the submission and approval of development plans meeting all applicable development regulations. 3. Z-18-52 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Laney Walker Development Company requesting a Special Exception in the R-1C (One-family Residential) Zone to develop single family residences not to exceed 7 units per acre per Section 11-2(a) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia affecting property as follows: Tract A – contains 6 tax parcels totaling approximately .95 acres known as 1447, 1449, 1453, 1455, 1457 and 1463 Wrightsboro Road (odd #s only). Tax Map 046-3-179-00-0, 046-3-180-00-0, 045-4-182-00-0, 045-4-183-00-0, 045-4-184-00-0, and 045-4-185-00-0 DISTRICT 1 1. Tract B – contains 4 tax parcels totaling approximately 0.75 acres known as 1469, 1471, 1473, 1475 Wrightsboro Road (odd #s only) Tax Map 045-4-187-00-0, 045-4-188-00-0, 045-4-189-00-0 and 045-1-190- 00-0 DISTRICT 1 1. The proposed lots shall have a minimum of 5 ft. side yard setbacks for each lot. 2. The lots should be developed as such that the front steps of the front porches not be located in the required front setbacks. 3. Proposed quest parking in the rear shall not 11 exceed a ratio of 2.5 spaces per dwelling unit, not including parking for the garages. 4. Proposed internal drives shall meet all standards of the Augusta Traffic Engineering Department. Improve the existing sidewalks adjacent to the affected properties to current ADA standards. Issuance of development permits shall be contingent upon the submission and approval of plans meeting all applicable development regulations. PUBLIC SERVICES 4. Motion to approve New Location: A.N. 18-39: request by Synethia Morrall for an on- premise consumption Liquor, Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Oasis Premier Nightclub located at 1511 North Leg Rd. There will be Dance. District 5. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee November 13, 2018) 5. Motion to approve New Ownership: A.N. 18-40: request by Ayaz Ali Vansi for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Custer and Moreland, Inc. located at 1503 Gordon Hwy. District 2. Super District 9. (Approved by Public Services Committee November 13, 2018) PUBLIC SAFETY 6. Motion to approve acceptance of a grant award in the amount of $21,900.00 from Firehouse Subs Grant Program and authorize the Mayor to execute all required documents. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 13, 2018) 7. Motion to approve 3 grant contract positions for the State Court Accountability Court Programs. Accountability Court was granted 3 grant positions: 1. CJCC grant position of Laboratory Technician. 2. SAMHSA grant position of External Evaluator. 3. SAMHSA grant position of Project Coordinator. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 13, 2018) 8. Motion to approve acceptance of continuing grant funding ($33,000) from the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) to provide resources for offenders who do not have a high school diploma, GED or who could benefit from a technical college certificate for vocational programs and/or OJT. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 13, 2018) 9. Motion to approve the Georgia Open Road Policy: Quick Clearance for Safety and Mobility Endorsement Resolution and authorize the Mayor and Fire Chief to sign said Resolution. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 13, 2018) 10. Motion to approve Augusta’s Emergency Management Agency to apply for grant funding to complete the 2022 Hazard Mitigation Plan Update; and approve the Mayor to sign all necessary grant paperwork. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 13, 2018) 11. Motion to approve Bid Item #18-285 and award bid to Contract Management Inc. to provide demolition and reconstruction of the parking lot and to enlarge the entranceway at Eve Street for Station 4 in the amount of $60,981.30 and authorize the Mayor to execute the necessary documents. (Approved by Public Safety Committee November 13, 2018) ENGINEERING SERVICES 12. Motion to approve Amendment #1 to Augusta, GA Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control (ES&PC) Ordinance dated May 1, 2018 as requested by AED. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) 12 13. Motion to 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. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) 15. Motion to 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. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) 16. Motion to approve the Inter-Governmental Agreement between Augusta and Burke County, Georgia for Disposal of Garbage at the Augusta Landfill. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) 17. Motion to approve Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) Encroachment request to Place AGL Facility in Augusta, GA Parcel as part of Berckmans Road Realignment and Widening Project. Also authorized Augusta Engineering Department to process and sign all associated documents with consultation of Augusta Legal Counsel. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) 18. Motion to approve bid 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. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) 19. 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. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 20. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Augusta Commission held November 6, 2018 and Special Called Meeting held November 13, 2018. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second. Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 2-13, 14-20\] Mr. Mayor: All right, Ms. Morawski, what I want to do at this time I want to recognize the Attorney. We have some matters that we need to attend to and we want to try to address those right now, it shouldn’t take us long. All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie. ADDENDUM 26. Motion to go into an executive session to discuss pending and potential litigation, real estate and personnel. Mr. Mackenzie: I would entertain a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss Pending and Potential Litigation, Real Estate and Personnel. Ms. Davis: So moved. Mr. Frantom: Second. 13 Mr. Mayor: A motion and a second, voting. Mr. Hasan votes No. Motion Passes 8-1. \[EXECUTIVE SESSION\] Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney Mackenzie. 27. Motion to approve execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia’s Open Meeting Act. Mr. MacKenzie: I would entertain a motion to execute the Closed Meeting Affidavit. Mr. Sias: So moved. Mr. Frantom: Second. Motion Passes 9-0. Mr. Mayor: Attorney MacKenzie, is there any other business before us, okay pause, th suspend. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I’d like to know where we are with the suspension of Dr. Gwendolyn Connor as H.R. Director with pay. Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Attorney MacKenzie. Mr. MacKenzie: I would suggest you consult with the Administrator regarding that. Mr. Mayor: Administrator Jackson. Ms. Jackson: I believe if I understand the question correctly if it is the H.R. Director on administrative leave with pay, that is correct. Mr. M. Williams: No, the question is where are we, we understand at least I understand that that’s the direction but where are we that’s been over a week ago I think. Now this day I’m asking the question to this body I guess, Ms. Jackson, where are we and what are going to do with the person on administrative leave with pay in my opinion should be back to work for this government versus being on pay. If they’ve done something wrong then why are we rewarding them with pay? If they have not done anything wrong, then why aren’t they back to work? Mr. Mayor: All right, any further business before us, Attorney MacKenzie? Mr. MacKenzie: I have no further business. 14 Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I didn’t get an answer. Now the Administrator knows what the question was and I think she did get the question but this body you know hadn’t made any I guess direction so what --- st Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, would this be considered a personnel issue and discussed in Legal? Mr. Mayor: I believe that’s correct, yeah I can do that I believe that’s correct. Mr. M. Williams: --- can I respond, Mr. Mayor. I mean I can but I’m trying to go through the Chair like you said so I don’t want to just do that --- Mr. Mayor: Yeah (inaudible). Mr. M. Williams: --- okay, thank you. I mean we discussed this at one point but it has not been anything done one way or the other. So I’m asking now to get some direction as to is this going to continue, is this going to last forever and a day or did we retire it or this is going to be, I mean I --- Mr. Mayor: I think if we’re going to have this conversation we need to retire back to the committee room if we’re going to have this conversation, okay? Mr. M. Williams: --- I think the conversation needs to be had, Mr. Mayor, and that’s why I asked it on the floor because I didn’t get anything out of the Legal meeting. I’m not playing games. I ain’t got that much time to sit here and act like I don’t know what’s going on or don’t see the real issues now. Mr. Mayor: All right, if we’re going to have that conversation we need to retire back to the committee room. All right, okay, that’s our posture and we’ll do that. Mr. M. Williams: So moved. Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’ve got a motion --- Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor Mr. Mayor: --- to go back. Mr. D. Williams: (Inaudible) go back in session. Let’s take care of this first we are versus then go back there’s people out there waiting. Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I understand that, well, that’s part of the (inaudible). 15 Mr. M. Williams: That’s political process. Now maybe they don’t understand the process but they’ll learn that I think (unintelligible). Mr. Mayor: All right, so let’s suspend on that and let’s take up some of this other business and then we’ll come back, we’ll come back and --- Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I know and you know when people walk out they don’t want to address some issues that we need to address them they don’t want to address them and they walk out then we don’t have a quorum. Then we say we can’t do it because we don’t have a quorum. That’s an old trick. I mean you get a brand new one, Donna, that you never seen before I might be able to fall for it but that one I don’t fall for that one. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’re going to pick up the regular agenda meeting now. Mr. M. Williams: So there’s no answer to my question, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Yeah I know we don’t have an answer. I’m concerned about that I am, very. Mr. M. Williams: I have some on the next commission agenda, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I think that’s proper. All righ, Madam Clerk. The Deputy Clerk: Did you want to do the pulled items? Mr. Mayor: Let’s just go top to bottom. The Clerk: PLANNING 1. Z-18-50 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve with the conditions below a petition by Maria Davis (dba Haven of Peace Transitional Facility), on behalf of Joseph O. Davis, Sr., requesting a Special Exception to establish a Transition House for homeless women and children per Section 26-1(g) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia affecting property containing 0.29 acres and known as 2108 Stoker Place. Tax Map 164-0-207-00-0 DISTRICT 8 1. The existing structure must meet the performance standards. 2. There shall be no parking on the grass of the front yard. 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. 4. Per Code Enforcement – No more than 3 Adults and 3 Children (Under the age of 7) th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir, but I want to go back did we or did we, maybe I got lost did we vote on the consent after we had pulled a couple of items? Mr. Mayor: We did. 16 Mr. Sias: Okay when you said top to bottom I just wanted to make sure, okay. Thank you. I have a couple of questions for Mr. Sherman and group there. Seeing as how this neighborhood I think it’s Walton Trails I believe it is or Walton --- Mr. Sherman: Meadows. Mr. Sias: --- Walton Meadows right. That’s a very dense residential area. And my question is when this came up through the Planning Commission process did you get any kind of input from the neighborhood negative, positive because this is a transitional house being put right in the middle of a neighborhood. Mr. Sherman: That’s correct. No, sir, we did not get any, did you hear? Ms. Speaker: I did I went to your --- Mr. Sias: Excuse me, do you need to be recognized by the Chair? Mr. Mayor: All right, if you’ll state for the record your name? Ms. Davis: Okay my name is Maria Davis. I’m the Director --- Mr. Sias: Okay. Ms. Davis: --- of the facility. I submitted --- Mr. Sias: And your address, ma’am. Ms. Davis: --- 2108 Stoker Place in Hephzibah in Walton Meadows. Okay, I did go and talk with neighbors up to 100 people and I did not get any opposition, they were for it. I’m not because we don’t have a lot of women coming and going. We just do one family at a time. We have been doing that for three years, a couple of years trying to get this process going. The women they transition in, they transition out quietly. We move them ourselves; there is no big to do about anything. Most women and children are just maybe just one mom and one child up to two at the most. At our neighbors we keep our, we have a backyard. We keep the children playing quietly. There’s never any ruckus, there’s no issues with the law or anything like that. There’s never any kind of distraction in the neighborhood so we’ve been there 15 years in that house. Mr. Sias: Okay just wanted, approximately how many quests or patients or clients you’re supposed to have at one time? Ms. Davis: At one time I had one client one family which consisted of one mom, one or two children tops. Mr. Sias: That’ll be just the one family at a time? 17 Ms. Davis: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: Okay, all right, thank you, sir, move to approve. Mr. Hasan: Second. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, voting. Motion Passes 9-0. The Clerk: ENGINEERING SERVICES 14. Motion to approve the Amendment to the Lease Agreement Between Augusta and Augusta Waste to Energy with the lease and the itemized changes (Sections 13.1 and 13.4) being included in the agenda books for the Commission meeting and that the law Department review the lease to determine if any additional assurances are needed for the City’s protection. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee November 13, 2018) th Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6 and Director Videtto who may be able to answer some questions if there are any. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Videtto, I’m going to make sure I’m reading the background on this where it says Augusta entered into a Lease Agreement with Augusta Waste to Energy in September 2017 for the use of a section of land at Augusta Landfill property, the purchase of the waste and the construction of a waste reclamation facility and that initial lease agreement a certain timeline which due to outside circumstances the two parties were not able to meet. So those are one of the issues that we are, those are one of the issues that we’ll address and also the timelines, right? Ms. Videtto: It’s basically the same thing. We needed to adjust the timelines because we did not meet the initial timelines that were in the initial lease. Mr. Hasan: And so those timelines was 9 months after the signing of the lease. Ms. Videtto: Correct. Mr. Hasan: So my point in that this should’ve been before us in June so you know in June it looked like you’d have gotten notice before June of this year that those timelines was not going to be met. And so, go ahead, I’m sorry. Ms. Videtto: Go ahead. Mr. Hasan: And so that was my concern I mean we’re just now seeing it so that 9 months is already extended. We’re almost in a year into something now and we’re just now seeing it that those timelines are not going to be met. 18 Ms. Videtto: Right, we’ve been working with the group from Allied to make sure that we had everything we needed in the amendment to the lease and make sure we didn’t have to come back again a second time so it’s taken us a little bit of time to get there. Mr. Hasan: So how much time are we talking about now because I think if I’m not mistaken excuse me you can correct me if I’m wrong you had two 90-day extensions which would’ve been 180 days and so we add 180 days for all intents and purposes right now so how much more time are we talking? Ms. Videtto: That we added, we changed that timeline to 18 months just to make sure we were able to get everything done that needed to be done. Mr. Hasan: Is that 18 months total that they or 18 months from today? Ms. Videtto: I believe it’s 18 months total. Mr. Hasan: Okay, 18 months total. So what’s the date on that, what’s it going to be on now? Ms. Videtto: So it will be 18 months from September of ’17. Mr. Hasan: Okay, okay 18 months from September 17, --- Ms. Videtto: Yeah. Mr. Hasan: --- okay. Next question I know there was additional land. I think I mentioned that the other day. How much additional land are we talking about that’s needed to complete this project? Ms. Videtto: So all we did is we had to rezone a portion of the property and include it inside our actual physical property line. It was the property on Birdwell Road. It’s about 73 acres that we included in. It’s property we already own but I wanted to make sure that it was inside the property line. Mr. Hasan: And I understand that but are we talking about property that we already own that we’re zoning it for zoning purposes or are we rezoning it for this Augusta Waste to Energy and they’re going to have utilization of it. I’m not complaining about that I’m just asking how much of that property you said access to the whole 73 acres. Ms. Videtto: No, so the piece of property that this facility will be constructed on is an existing piece of property on the landfill footprint. We just, it was bumping up against the existing property lines. We need to just stretch that a little bit so at the time we just included everything else that we needed to clean up along the way so it was a good opportunity to clean up our zoning. 19 Mr. Hasan: Okay but you still didn’t answer my question but I’m going to leave it alone because I just asking how much more land did you need, that’s all I’m asking. How much more of the property I know we owned it but how much more property that’s coming to be used for this project? Ms. Videtto: We didn’t need anything extra for this. We just needed to adjust the actual line and that’s, I’m not explaining it well but. Mr. Hasan: Okay all right thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: All right, I also want to remind everyone that pursuant to this agenda item there was a question about any additional assurances. I believe that we have a memo from the Law Department that speaks to this matter and the summation of that is adequate protections are already in there and Augusta is protected from any damages, injuries or harm that may incur as a result of this facility so I think that that answers your question as well. All right, the Chair th recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, I have a question for the Attorney if you don’t mind. Mr. MacKenzie --- Mr. MacKenzie: Yes, sir. Mr. Sias: --- can we is there any kind of objective or issue why we couldn’t include your memorandum as part of the record with this meeting? Mr. MacKenzie: It’s attorney/client privileges. It’s an opinion; you could include it if you waive the privilege. Mr. Sias: And the reason why I asked that question is I don’t want this opinion to get lost two years down the road and we say well what happened back then, that was my point for that. So I would request that we waive the attorney/client privilege and include this as part of the record. Mr. Mayor: Well, I think that we certainly can do that but I think what I heard from the Attorney is that this is an opinion. It will always be available to refer back to because it will be again available if. Mr. Sias: Where will it be done --- Mr. Mayor: It’ll be --- Mr. Sias: (unintelligible). Mr. Mayor: --- well, whether he’s gone or not it’s just like you know the Attorney General opines on the matter, it’s available, it’s a record that someone has. Mr. Sias: I’m just saying, okay. 20 Mr. Mayor: Yeah --- Mr. Sias: I guess I just have to hold on to it, huh? Mr. Mayor: --- well you should but they will as well, yeah, they will. Mr. Sias: Move to approve. Mr. Frantom: Second. Mr. Mayor: Voting. Motion Passes 9-0. Mr. Hasan: Excuse me, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: We voted already. Mr. Hasan: --- yes sir, a Point of Personal Privilege if you don’t mind, Mr. Mayor (inaudible). Mr. Sias: Wrong question. Mr. Hasan: Point of Personal Privilege (unintelligible). th Mr. Mayor: Well, I can, all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor also and I apologize one of the things last week also I think it was a state requirement they put in there about in the event that and maybe this might be in the document if it’s in the document I’m fine, that I thing they want to put about $1.4 million-dollars in the event the place had to be cleaned up, they went out of business and stuff like that and they had to have a relation with the state on an annual basis to show them that. And I thought that was coming back too because that was one of Commissioner Sias’ concerns last week about we being having something in our hand of a surety bond or whatever what the state was requesting because we’ve always just had a loose language in there that if they went out of business that they would be responsible for cleaning up and if they didn’t want to clean up and we were interested in purchasing it we would purchase at market value. The state wanted something a little different. They wanted something that it would give us something if you have this amount of money set aside and we’re looking at it on an annual basis. Wasn’t that part of the conversation last week as well? So I thought maybe that this was going to be most that what was actually passed out. Mr. Mayor: Attorney MacKenzie. Mr. MacKenzie: If you look at the second to last paragraph, it addresses the requirements of --- 21 Mr. Sias: The document. Mr. Mayor: Same document the opinion. Mr. MacKenzie: --- that’s on the back side second to the last paragraph. Mr. Hasan: Oh, on the back side oh okay. Mr. MacKenzie: It addresses that issue specifically with the EPD. Mr. Hasan: Okay well, thank you. I didn’t look on the back. If it was a snake I would have been bit. At least I had my math right. The Deputy Clerk: PUBLIC SERVICES 21. Discussion: A request by the Planning & Development Authority to renew all of the existing Alcohol Beverage Licenses in the City of Augusta. This will include all of the Adult Entertainment Establishments. There will be Sunday Sales. There will be Dance. Districts 1- 8. Super Districts 9-10. Mr. Sias: Move to approve. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor: Voting. Mr. M. Williams votes No. Motion Passes 8-1. The Deputy Clerk: PUBLIC SERVICES 22. Discussion: A request by Shaofei Chen for a Massage Operator’s License to be used in connection with Acupressure located at 3450 Wrightsboro Rd. Space 5570. District 5. Super District 9. Ms. Walton: Good afternoon, she needs to at least state her name and address --- Mr. Mayor: That’s correct. Ms. Walton: --- because this was added. Ms. Chen: My name is Shaofei Chen and my address is 3312 Bethesda Terrace, Acworth, GA. 22 Mr. Mayor: Continue. Ms. Walton: Okay, it’s a request by Shaofei Chen for a Massage Operators License to be used in connection with Acupressure located at 3450 Wrightsboro Rd. Space 5570. This application has been approved by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office as well as Planning and Development. Ms. Davis: Move to approve, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Fennoy: Second. Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second, voting. Motion Passes 9-0. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 23. A motion to rescind the Ban-the-Box Policy approved by the Commission January 17, 2017; to amend Ordinance Augusta, Georgia Code, Title One, Chapter Seven, Article Four, Section 107-51 by repealing in part and amending in part Section 800.016 of the PPPM related to criminal history; and to approve a new “Ban-the-Box” Policy and Procedures for Augusta, Georgia. (No recommendation from the PPPM Subcommittee Meeting October 10, 2017 & Administrative Services Committee November 13, 2018) Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Chairman of Administrative Services. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I guess the Attorney will help me understand a little bit about this one. This is one of those sticking points we’ve been having. My question would be the subcommittee voted to send it to the Administrative Services that didn’t get there to make a decision on this. And I guess my question to the Attorney is who gave instructions to change what we’ve done in the Personnel and Procedures Policy Subcommittee to what we’ve got here? Ms. Smith: Good afternoon, Commissioner. If I may I would like to read from the October th 10 minutes from the PPPM Subcommittee because that’s where the directive was given to staff. And my understanding is the Administrator understood as I did with the Law Department and also the H.R. Director but if you would like or if I am permitted I would like to read that portion. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, what’s that? Mr. Mayor: I want you to put that up so we can see it --- Ms. Smith: Okay. Mr. Mayor: --- on the screen, can you help her with that I’ve heard about these minutes and I haven’t seen them. 23 Mr. M. Williams: Well, I mean I was at the meeting and I want to see am I really losing it like Glenn Parker thinks I am. I’m just going to I mean I’m going to be a witness to it if it is I just I just know that being there and what we decided to do and it was supposed to have come to Administrative Services that it didn’t never get to and all of a sudden it gets changed. I mean I’m slipping but I don’t think I’m sliding too. I’m just doing one of them, Mr. Mayor. I ain’t got no problem doing that. Mr. Mayor: So while they’re doing that I would like for those meeting minutes to be distributed to everyone on this dais okay? The Clerk: Yes, sir. Mr. Hasan: Everybody has them, Mr. Mayor --- Mr. Mayor: Excuse me? Mr. Hasan: --- it came in our agenda books, in the agenda books. Mr. Mayor: Outstanding. Mr. Hasan: It was probably in your pocket and you hadn’t taken it out. Mr. Mayor: In my pocket? Mr. Hasan: Yeah, as a book pocket. Mr. Mayor: Oh, in the book pocket. Mr. Hasan: Yes sir, sorry. Mr. Mayor: I almost had a comeback for it but I’ll just let it go. Mr. Sias: You don’t want to do that one. Mr. Mayor: Do you want to direct us, so let’s do a couple of things here. Let’s just direct us to the page --- Mr. M. Williams: I’d like to put it on the screen, Mr. Mayor. I want to go along with here, I want to see where I slid off at. Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, what page are we on? th Mr. Hasan: Page 18 of what was passed down of the October 10 2018 minutes. 24 Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I saw the book and we’ve got the Attorney that’s supposed th to be explaining this to us but if the District 6 Commissioner can do it better than maybe he ought to be the attorney. Mr. Hasan: I’ll do it if you want me to. Mr. M. Williams: Well maybe you ought to be the attorney. I don’t want you to do it I think you ought to be the attorney. th Mr. Mayor: All right. All right, the Commissioner from the 9 what’s your question again? Mr. M. Williams: My question is who changed what the direction that was changed in the 3PPM Subcommittee because this came out of the PPPM Subcommittee with no recommendation to go the full Commission and then it got to us last time and it was changed and the Attorney admitted that someone had gave him instructions so I’m trying to find out how did we get there so. Ms. Smith: Okay so on Page 18 you’ll see where the Clerk she basically summarized a lengthy motion that was made by the (unintelligible) it says okay and we’ll give the verbatim motion but the essence of this motion was to draft --- Mr. Mayor: Would you please speak into the microphone? Ms. Smith: --- I’m sorry. Okay, we will get the verbatim motion. We will get the verbatim motion but the essence of the motion was to draft a new policy taking into consideration the information from the City of Atlanta, Macon-Bibb County, unified government Columbus- Muskogee with information on criminal background check. Well, she said shared with Directors and consequences for violation of the information in the policy. H.R. provides the department head with the criminal background and the department head makes the ultimate decision whether the applicant will be hired based on the results of the applicant’s criminal history. H.R. never makes a decision regarding whether an applicant should be hired based on the results of a criminal background check. Once an applicant is selected for the position H.R. runs the background check, follows up with the applicant to insure the criminal history is correct and to allow applicant to provide additional information if needed. I said so ya’ll like and that was cut off because I was trying to make sure that was clearly what the Chairman was requesting. Then it goes down Mr. Jefferson states if you go down a couple of sentences, are we ready to vote. It’s motioned and seconded. All in favor of the policy let it be known aye, all opposed, Commissioner Williams opposed. The Commissioner Jefferson said okay the motion fails because a four man committee takes three votes to make the motion pass so the motion fails. The Clerk said well it can move forward with no recommendation then Mr. Jefferson says it can move forward and it will move forward to Administrative Services without a recommendation. Then if you turn to the next page Ms. Jackson says we’ve got to get this language in anyway we’ve got to get the language worked on anyway. Then it goes down to say mark your calendars and on (inaudible). Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, she answered (inaudible). 25 Mr. Mayor: Okay so hold on a minute, hold on a minute, everybody just suspend. All right, Attorney Smith --- Ms. Smith: Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor: --- okay if you’ll just come back to the microphone, ma’am. Ms. Smith: Oh, I’m sorry can I read --- Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, hold on, it’s not necessary --- Ms. Smith: Okay. Mr. Mayor: --- it’s not necessary, okay, we’ve got a motion to rescind. We understand that a couple of things happened (unintelligible). There was no recommendation that came from the subcommittee, okay? It went to Administrative Services and again that’s consistent with what you see in the meeting notes right here. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor: The question before us is a motion to rescind, all right. To the Chairman from Administrative Services state your question, sir. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, it did not come to Administrative Services like requested and she read the part where Ms. Jackson said we’ve got to get this passed and Ms. Jackson can say that all day long. In fact she can make a song out of it if she wants to. She don’t have that authority to make this go in that direction. So I’m saying to you that the PPM Subcommittee didn’t have the votes to get this passed and it was supposed to have come back to Administrative Services. It could’ve came and then it could’ve either got out of Administrative Services or not got out but it didn’t never get there. And the wording was changed to say something else that we didn’t say in the PPM Subcommittee. Mr. Mayor: Okay, so the contention is that this never came through the committee process --- Mr. M. Williams: That’s right. Mr. Mayor: --- other than the subcommittee, okay, all right, so that’s what I understand. Mr. Hasan: That’s not true, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor: Okay, hold on. Ms. Smith: (Unintelligible). 26 Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right, just hold on. Okay the Chairman says it didn’t come through committee. Was it on the committee agenda this past Tuesday? Mr. M. Williams: It was on the agenda last Tuesday but it did not come before that too because it was out we, did not come through the subcommittee and I asked the question why not. And the instruction was that what we agreed on in the subcommittee, Mr. Mayor, was totally different from what was brought to us and I asked how did it get changed? If it wasn’t there to pass in the PPPM Subcommittee, how are we going to go to committee and pass it? There was a recommendation. The Clerk said it could go with no recommendation but it didn’t come at that time. Now I don’t remember what holiday or what when we was out during that time but that was an out at the time and I waited for it to come through Administrative Services committee. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, so all right, I understand all of that. So here’s where we are right now. There was no recommendation from the 3PPM Subcommittee but what we do know is that what’s currently on the books is inconsistent with what we want this to be, is that correct? Mr. M. Williams: That’s correct in my opinion, yes. Mr. Mayor: Okay. Mr. M. Williams: Now we know what Atlanta and other cities are doing but if we’re going to do that we didn’t have a subcommittee. It ain’t no sense in me going down and wasting my time when we can go to another city and pick out what they got. We chose something totally different. Mr. Hasan: That’s not true. Mr. Mayor: All right, so right now Attorney Smith, is there work being done on drafting a new ordinance? Ms. Smith: The part of the meetings that I left out is when the Clerk says, and I understand the Clerk doesn’t make decisions for this body but --- Mr. Mayor: That’s not what I’m asking. Ms. Smith: --- yes, sir, we have worked, staff has worked on all these documents and they th were actually emailed to the PPPM Subcommittee members on October 29 so that they could st discuss the documents on October 31. But the H.R. Director advised the Chairman at the October st 31 meeting that there was no need to talk about the documents and they would just go straight to Administrative Services. That is why the PPPM Subcommittee never had the opportunity to talk about the documents. Mr. Mayor: All right --- Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I’d like to make a motion to pass it as it’s before us and rescind it. 27 Ms. Davis: Second. Mr. Mayor: --- okay. All right, I’ve got a motion and a second. All right, voting. Mr. Frantom, Mr. Guilfoyle and Mr. M. Williams vote No. Motion Passes 6-3. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 24. Discuss Augusta Commissioner requiring city employees to attend community events. (Requested by Commissioner Marion Williams) th Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had several conversations with employees who had been asked to go out to community events especially like the breakfast Sammie holds out there at Jamestown on their Saturdays to give information that he thinks is important and I guess the taxpayers probably too. But they can’t refuse when an elected official asks them to get up on a Saturday morning and make that trip. There were some who had been paid I think the accountant had been paid to come out but I think that’s unfair. I think that when you’re elected in that position you ask somebody to show up and they’ll do that. So I just think that this is something that we’ve got to get a handle on. I think it’s already got a handle on it in my opinion but I think that’s something we surely need to make clear to the employees that they don’t have to get up out of their beds on Saturday. That’s their day off. So I had this put on the agenda so we can address that. Mr. Mayor: What do you want to do? Mr. M. Williams: Maybe it’s not true. Ain’t nobody saying nothing. Everybody got quiet like they got amnesia or something they can’t remember. Maybe they’ve been out there and spent time on Saturday mornings to provide services on Saturday. They ought to be paid, they ought to be compensated. I mean if not there ought to be a certainly ought to be a way for them to refuse to do that. And there’s been many have done that now. I’ve got several calls and talked to people about it. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8. Mr. Guilfoyle: Mr. Mayor, it might be a good idea to look how the other cities do it as far as their structure. You know when we I’ll give you an example last night probably 10:00 or 11:00 o’clock the Finance team was working here with no additional compensation and we have Legal even the Administrator was working over. But when it comes for people’s personal time off I think they ought to be rewarded that time off and on weekends especially so they can play catch up do the, for the guys do the honey-do’s but we’ve got to have some kind of structure in place. You know even during the election time they’re not required but a lot of them go to these meetings 28 or public meetings so they can say what their department does so you know put a limit on it. Not three or four times a year, maybe twice a year and that way people have their personal time. And if they’re required to be additional any additional to that is like Marion said pay them. I mean we all, from the people behind the dais we’re considered public servants. We’re doing it on our own time but when we have personnel, staff that actually dedicates more than 40/50 hours a week and then we ask them to do additional hours and we’ve got to be considerate of that. So thank you, Mr. Mayor. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. Initially I wasn’t going to say anything on this item. I’m not sure who that single Commissioner is referenced in the agenda item but I know if I invite somebody out to come out and speak at the breakfast that I conduct it’s their option. We invite folks to a whole lot of events and things and in fact I think the other night I ran into Mr. Sherman and one of his folks at a meeting that was after work hours. And I’ve certainly invited folks who wasn’t able to attend and hasn’t been any issues or anything that I’m aware of. So bottom line this may th apply to some things the Commissioner from the 9 has referenced but I don’t know anything in my regard that it might refer to, thank you. st Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1. Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, I think the word that concerns me is requiring as if the city employees have no choice in the matter. I know that when the people in East View and Marion Homes were concerned about the issues in that area I’ve asked Dr. Malik, I’ve asked Mr. Ussery if they could come to the meeting and update the people as to what’s going on in their community. I think that you know when you start talking about Utilities and you start for me and you start talking about Engineering or issues they could do a better job of explaining what’s taking place and answer more intelligently questions about what’s happening than I can. So far anyone that was not able to attend they would send a representative from their department to answer that but for me the key word is requiring, are we requiring people to attend these events or are we asking them to, well I ask, I don’t require, I ask to attend the events. So that’s the requiring is the word that’s a hang up for me. Mr. Mayor: Okay this is our last speaker on this matter the Chair recognizes the th Commissioner from the 9. Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I think our auditor in fact he came before this body we would pay the auditor to go out to the Jamestown on speaking (unintelligible) refused but he ended up getting paid. Well, if he gets paid then Mr. Ussery should be paid, Malik should be paid, whoever it is that goes out to perform a service of that kind. So if it’s good for one it’s good for another one it’s as simple as that. But you know like the position it’s very unique and very difficult to separate the two when you’re being required/requested. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right --- Mr. Fennoy: Motion to receive as information. 29 Mr. D. Williams: Second. Mr. Mayor: --- yeah no need to vote on it, just receive as information. All right, our final item. The Clerk: ADMINISTRATOR 25. Approve FY 2019 budget for Augusta Georgia. Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve. Mr. Guilfoyle: Second. Mr. Mayor: I’ve got a motion and a second. Mr. M. Williams: What are we approving, Mr. Mayor, I understand it’s the budget but I mean ya’ll got this --- Mr. Mayor: Okay well --- Mr. M. Williams: --- Donna, you know somebody needs to tell me something. I ain’t voting for no budget I don’t know. Mr. Mayor: --- you don’t want me to answer that, you really don’t. Mr. M. Williams: (unintelligible) doing your job. Mr. Mayor: I think ya’ll just animated all right, Madam Administrator. Ms. Jackson: I believe everybody has a copy of the documents related to the budget. We have a letter from myself to the Mayor and Commission that provides a narrative summary. In addition we have a all-funds recommendation showing revenue, expenditures for each fund for 2019. There is also a summary of my revised recommendations for new personnel, new projects and then the summary of the nongovernmental organizations budget requests. The last sheet which I call your attention to is the one that is the, starts with the recommended budget and where we th were when I presented the recommended budget to you on October 16, I believe it was that day. And then to show in summary the changes that we’ve made to that budget in order to respond to the various requests and discussion that you all put forth. In summary if you’d like me to go through in summary form, we can take this sheet the narrative also addresses the same and the letter addresses the same in narrative form. We started out with a budget, projected budget for General Fund in Law Enforcement of $161,887,000. We have added $450,000 dollars to that in terms of interest income. As you all know interest rates have increased per the bids, hikes in interest rates. We therefore feel comfortable that there should be an additional $450,000 dollars available to us. Per your request and I’ll --- 30 Mr. Mayor: Hold on just a second. All right, can you hold up the sheet you’re speaking from right now so everybody sees that? Ms. Jackson: --- the one with the red. Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right. Okay so hold on just a minute, okay all right, Ms. Jackson, I’m going to ask you to go to the screen over there (unintelligible) I want you to walk through if necessary a couple of items here. I want to make sure everybody’s tracking so that they’re not, we don’t want to be searching today (inaudible). Okay all right, I’m going to direct everybody’s attention to the first document which is a cover letter that is a synopsis of the changes that are being proposed. The second document is an all-funds document that is nothing more than a summary of revenue versus expenditures okay, would you concur with that, Madam Administrator Jackson? Ms. Jackson: Yes, that’s exactly what I just said. Mr. Mayor: Okay all right and again we have an opportunity to see where we are. All right and now we come to the sheet that’s in front of us and that’s a breakout of the all-funds budget recommendation with again if we start under the proposed General Fund Law Enforcement Budget 1016 all right if you’ll start there, Ms. Jackson, increasing interest income and go down from there, okay? Ms. Jackson: Okay exactly, thank you. And again correction this is not all-funds, this is just a General Fund in Law Enforcement. I referenced an increase in interest projected interests from the time we presented the recommended budget until now $450,000. Based upon you all’s discussion in the various budget workshops we increased our contribution to Fund Balance from $250,000 to half a million dollars. We decreased the amount in Contingency from half a million to $250 so that was a flip there. Increase to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office as the Sheriff had requested he would like sworn officers to receive pay raises effective the first paycheck in th. January of next year. That would be the checks issued on January 18 That total cost is $680,000 dollars which matches the Sheriff’s full request. In light of the fact that our other employees we had to consider doing pay raises for them in July 1 in order to make it consistent we also added in the COLA effective the first pay cycle in 2019 as well for them. That’s at a cost of $447,000 dollars. We also if you look at various positions that we were going to add to the budget we have reduced the number of positions we would add to the General Fund Budget by those positions that are listed there as being eliminated. There was an error in our budget that we found as we went through after we presented the recommended budget related to Historic Augusta Funding. That funding was actually eliminated last year and we didn’t carry over the elimination so this is just a carry over that elimination that’s a reduction in expenditures of $9,650. Same with Shiloh. That organization was not able to secure the appropriate documentation to get their funding last year so we pulled them out of this year’s budget as well at $25,000. Mr. Mayor: Ms. Jackson, can you suspend for just a moment? Okay back to this eliminate positions that you’ve identified here and if I go back to your lead sheet the cover document it talks about the suspension of new positions i.e. new personnel until July 1, is that correct? 31 Ms. Jackson: That is correct. Mr. Mayor: Okay and that is for General Fund employees as well as Enterprise Funds? Ms. Jackson: That is for General Fund employees --- Mr. Mayor: Only? Ms. Jackson: --- only, yes. Mr. Mayor: General Fund only? Ms. Jackson: General Fund only. Ms. Williams: The number of (unintelligible) is General Fund only because that’s what we’re --- Mr. Mayor: Those are the positions that are eliminated. Ms. Jackson: No, if you go down further where it says new programs and new personnel the lines right before you get to the blue line --- Mr. Mayor: Right, I understand that --- Ms. Jackson: --- yes --- Mr. Mayor: --- I’m there, I’m tracking. Ms. Jackson: --- that would be new personnel effective July 1 for General Fund. Mr. Mayor: Only. Ms. Jackson: The Law Enforcement fund to be clear we’re having those effective in January 1. See the very last line before you get to (inaudible). Mr. Mayor: I’m tracking I understand that fully but I’m going back to again not all of those requests that we have and you and I talked about this earlier were Enterprise Fund requests. Again we know who those are. You take Engineering, Utilities and Environmental Services. Ms. Jackson: Some portions of Engineering to be clear the Storm Water portion is an Enterprise fund. Mr. Mayor: That’s correct so all right, we’ll come back to that --- Ms. Jackson: Okay. 32 Mr. Mayor: --- I wanted to highlight that and draw that distinction --- Ms. Jackson: Okay. Mr. Mayor: --- that you’re specifically allowing new personnel for Enterprise funds but not General Fund. Ms. Jackson: Starting --- Mr. Mayor: Starting in July. Ms. Jackson: --- July 1 for General Fund --- Mr. Mayor: And starting January 1 for Enterprise funds --- Ms. Jackson: --- yes --- Mr. Mayor: --- that’s what I heard. Ms. Jackson: --- with the exception of Law Enforcement. Where was I? There were two nongovernmental organizations NGO’s that would be funded through the amended budget or the amendment to the recommendation. Augusta Boxing Club would be renewed at $50,000 dollars, CSRA Land Trust would get a $16,600 dollar increase. We also increased library funding for operations for $150,000 dollars okay, subtracted based upon the new personnel being hired later new programs also being effective later and of the Community Safety Officers for those per the Sheriff’s request are in January. So for a total budget $162,052,620 dollars for General Fund. If you go to the cover sheet there are a few items that may not be picked up there I’d like to call to your attention. Our themes for this budget principals, guiding were continued investment on Augusta Georgia’s workforce, a concerted effort to improve effectiveness and efficiency in those departments that recently had operational reviews. Emphasis on leisure services and special events and improvement to our facilities and capital assets and continued commitment to public safety. Just highlight we’ve mentioned the fact that the 1 ½% increases, I think everybody’s aware of the fact that we also increased our pension contributions for our employees starting January 1. Those pension contributions will cost them 2.25% and additional 2.25% so this 1 ½% pay increase makes up for a portion of that but not all. We also will continue our Employee Longevity Program to include employees in pay grades 15 to 23 that were not affected in 2018 that would be the 4, 5 and 6% increases depending on their years of service over ten years. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4. Mr. Sias: Ms. Jackson, you mentioned something, thank you, sir, you mentioned something that I was very interested in about the retirement pension again how much did it cost the city to form our input into that? I know you just went over (unintelligible) but how much did it cost the city? 33 Ms. Jackson: I didn’t say because that number, we budget a number but in truth we’ve got to make up whatever it takes to move the actuarial projections of the fund and this year I think we budgeted about a million, is that million and a half new dollars, new dollars or total, new dollars a million and a half new dollars. Mr. Sias: What’s the guesstimated total 26 and ½ million? Ms. Jackson: It’s in a half --- Mr. Sias: Oh, between six and, all right thank you okay got you, thank you, thank you, Ms. Jackson. Ms. Jackson: --- okay. th Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6. Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Jackson, is the COLA for everybody going to start January 1, is that your point? Ms. Jackson: The first paycheck for the first full period pay period in January. Mr. Hasan: Okay so when does longevity kick in and what grades are we talking about this time? Ms. Jackson: The grades are 15 to 23 as well we’ll pick up those who were in the lower grades that missed the cutoff last time around. We’ll pick those up as well and that is to go into effect in May I believe, May 1. Mr. Hasan: Okay let me get an understanding about these new positions, new personnel. So you’re saying that’s going to take place July? Ms. Jackson: Yeah, all new positions would be General Fund new positions July 1. Mr. Hasan: Okay, so you’ve got two here that’s in Rec you’ve got a, is that correct, you’ve got the Recreation Assistant Director whatever? Ms. Jackson: Those, what you see on the sheet that’s up on the screen now these are the positions that we actually pulled out of the recommended budget --- Mr. Hasan: Yeah, I know that --- Ms. Jackson: --- these were the ones that were pulled out. Mr. Hasan: --- the ones you pulled out the ones you left in (unintelligible). 34 Ms. Jackson: Now the ones that were left in there were a total of 15 General Fund positions outside of Law Enforcement. There were only two remaining for Recreation and Parks Department and one was Deputy Director for Special Events and the other a marketing coordinator. Mr. Hasan: Right the other thing we was talking about, Ms. Jackson, when you speak to the Marketing Coordinator particularly the other day when we were addressing this issue we was talking about using in-house staff at this point until we get our arms wrapped around what we wanted that to look like. I didn’t want, you know, because for me at this point I don’t even foresee us dealing with the Deputy Director Special Events. I would like to see us take and look at that a little bit more comprehensive. It seems to have a lot of energy around saying what special events are going to look like with the event it was bringing on board Lake Olmstead and other I guess other facilities that we have that people can begin to use to plan and promote those things. I don’t want to see us fund those positions in that capacity at this point. As a Deputy Director Special Events and a Market Customer Service Coordinator I thought we addressed that one the other day in particular saying we would use in-house staff. The Deputy Director one I actually believe and I may be the minority on this I actually believe based on the magnitude of this could become the face of this government. There’s one thing the Mayor has been saying since he’s been here about something like a public relations department. It doesn’t have to be that name so let’s not get caught up in names just to give an example. If somebody who is promoting this city in terms of things we do every day, somebody’s talking about the special events, somebody to keep the public informed whether it’s by the different ways that people do different mediums that people use now I’d rather see us not now since this is going to be July, let’s work on getting something comprehensive and not piecemeal as it obligates us to do this July. Just have a conversation because in my mind we ought to move it also out of the Recreation Department. I think it ought to be a standalone in the Administrator’s Office or what have you. I think we need to take it very seriously and move it away from the Recreation Department. Ms. Jackson: Okay. Mr. Hasan: We’ve got a lot of, let me say we’ve have a lot of body of work that’s going to be coming down the Recreation Department’s shoot in the next couple of months. There’s some things that’s really going to have to be get done and we’re going to need undivided attention on that. And so for me I’d like to see us not do that right now and let’s look at that and we look at what we’re going to do staring July around creating a Special Events Office or whatever I don’t care what the name is but we’re talking about marketing all of Augusta in a comprehensive way. Ms. Jackson: Okay if you look at the last sentence of that paragraph, sir, it says we anticipate shaping our approach to special events in early 2019. At the time I did this of course I was dealing with the positions that had been requested. The way I’m looking at that now given the various conversations that I believe have taken place over the last 24 hours is that this basically for those two positions for half a year would be approximately $74,000 dollars. So what I’m looking at is setting aside that $74,000 dollars for whatever comes out of the conversations that the Commission has over the next several months. Mr. Hasan: Can I respond, Mr. Mayor? 35 Mr. Mayor: Yeah. Mr. Hasan: Well, I hear what you’re saying but like I said the marketing thing I think we addressed that the other day and we said that was we was going to use in-house persons. We didn’t address the Assistant Deputy. Let me put my eyes back on. The Deputy Director position we didn’t address that but the marketing aspect we did address the other day but along your thought process if we’re saying if I’m saying I’m sorry because we did not I’m saying it, if I’m saying that I think around July or the latter part of this year we’ll be able to stand up a department or entity whether it’s in your office or what have you that’s going to deal with all of the promotions of Augusta on every aspect of it good, bad, or indifferent. The only way this makes sense to me is if we’re going to take our time as a governing body and put something together comprehensive than this person, I’m going to say one person because I think we addressed the one the other day the marketing person. So this one person I could see using that person for six months the beginning of the year because that position may be able to go away as early as July. Ms. Jackson: Okay maybe I didn’t make myself clear, sir. What I was suggesting was we don’t have to create those positions. We can just put the money aside until the Commission has those discussions and decides what you want to do. Mr. Hasan: So just take the names off the money? Ms. Jackson: Yeah, they don’t have to be for that money it would just be there to implement whatever concept you all decide you want to (inaudible). Mr. Hasan: I can live with that. Ms. Jackson: Okay. th Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6, I’m sorry the th 4. Mr. Sias: Call for the question, we have a motion and a second. Mr. Mayor: Do we have a motion? The Deputy Clerk: Yes (inaudible). Mr. Hasan: Yes, we had a motion coming out of the gate. Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ve got a motion and a proper second, voting. Mr. Frantom out. Motion Passes 8-0. Mr. Mayor: All right, everybody have an amazing Thanksgiving. There’s no further business before us. 36 \[MEETING ADJOURNED\] Nancy W. Morawski Deputy Clerk of Commission CERTIFICATION: I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on November 20, 2018. ______________________________ Clerk of Commission 37