HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting June 18, 2019
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
JUNE 18, 2019
Augusta Richmond County commission convened at 2:00 p.m., June 18, 2019, the Hon.
Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. B. Williams, Garrett, Sias, Fennoy, Frantom, M. Williams, Davis. D.
Williams, Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, we’re going to call this meeting to order. It is full-blown summertime.
The Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Thank you, sir. At this time we will ask Reverend Larry Fryer to please come
forward to deliver our invocation and we would like to ask our General Counsel Mr. Wayne Brown
to please lead us in the Pledge. Thank you. Will you please stand?
The invocation was given by Reverend Larry Fryer.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
Mr. Mayor: I want to thank, I want to thank our friend Reverend Fryer for his civic
leadership and spiritual guidance that he provides not only to his church but to this community.
He has been a long time stalwart in this community and we thank you for stepping in today to
serve as our Chaplain of the Day. Would you join me in giving Reverend Larry Fryer a hand.
(APPLAUSE) I do want to take an opportunity to recognize as a group of young people these are
not just ‘future leaders’ but leaders of today in their own station of life. In the back of the room
are the students from across Augusta and in particular Richmond County who are participating in
this year’s Cyber Camp that’s hosted by our own Information and Technology Department under
the leadership of Ms. Tameka Allen our Director. These young leaders have taken a bold step to
learn all that they can about cyber, cyber security and how to be better professionals as they
navigate through school. And would you join me in giving them a round of applause today.
(APPLAUSE) They look forward to coming back as they come to the close of their Cyber Camp
and get an opportunity to be recognized in front of this body. But this is their second day of camp
and they’re going to be here with us for the summer. We’re excited about that. So again thank
you all thank the parents for giving you and opportunity to take a step forward in this thing that
we refer to as the next wave in the nation and certainly in Augusta.
DELEGATIONS
C. Discuss the Age-Friendly Augusta Program. (Requested by Mr. Bill Lockett)
Mr. Mayor: I also want to take a moment to draw everyone’s attention, Madam Clerk, just
as a point of personal privilege. I had a conversation with our former Commissioner Bill Lockett
he would like to delete Item C in the Delegations portion of the agenda and I just want to make
note of that as we get prepared. I want to share a few things with not only the elected officials in
the room but more importantly those citizens that are in the room as well. Today is an opportunity
for me to recognize the amazing work that is being done and has been done by the county’s
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coroner. I often times talk with Coroner Mark Bowen about the job that he does and he does a
phenomenal job in our city and the county and I couldn’t, I don’t think I’ve got the capacity to
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serve in that type of role with what you see on a regular basis. But on Monday June the 3of this
year the Richmond County Marshal’s Office was doing an inspection of property located at 930
D’Antignac Street formerly known as the Historic Dent’s Undertaking Establishment. It was
during this inspection that a large number of military headstones later determined to be 114
markers were discovered in the building. The Richmond County Coroner’s Office was contacted,
and they took possession of these markers. The military markers were then transported to the
Coroner’s Office where they were photographed and cataloged by the Coroner’s Office personnel.
A list was compiled of the names, the dates of birth, the dates of death and branch of service of the
deceased. A plan of action was formulated to determine where the markers belonged. The list
was disseminated to local news outlets requesting anyone with any information concerning the
markers to contact the Coroner’s Office. A number of community partners, individuals and others
engaged in this discussion. Their response to this request was overwhelming with the assistance
of the community, media outlets and Dandy Don Rhodes from the Augusta Chronicle all but two
of the markers will find their final resting place on tomorrow. The markers will be transported to
the cemeteries where the veterans are buried and the veterans will finally get the dignity and respect
that they’ve long to often deserved. Would you join me in giving our coroner and his staff and our
community a hand for the work (APPLAUSE). Fantastic job that they’ve done. All right, the
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Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: (Inaudible).
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Mr. Mayor: Okay. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: I didn’t intend for that to happen, Mr. Mayor, but thank you just the same. No,
what I just wanted to add to that as well as initially when the report came out, it gave the impression
that the funeral establishment had errored in holding out their responsibility to ultimately realize
across the country, this is a common practice in terms of when the family members does not pay
to place the headstones at the grave the funeral homes traditionally will have those in their facilities
still. So initially as it turned out and realized at the end of day that everybody’s hands was clean
and at the end the community came through and the community prevailed so I thought that was
important to announce as well to make mention of it as well. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, all righ, thank you. All right, the Chair recognizes Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
A. Mr. Brett Hulmo/Adam Bledsoe to present opportunities through the Training Program
of the South Southeastern Carpenters Regional. (Requested by Commissioner John Clarke)
Mr. Mayor: All right, we’ll have a representative or representatives from the Southeastern
Carpenters Regional Association come forward. I want to take an opportunity to thank once again
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the Commissioner from the 10 for bringing one of our partners to this audience. The Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 10 and at the point that he concludes you’ll have five
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minutes if you’ll state your name and organization and address you represent. The Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. In an effort to bring opportunities to the citizens of
Augusta that may not have an opportunity to attend college or a tech school that they have to pay,
there’s places in Augusta that offers opportunities to train for excellent jobs and we need people
to build, we need people to keep building America and these are the people that train you to do
that. With this training you can take this knowledge and support a family, support a good lifestyle
and carry this with you no matter where you go in the world to make your home but we’d rather
you learn and keep it here in Augusta, Georgia. And so, Brett, we appreciate your organization
and thank you for being here and if you will share your knowledge we’d appreciate it, thank you.
Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Commissioner Clarke. My name is Brett Hulmo. I’m with the
Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council. Mr. Mayor, Commissioners we hope to leave you with
an opportunity for your constituents. We have an open invitation for any of you that would like to
visit or some of ya’ll’s cases revisit our training facilities because we have some additions since
the last time you were there. The best deterrent to poverty is a good job. We train opportunities
that lead to careers; we don’t just train folks to get a job. The very first thing we do when somebody
comes into our program is immediately have to take OSHA 10. Why? We want them to come
home from work the way they left for work, a little bit more tired. That said safety is critical in
our work. We teach opportunities as Commissioner Clarke said so eloquently that once they finish
the entire curriculum they can go anywhere in the world and make some very good money with
their hands and the skillset. We do things like industrial scaffolding, concrete, heavy form work,
interior systems which means metal studs, drywall, soffits things you see every day happening are
taught right off of Riverwatch Parkway. We do construction in healthcare facilities because of the
certification we provide. Staph infection is a constant worry in the health field and health facilities.
Our members simply have to go to work. We’ll train them, they earn a wage, they get family
provided healthcare with zero contributions. Once they work the appropriate hours they get
retirement. These are just some of the opportunities we offer. If they choose to go into
management, we offer foreman training, superintendent training so really they’re in the driver’s
seat. And with that I yield to balance my time to Adam Bledsoe as the Training Coordinator at
Local 283 to explain to you the process.
Mr. Bledsoe: Good afternoon. So just over a decade ago I was an unemployed man with
a high school diploma and I went into an apprenticeship program to the Carpenter’s Union here in
Augusta and that union gave me a great opportunity for my family, for my wife and my children.
So I run the center and all the training at that union off of Riverwatch Parkway so we can take
someone who has little to no experience in construction and give them a job and an education at
the same time so they can work, provide for their family and receive 80 hours of training every six
months. It’s a four-year apprenticeship program and at the end of that four-year program they
would receive the top journeyman’s scale. We currently have 1,100 carpenters working in the
CSRA mainly at Plant Vogtle and Savannah River Site as well as contractors in town. We offer
great pension, employer provided health insurance and our intake and application date for
apprentices is the first Monday of every month at 8:00 a.m. If anyone
would like any more information on the Carpenter’s Union or our training program you can visit
www.SoutheasternCarpenter’s.org. That’s it.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, Adam, thank you so much. Don’t go anywhere, you two gentlemen.
I want to thank you for the work that you do in this community. Again it’s just not Augusta specific
but you are in fact changing the lives of so many people. As I understand it you also provide
welding training over there as well.
Mr. Hulmo: We do, yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m intimately familiar with that having sent a young man over there
several years ago and you trained him. Then he went to work for the contractors there at Vogtle
through you guys and his life has never been the same. It transformed not only he but his family
as well from a generational perspective and their ability to not only meet the needs of his family
but do more than just pay bills has been phenomenal because of the work that happens at the
Southeaster Carpenter’s Association and we’ve been partners with you guys for a number of years.
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All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 then the 9.
Mr. Fennoy: I’ve got a couple of questions ---
Mr. Hulmo: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: --- you mentioned the salary for a carpenter. What does that look like?
Mr. Hulmo: So just for instance scale at Plant Vogtle the journeymen wage is $28.34 an
hour, $6.40 an hour in pension and then $3.75 in health insurance so essentially it’s $28.34 in the
pocket on your paycheck and if anybody came into the apprenticeship program and they’ve never
drove a nail before they would start 60% of that scale which is $17.00 dollars an hour.
Mr. Fennoy: And my next question what would exclude an individual for participation in
this program?
Mr. Hulmo: The main thing is because we work at heights you’ve got to be physically
capable to perform the work and then most every contractor we have it’s extremely hard to get
hired on if you’re on felony probation.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and the reason I asked the second question is that there are a lot of
opportunities available in this area for people coming out of high school. I think we’ve got Cyber
Security which starts off $65/70,000 dollars a year. We have a lot of programs that are at Augusta
Tech that would allow people coming out of high school to earn a salary that could support a
family. And when you asked the question what would exclude most of them everybody says a
felony conviction or a failed drug test. And I think that it’s important for the people in the audience
to know about the opportunities that are available for your kids and your grandkids but more
importantly you should know what could keep them from entering that area. We are blessed to
have Mr. Charlie Hannah in the audience who’s a member of the Board of Education and hopefully
he’ll take some of this information back to the Board so that we could pass this information on to
our high school students and again thank you for the great job ya’ll are doing.
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Mr. Hulmo: Yes, sir, we would appreciate that, thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, you have a few more questions. The Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m excited to hear this news as well. I wanted
to apply with Marshal Masters to get a job but I can’t drive a straight nail so I just forgot about
that. But my question would be though how long is the program when you come in to participate?
Mr. Hulmo: With mill experience it is a four-year program so every apprentice that we
have they work on jobs working somewhere between 40 to 60 hours a week and they just come up
for 80 hours of training in a six-month period.
Mr. M. Williams: The other question I have is and the Mayor mentioned about metalwork
and I said I couldn’t drive a nail but I can turn a wrench pretty good, now I can do that. But are
there any interim exams they have to go through to see whether or not they enjoy one craft or
another versus just saying carpentry or metal work? Is there any way a person can know whether
it be male or female to know if my interest is in this area or another area? Is there any way to
know that I guess come in by chance. I mean a lot of welders don’t start off as welders. A lot of
plumbers don’t start off as plumbers. They get into a situation and start to understand or enjoy or
do something. It’s rough doing a job you don’t like. That’s why I lasted so long up here. I mean
I like it so it’s rough doing a job you don’t, just to get the paycheck. So I think it’s important for
people to know that if you enjoy what you do you’re going to do a better job at it so is there any
way to determine before they get their ---
Mr. Hulmo: One thing in our application process is that everyone that applies that moves
forward in the process will do a hands on evaluation and we’ll make them work and perform
physical work from heights. So if you don’t like working from heights, you’re probably not going
to like being a carpenter right? So we allow everyone to perform the work and see how they like
it and that tells them a lot right there.
Mr. M. Williams: --- well, I thank you again. Mr. Mayor, thank you for the opportunity
just to ask those questions. I mean I think it’s great information to be put out I think we need to do
that more often to let people know. A lot of people forget things but there ought to be a reminder
of them that they know just because one don’t door don’t open up another door I mean you can go
into that door so thank you.
Mr. Hulmo: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right again, Brett, Adam, thank you so much for the good work that you
all are doing in the community and to our friends it’s important and thank you coming to share
today.
Mr. Bledsoe: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If I could, Chairman Fennoy, one thing that separates
us when these skilled craftspeople journey out they journey out debt free. (APPLAUSE)
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Mr. Mayor: I like that ---
The Clerk: Can’t get much better than that.
Mr. Mayor: --- can we send that to Washington?
The Clerk: It can’t get much better than that.
Mr. Mayor: Don’t get no better than that, all right, Madam Clerk. Again, our Engineering
Services well our Finance Chairman former Engineering Services Chairman recognized our
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School Board Trustee from the 2 Mr. Charlie Hannah, wave your hand and let folks know you’re
here, thank you, sir. (APPLAUSE)
The Clerk:
DELEGATIONS
B. Mr. Stanley Hawes/Laney-Walker Neighborhood Association regarding the status of
Dyess Park Community Center.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Hawes, again if you’ll just state for the record your name and
your address and you have five minutes.
Mr. Hawes: Stanley Hawes, 839 D’Antignac Street, Augusta, Georgia. Mr. Mayor,
Commissioners, particularly my Commissioners Mr. Fennoy, District 1 and Mr. Williams, District
9 respectfully submitted to you all I came to bring, maybe a couple of pieces of information maybe
you don’t know, maybe you do know and to also bring a message from the people of the
community. And it’s been, first I want to touch on base that it’s been a long time coming this
Dyess Park situation. It’s been going on for at least probably about 16 years when we try and talk
about working on Dyess Park. I think former Senator Tarver can attest to that because he was
Chair of the SPLOST committee that submitted it to then Commissioners and Mayor. And I was
the presenter asking for that money so the reason why I’m down here is because I have a little bit
a knowledge, I don’t know too much but I know that is that we did have monies and we did have
promises along the way. My community is one of the communities that badly needs something of
that nature. It’s a good community, thriving community, we’re on the upswing even things such
as in real estate terms. I think if we had one of our realtors here they probably could tell us is that
the first thing that a person looks for when he comes to relocate to our area is schools and also
recreation. The quality of life, that would be so much improvement to my area where we have
people who don’t have the luxury of going to the YMCA or going to a health center or even going
to a place just to escape. There is the streets and things in the world that a child could not get
themselves away from and get up under the structure and become a productive citizen. It’s been
a long time and people in my community are really getting tired with seeing talk going on. There’s
been studies about Dyess Park; I don’t know how much we paid the study group when Ms. Betty
Beard was Commissioner. But we had an elaborate plan that was talking about Dyess Park and I
guess we have predecessors who come on and they may have their own idea and they have, they
may have a different direction towards remedying the solution. Well, overwhelmingly in my
community the solution is build a new center because it’s outdated, it don’t serve any purpose for
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to be able to be self-sustaining because you can only get 85 or probably less than that since they
probably changed the fire marshal’s schedule. So we really are looking for this to be done and if
there’s any way that we can help you all because we don’t know what’s going on, we don’t know
whether we’re going to build or we’re not but in the meantime the children in my community
instead of going to a place where they can have a preemptive solution for them to become
productive citizens, they’re marching two blocks down the street where we spent $68 million
dollars to primarily lock people up and we went right on down the street a little bit further to the
Sheriff’s Administrator office in the same SPLOST period and we spent probably somewhere
around about another 16 or 18. And we went on Phinizy Road to do the same thing. We spent
over $100 million dollars in five years, a hundred million primarily to lock people up and they
basically our children because they’re young people. But we haven’t really invested like we should
have. It shouldn’t take this long to come up with that solution. The solution is to build something
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for the 21 Century that we won’t have to come back to in another few years after we do something
forward just patching the roof, it won’t work. I respectfully submit that to you all because we’re
depending on you all as our stewards to get that done. Our children need that now because
tomorrow might not come to a few of us. So hopefully we can get this moving. Hopefully ya’ll
can get somebody out there to talk to us because the past director didn’t come to our community
to talk to us and I understood that he didn’t have any intention to. But that’s not fair to us and it’s
not fair to the citizens because the citizens of Augusta sixteen, seventeen years ago they said go
ahead on and do it so the only thing we would be doing, you gentlemen and lady would be doing
your job taking care of your people. So I respectfully submit that, Mr. Mayor, along with that I
prepared a package for you all and I gave the Ms. Bonner, I gave her a petition to show ya’ll that
there are people who really feel like this needs to be done so I thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. If you’ll stay there for a series of questions.
Mr. Hawes: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Ms. Bonner, you have the petition ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir ---
Mr. Mayor: --- okay, all right ---
The Clerk: --- I’ll share those with you.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right thank you so much. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’m going to yield to my District Commissioner if he wants
to go first. I do have a couple of comments I’d like to make.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. Fennoy: Well, I would like to ask our Interim ---
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Mr. Mayor: All right, he yields and we’ll come back to you.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay Mr. Hawes, let me first of all say that there have been
conversations over the 16-years you’re talking about doing something with Dyess Park. Dyess
Park has never gotten I don’t think in my opinion the attention or the funds it needed. Looking at
that facility today we have had some conversation previously around that park and I’m for not
spending any money to try to rebuild or rehab that situation. That’s an old fire station, it done
served its purpose. I’m not saying tearing it down but I’m saying that we’ve got to think outside
the box and do something totally different in that area. I’ve been talking with the directors about
swimming pools and even the tennis courts that’s there. There’s not very much use of the tennis
courts and it’s an area that’s sitting there. We did have some basketball courts and there has been
some work done on the playground area but as a Commissioner I’m going to do everything I can
to see can we maybe find another location. There’s a lot across the street where the church used
to be. I mentioned this to a couple of other people about maybe we can move across the street to
build a facility that’s going to be worthy of being supportive. I don’t care how much money we
put into that building that’s there now it’s just not going be acceptable to get in and out of there.
City owned always thinks about those types things but we’ve got to do something, Ms. Bonner,
I’ve been talking about the wow effect. We’ve got to do that wow effect; we got to do something
we hadn’t done before. That was never a facility, the old fire station building itself. Now ain’t no
more land unless we move across the street. I mean I don’t want to tear that historic building down.
I think we would have a line of people saying how historic that is. And it could be used for some
thing but I don’t think it ought to be continued as Dyess Park. I think when you could look at
trying to reconstruct something else. Looking back at what the rules say and I’m a stickler for the
rules the SPLOST package said that we had those dollars there to do that even if we had to add to
that, need to build a different facility. So I feel your pain, I feel the neighborhood pain, I understand
that. This is not the only one but this is one of the ones that needs some strict attention brought to
it right away. So I appreciate you helping, I appreciate you coming down here. Your words won’t
fall on deaf ears I promise you that. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you.
Mr. Hawes: Can I ask just one question before I go?
Mr. Mayor: Oh, you’ve got more questions?
Mr. Hawes: Just one question.
Mr. Mayor: No, I’m saying there are more questions up here.
Mr. Hawes: Okay ---
Mr. Mayor: You can ask your question, sure.
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Mr. Hawes: --- I’ll ask it when I get ready to leave.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 6, you had your
hand up.
Mr. Hasan: I did, Mr. Mayor. I appreciate it. First of all I want to get some clarity around
this. I look at the time lines back in 2012. I just want to make sure like it was two requests there
one was for $503,000 dollars for Dyess Park and the other one which is going to be from I think
the HUD Office for lack of better terms and the other was $503,000 dollars from SPLOST at that
particular time and so total we’re talking about a million and six dollars somewhere like that. So
do we know whether the $503,000 dollars was ever used because that $503 seemed to be used for
blight so which would be separate in my mind, and I may be wrong on this that’s why I’m asking
the question. Would that be different from the $503 that was going to go directly for possible ---
Mr. Hawes: It’s like we’re borrowing from Peter and pay Paul.
Mr. Hasan: --- I don’t know Paul or Peter. But I was just saying you were talking about a
total talking about two $503,000 dollars right or are your talking about a single?
Mr. Hawes: Two total, two totally separate that was moving and kind of intertwined like
one was used to do something else and the other one was used to replace that and it was moved
from SPLOST to CDBG which would’ve been federal.
Mr. Hasan: So at the end of the day we’re still talking about a singular $503,000 dollars
when you look at it.
Mr. Hawes: $503, yes, sir ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay, okay.
Mr. Hawes: --- that’s what it seems like to me but you know we’ve got some folks getting
paid good bucks to find it.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, with this also when I saw this on the agenda I called the
Administrator’s Office to try to see because I know as a body we have been talking about the
SPLOST and we have been talking about trying to look at the SPLOST 7 in particular because it
was $18 million dollars that was allocated for Recreation in there even though it was not broken
out to different facilities. And so with that they were going to come back and try to show us what
they have and let us kind of look at it and see where that was going to go. So I just wanted would
they make a comment to this issue here because I asked them to try to see what that would look
like.
Mr. Mayor: All right, this is our posture. I want to draw everybody’s attention to the
presentation that Mr. Hawes made available to everybody. And on what I believe to be Page 2, 3,
4 on Page 5 of that document it speaks specifically to the funding, where the funding sources were.
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There is a commission action at their regular meeting on Tuesday January 3, 2012 where there was
an approval to reprogram $503,000 of CDBG dollars. That was the first portion, that’s where
you’re getting your ‘101.06 million’. Unfortunately, there was a transfer of whatever was
approved during SPLOST $503,000 of that based on this document that they were used for the
acquisition and demolition project to eliminate slum and blight in the Laney-Walker area so
effectively this is to his concern. I think there’s a lot of discussion, we’re not going to solve this
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today. Let’s get a few more questions from the Commissioner from the 1, we’re going to close
with him but I’m going to hear from (inaudible) the Administrator and he’s going to speak to
what’s going on ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right? And then we’re going to recognize the Commissioner from the
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1 and then our Interim Administrator okay and then we’ll get your question, Commissioner.
Mr. Fennoy: Yeah, I want to thank Mr. Hawes for being here this afternoon but also just
want to remind everybody that in addition to the needs of Dyess Park there’s a lot of dilapidated
houses in and around Dyess Park. And to use the $500,000 to improve the area only highlights
the condition of that area that is in dire need of attention. But Dyess Park runs along James Brown
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Boulevard which the Mayor and the Commissioner from the 9 has talked about making a
destination point. And in order to do that we have got to spend some money in that area that will
make that area more attractive for a destination point and also improve the quality of life of the
people that live in that area. On any given day in the afternoon during baseball season you can see
the baseball diamond’s being used or you see people walking up and down the walking trail. I
think we had in our last discussion about Dyess Park we had about I think it would cost about
$500,000 for demolition I mean for repair but do we want to spend $500,000 dollars to repair the
building with only 35 or 40 people to get in there. I think the Laney-Walker Neighborhood
Association used to meet in that building but because of the condition of the building they had to
move their meeting someplace else. I think a church used to meet there every Sunday but because
of the condition of the building they had to move their services someplace else. The Board of
Elections conducted their elections in that building but because of the condition of the building
they had to move the elections to someplace else. The tennis courts hadn’t been worked on in and
anything done to it it looked like in 15 to 20 years. The asphalt has gone into the ground so there’s
a lot that needs to be done. And I had asked the Interim Recreation and Parks for an update on
Dyess Park and can we ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Sure, let’s hear from the Administrator first.
Mr. Fennoy: --- okay, all right.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Jarvis Sims.
Mr. Sims: So we actually have scheduled a workshop on next week June 27 to discuss
Dyess Park as well as our other Recreation and Parks facilities and we’re taking a holistic approach
on all of our facilities.
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay Mr. Houck, could you come forward and kind of give us a
quick update?
Mr. Houck: For Dyess Park we back I believe in ’17 we hired a consultant to do some
design work initially because we had some existing SPLOST dollars to take care of some center
needs and some swimming pool needs along with a new playground. When we got into actually
getting on site with our consultants we saw that we were facing a little bigger problem than we
think we realized with the center itself so we went ahead and got our consultants do a facility
assessment on the building which was brought to this Commission some time ago. There were
some priority recommendations to get the building back open and one of the Commissioners
mentioned it was about $500,000. That’s correct which is what we had in our SPLOST currently
to handle the community center renovations. We had four-hundred for the pools and again a couple
hundred for the playground. So we made a presentation and presented some options and that’s
when I believe the Commission decided that we ought to look at some of our existing projects we
had on the table like Lake Olmstead, Fleming a couple of others and I think the Commission
realized some of the dollars we had currently funded for those projects probably weren’t going to
meet the expectations that all of us wanted to see. Thus the workshop that we’ll have next
Thursday to hopefully try to lay out a better road map for some of these park sites and the funding
that we want to put into these areas.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, we’re going to recognize the Commissioner from the 9 and
then I’m going to go back to Mr. Hawes and we’re going to close this part of conversation or
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delegation. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m glad we’re going to have this workshop
Ron just talked about. This came to my mind about the entire amount that the SPLOST situation
talked about and I believe Commissioner Hasan said about eighteen ---
Mr. Hasan: Million.
Mr. M. Williams: --- $18 million. Now I can’t drive a nail, Marshal, but I can do a little
adding and subtraction here now. But if the $500,000 I’m trying to find where the other $17.5
where it is now. I mean you mentioned Fleming, you mentioned some other facilities we hadn’t
did anything with yet. They still got some serious needs. So is the money still floating around or
is it in the bank somewhere or is it, I need to follow the money because I mean I guess we ought
to do this at the workshop but I really plan to be there because I plan to know and I guess get some
answers to the remaining amount. Even if we use the five-hundred to do the blight, Dyess Park
has been one of those facilities who have not got the attention it should’ve gotten because of its
location, if you want to be real about it. Now let’s put all this in the parking lot, Mr. Mayor, that’s
your word, put it in the parking lot. I’m going to park this one right here for this point that we can
sit down and look at this seriously. We know this building if you put too much in it I mean you’re
going to really be taking good money and throwing it out the and let the bad money in. I just think
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we’ve got to look at doing something differently. We got to go to that wow effect but on the 27
is that when that’s supposed to be?
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Mr. Houck: Yes, sir and we’ll have all the information in terms of the successes we’ve had
with some of the SPLOST dollars. We’ll show you where some of those dollars have been
expended. Some of the current projects again we’re sort of on hold and then the balances so
hopefully you can make an informed decision on funding.
Mr. M. Williams: Because this last sheet on this paper talks about the Dyess Park Master
Plan and this is the Master Plan. I hate to see what the preliminary plans are like if this was the
master so I want to, I know we had a consultant going around looking at all our facilities and trying
to come up with something but we need to take a second look, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, that’s fantastic, thank you, Mr. Houck. Thank you, Mr. Hawes. On
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June the 27 at a date to be communicated publicly we will host the workshop and you can
certainly be in attendance.
Mr. Hawes: Could I be put on the mailing list for that?
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk ---
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The Clerk: Yes, sir, they will be two hours prior to our June 27 meeting which is taking
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place with the July 2 meeting so it’s a regular scheduled Commission meeting so we’ll be meeting
at 12:00 for the work session ---
Mr. Mayor: --- and it will be here in the Chamber.
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The Clerk: --- on June 27 Mr. Hawes at 12:00 noon.
Mr. Hawes: My question ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hawes: --- okay, yes, sir. Based off the time and the duration that all of this been
taking place, not coming down here faulting anybody, just need a commitment, a firm commitment
because I stay two blocks down from the corner of James Brown and Walton Way and I see too
many young people 8:00 o’clock in the morning at that door waiting to be served but they’re not
being served by us like I say on a preemptive level. And our seniors we’ve got the highest
concentration of seniors in Augusta. They don’t have anything to do because I visit quite a few of
them because I always did I grew up in that community. So we just want what’s due. We’re not
dead, we just want what’s due so we would like to be part of that process and maybe we can kind
of get moving a little faster.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Mr. Hawes, I appreciate ---
Mr. Hawes: Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: --- thank you for one sharing this timely and important information. You are
accurate, you have long been a partner in the community and you’ll have an opportunity to weight
in on this on next week, thank you, sir. Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: I call your attention to our Consent Agenda which consists of Items 1 through
41, Items 1 through 41. For the benefit of any objectors to our Planning petitions once those
petitions are read would you please signify your objections by raising your hand. I call your
attention to:
Item 2: Is a request with conditions a petition requesting a Special Exception for property
known as 613 Johns Road.
Item 3: Is a request for concurrence with the Planning Commission to approve a petition
requesting a change of zoning from a Zone A (Agriculture) and a Zone R-1 (One-family
Residential) to Zone A affecting property at 4045 Peach Orchard Road.
Item 4: Is a request for concurrence to approve with conditions a petition requesting a
Special Exception to establish a solar farm located at 4045 Peach Orchard Road.
Item 5: Is a request for concurrence with conditions a petition requesting to amend
condition in a light industry zone from a Z-04-109 affecting property known as 1221 Clark Road.
Item 6: Is a request to approve with conditions a petition requesting a change of zoning
from a Zone R-MH (Manufactured Home Residential) and a Zone HI (Heavy Industry) affecting
property at 3810 Hensley Road.
Item 7: Is a request with conditions a petition to change a zone from R-1 (One-family
Residential) to a zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to Zone B-1 affecting property known as 2611
Central Avenue.
The Clerk: Are there any objectors to any of those zoning petitions? Yes, ma’am, yes, sir
---
Mr. Speaker: (Inaudible).
The Clerk: --- okay that’s the Special Exception?
Mr. Mayor: Would all objectioners please stand, if you’re an objector?
The Clerk: 613 Johns Road is that, okay, how many, two objectors? Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay there’s a gentleman in the back, Madam Clerk, he’s objecting as well.
The Clerk: You’re objecting, okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m coming all right so okay all right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, the Sand Hills Community is having a meeting next week and
they would like to before we move further with this item meet with the developers to find out what
their plans are ---
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Mr. Mayor: This is Item number 2, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: --- item number 2 ---
Mr. Mayor: We’re going to refer that back to committee ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay?
Mr. Fennoy: Well, is anybody ---
Mr. Mayor: We have some objectioners who are here.
Mr. Fennoy: --- not the objectors but the developers.
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. Fennoy: What I’m trying to get at is if they’re going to have a meeting and they want
to meet with the developers, could someone from Sand Hills let us know the time and place of the
meeting so that the developers can be there?
Mr. Mayor: So what I just heard is that the community is having a meeting ---
Mr. Fennoy: Right ---
Mr. Mayor: --- you are representing the community and you are aware of it and as such I
would hope that you would communicate that information to our Madam Clerk and let her know
and then she can then distribute that information to the rest of us to include the developers needing
to be aware of that information.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, point ---
Mr. Mayor: Hold on, hold on, everybody just hold on.
Mr. M. Williams: --- Mr. Mayor, point of clarity?
Mr. Mayor: Hold on, all right ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- I’m straight.
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Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
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Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, sir. I was just going to say if we pull that item then we can
discuss what we’re discussing now if you pull that item and send it back to committee. Well, I
mean I don’t know where we are ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, you want to let me tell you where we are?
Mr. M. Williams: --- somebody needs to tell me.
Mr. Mayor: Okay here’s our posture. Madam Clerk has read the Planning Petitions and
now I’m getting ready to entertain any motions to add or remove from the Consent Agenda that’s
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our posture. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: I’d like to ---
Mr. Mayor: Would you speak into the microphone.
Mr. Garrett: --- sorry it’s my first time I’d like to pull 34 please.
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Mr. Mayor: Pull 34. All right, the Chair recognizes the gentle Lady from the 3.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to pull 15 please.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: I’d like to pull Item number 35 please.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’d like to pull a couple of items. I’d like to pull
Item number 6, number 22 ---
Mr. Mayor: Hold on ---
The Clerk: Number 6, okay.
Mr. M. Williams: --- number 30 ---
Mr. Mayor: Wait a minute was that 22, did you say 22?
Mr. M. Williams: --- 22 ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, 22.
Mr. M. Williams: --- number 30, 31 somebody’s got 35 already I’m going to pull 41 as
well, Mr. Mayor.
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The Clerk: 41?
Mr. Mayor: Yes. All right, Madam Clerk, I’d like to add 42 to the Consent Agenda.
Mr. M. Williams: 42 ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- there’s objection.
Mr. Mayor: --- objection?
Mr. M. Williams: Objection.
Mr. Mayor: Okay. Okay, everybody suspend for a moment. The Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: I’d like to pull Item 2 please.
Mr. Mayor: We already did that.
Mr. Clarke: Okay, thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: You already got it, Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Davis: Move to approve, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Hold on ---
Ms. Davis: --- oh, I’m sorry.
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Mr. Mayor: --- the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was just asking whether that was a consensus
appointment. If it’s not, I’ve got no problem but if was I mean ---
The Clerk: No, sir, it’s a district appointment.
Mr. M. Williams: --- okay I can take that off then, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second.
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CONSENT AGENDA
PLANNING
1. FINAL PLAT – GRANITE HILL SECTION 4. PHASE 2 – S-888 – A request for
concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to approve a petition by
Southern Partners Inc., on behalf of Crowell & Co., Inc., requesting final plat approval for
Granite Hill Section 4 Phase 2. This residential subdivision is located on Burlington Drive
and contains 45 lots. DISTRICT 3
3. Z-19-23 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve with the conditions below a petition by Inman Solar Inc., on behalf of Pravin D.
Patel, requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) and Zone R-1 (One-family
Residential) to Zone A affecting property containing 19.43 acres and known as 4045 Peach
Orchard Road. Tax Map 195-0-018-02-0 DISTRICT 8 1. The Site development shall be
consistent with the submitted site plan. 2. The applicant shall provide a fenced-in site with a
25’ vegetative buffer unitizing existing vegetation where allowed. The units shall maintain a
50’ buffer from the fence line as proposed in the submitted site plan.
4. Z-19-24 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve with the conditions below a petition by Inman Solar Inc., on behalf of Pravin D.
Patel, requesting a Special Exception to establish a solar farm per Section 26-1-c of the
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta Georgia affecting property containing 19.43
acres and known as 4045 Peach Orchard Road. Tax Map 195-0-018-02-0 DISTRICT 8 1.
The site development shall be consistent with the submitted site plan. 2. The applicant shall
provide a fenced-in site with a 25’ vegetative buffer unitizing existing vegetation where
allowed. The units shall maintain a 50’ buffer from the fence line as proposed in the
submitted site plan.
5. Z-19-25 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve with the conditions below a petition by Allen Odom, on behalf of David E. Smith
Jr., requesting to amend the conditions in the LI (Light Industry) Zone from Z-04-109
affecting property containing approximately 5 acres and known as 1221 Clark Road. Tax
Map 302-0-018-00-0 DISTRICT 8 1. A side yard buffer with fence, trees, and shrubs as
required by the Augusta Tree Ordinance be required along the property line.
7. Z-19-28 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve with the conditions below a petition by Mary A. Sicard requesting a change of
zoning from Zone R-1 (One-family Residential) and Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to
Zone B-1 affecting property containing .17 acres and known as 2611 Central Ave. Tax Map
043-2-143-00-0 DISTRICT 3 1. Should it not prove feasible to rehabilitate the existing
structure any new construction must comply with the current setbacks and will require site
plan review and approval. 2. Should repairs or alterations exceed 50% of the structure
valuation as assessed by the Tax Assessor the structure must comply with current setbacks
or seek the necessary variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals. 3. Any exterior
renovations and/or new construction will require approval by the Historic Preservation
Commission.
PUBLIC SERVICES
8. Motion to approve Amendment #1 to Cooperative Agreement FY2019 with CSRA
Regional Commission for Senior Nutrition Services for Augusta, GA. (Approved by Public
Services Committee June 11, 2019)
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9. Motion to approve a Contract Term Extension with Bateman (Compass-USA) July 1,
2019 – June 30, 2020. (Approved by Public Services Committee June 11, 2019)
10. Motion to approve the Contract between Augusta, Georgia and Reeves Construction
Company for the runway 5/23 and airfield pavement renovations at Daniel Field Airport.
(Approved by Public Services Committee June 11, 2019)
11. Motion to approve awarding East Coast Pyrotechnics, Inc. bid #19-232 for Fireworks for
Independence Day Celebration in the amount of $30,000. (Approved by Public Services
Committee June 11, 2019)
12. Motion to approve the GA Power Easement – Electrical Vault – Augusta Regional
Airport. (Approved by Public Services Committee June 11, 2019)
13. Motion to approve the GA Power Easement for the Airport Lift Station. (Approved by
Public Services Committee June 11, 2019)
14. Motion to authorize the Augusta Recreation and Parks Department to rent the recently
acquired mobile stage with the inclusion of safety measures for protection against wind and
storms. (Approved by Public Services Committee June 11, 2019)
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
16. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide funding to assist two (2) low to moderate income home buyers with down-
payment assistance to purchase a home. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee
Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
17. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide Laney Walker/Bethlehem Revitalization Funding to contract with J.
Lovett Homes and Construction LLC to construct two (2) workforce, residential units on
McQueen Court. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee Safety Committee June
11, 2019)
18. Motion to approve award of contract to prepare contract documents for renovating the
building housing the Augusta Law Department to Christopher Booker Architects (CBA) of
Augusta in the amount of $35,000.00. RFQ 19-186 (Approved by Administrative Services
Committee Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
PUBLIC SAFETY
19. Motion to accept Criminal Justice Coordinating Council FY20 Grant Award for State
Court Accountability Court DUI and Veterans Court Programs in the amount of
$172,742.00. (Approved by Public Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
20. Motion to approve the purchase of two additional partitions in the amount of $64,672.91
for the District Attorney’s Office. (Approved by Public Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
21. Motion to accept the award for the Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Grant from GEMA
and to authorize the Mayor to execute the appropriate documents. (Approved by Public
Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
23. Motion to accept FY2020 Criminal Justice Coordinating County grant award for
Veterans Court Program in the amount of $107,253. (Approved by Public Safety Committee
June 11, 2019)
24. Motion to approve acceptance of FY2020 Criminal Justice Coordinating Council-Adult
Felony Drug Court Program grant award in the amount of $346,657.00. (Approved by Public
Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
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25. Motion to approve the Agreement with Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland
Security Agency and approve acceptance of the grant award in the amount of $20,000 (Grant
No. SHO 18-003) and authorize the Mayor to execute all required documents. (Approved by
Public Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
26. Motion to approve the Agreement with Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland
Security Agency and approve acceptance of the grant award in the amount of $20,000 (Grant
No. SHO 18-027) and authorize the Mayor to execute all required documents. (Approved by
Public Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
27. Motion to approve the acceptance of FY 2020 Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
grant award in association with the Adult Mental Health Court Program in the amount of
$100,688.00. (Approved by Public Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
28. Motion to approve request from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to proceed with
the purchase of 400 Honeywell Surviair Opti-Fit tactical mask and accessories for its
deputies from W.W. Grainger Inc. for price of $82,488.50, low bid #19-204. (Approved by
Public Safety Committee June 11, 2019)
FINANCE
29. Motion to approve Augusta University’s request for tax exempt financing through the
Development Authority of Richmond County. (Approved by Finance Committee June 11,
2019)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
32. Motion to approve the Easement Abandonment and Deed of Dedication for New
Easement for a sanitary sewer at 3006 Bransford Road. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee June 11, 2019)
33. Motion to determine that East Telfair Street as shown on the attached map has ceased to
be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it or that
its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public interest, pursuant to
O.C.G.A. §32-7-22, with the abandoned property to be quit-claimed to the appropriate
party(ies), as provided by law and an easement to be retained over the entire abandoned
portion for existing or future utilities as directed by Augusta Engineering Department and
Augusta Utilities Department. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee June 11, 2019)
36. Motion to approve entering into a monthly maintenance and power agreement with
Georgia Power Company to light, maintain, and repair the high mast lighting located around
the intersection of Interstate 20 (I-20) and State Route 28 (Washington Road). Funding is
available in the Street Lighting budget account #276041610-5312310. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee June 11, 2019)
37. Motion to approve entering into a monthly maintenance and power agreement with
Georgia Power Company to light, maintain, and repair the high mast lighting located around
the intersection of Interstate 520 (Bobby Jones) and State Route 1 (Deans Bridge Road).
Funding is available in the Street Lighting budget account #276041610-5312310. (Approved
by Engineering Services Committee June 11, 2019)
38. Motion to approve entering into a monthly maintenance and power agreement with
Georgia Power Company to light, maintain, and repair the high mast lighting located around
the intersection of Interstate 520 (Bobby Jones) and State Route 78 (Gordon Hwy). Funding
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is available in the Street Lighting budget account #276041610-5312310. (Approved by
Engineering Services Committee June 11, 2019)
39. Motion to approve entering into a monthly maintenance and power agreement with
Georgia Power Company to light, maintain, and repair the high mast lighting located around
the intersection of Interstate 520 (Bobby Jones) and Wrightsboro Road. Funding is available
in the Street Lighting budget account #276041610-5312310. (Approved by Engineering
Services Committee June 11, 2019)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
40. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Augusta Commission held
on June 4, 2019 and Special Called meeting held June 11, 2019)
APPOINTMENTS
41. Motion to approve the reappointment of Ms. Beatrice F. Green to Augusta-Richmond
County Public Library System Board of Trustees representing District 4.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3.
Ms. Davis: I’d like to make a motion to approve the Consent Agenda.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Motion Passes 10-0. \[Items 1, 3-5, 7-14, 16-21, 23-29, 32, 33, 36-41\]
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, if you’ll just again for the audience if you’ll state what our
posture is on Number 2 just for the record so everybody’s aware of where we’re going with number
two. We pulled it but we’re referring that back to the committee until after the community meeting,
that’s what I understood.
The Clerk: Item number 2 is being referred to our Administrative Service Committee so
that we can get with the Planning Director along with the Clerk’s Office to schedule a meeting
with the Sand Hills Neighborhood Association along with the developers to discuss the project.
PLANNING
2. Z-19-22 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve with conditions below a petition by DOTT Augusta Investments II LLC requesting
a Special Exception to construct 6 attached townhomes not to exceed 5.5 units per acre per
Section 10-2-a of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta Georgia affecting
property containing 1.19 acres and known as 613 Johns Road. Tax Map 034-2-075-00-0
DISTRICT 1 1. The development shall substantially conform to the site plan submitted on
date received 4/23/19. 2. The proposed development must adhere to the open space and
buffer yard requirements of Section 13.
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Mr. Sias: So moved.
Ms. Davis: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3.
Ms. Davis: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
Mr. Fennoy out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor: Number 6, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
PLANNING
6. Z-19-26 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Georgia Planning Commission to
approve with the conditions below a petition by Copart of Connecticut, Inc., on behalf of
Trevin Automotive Towing, requesting a change of zoning from Zone R-MH (Manufactured
Home Residential) and Zone HI (Heavy Industry) with conditions (Z-91-13) to Zone HI
affecting property containing approximately 19 acres and known as 3810 Hensley Road. Tax
Map 168-0-055-00-0 DISTIRCT 6 1. The general layout of the development shall
substantially conform to the concept plan submitted on date received 3/28/2019. 2. The
proposed 8 foot fence requires approval of a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals. 3.
There shall be a minimum 40 foot natural buffer along Byrd Rd and adjacent to residential
lots containing single-family residence. 4. The property shall have no future access on Byrd
Rd. 5. A Business License Compliance officer shall inspect the property every six (6) months
for compliance with all regulations and conditions.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Commissioner from the 9 had some questions for this issue.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Rob, I don’t know who’s going to address this
---
Mr. Mayor: All right, so if we could have the petitioner and our Planning Director to speak
to this matter, all right.
Mr. M. Williams: --- Rob, I thought the petitioner was going to be here to answer a couple
of questions.
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Mr. Speaker: The petitioner isn’t here yet.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay and I sat in on Planning and I asked a couple of questions there
and even a couple of the Planning commissioners asked me as well about this. This facility is
going to be a dry facility I think you said, is that right?
Mr. Speaker: That’s correct.
Mr. M. Williams: And also in this facility you said that you’re going to have cars that was
towed in but do you also have cars that’s driven in?
Mr. Speaker: That’s correct.
Mr. M. Williams: So how will that be dry if you’re going to drive them in? Can you drive
them in without fluids without oil or transmission fluid, brake fluid I mean how can it be both?
Mr. Mayor: Okay let’s do this while you’re thinking about that. If you’ll state for the
record your name and who you’re representing, sir.
Mr. Enoch: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ed Enoch on behalf of Copart. My address is 3111
West Lake Forest Drive.
Ms. Benedict: Hello, my name is Joyce Benedict. I’m the Regional Operations Manager
for Georgia with Copart. I’m at 780 Windsor Creek Drive, Grayson, Georgia. To answer your
question, sir, the vehicles that are driven in, it’s not a high percentage. But the ones that are driven
in, they’re not damaged so they’re not leaking anything. The ones that are wrecked are dry.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, so now I didn’t get that in Planning that they were going to be
wrecked or not. I thought they was going to be a towing facility for this says Trevin Automobile
Towing yard and it was coming in on trailers. Then you said in Planning that they’d be driven in.
I didn’t get a chance to ask that question but a couple of other planning commissioners asked me
as well how can they drive them in because if they’re going out and they’re going to be transported
out, what happened to the fluids? Now I said then there’s a facility that used to be on Old Savannah
Road is that where the old flea market, Mr. Mayor, I get those Savannah’s mixed up ---
Mr. Mayor: I believe the gentleman knows of what he speaks.
Mr. M. Williams: --- okay, well there’s a facility that was there and it’s been all, I mean
the yard after separating these parts the yard has been left in a disarray. In fact the Piedmont Air
was over there at one point. That area in entirety is really no use for land uses. We’ve got one of
these other facilities down on East Boundary pull apart, pick apart or whatever that is type of
facility and my question was this going to be like one of those. If you’re going to have any cars
driven in and brought in and fluids are going to be there, these cars will be transported out. How
do you discard these fluids I guess is the best.
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Ms. Benedict: Yes, sir, so our particular industry is, not a pull apart or pick apart. We
don’t take the cars apart or part them out or shred them or do anything like that. We’re basically
an auction house. We hold the cars and them we sell them so I would say the most percentage are
transported in and transported out. We do have a business that some of our customers are like
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, there’s rental car companies that when their fleet is old they bring their
cars to us.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, that takes me back to my previous question though about the
fluids if it’s going to be drive we stated earlier now the ones that driven in, if they’re towed in and
you’re taking them apart somebody has to relieve those fluids at some point before it gets to you
or after it gets to you but the fluids have got to be there if they was wrecked vehicle that came from
wherever they came from and the vehicles the new facility, Mary, I know you don’t care about
these cars but the new facilities they’ve got the transmission coolant at the very front of the car not
just the radiator but the transmission fluids, coolant and all that stuff leaks and goes all over the
place. I’m just asking those questions because I need to know those answers before I can make a
vote on it. So I’m hearing now that they drive but they come in wrecked and if nobody’s catching
those fluids putting them in a container then they’re going, I mean spill to the ground.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I make a motion to approve.
Mr. Garrett: Second ---
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: --- second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: --- just a minute, I’m coming to you, just hold on. All right, I’ve got a motion
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to approve from the Mayor Pro Tem and a second from the Commissioner from the 8. All right
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the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: --- thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Enoch, ma’am, what’s your name again?
Ms. Benedict: Joyce Benedict.
Mr. Hasan: Ms. Benedict ---
Ms. Benedict: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Hasan: --- I took the liberty of riding out there this morning because this is in my
district, District 6 to try to see exactly what it is. But if I understood you correctly what you’re
saying is you’re going to be an auction house for cars.
Ms. Benedict: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: So that means are you selling them as is as you receive them?
Ms. Benedict: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hasan: So you’re not doing any real work, body work or changing out fluids or
anything of that nature.
Ms. Benedict: No, sir.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, this may be more for Mr. Sherman, Mr. Mayor. If it is an auction house
of sort and that’s a very narrow script there almost like two cars can’t park at the same time do
they enough property where people can pull off the right-of-way to make this an auction house
whether that’s once a month, twice a week, every two weeks or whatever and are you concerned
about congestion in there, for there because right across the street from there from this location is
for lack of a better term a trailer park and to the if you’re going straight ahead there’s a residence
right next to them. So are you concerned about traffic congestion in there?
Mr. Sherman: No, sir, it’s our understanding that the majority of their business is online
and they have very few walk-in customers.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, all right thank you.
Mr. Enoch: Commissioner Hasan, it’s not like a traditional auction house. It’s all online
sales.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, okay all right thank you.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second, voting.
Mr. M. Williams votes No.
Motion Passes 9-1.
Ms. Benedict: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, thank you. All right ---
The Clerk: Item number 15?
Mr. Mayor: --- yes, ma’am.
24
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
15. Motion to approve the recommendation to stave the loss of talent and experience to
neighboring jurisdictions, implement the new building division structure, increase the
salaries of existing staff as proposed, recruit and offer incoming building/construction staff
up to mid-range of salary for the grade, update the existing career ladder and incorporate
the modification to accomplish this in a two-year time frame beginning October 1, 2019
regarding the Planning Building Division Restructure and Salary Review. (Approved by
Public Services Committee June 11, 2019)
rd
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3.
Ms. Davis: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don’t have any objections to this. I believe Mr.
Sherman just wanted to make a couple of comments about some of this, okay?
Mr. Mayor: Director Sherman.
Mr. Sherman: And with apologies to Ms. Bonner for us not catching this earlier but if we
could restate the agenda item and the reason is I think at the committee meeting myself and the
staff we were of the impression that everything would go into effect immediately except for the
increase in fees which would be October 1, 20% increase, a year later 20% increase. The way it’s
stated there’s just some confusion and just for clarity we wanted to restate the agenda item if we
could.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right ---
Mr. Sherman: Go ahead and read it ---
Mr. Mayor: --- would you please.
Mr. Sherman: --- okay. Motion to approve the recommendations to stave the loss of talent
and experience by implementing the new building division structure, increase the salaries of
existing staff as proposed, recruit and offer incoming building/construction staff up to mid-range
of salary for the grade, update the existing career ladder and incorporate these changes
immediately. In order to accomplish the replenishing of funds, building permit fees will increase
over a two-year time frame beginning October 1, 2019. The fees will increase by 20% in year one
and an additional 20% in the second year for a total increase of 40%.
th
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4 for a motion.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. Mayor: Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second.
25
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Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I think he answered that. I just wanted the salaries to be
immediately and I think that’s what he gotten to that point that’s what I was concerned about.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
22. Motion to approve a change order for 18AFA547 Mobile Emergency Operation Center
Command Vehicle (MEOC) in the amount of $82,461.16 to include a Motorola radio
package, Dell computer package, and tethered drone. (Approved by Public Safety
Committee June 11, 2019)
th
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m not opposed to this item but the change
order from eight-two. What was the previous amount, how did we get here? What’s the change,
Chief and how did we get there?
Chief James: The change order here as they were constructing the vehicle, they wanted to
go ahead and hook the radios and other things up. They were at that point. So what this change
order does instead of waiting until the vehicle gets here, they’re going to go ahead and put the
radios in it that we’re going to use to be able to communicate with all of our surrounding counties
and the state patrol as well as put the computers in that we’ll be using to pull up the weather stations
to talk to WEBEOC to talk back with GEMA and also to attach the tethered drone.
Mr. M. Williams: And this command vehicle what kind is this? What kind of vehicle
command vehicle ---
Chief James: It’s a Mobile Emergency Operations Center so when we have a train
derailment in South Augusta or wherever this is the vehicle we’ll pull up in and we’ll be running
command operations from out of that vehicle.
Mr. M. Williams: --- and the new change order price is eighty-two. What the initial price,
Chief.
Chief James: The initial price of the vehicle was $1,070,000 dollars.
Mr. M. Williams: That really threw me off now. The initial price was that now you’re
saying the initial eighty-two is that what we’re going to or is that additional?
26
Chief James: The change order is $82,000 additional dollars for the equipment that I just
described to you.
Mr. M. Williams: Now you’re talking about a Smart Phone, Mary Davis, but that ought to
be a smart phone, yeah I mean I’m telling you I’m just hoping we’ve got the folks everything, I’m
just hoping we’ve got the staff to operate. I mean this sounds like high-tech stuff here. I’m not
opposed to it I just, when I saw the change order for eighty-two four-sixty it made me ---
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: --- just made me think but I’m going to make a motion to approve,
Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you so much. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
nd
the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk: I believe we’re at Item number 30.
The Clerk:
FINANCE
30. Motion to approve repairs damage that occurred while responding to a fire call.
(Approved by Finance Committee June 11, 2019)
th
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: My question would be to Risk Management what repairs, what fire call?
I mean how did this occur I guess is one thing.
Mr. Speaker: The station received a call to respond to a fire. The vehicle in an attempt to
leave the station when exiting through the bay they hit the building itself which caused damage to
the building as well as the fire vehicle.
Mr. M. Williams: And what happened to the driver or the, got to be the aerial ladder
(unintelligible) drive to handle that so it couldn’t have been the front door, could it?
Mr. Speaker: I would have to request that Chief James help with some of that explanation.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Fire Chief.
27
Chief James: No, sir, it was not the tiller. It was one of the new pumpers that we had
purchased. It’s behind Station 4 and the driver as he attempted, the truck was already in the back
as he attempted to make the turn he hit the column that separates the bays.
Mr. M. Williams: And we’re going to get a million-dollar machine to put out there for a
command station and we can’t get the fire truck out the door?
Chief James: We can get the fire trucks out the door. It was an accident that day.
Mr. M. Williams: So moved, Mr. Mayor. It’s got to be fixed, got to be fixed.
st
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Second, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: Okay we’ve got a motion and a proper second, voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
31. Motion to approve proposal to update financial model and revenue projections for
Galardi, Rothstein Group in the amount of $98,000. (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee June 11, 2019)
th
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Tom, can you give me an update on exactly what this is we’re doing
here?
Mr. Wiedmeier: So Galardi, Rothstein as our rate consultant. They’ve been working with
us since probably 2013. They had done our cost allocations and all our cost of service analysis.
That stuff’s pretty dated now, we’d like to get that updated get our financial model updated in
addition to exploring and developing a customer assistance program for us.
Mr. Wiedmeier: Tom, going back didn’t we just do the customer update when we merged
with the Tax Assessor, didn’t we just do all of that?
Mr. Wiedmeier: So this is ---
Mr. M. Williams: A different type?
Mr. Wiedmeier: --- yeah this is strictly related to our department finances and rates and
revenues.
28
Mr. M. Williams: Will that be sent to Finance Committee when this is completed?
Mr. Wiedmeier: We can certainly do that, yes.
Mr. M. Williams: And that will bring us up to speed as to what you have over there and
what you’ve been, I mean will that give us say a full picture of where we are with the, I’m serious
about this ya’ll.
Mr. Wiedmeier: That information is available when we get the results of our audit. Our
financial position is outlined in the audit but this financial model will help us plan for our Capital
Improvement Program and that type of thing but yeah, we’ll share it with everyone.
Mr. M. Williams: We just share it with the Finance Committee. We need to see that.
Mr. Wiedmeier: Okay.
Mr. M. Williams: Move to approve, Mr. Mayor:
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
34. Motion to approve seed grant from Georgia EPP for water operational data network for
the Savannah River. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee June 11, 2019)
th
Mr. Mayor: All right the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, Mayor. I had a few questions about this monitoring I was reading
through the grant and a couple of things stuck out to me. First of all, don’t we already monitor the
water through Phinizy Swamp? Don’t they have a lab there that tests the water?
Mr. Wiedmeier: The monitor at three locations on the river so we do pay for that or part
of that. Columbia County also is in there.
Mr. Garrett: Right and I saw, you know this grant was for $75,000 dollars but it also adds
in some costs for Augusta about $20,000 in staff time and then $15,000 dollars so I’m guess I’m
trying to understand why there’s additional money needed from us to help this.
29
Mr. Wiedmeier: So this grant is to expand the monitoring network. Right now each of
those monitors has to be visited monthly and the data downloaded. The plan is to make that
available in real time to the general public so they can see the water quality, expand the network
and also to consolidate a lot of information that is out there for instance flows and levels at various
points along the river so that it would be essentially a one-stop shop for information on the river
between Augusta and Savannah.
Mr. Garrett: Well, it’s interesting that you mentioned flows as I was reading through the
grant I saw where some of the information will be going back to the Corp of Engineers. Am I’m
reading it right? Why are the flows important to this monitoring? Is it just for water safety or are
we just monitoring levels?
Mr. Wiedmeier: This is intended for anybody who has any interest in the river and it
wouldn’t just be going back to the Corp. As a matter of fact that data would be pulled from stuff
that the Corp currently does. It would just be in one place where you could go and find all the
information.
Mr. Garrett: So why are we helping with the admin costs instead of the Corp?
Mr. Wiedmeier: Well, this started, this actually was a grant presented by the Savannah
Riverkeeper to the Savannah Upper Ogeechee Water Planning Council. It was endorsed by the
Chairman at the time Ron Cross and was, went to Georgia EPD. Georgia EPD contacted us
because they have to give these grants to a governmental entity. They asked if we could be the
administrator of the grant so that’s how we got involved.
Mr. M. Williams: Move to approve.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
th
Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the 8 still has the floor.
Mr. M. Williams: Wait a minute now ya’ll go by the rules when I was, they did the same
identical thing ---
Mr. Mayor: Well –
Mr. M. Williams: --- and you passed them, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- that was before you brought up the issue around rules and wanted us to
follow the rules.
Mr. M. Williams: Well, if you’re going to follow them I know them. I studied them, ya’ll
made me study.
th
Mr. Mayor: That means that the Commissioner from the 8 still has the floor.
30
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, I still move to approve.
Mr. Garrett: I’ve still got a couple of questions but I saw where there’s maybe four different
monitors put in along 595 miles of the Savannah River. Am I reading that correct in the grant?
Mr. Wiedmeier: I believe the goal was to install those monitors in addition to the three.
Mr. Garrett: Are we providing the equipment?
Mr. Wiedmeier: We have, in this we would be giving $10,000 dollars in addition to the
staff time that would be involved. I’m not sure Oscar Flythe has been working with us on this.
He doesn’t feel like we can get four monitors in for that amount of money.
Mr. Garrett: I’d like to make a motion to push this back to committee so we can discuss
this a little bit more and kind of get all the details.
Mr. Mayor: All right, that’s certainly appropriate.
Mr. Wiedmeier: I’ll just make this point. I got an email from EPD today. Their fiscal year
ends at the end of this month, I believe the grant might go away.
th.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right so the Commissioner from the 5 The Chair recognizes the
th
Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: I second that motion.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a motion and a second. All right, the Chair recognizes the
th
Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: I’d like to make a substitute motion that we approve this.
nd
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2.
Mr. D. Williams: I’d like to make a substitute motion for approval ---
Mr. Mayor: Already been made.
Mr. D. Williams: --- oh I’m sorry, I was talking to my, second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I’ve got a substitute motion to approve from the Commissioner from
thnd.
the 4 with a proper second from the Commissioner from the 2 All right, voting. You’re voting
on the substitute and that is to approve. All right, we’re voting on the substitute.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Ms. Davis, Mr. Sias, Mr. Hasan, Mr. Frantom and Mr. M.
Williams vote Yes.
Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Garrett and Mr. Clarke vote No.
31
Motion Passes 7-3.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
35. Move to approve for the Engineering Department to bring back to the Commission a
design plan to install a turning lane from Doug Barnard Pkwy into the South Entrance or
service road into the Augusta Regional Airport (Approved by Engineering Services
Committee June 11, 2019)
th
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. M. Williams: No, sir.
th
Mr. Mayor: --- the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, I’ll wait until my colleague (unintelligible).
Mr. M. Williams: I pulled the item, Mr. Mayor.
th
Mr. Mayor: No, the Commissioner from the 6 did.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, all right go ahead.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, Mr. Mayor, I just want to say for the record in my mind’s eye. We’ve
addressed this issue; the Commission has made a decision. We started out in this conversation
about the design work being done. We pretty much halted the design work being done at one
meeting then we came back the meeting and we voted to not to do the project at all. Then it came
th.
back again which was made mention that it was going to be pulled by my colleague from the 4
He was going to pull it because he was going to wait for the design work and at that point I made
mention that we’d already voted and defeated the project. So he cannot do the design work without
the design work prior to doing the project and I think our motion that we did to deny this has
already been taken care of and so this project has been denied.
th
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think my colleague from District 6 has shared
what information taken place. We have already went out and looked at this and said we wasn’t
going to do this. We said it was not the city’s property, it’s the airport’s property out there and
here we are now we’re going bring it through the back door and then get it done anyway? My
question would be though, Mr. Mayor, and I had a second here maybe somebody’s pulled it before
you gave me the opportunity to pull it because I had it on my list how much the design work would
cost and are we still going to spend money to design something we’re not going to do is my
question. Now this has been brought to us three or four times and it’s still bouncing back up.
32
Mr. Mayor: Well, you know we’re going to leave that to each and every one to determine
st
for themselves in just a second. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: My concern about this issue, Mr. Mayor, is the safety of the people that
travel that road and to me it’s a hazard. And I think that if we know that there’s an issue and it
puts the people that travel that road at risk and we do nothing about it then I don’t think it speaks
well for us. My concern is the safety of the people that travel that road and I’d like to see the
necessary changes made to make that road safer. So if a motion has not been made to approve
it then while I have the floor I’d like to make a motion to approve.
th
Mr. Mayor: It’s fitting. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I’m going to second his motion but I have a couple of comments
first.
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
Mr. Sias: Number one we say this item has been disapproved this way and that way but I
guess memories are short on this dais. We’ve had situations where they either come back seems
like a hundred times but I guess it’s a personality thing going on but we’re going to get past that
one. Second thing, we talk about economic development. The airport is one of our economic
engines so I really don’t understand for the life of me where we have the entrance where a huge
amount of the technical piece that goes into the airport travels through. This is where we have our
company Standard Aero, this is where the employees of that the airport, employees come through,
manufacturing shipments and things come there as well. And this is a simple item that’s putting
in a turning lane for the safety of the folks that go into this airport. I really don’t understand how
it got to be such a political thing maybe because I submitted it. But I can tell you what. That’s
not going to stop me from fighting for it because this is a safety issue for the development of this
airport, I second the motion.
Mr. Mayor: We have a motion and a second to approve this good work. All right, the
Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the second.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes, sir, I’m going to ask you to follow that rule.
stth
Mr. D. Williams: Along with the Commissioners from the 1 and the 4 I agree that we
need to do something about this particular item. Now I’m on the Aviation Commission and the
members of the commission out there’s concerned and interested in this subject. Also we talk
about money. We want to make people think we’re so concerned about saving folks money. Now
here a few weeks ago we were talking about giving a party $100,000 dollars for a party but yet we
don’t want to spend $100,000 dollars to improve the road out there to our airport that’s going to
improve our community overall so where do we stand on trying to do what’s good for our
community. My only issue is what’s good for my community and what’s good for the airport out
there. Our airport is booming, we’re growing and we have to go ahead and fix the road in that
way. That’s all I’ve got to say.
33
Mr. Mayor: Thank you, well said. All right, I’m going to go down to the Commissioner
th
from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I don’t know whether you saw me or not but I had an opportunity
when the airport director was here I asked him a question in reference to options that we may very
well may have. I also called the Finance Department this morning I spoke with Ms. Donna as well
as I spoke to Mr. Tim, I can’t ever think of the last name ---
The Clerk: Schroer.
Mr. Hasan: --- Schroer so we in conversation, Mr. Mayor, a way to get this done let’s try
to find the best way to get it done. And I’d just like to make a motion to receive as information
until they come back. I think they’re going to come back with something that may be favorable at
least we’ll know and try to put some options on the table. So let’s make a motion to receive as
information.
Mr. Mayor: You mean substitute.
Mr. Hasan: Substitute, I’m sorry ---
Mr. M. Williams: Second.
Mr. Hasan: --- substitute motion.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so I’ve got a substitute. All right, the Chair recognizes the
th
Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor, this issue is ---
Mr. Mayor: Are you going to second the substitute?
Mr. M. Williams: --- I just seconded the substitute but I had my hand my hand up before
I seconded the substitute. Now if we’re going to follow them rules that I know pretty well I had
my hand up to be recognized whether you want to continue or not but there was some debate still
going on. Those are the rules. If I didn’t have my hand up and there was no disagreement with
going on to the next vote that’s the way the rules will be handled. Now ya’ll can play these games
all you want to and I’ve got all day but if you want me to speak ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, you’ve been recognized to speak.
Mr. M. Williams: --- well you wanted me to second the motion and I already did that but
I’m saying this item has first of all there’s no police reports, there’s no accident reports.
Engineering came in and said to us yes the traffic may be running fast out there but there’s no one
that’s had anybody to have a law enforcement to look into that. This is a secondary road going
into a situation and I’m sick of people picking and choosing what they like. And we’re talking
34
about the community. We just approved for a junkyard to go in a neighborhood and then nobody
had no conversation nothing to say about it. The lady said it was going to be dry then she says it’s
going to be wet and we didn’t ask no questions. How can it be one and then the other but we’re
going to be concerned about certain things. So fighting for stuff I’ve been doing this since I’ve
been here I don’t mind doing that but take issue when we’re going to take and pick and choose
what we want because we’re on these boards. We need to do what is right for the whole community
not just the ones we like.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, here’s our posture. We’ve got two things before us. We’ve got a
th
substitute motion to deny this from the Commissioner from the 6 followed by a second from the
th
Commissioner from the 9 ---
Mr. Hasan: To receive as information, Mr. Mayor.
th
Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right, thank you. All right, the Commissioner from the 6 has a
th.
substitute motion to receive as information with a second from the Commissioner from the 9
That’ll be the first thing that we take action on. All right, voting.
Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Hasan, Mr. Garrett and Mr. Clarke vote Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Ms. Davis, Mr. Sias, Mr. Frantom and Mr. M. Williams vote No.
Mr. M. Williams: You missed one of the Williams’ now.
The Clerk: You’re right Bishop, I’m sorry.
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
The Clerk: Mr. Marion Williams voting yes and Mr. Clarke voting no.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, we’re back to the main motion ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: --- and that is to approve Item 35 read the caption ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. M. Williams: How does that read what was that?
Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, I have a question.
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, I have a question before they vote please.
35
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, so we’ve disposed of the substitute we’re now voting on the main
motion, voting.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, it won’t be able to work that way now. It can’t work that way,
Mr. Mayor, it can’t work that way. Hold it. I’m trying to help this process here. It can’t work that
way, Mr. Mayor, it can’t work the way you’re doing that now.
Mr. Mayor: Voting.
Mr. Hasan: It can’t, I’d appreciate to go ahead and explain. You can’t work that way, Mr.
Mayor, what you’re doing.
Mr. Mayor: The last time I checked the substitute was the superior motion ---
Mr. Hasan: No, that’s not my point, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: --- and it failed.
Mr. Hasan: --- the motion that’s before us on the monitor is not appropriate.
Mr. Mayor: I’m encouraging you to vote.
Mr. Hasan: The motion on the monitor is not appropriate.
th
Mr. Mayor: I’m encouraging the Commissioner from the 6 ---
Mr. Hasan: You’ve got six votes, that’s the way it needs to be done.
Mr. Mayor: --- to vote.
Mr. Hasan: That’s not the way you do that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: I’ve got a motion from the Commissioner (unintelligible) ---
Mr. Hasan: That’s not the way you do that though.
Mr. Mayor: --- you have an opportunity to vote if you’re not voting then please say so.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, if you do it right. If you’re going to do it by the rules you need to
do it by the way it should be done. It doesn’t matter whether is passes or not at this point but that’s
not the way you do it.
36
Mr. Mayor: I don’t know if it’s locking the machines and calling the vote ---
Mr. Hasan: Well, you can ask our Parliamentarian or anybody else, Mr. Mayor, I don’t
have a problem if it passes or not. Do it the way is right if you’re going to go by the rules.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, I’m ready to move on, Madam Clerk. They’re voting at this time
if you’re not voting then again, voting.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, both my colleagues should do this because you still can refuse to
take action on this ---
Mr. Mayor: You’re out of order ---
Mr. Hasan: --- you still can officially take action on this ---
Mr. Mayor: --- you’re out of order ---
Mr. Hasan: --- the first thing should be should be voting ---
Mr. Mayor: --- out of order.
Mr. Hasan: --- the first order of business ---
Mr. Mayor: You’re out of order.
Mr. Hasan: --- should be to rescind your previous actions ---
Mr. Mayor: Again ---
Mr. Hasan: --- that’s the way that goes, Mr. Mayor. Go by the rules. We made a decision
so you need to rescind your previous action then come back and vote on it ---
Mr. Mayor: --- out of order.
Mr. Hasan: --- so officially it still hasn’t passed.
Mr. Mayor: You’re going to vote, you have an opportunity to vote and if you’re not ---
Mr. M. Williams: I’d like to hear from our Attorney, I’m out of order too ---
Mr. Mayor: That’s fine.
Mr. M. Williams: --- (unintelligible) but I want to hear from the Parliamentarian.
Mr. Mayor: All right, they’re not voting. Let’s call for the vote, Madam Clerk.
37
Mr. M. Williams: I want to hear from the Parliamentarian, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Garrett votes No.
Mr. Hasan and Mr. M. Williams not voting.
Motion Passes 7-1.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, may I hear the ruling from the Parliamentarian?
Mr. Mayor: Next item.
Mr. Hasan: Don’t be that disrespectful like that, man.
Mr. M. Williams: You’ve got to go the Parliamentarian now. He’s got to tell us something,
you just can’t take your opinion. If we was all in agreement that’d be fine. We’re not so the
Parliamentarian needs to speak up now if you’re going to go by the rules that you say you go by.
Mr. Mayor: Next item.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
st
42. Motion to approve the 1 Amendment Employment Agreement with Herbert Judon,
Airport Director. (Requested by the Augusta Aviation Commission)
Mr. Mayor: All right, this item was requested by the Aviation Commission. I don’t see
Mr. Judon, he was here a moment ago ---
Mr. M. Williams: He left about an hour ago.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: I believe the Aviation Board members are present.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right. Aviation Board members, if you’re here and you’re part of the
Commission please rise.
Mr. M. Williams: I need somebody to come to the podium, Mr. Mayor. I’ve got some
questions. I guess I don’t have the right to do that but I’m going to ask them anyway.
Mr. Mayor: Where’s Mr. Judon? He was here a moment ago. Was he here to speak to
this matter?
Mr. Brown: Mr. Judon has departed.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, okay. All right, Aviation Commission Board members, Mr.
Bowman, are you going to speak to this matter? I know you didn’t plan on it.
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Mr. M. Williams: I want to talk to the Chairman whoever I mean the board members is
one thing. The Chairman ought to be here to speak to this, Mr. Mayor, is the Chairman here?
Mr. Mayor: This matter was held or postponed until this time. There was information that
was supposed to be brought back to us and I’m not sure who the outside of the airport director and
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his. Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Mr. Mayor, I believe when this item was deleted from the Public Services
Committee it was sent back to clarify that it needed the process in which it was supposed to go
through and that was to ensure that it was Aviation Commission Board action and the question
was about getting it before the Commission to get it approved so that was why it was deleted just
to make sure they had the process straight.
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. Sias: And they requested that it be added to the agenda now because the contract that
he has is presently expiring.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay.
Mr. Sias: That was the genesis of why it was removed and brought back. Thank you.
nd.
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2 I believe you just
indicated you are also a member of the Aviation Commission, is that not true? All right, can you
speak to this matter, sir?
Mr. D. Williams: Well, it’s basically because due to the renewal of his contract and the
salary increase.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, do you want to speak to that?
Mr. D. Williams: Well, I’m in favor of it and during the meeting with the Aviation
Commission I was privileged to a lot of the reports that were provided regarding the work and
improvements. And the members of the Commission all agreed that the Director was deserving
of a 10% salary increase and of course I will go along with recommending that myself. And since
I do have the floor at the moment, I would like to make a motion to approve this item.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, thank you, sir. All right, the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think if you look down at three it says Section
7 – Salary. I think what a couple of Commissioners looked at was B, Item B where it says in
addition and what it allows is for the Aviation Commission to give raises without coming before
the county commission. So I think we have reservations about them being able to give a raise
without coming before the county commission. I think that’s the only thing holding that up.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, do you have a position on that, sir?
Mr. B. Williams: Well, I think we should take a look at that maybe send it back to
committee and let them take a look at it, think through it and then maybe send it back to us taking
a look at Section B.
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Mr. Mayor: So to the Commissioner from the 5 all right so we’re doing we’re going to,
there a couple of things that are going on. One, we have an airport director a very sought after
airport director who is operating with a contract that has lapsed and we have sent it back before
and it’s now in front of us. If there’s unreadiness about Item B and again as I understand it the
Aviation Commission has fully moved to support and/or adopt his contract. What we don’t want
to do is find ourselves as a body and we are simply affirming the action that they’ve already taken.
They have jurisdiction over the employees that are there and as such we’re simply affirming their
action. So I would caution us against unilaterally taking the position that you know because this
is a concern of ours that we stop them from retaining a very valued employee so I just want you to
think about that. Attorney Brown, I want you to speak to this issue around what are role is as it
relates to the contract.
Mr. Brown: As to the contract, the salary of the Aviation Manager or the Airport Director
is under the sole authority of the Augusta, Georgia Commission.
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. M. Williams: Under sole authority if I may repeat that of the Augusta, Georgia
Commission not the Aviation Commission.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, Attorney Brown, as a result of that regarding this contract I want
to make sure I ask for legal counsel. This matter that has been raised around Item B of the contract,
was there not any discussion with the Aviation Commission prior to it coming to us?
Mr. Brown: This Aviation Commission placed this item on the agenda. I saw that the
drafting was not, needed polishing. I have a staff attorney who is assigned to the Aviation
Commission. She redrafted it to put it in proper order and it is but the provision that’s in question
does, would appear to give the Aviation Commission authority to raise his salary without coming
back to the Commission. I would think if this is time sensitive this board could pass this contract
with the deletion of the I believe it’s ---
Mr. Hasan: 3B.
Mr. Brown: --- 3B and that would be an offering to the Commission to have a contract.
That 3B does remove from the authority of the Commission to control that salary and also may
intersect with the making a budgetary decision. If we allow them to do it, they could impact the
budget without that budget every having been approved by the Commission.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I’m going to go back to the Commissioner from the 5.
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Mr. B. Williams: With that said I’d like to make a substitute motion that we approve the
contract with the deletion of 3B. Is that appropriate?
Mr. Mayor: All right, that is appropriate provided I get a second.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown, all right everybody suspend,
Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: I will just make a note for transparency that the Commission at another time
had approved that type of provision before. I do not believe that it’s proper, however.
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. Brown: So that’s just explaining probably how it got in this contract it was in a
previous contract with that provision.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right, we’ve heard sound legal counsel from our Attorney.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I’m going to try ---
Mr. Mayor: I’m coming to you.
Mr. M. Williams: --- no you ain’t coming, I’m going. I’ve been sitting here waiting on you
to at least recognize me. You’ve looked to the left the whole time. Now I’ve got some comments
about around this issue. I don’t this issue’s done right. The lawyer explained it to us but we want
to address it.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Commissioner from the 5 has provided us with a substitute
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on the basis of the legal counsel. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I appreciate that. This item and nobody’s got a
problem with the airport director. This contract was a three-year contract, three years ago when
we approved this contract they had all this time to prepare another one to bring it. Here it is now
it’s saying it’s done expired, the contract has expired. Well, if we approve this the way it’s written
we’re not going to do that. I get that, Mayor Pro Tem. I can’t support it like it is because it’s wrong,
it goes through this body. The airport Aviation Board is taking more authority than it’s supposed
to have. They are an appointed group can be dis-appointed at any one time. We had an issue at
the airport a little while ago about some furniture, Ms. Bonner. Did that ever get straightened out?
How the airport bought furniture and sold it and didn’t know where it went. We ain’t found it yet,
it’s still lost because folks out there being able to do whatever they feel like doing. The body has
to answer to this. So if Legal is saying it’s not legal to do and we give them authority to do this
we’re going to be taking the position that we don’t need the power that we’ve been invested with
by being elected officials. They’re not elected. I support the airport always have but this thing’s
41
been pulled off the agenda on committee and then pushed back in under the rug so to speak again
so we wouldn’t talk about it and I’m sick and tired of playing games up here as if we don’t see
that. So I get that, I get that, Ms. Bonner. If I vote for it it’s going to be, I’m not against the Airport
Director, I’m not against giving him the 10%, but you can’t take the liberty to do what they want
to do when they feel like doing it. Next month they might decide to give him another 10% and the
month after that they might just give him the whole city I don’t know. So my point here are we’re
going to go by the rules or are we going to make rules as we go and I want a copy of the rules put
on the next agenda as well because we need to look at these rules. You don’t need to be recognized
to make a motion. You need to be recognized when you hold your hand up for but as far as making
a motion you’ve got to be recognized for a motion and second, child’s play up here.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor, did you ever get a second?
Mr. Mayor: I did not yet.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, can I second that ---
Mr. Mayor: You may.
Mr. Fennoy: --- but may I ---
Mr. Mayor: You’re seconding the substitute.
Mr. Fennoy: --- I second yeah.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Fennoy: May I say something, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: Yes, you may.
Mr. Fennoy: You know ---
Mr. Mayor: Would you speak into the microphone?
Mr. Fennoy: --- a couple of meetings ago we talked about rules and we talked about
following the rules and one of the things rules that we especially talked about is being recognized
by the Chair. And if we’re going to have this rule then we need to go by it. If we’re not going to
go by it then we don’t need to have that rule and we could continue to have chaos up here on the
dais, that’s all I want to say, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, Point of Personal Privilege if you don’t mind.
Mr. Mayor: All right, I have a substitute ---
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Mr. Hasan: Point of Personal Privilege, Mr. Mayor?
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Mr. Mayor: --- I have a substitute by the Commissioner from the 5 ---
Mr. Hasan: Point of Personal Privilege, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- and I have a second ---
Mr. Hasan: So a Point of Personal Privilege is not part of the rules, Mr. Mayor?
st.
Mr. Mayor: --- I have second from the Commissioner from the 1 All right, that’s our
posture ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- right now. All right, the Chair’s recognizing the Commissioner from the
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1 okay ---
Mr. Hasan: He’s through now.
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Mr. Mayor: --- all right from the 6 (unintelligible).
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, I appreciate it. Mr. Mayor, I have no problem absolutely to my
colleague’s point and he wouldn’t direct it at me so I’m speaking in a broader context abiding by
the rules. I got the rule book here, I learn as I go. All I’m saying, Mr. Mayor, I’m going to abide
by the rules we started in so many way attempting to respect the process of allowing you to identify
someone who makes the second. The person who makes the primary motion of what have you in
speaking until you call on them, I have no problem with that. All I was asking my colleagues to
do in that motion that we much earlier was to they have to reconsider previous action.
Mr. Mayor: All right, suspend.
Mr. Hasan: And so my point is, Mr. Mayor, if you’re going to respect the rules, let’s
respect the rules. Rescind, I’m sorry, rescind from a previous action. Those are the rules, those
are the rules from a previous action and so you caused a lot of turmoil because it was your position
on things and that’s the rule, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: I have a substitute motion from the Commissioner from the 5 with a proper
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second from the Commissioner from the 1, voting.
Mr. M. Williams votes No.
Motion Passes 9-1.
Mr. Mayor: I want to take a moment. We talk a lot about rules. We put it on the agenda
time after time after time and it doesn’t matter how many rules we have but common ground is it
43
all begins and ends with respect. And to the degree that I recognize individuals to speak from the
dais at a minimum, at a minimum what I fully expect is to be respected as the Chair of this body,
I fully expect that. And to the degree that a person is recognized he or she has the opportunity to
speak to the matter that is before us and debate matters again in a respectful way. But at a minimum
what I expect as the Chair when any of our committee chairmen are operating from that same place
the same should be offered to he or she and we can talk a whole lot about that but it begins and
ends on that basis. But for whatever reason we talk about this little book called the Rules of
Procedure for the Augusta Commission and reading is fundamental but from a parliamentary
perspective everything begins with the life of a motion. In our current context this is our current
practice. We tend to get sideways between practices and rules. Unfortunately many of our
practices we translate into well this is the rule but they are practices. But the life of a motion
begins with the Chair announcing an item a subject and a number. In our narrative our Clerk does
that. She reads the caption and when she reads the caption the next thing is for us what should
happen is that we have an opportunity to engage in debate asking any technical questions for
clarification or any of those things. The Chair should then ask for a motion followed by a second
---
Mr. Hasan: Not true.
Mr. Mayor: --- and as such we have practices and those practices have unfortunately
become what are perceived as rules. And so we’re going to begin again with at a minimum having
some level of decorum in how we conduct our business but also recognizing that respect is the
chief rule of the day, respecting one another not talking over one another. That’s the posture we’re
going to operate now. Madam Clerk, next item.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
43. Motion to amend Ordinance Code of Augusta Georgia, Title One, Chapter Seven, Article
Four, Section I-7-51 by repealing Sections 500.308 through 500.315 of the PPPM related to
Senior Executive Service (“SES”) employees; and to adopt a new SES Policy and Procedures
revising those related to SES groups and severance pay. (Approved by the Policy &
Procedures Subcommittee May 29, 2019. (No recommendation from Administrative
Services Committee June 11, 2019)
Mr. Mayor: Okay the Chair of the Subcommittee has stepped out. All right, the Chair
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recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Parliamentarian, my question to you is are we approving just the
SES employee section of the PPPM or what does this what does this entail?
Mr. Brown: That’s correct, Commissioner. It’s addressing the possibility of severance
pay.
Mr. M. William: Not the other stuff in the PPPM that we’ve been working on changing,
there’s several things that have been coming forth, this is particularly for that?
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Mr. Brown: SES severance.
Mr. Mayor: Commissioner, is that your last question?
Mr. M. Williams: That’s all I got.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I’m a part of this committee that’s looking
at this and obviously it passed with I think six months and what have you but there was some of
us was had some unrest with that and wanted to for the SES one and twos wanted to take that to
three months. Don’t know where they are at this particular time but obviously, I’d like to make a
motion to change that to three months of severance versus just six months and that to take place in
2020 as opposed to immediately. And that’s because we’ve got people that’s in this system who
are currently are looking at potentially hires who possibly are looking at what the severance looks
like and gives us an opportunity under normal circumstances to get them on board. But I’d like to
amend that to three months versus the six months.
The Clerk: To take effective 2020?
Mr. Hasan: 2020, January 1, 2020.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ll second that.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Other cities really don’t have a severance
package so to speak. If you leave employment voluntarily, you don’t get paid to do so. If you do
your job so ineptly that you get terminated, you shouldn’t get a severance package either. You
don’t award bad behavior by getting paid. I again state the best tool to get people to a job is offer
steady employment, compensation at a good rate of pay, a good workplace and then let them do
their job. Simple as that. I’m not satisfied with even three months. I can’t support this as it is and
I make a motion if I can make a motion, sir, I would like to make a motion ---
Mr. Mayor: A substitute ---
Mr. Clarke: --- a substitute motion that there would be no severance pay.
Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right, Madam Clerk, you recorded that?
The Clerk: (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I’m coming. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 9 He was making a second to the original motion.
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The Clerk: Well we don’t have a second yet, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: I seconded the motion Mr. Hasan made.
Mr. Mayor: I’m not recognizing you for that.
Mr. M. Williams: I want to be recognized. I need to make a second a motion, Mr. Mayor,
and a second but ---
Mr. Mayor: You can I appreciate it.
Mr. M. Williams: --- to do that today we’re going to talk about the rules. You’re way off
base if you’ve got to recognize somebody to make a second ---
The Clerk: Okay, you recognize Commissioner Williams to second Commissioner Hasan
---
Mr. Mayor: I did.
The Clerk: --- which is the original motion. Now we’re on the substitute.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second Commissioner Clarke’s motion.
The Clerk: --- okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
Mr. M. Williams: So it can’t die. Wait now, hold it, because the rules said if you don’t
get a second it dies for a lack of a second is what the rules say. Now you’re coming back and
asking for a second then people come up with a second. You can’t have but one motion on the
floor. That’s the one that was made earlier by Commissioner Hasan because the other
Commissioner Clarke’s died without a lack of a second, if you go back and dig up one you can
find one. Man, I mean I’ll tell what this is ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I believe there’s more debate about this matter. All right, I’ve
got a substitute with a second, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Fennoy: --- will what we are proposing affect, will the existing employees be
grandfathered in?
Mr. Mayor: All right, so with the substitute that has been proposed it is to eliminate the
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severance. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: It is to eliminate the severance going forward not to eliminate the severance
that we’ve already agreed to for existing employees that we agreed to that with them and they have
worked for that so it will not affect them at all the substitute motion.
Mr. Hasan: My question’s been answered.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I too am a part of the Policy and Procedures Subcommittee and
we talked about this item and I just want to address the fact to my colleagues and the public. One
of the things that you use in recruiting and retaining Executive Level Employees is a benefit packet.
And we had six, we had six counties that responded to our survey and out of those six four had a
severance packet irregardless of the amount in it, it’s a recruiting tool and four out of the six had
a severance packet. Now we have to understand we get what we get and it just says we move
forward and we’re booming, growing and supposedly progressive and I would just hope that we
that this body don’t stain any desire to come and work in Augusta. So if we recruit somebody they
come across country they definitely need some kind of cushion that we simply tell them we don’t
want you anymore. We’re not talking about being fired for cause, we’re not talking about
resigning, we’re not talking about retiring. We’re talking about employees who basically have
said resign or be fired and that’s not what I call that’s simply because you don’t desire to have
them anymore and that’s kind of understood in the Executive Level Employment. If you look
across the country that is the basic corporate model. It is also the civilian model so I’m just saying
to this governing body be aware of what you ask for because that’s what you’re going to get. So
with that being said if the desire is to have only a three-month severance considered but let’s clear
up a couple of points. Number one, this does not affect employees that are presently on hand SES
employees all of those are grandfathered in. If you retire or you quit you don’t get a severance
from this point forward but if you’re fired for cause you don’t get a severance but if you are asked
to resign in lieu of that is saying an employee may have been a good employee and an excellent
employee but doesn’t fit anymore. You just want to make sure, that is what the original intent of
this severance review was and still is, thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: Thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: I’ve got a couple of questions for ---
The Clerk: Mr. Garrett, can I get you to speak into the mike please?
Mr. Garrett: --- I thought I was.
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The Clerk: Thank you.
Mr. Garrett: I’ve got a couple of questions for Commissioner Sias if that’s okay. I wasn’t
able to attend that last meeting you guys had so what we’re discussing here does it pertain to
anybody that leaves voluntarily say if they take a job somewhere else, will we still pay them a
severance?
Mr. Sias: No.
Mr. Garrett: Does it state that specifically?
Mr. Sias: Yes.
Mr. Garrett: Okay, what’s different in this and what we had currently in place?
Mr. Sias: What we had currently in place if you retired, if you quit and you had been here
by the required time limit of the, if I may, Ms. Bonner. If you had been here and you were an SES
employee whatever reason you left you were able to get a severance. Now that wasn’t the original
thing that changed, that was added in probably what 11 years ago, Ms. Bonner, twelve where you
got a severance just for retiring and leaving?
The Clerk: Well ---
Mr. Sias: That wasn’t always the case, it was changed. So the bottom line is whatever
reason you left except firing for cause you would get a severance. That has, we’ve changed in this
policy. The only issue at hand at the moment is whether you are eligible for up to six months or
up to three months or just only three months period.
Mr. Clarke: Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think what we want to do in Augusta Georgia
is we want to make sure we attract the best talent. And we’re a large city I believe we’re the 3rd,
thth
4, 5 second in the State of Georgia so we can’t think like a small city. We’re going to have to
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think like the number two. I’m like the Commissioner from the 4 I would love to see us stick
with up to six months but truly and surely we should not go to zero because then we would really
truly be thinking like one of those small cities. If you want to attract talent and you want to
compete, if you want to be a big boy then you’ve got to act like one.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, okay all right, we’re going to deal with the substitute first, all
right? Madam Clerk, could you restate the substitute?
The Clerk: The substitute motion was to eliminate the SES severance package ---
Mr. Sias: Period ---
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The Clerk: --- right.
Mr. Sias: --- period.
The Clerk: Well, I wasn’t recognized, can I talk to him?
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Levity, it helps, it helps.
Mr. Mayor: --- absolutely.
The Clerk: But the substitute motion was to eliminate the SES package.
Mr. Mayor: All right, this is what we’re voting on. All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney
Brown.
Mr. Brown: I would just like to remind the Commission if I may in terms of the effect of
this vote it will not eliminate the severance. The severance currently is an ordinance and if you’re
going to have an ordinance you need to have the matter before you and usually it comes twice
before the Commission. I would consider this, maybe possible instructions for the committee to
go back and prepare something in accordance with the vote if that is the case.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, I know that Attorney Smith was in the meeting with us in this
conversation. Again I’m asking for legal counsel what is our posture in terms of what we should
do right now I’m asking the Attorney, I’ll come back to you in a moment.
Mr. Brown: You could take a vote to get the ---
Mr. Mayor: (Unintelligible).
Mr. Brown: --- you need the will of the Commission but I think, are you the Chair?
Mr. Sias: Yes.
Mr. Brown: I think the Chair of the Subcommittee may have more enlightenment.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. It was in the original motion in the agenda to do just that. It was
to deal with the ordinance piece as well. That is in the original motion in the agenda.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah all right so all right, why don’t we just take we’ll just take action on the
substitute as stated and with the understanding that we’ll have to come back and make the
ordinance changes as well, okay? All right, voting.
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Mr. Frantom, Mr. Garrett and Mr. Clarke vote Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Ms. Davis, Mr. Sias, Mr. B. Williams, Mr. M. Williams and Mr.
Hasan vote No.
Motion Fails 3-7.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Madam Clerk, we’re back to the motion from the Commissioner
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from the 6 and a second from the Commissioner from the 9 Would you state that for us?
The Clerk: That was to reduce the SES severance from six months to three months
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effective January 1 2020.
Mr. Mayor: All right, with the additions from Attorney Brown.
The Clerk: Yes, to amend the ordinance.
Mr. Mayor: All right, that is our current posture. All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney
Brown.
Mr. Brown: I don’t know if another commission may have well said this or not but that
idea I think is very unclear. I don’t think an ordinance can be drafted. There are too many other
if’s and or’s about that circumstance.
Mr. Mayor: Clarify, sir.
Mr. Brown: What does the maker of the motion intend under the different circumstances
if the person is asked to leave, if the person leaves to get a job, has not been here so long what
would be all the guidelines that would go along with it? Is he just saying to max out at three and
then the committee come back and fill in the blanks?
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Mr. Mayor: All right, I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, to the Attorney’s question, to the General Counsel’s
question, my position is we adopt the rest of the things that the committee has agreed upon around
a person leaving on their own, a person being terminated and those kinds of things. All those
things are in place if that is his question, but all those other variables are in place and it was up to
three months in that regard. Is that, I don’t know, Mr. Mayor, you can check and see am I
answering his question.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 6 now as I heard your original motion is was ---
Mr. Hasan: Three months is fine, three months is fine, three months is fine but everything
else that we agreed upon the committee those variable are concrete and stays within the motion.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, Attorney Brown, did you hear his inquiry? He clarified what his
intent was.
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Mr. Hasan: I didn’t change it, Ms. Bonner, so I’m going back to the basic.
Mr. Brown: The additional question would be did the maker of the motion intend for the
ordinance to go into effect in January 2020 or for people who are hired January 1, 2020?
Mr. Hasan: Anybody who’s hired after January 1, 2020 it goes into effect at that time
which should be the same thing. What’s the difference? We’re getting down to semantics here;
I’m talking to a lawyer you all.
Mr. Brown: We’re trying to see if we are changing the ordinance now. You’re instructing
us to have an ordinance that becomes effective then so to apply to the people who will get hired
then.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, that’s what we’re doing.
Mr. Mayor: Okay there’s still some unreadiness. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner
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from the 4.
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Mr. Sias: Thank you. Will my colleague from the 6 I’m going to ask him to reconsider
something because what I see here is if we don’t do all of this effective immediately then that
really appears to be sort of underhanded. If you’re asking folks to come here and we’ll have
somebody if they’re considered and then they’ve got to come in and get in before the end of the
year and we still have several positions to be filled. So that if we’re just going to do an honest and
above board then this should be effective immediately. We should not we should not use, if this
was not an enticement to then it should be effective immediately when we vote on it. Where we
was talking about you use some of this like to recruit and that’s exactly what you’re saying we
should do and delay it to the end of the year. So now we’re taking something that we are saying
we don’t need and where we was talking it’s a great recruiting tool I think really I would ask that
we should do this immediately if we’re going to do three months.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, can I respond to that?
th,
Mr. Mayor: Hold on, all right okay, you’re Commissioner from the 4 you’re asking him
to amend his motion?
Mr. Sias: That’s correct.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor I think I think they’re missing the point. What I said early on was
for all the persons removed I agree with the Commission with the term underhanded or be
deceitful. If we have people who are currently let’s say for instance we may have a couple of
Environmental Services, H.R. let’s say we have persons right now who are looking and we are
considering having interview session mid-July, they’re anticipating that, they have already looked,
we could have them on board by September or August. I did not want them to be impacted by this.
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So those positions that are open for all intents and purposes I believe 90% of them will be filled.
We may have one to make a decision around. But for the most people who are looking at the
government in open part we have everything on the table now. The only one I know that’s not on
the table in my mind is well I’m not going to get into what’s, but those persons I think we ought
to have those positions filled by the end of the year so those persons would not be impacted by
this. That’s why I was taking it to the first of next year, that was the rationale for that.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, let me weigh in on this matter. Again there’s some new data that has
been provided to everyone with regards to municipalities that may or may not offer severance to
employees at the executive level, six municipalities that were surveyed or identified. And this
conversation began as a simple conversation and that was will this government continue to provide
a severance for those same employees. Number two, how much? Those were the two elements
that we were debating. The other matters that were in your 3PM really had already been codified
or identified. The debate today largely still only should center around one, if we’re going to
provide a severance. I think that there’s some desire to do that. Number two, where the
unreadiness is is whether you’re giving six months or you’re reducing that to three months. That’s
really the heart of this conversation. You’ve already disposed of the matter that you’re going to
give severance so we know there’s an appetite for that. And so all of the other language I think
again makes this more complicated than what it is. So, Attorney Brown, the Chair recognizes
Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: Just one last comment because what I have is a real concern that we may here
unintentionally create some legal problems. And I know that the Commission has authorized the
Administrator to go out for an H.R. Professional and I believe we’re making serious H.R. policy
without their being an H.R. Professional on board, an experienced one. We all have an opinion
but to have an experienced H.R. Professional probably would be helpful to look at these policies
holistically and not do them item by item. So I would just ask the board to if it could possibly wait
to avoid the possibility of creating legal problems that we may not foresee with this language that
we’re using today.
Mr. Hasan: I’ll amend my motion, Mr. Mayor, if you want me too.
Mr. Mayor: I think that’s a very prudent posture. All right, the Chair recognizes the
th.
Commissioner from the 6 Hopefully he’ll agree with that.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I agree with that. I accept the General Counsel’s recommendation
and we just take this as information today.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, okay all right, he withdraws his original motion.
Mr. Hasan: Motion to take it as information.
Mr. Mayor: The Commissioner from the, the Mayor Pro Tem ---
The Clerk: Without objection, sir, he’s withdrawing without objection?
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Mr. Mayor: --- without objection, that’s correct.
The Clerk: Do you object ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second.
The Clerk: --- oh okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, to receive as information ---
Mr. Hasan: What took you so long?
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, voting. We’re receiving as information.
Mr. Sias: Are we voting on it?
Mr. Mayor: Yeah.
Motion Passes 10-0.
The Clerk: We’re now at Item 44.
Mr. Mayor: I want to go to Number 46, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
46. Review policy and discuss plans for ensuring safety of employees and visitors to city
buildings. (Requested by Mayor Hardie Davis)
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you, Madam Clerk. I do see a representative from the
Marshal’s Office here as well. I wanted to engage this body in a conversation, a broader
conversation, you can come on and approach Deputy Marshal Peebles a broader conversation with
regards to the issue around safety and as we continue this discussion it is an extremely important
one. I’ve already shared with not just the media but members of this body that matters like Virginia
Beach are happening all too often in this world that we live in and as a result of that, there are
corrective measures that we need to take as it relates to the security and safety of all of our
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employees and also our citizens who come in and out of government facilities. On June the 3 I
met with the Sheriff, the Marshal and the Interim Administrator to discuss these matters and every
year millions of America’s American workers report having been victims of workplace violence.
In fact, in 2017 there were some 18,400 injuries and 458 fatalities according to injury facts. There
are certain industries that healthcare service providers and education that are more prone to
violence than others. In fact taxi drivers are more than 20 times likely to be murdered on the job
that other workers according to OSHA. Workplace violence can happen anywhere and it’s
important for us as a governing authority to be engaged in that discussion at a high level. We do
have law enforcement personnel both in this building and outside who have sworn to take an oath
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to provide for the health, welfare and safety of all of our citizens. That’s not just those of us that
are employed in this building but every government building in our complex. And so to that end
I wanted to have a conversation not only today but an ongoing discussion about this matter related
to security. We have looked for an opportunity to engage all of our employees. We are doing that.
There again several conversations that are going on right now with regards to that. We want to
work in concert with the Marshal’s Office and the Sheriff but as a governing authority there are
things that we’re going to have to be prepared to do to make sure all of our employees those this
building some 400 plus are able to come to work safely, conduct their business and then go home
safely to their families. This holds true at the Public Defenders Building. This holds true at the
Judicial Center or any of our facilities and as such this again is an opportunity for us to have a
broad conversation. But also I’m not aware of any specific policies that we have as it relates to
the matter of security from a local government perspective but we need to make sure we’re front
and center on that. The Chair recognizes Deputy Marshal Peebles.
Deputy Marshal Peebles: Sir, I’m not here to make a presentation ---
Mr. Mayor: I’m aware of that.
Deputy Marshal Peebles: --- only to answer questions so I’m available to you. I would at
least recommend to the body that it would be very hard for me to answer a specific question
regarding security publicly. I would be ready, willing and happy to answer any question the body
or its members have individually or together in private but I would have to talk on very general
terms publicly.
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Mr. Mayor: Absolutely. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Certainly.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, for the most part our conversation with the Marshal in another
setting we kind of had a general conversation about security. I think your support to him and
instructions to him with the consent of the body was to put something in writing and bring it back
to us so in many ways we’ve addressed that. We’re waiting for him, for the Marshal just to bring
us something back. I think we and to the Mr. Peebles I don’t remember the title we’re not going
to much out of it because we know we need to do something but I think the more we talk about it
publicly the more we put ourselves in harm’s way. We are anticipating some information to come
back to us per our request and the other day with the Marshal we supposed to be bringing us
something back and to put it in writing the other day when he was with us. That’s one part of it.
I’ll just leave and say that now but I do have another comment so I’ll send a rebuttal if there’s
anything to that but there was a lot of instructions to him the other day to do that to bring us
something back in writing.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
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Mr. M. Williams: I just wanted to say one point, Mr. Mayor, we had a little bit of dialogue
with the Marshal himself and the only thing we can do is to add additional screening I mean as far
as security as far as coming in and out of the building. In my opinion everybody ought to be
screened, elected officials as well as that come into this building. And I know over at the John
Ruffin Building it may not be that way but we made the decision on this building as an elected
body we made that decision and I think that if we’re going to screen then even the Commissioners
ought to be screened coming in this building. If you’re going to be talking about security and I
don’t know what else we can do besides that I mean I’ve got my German Shepherds.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I think I showed you a picture of mine already. Again this is a very
serious conversation. I think it’s important and today pursuant to what the Commissioner from
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the 6 has said I continually call on our Marshal and our Sheriff to provide for an updated safety
and secured assessment and survey of all of our government buildings not just the ones that we
happen to occupy today but on all of our government buildings. And so that’s what I would ask
you to take back to the Marshal for an updated security assessment and a survey of all of our
government buildings because we have people working not just here. Animal Services, we’ve got
people working at Walker Street not just at the Judicial Center. We’ve got folks working on
Lumpkin Road at Central Services and I want people to come to work safely and go home safe the
same way to their families and that’s not something we can gloss over or take lightly let alone
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politicize. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, about 35/40-years ago most acts
of terrorism occurred in Middle-Eastern countries and across the country, across the ocean. And
I forgot who was in power at that particular time but he said there’s going to, and there was very
little acts of terrorism committed in this country and what they said it’s just a matter of time before
acts of terrorism come into this country. And since the school shooting, the blowing up of the
federal building the yesterday you had a gunman in front of the Federal Building so I think acts of
terrorism is here and it’s here to stay. One city Chief James I forgot what city it is but they’re
talking about arming their firemen because firemen have gone out on calls and they have been shot
at and they need to protect themselves. So I don’t know what it would take in order to make us
feel safe but I think it could start with everybody that comes into this building regardless of whether
they’re an employee or visitor or an elected official go through the screening. When I get on an
airplane I know the plane might go down but I feel safe because I know that everybody’s that’s
gone on the plane have gone through the metal detector so I feel sort of halfway safe. So I want
that same type of feeling that I have getting on the airplane coming into this building.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: I make a motion to receive this as information.
Mr. Clarke: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 10.
Mr. Clarke: Second.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, as we receive this for information I want to remind this body
that today I’m going to call for again an updated Safety Security Assessment and a survey of all
of our government buildings and I’m going to keep talking about it until the employees who are
communicating with me and with others not only know we’re safe but when I walk in and out of
this building or any building I know for a fact that we’re safe, okay? All right, the Chair recognizes
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the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I really don’t want to be a spoiler but I
think and we should do this in a different setting I will. I just want to speak to the Augusta notice
that you sent out yesterday. I think that should’ve went through our Administrator. Those
employees of Augusta Richmond County for intents and purposes work with, work for our
Administrator and our Administrator should’ve been allowed to handle that in that regard. I mean
to bring us into it like that saying that you worked with the Mayor’s Office and to get back with
you and people choose to do business where they want to. We can’t stop that but if we’re going
to try to right this ship in the midst of all these confusion because you know I was raised as a child
one word they was adamant about peace come out of confusion, you know? And so if we’re going
to do it right if we’re going to reach out to all employees by way of Augusta notice I don’t know
how wide that is that should be a role, that should be the responsibility of our Administrator and
we ought to respect that. I think that was something that was important if we do that if we’re going
to move forward around all these rules and these processes and these retreats and things that we’re
talking about I think that’s the appropriate way to go on that.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m going to make a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor. Reverend Fryer will
tell you that we’re living in the last days and things that’s happening all over the country don’t you
think that we’re unique in Augusta. It happens everywhere. But I’m going to make a substitute
motion that we just screen everyone elected officials as well coming into this building and make
sure there’s no weapons that can do any kind of destruction such as been happening all over this
country.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 3.
Ms. Davis: I’ll second that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, we’ve got a substitute motion with at least that action in it,
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Madam Clerk, you have that? All right the Commissioner from the 3 you want to clarify that?
Ms. Davis: What’s that, sorry, Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor: The question you were asking.
Ms. Davis: Well, I just didn’t know if we would need a start date on that. That might be
a question for Mr. Peebles.
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Mr. Peebles: I might would recommend a private discussion about this among the body
simply because there are some, we are prepared to move forward, the Marshal’s Office is prepared
to move forward with the screening immediately however there are some nuances that could
impact you that maybe you haven’t thought about.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, everybody suspend.
Mr. M. Williams: As soon as possible then.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ms. Bonner, the sky’s falling. Chicken Little’s
running around and scared but we’re going to withdraw that motion.
The Clerk: We’re withdrawing without objection, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Without objection.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right ---
Ms. Davis: Receive as information?
Mr. Mayor: --- Madam Clerk, we’ll just receive it as information for now, we’ll go back
to Items 44 and 45.
The Clerk: Item 46 was received as information unanimously. Item 44 discuss Ambulance
Service.
Mr. Mayor: We’ll take both of those as companion items, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
44. Discuss Ambulance Service. (Requested by Commissioner Bobby Williams)
45. Discuss and approve an agreement with Gold Cross for ambulance service. (Requested
by Mayor Pro Tem Sean Frantom)
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: Mr. Mayor, I yield to Mr. Frantom.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You know over the last few months we’ve
been having really good discussion and got to a better place with these negotiations, learned some
new things about the zone whether it could be or could not be as a part of the agreement not
contract and I think we’re at a place now to move forward. There was some discussion this week
between attorneys on how to make that happen and if you look at the last negotiations that the
Mayor and Commissioner Bobby Williams was at where we had eight, they had eight ambulances
we have three, they had an advanced EMT, the billing rates were based on what the City of Augusta
set and then the subsidy was in place with a prorated structure of I guess because we’re halfway
through the year it’d be $200,000 and then a $600,000 2020 $650,000 2021 and $650,000 2022 as
well as a Gold Cross person I guess in the 911 Center. Again this is all on the sheet that was
provided by you, Mayor, last, two weeks ago. I’d like to make a motion that we approve the items
on this contract as discussed.
Mr. M. Williams: We don’t have a contract.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I mean the agreement, I’m sorry, on the agreement discussed.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the second.
Mr. D. Williams: My colleague from four was first.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 4.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir. I do have a couple of questions I consider of legal issues, Mr.
Mayor, so I would hope that we can converse with the Attorney as I list a couple of those things.
Number one, we have no legal connection with the ambulance provider or the EMS Ambulance
Provider for Augusta Richmond County i.e. the Richmond County Zone. That puts us in the same
position of any other business in Augusta Richmond County so we just simply start subsidizing
businesses and we do this then that to me opens up a can of worms that anybody who wants to
subsidize can come up and sue us if we don’t give them one. I don’t see any grounds or any legal
grounds for us to give this private business a subsidy. We do not own the zone, we don’t have a
contract with them and we haven’t ran anything through any procurement process in spending tax
money or public money and that’s one of our requirements by our own code and the state law. We
have to do some kind of procurement process and we haven’t done that and we haven’t done it for
one reason because we don’t have a service that we’re providing. Number two, I think that also
puts us in legal jeopardy for anybody else that’s operating a business in this county to come up
and say well you gave them a subsidy I want one too. I provide, we can Veterinarians come up
they provide a service to Richmond County citizens so I just don’t’ see in any way, shape, form or
fashion that we can stand on legal ground and just say we want to subsidize a private company and
I’d like to hear from the Attorney on that, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Attorney Brown ---
Mr. Brown: Yes ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- can you answer Commissioner Sias’ request, questions?
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Mr. Brown: --- Commissioner Sias, exactly what question you want the answer to.
Mr. Sias: My question is just Mr. Attorney, okay then I understand that in this in areas
where counties may yield ambulance service folks, ambulance providers or EMS providers a
subsidy but that’s because they have some kind of connection with them. There’s a zone or service
that they contracted with these people. That is the most common method I’m aware of. Secondly,
this then is just are we authorized to just go out and just give subsidies to private companies? If
we are, then where do we stop at? Then I’m going to open me up one and look for a subsidy. So
I just want to know can we just provide is it legal to just to go and select the company and say
we’re going to provide them a subsidy?
Mr. Brown: Well, part of the premises I believe is not exactly factual. If the body chose
to provide a subsidy for Gold Cross they’re not just another company. They’re the only ambulance
provider for the city for Richmond County. Unfortunately, the state is the one who selects the
provider for the county so there’s no one else who stands in the shoes of Gold Cross to which we
could give a subsidy for ambulance services. I do think there’s a public service part of providing
ambulance services to the extent that there are a great deal of indigents or people who cannot afford
this service and it is within the helm of safety and welfare powers of this county to assist with
some of those needs. I am not saying that the city has to provide a subsidy but it is not clear to me
that that would be a violation of law to provide a subsidy for the only ambulance provider you
have here. Now if you had two ambulance providers here who are similarly situated and you chose
one over the other that would cause greater legal concerns.
Mr. Sias: Follow up, sir?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Sure.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mr. Attorney, for your thoughts on that but here’s a question that I
have then in disagreement with what you just said about indigent care. If that is for that that’s
seems somewhere in that agreement that should be reimbursable process where there’s detail
accounting of where these services were provided to the indigent personnel instead of just a blanket
amount of money that we have no control over whether it goes to that population that you just
mentioned. So for me then if we’re going to base it on anything like that what you said then that
should be an accountability piece and the best way with that is reimbursable expense, thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, is the, is our Procurement Director here? Mr. Mayor, may I ask our
Procurement person a couple of questions?
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Director Sams, if you’ll come forward.
Mr. Fennoy: Ms. Sams, have we sent out RFP’s for ambulance services?
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir, we have.
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Mr. Fennoy: And without naming a particular company could you tell, let me know where
we are in the process?
Ms. Sams: That process was cancelled ---
The Clerk: Ms. Sams, can I get you to speak into the mike please? Thank you.
Ms. Sams: --- thank you. That process was cancelled, it was cancelled.
Mr. Fennoy: should the, should the request for ambulance services based on your
procurement, how long have you been in Procurement, Ms. Sams.
Ms. Sams: Since 1999.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, well should the process for procurement of ambulance services be any
different than the process for electrical services?
Ms. Sams: Well, all processes has its own type of solicitation but in Augusta Code it states
that professional services which includes medical arts or ambulance services should be under an
RFP.
Mr. Fennoy: And if we choose not to use that process that’s in the code and award it to an
ambulance service, where would that put the city?
Ms. Sams: Well, your code outlines the process and my opinion would be that any other
method beyond those that are stated in the Augusta Procurement Code would likely violate
Augusta, Georgia’s code thus there does appear to be possible challenges and possible liability as
it relates to the city.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and in the, my last question, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
Mr. Fennoy: --- in the original RFP’s did it talk about a supplement?
Ms. Sams: I think it did, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay all right, that’s all I have ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- for right now.
nd
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, sir. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 2.
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Mr. D. Williams: I’m going to try not to go over some of a lot of the stuff have gone over
but one of the issues that I’ve been bringing out in negotiation meetings is the subsidy. Okay so
say we go use the subsidy for indigent care and poor people and those that don’t have any money
but how are we going to pay that $650,000 dollars next year and you haven’t even treated the
patients? So how do we know how much money or how much we need to pay for indigent care
and then here we’re getting a provider that wants to only provide service to a certain area to a
certain part of town. So if they get the part of town that they want, the majority of their patients
I’m speculating will probably have the money to pay the ambulance bill and the area that they
don’t want we pretty much sure that those people don’t have the money. So I don’t see the point
in paying them a subsidy ahead of time. Send me a bill next year how many patients you’ve seen,
how many patients was transported, then I’ll send you an invoice paying you for that service but
to pay that amount of money ahead of time I don’t think it’s fair to the members of our community.
And we talk about saving money but we’re going to give them $650 dollars for next years’ services
---
Mr. Speaker: Thousand.
Mr. D. Williams: --- thousand whoever it is you know what it is, you know what I mean.
You’re giving them money ahead of time that could be kept in our budget and used and paid when
the service is provided, and it’s not fair, it’s not right, you know because and like someone said
earlier, if I opened up a business and have some shortfalls and not making any money I’m going
to come to the city and tell the city hey, I need a subsidy and that’s not right. They’re in business,
ambulance services and they’re in business to provide ambulance services and we talk about if we
give them the subsidy the cost is going to go down. Cost is only going to go down to what the city
charges anyway and they only raise the price because we stopped paying them the subsidy. So
their interest is not in the best interest of our community so we need to be careful in going forward
in trying to approve this because if we don’t go through this process correctly, we’re going to have
some legal trouble on our hands, thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 8.
Mr. Garrett: I seconded the motion that’s on the floor but I also have a question for Ms.
Sams if that’s okay.
Mr. Mayor: Sure.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir, Mr. Commissioner.
Mr. Garrett: Back a couple of years ago we had an agreement with Gold Cross where the
city was paying a subsidy and they have the zone like they do now. Did we put an RFP out then?
Ms. Sams: Mr. Commissioner, the City of Augusta has let several RFP’s. We let an RFP
back in earlier years that was cancelled also but not cancelled by the Procurement Department. It
was cancelled by the Commission. And Gold Cross at that time received a contract and I don’t
know how that was handled. It was handled outside of the Procurement Office.
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Mr. Garrett: So it was done though outside of Procurement ---
Ms. Sams: Outside of Procurement.
Mr. Garrett: --- where Procurement wasn’t needed without any legal ramifications.
Ms. Sams: Well, there was some concerns about some legal ramifications but if we put
out the RFP and it was cancelled to do it this time when I ratify the opinion that there would not
be any challenges.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: I’d like to get an opinion from our Attorney if that’s okay with you, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, yes, sir, okay the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown.
Mr. B. Williams: Attorney Brown ---
Mr. Brown: Yes, sir.
Mr. B. Williams: --- in this particular instance is it not true that we did look at the contract
situation and said that may cause us more legal problems in that is it not true or should I say if we
just do a simple agreement with a subsidy and some dedicated items, would that need Procurement
or would that cause us any legal problems and agreement versus a contract?
Mr. Brown: Well, a contract is an agreement actually. I think you’re referring to a
particular arrangement that the Commission has been negotiating over a period of time. I did give
you a legal opinion as well as you received a Procurement opinion from the Director. I’d rather
not give too much detailed legal advice on the floor but as you are aware of what my opinion
would be on that particular contract. Now if you’re asking me about some other arrangements
with Gold Cross, it could be arranged to have a subsidy if the Commission so chose it could be
arranged to have a subsidy I believe in a way that would not violate the law.
Mr. M. Williams: Call for the question, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. B. Williams: Just with some conditions if we ---
Mr. Brown: You could have ---
Mr. B. Williams: --- chose to.
Mr. Brown: --- you could have the conditions of the Commission’s choosing in an
arrangement but before you actually approve the agreements you would need to have that
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agreement before you or have the terms specific and you would need Gold Cross’ agreement as
well. If you, you would need to get them to agree to your terms. You can’t just announce terms.
Here’s the money, these are the terms. You need to get an understanding with Gold Cross and it
probably needs to be memorialized in writing and to vote on it you should have that writing before
you.
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Mr. B. Williams: Okay with the items that we negotiated on May 30 there’s a column,
it’s the third column that was negotiated and both sides agreed to it. Now tonight would it be
proper for us to as a Commission to make a motion and agree with a vote to present those items
formerly as an agreement with presenting that to Gold Cross through maybe our Administrator
and/or our Attorney?
Mr. Brown: You could do so. I believe those are already been done. The complication has
come or that was in a different contract setting. Yes, you could instruct the correct personnel to
present and offer Gold Cross a subsidy with an agreement of those matters but the difficulties seem
to have been when it’s reduced in writing what appears to be plain seems to become difficult.
Mr. B. Williams: Well, all we could do I think as a body is to present those items, vote on
them and make them plain as you said and hopefully Gold Cross agrees to it.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, call for the question. I think you’ve got a motion and a
second on that one.
Mr. Mayor: All right so okay ---
The Clerk: I have the motion. Reference the list I have no record of the list you’re talking
---
Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right, all right, I’ve got a call for the question.
Mr. Fennoy: You’ve got unreadiness here.
Mr. Mayor: Okay I understand, there’s unreadiness I know. All right, I’m going to go to
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the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. Hasan: --- Mr. Mayor, I’d like to speak to the Procurement Director again for some
clarity.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Director Sams, please.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir, Mr. Commissioner.
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Mr. Hasan: Ms. Sams, when my colleague was asking about an RFP or RFQ, Family
Services, Engineering Services or whatever services are we talking about the normal process or is
that applicable to somebody or entity like Gold Cross who is the zone provider by way of the state?
Ms. Sams: Well, the Augusta Procurement Code does not address a zone provider. It
clearly addresses a process ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Ms. Sams: --- and your process must always be by competition.
Mr. Hasan: Okay so in this particular time are we in a position from what you know with
Gold Cross to create competition for Gold Cross by way of another ambulance company to put it
out on the street?
Ms. Sams: Well, we already know that there are other ambulance services (inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: Can we do it legally? Can we do it, if Gold Cross is the provider by way of
the state, can we create competition for them?
Ms. Sams: I’m not an expert about zones, I’m sorry I’m not understanding your question
perhaps.
Mr. Hasan: My question is Gold Cross by way of the state is the zone provider and can we
put an RFQ to bring other people to challenge them about providing ambulance services in Augusta
Richmond County based on the state? Now you know local law does not precede state law.
Mr. Mayor: Okay everybody suspend for a moment, everybody suspend. Okay, I want
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you to restate your question to the Commissioner from the 6. All right, there are two matters that
you’re raising. One again is this issue of statutorily who is the zone provider.
Mr. Hasan: Uh-hum right ---
Mr. Mayor: Pursuant to Rule 50, 51 from the Department of Health, they are, they ones
who drive the rules and regulations for the issue of EMS Title 50 I believe is the issue of how we
get to this place. Ms. Sams, the question you’re posing to her again I believe should be restated
or withdrawn in that she has no jurisdiction over how the zone is one, arrived at and what that
statutorily requires. Statutorily Augusta Richmond County Government has no jurisdiction as it
relates to the zone because of state statute.
Mr. Hasan: --- and that’s all I was asking.
Mr. Mayor: As a result of that, Gold Cross is unilaterally responsible for any and all EMS
services in Richmond County.
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Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I couldn’t have said it better and I appreciate you putting some
clarity to that and that was my whole point because you know I was getting, well I’ll leave that
alone since it’s clear. I won’t muddy the water up because that was my point. It’s been muddy all
day so I’d like to know, Mr. Mayor, what was the original motion because I want to make substitute
motion.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I don’t know because I was out.
Mr. Hasan: I’m not going to charge you for that.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: The original motion was to accept and approve the list as submitted by the
Mayor on 5/30/19.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: (Inaudible).
The Clerk: You’re adding that okay well that’s on the list. I mean that’s why I was asking
for the list. I didn’t know what list we were approving.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: The first one (inaudible).
The Clerk: Well, I’ll put it on the screen so everybody can see it.
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Mayor, I have a question for the Attorney before while the Clerk is doing
that.
Mr. Mayor: Hold on one second ---
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: --- I’m going to come back to you. Okay all right, our posture right now is
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the Commissioner from the 10 is next to speak to this matter and then from the 1, okay. All
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right, Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Yes and this is to the Attorney if you don’t mind. Mr. Brown, Attorney Brown,
based on your earlier comments what you see before you is a motion on the floor, I’m about to
make a substitute motion and I’m going to tell you what it is in advance so you can have a direct
perspective on where this question is coming from. I’m going to make a pretty much to adopt all
of these things in principal that was mentioned in the initial motion which Ms. Bonner is going to
mention in just a moment but I’m going to offer a substitute motion to lower the subsidies. With
that being said based on your earlier comments, is that appropriate that this can be voted on and if
it happens to pass whether it’s the substitute or the primary, can that be taken to Gold Cross for
negotiating purposes?
Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes Attorney Brown.
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Mr. Brown: It could used for negotiation purposes if that’s what you’re asking.
Mr. Hasan: Okay.
Mr. Brown: The terms are clear. There’s enough clarity in the motion with the paper
except this list also has two items on the back.
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Mr. Mayor: Commissioner from the 6 (inaudible) ---
Mr. Hasan: Yes, I’m ---
Mr. Mayor: --- you yield?
Mr. Hasan: --- no, sir, I’m asking what was the original motion?
The Clerk: What section do I, okay, Mr. Mayor, can we just read ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, everybody suspend.
The Clerk: --- if we read these in the record so it will be known what it is that we’re
actually voting on, which column will we, the latter ---
Mr. Brown: I believe it’s the third column.
The Clerk: --- the third column, okay.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, everybody suspend. Just glancing at what I just saw, Madam
Clerk, at least from the last conversation that I was a part of on Page 2 of that the item before the
last one was also stricken from that, yeah, that’s what I’m saying okay. So I’m hearing there are
two things that are not included.
The Clerk: No, you struck the zone provider section. Okay, so the items (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: The motion ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, everybody suspend, okay, hold on a minute, Attorney Brown, hold
on a minute. All right, the Commission will stand at ease for five minutes. All right, we’ll
reconvene and here’s our posture. I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the, so we have
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a motion from the Mayor Pro Tem and second from the Commissioner from the 5 from the 8
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okay from the 8. All right, I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 6 with more
information. There’s been a handout that’s been given to everyone for Item 44 and he’ll speak to
that. And it was brought to my attention I failed to see how Ms. Durant back there. This is, it’s
been a long day. Okay I just want to let you know I do see you now it was, all right Item Number
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48 I believe that’s why Ms. Durant is here, Item Number 48, okay, very good. Okay so here’s
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where we are. The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, as you know The Clerk just passed out,
Item Number 44 this is information was sent to us I think if I’m not mistaken Friday by General
Counsel. What you see there if you want The Clerk to read that as my motion this is my motion
Item 1 through 4. Also as you look at the footnotes and all of that takes place by way of the notes
and the subsidy amount I’m recommending is $400,000 dollars for the rest of this year in terms of
prorated. And we’re talking about for the 2020 we’re talking about $550,000 and 2021 $550,000
and that’s my motion. You can let The Clerk read it all officially into minutes if you chose to, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir, motion by Commissioner, well do we get we didn’t get a second on
that.
Mr. Mayor: Well, you’ve got a substitute.
The Clerk: Well the substitute but I don’t have a second.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. B. Williams: I second the vote.
Mr. Mayor: We already seconded that though the main, okay the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: I second the substitute.
Mr. Mayor: All right.
The Clerk: The substitute motion is to consider a proposal with Gold Cross with the
following conditions: Item #1. Emergency calls through the Augusta 911 Public Safety answering
point must be billed at rates approved by the Commission. 2. Provide eight ambulances 24/7
owned and staffed by Gold Cross dedicated to emergency calls through the Augusta 911 and
include the three Augusta Fire Department ambulances in dispatch protocol dispatching the closest
ambulance. 3. Each of the eight ambulances must be staffed with at least an advanced EMT and
all ambulance personnel must have their level of EMS certification clearly identified on their
uniforms. 4. Cooperate and take steps necessary to fully integrate Gold Cross computer aid
dispatch CAD system with the 911 CAD system with each party bearing its own cost associated
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herewith. The subsidies payable $400,000 dollars the first year prorated, $550,000 the second year
and $550,000 the third year.
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: I was just trying to get clarification of the motion. Were the other conditions
in the notes a part of the motion?
Mr. Hasan: Yes, they are.
Mr. Brown: I was just saying they were not read.
The Clerk: The Notes: Subsidy payable at the discretion of the Augusta Commission.
Subsidy equal to an annual amount payable in equal monthly installments. Subsidy not assignable
or transferable.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: And is that points that we are to take to Gold Cross to memorialize in a from
of a Memorandum of Understanding?
Mr. Hasan: Yes.
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Mr. Mayor: Okay with a proper second from the Commissioner from the 5, okay. All
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right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1 I’m sorry the Chair recognizes the
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Commissioner from the 10. All right he waives the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the
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1.
Mr. Fennoy: Mr. Mayor ---
Mr. Mayor: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: --- for the life of me I cannot understand why my colleagues are so anxious
to give an agreement with Gold Cross without, without taking under consideration what our
Procurement Director advises as far as the process is concerned, the fact that if we do that there’s
possible litigation from other ambulance services. I think that whatever ambulance service we get
it should go through the procurement process and if this body wants to circumvent the procurement
process with Gold Cross so we could deal with other companies and I don’t, I don’t know what
that will land us. One of my concerns and I don’t care if Gold Cross or who gets the service as
long as it goes through the proper procedure and the citizens of Richmond County get the proper
care. One of my concerns with Gold Cross and this happened eight/nine months ago at the
Brigham Center where a senior citizen had fallen and she was on the floor for 35/40 minutes before
ambulance service arrived. And the crazy thing about that whole situation is that there was an
another ambulance service right around the corner from the center but that service could not
respond because Gold Cross got the zone and if the Gold Cross didn’t dispatch them there they
could not respond. Had this been a stroke or a heart attack we would’ve had possible loss of life
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or permanent injury. Another one of my concerns is that two other ambulances services have sent
letters to me and I’m quite sure to all of my colleagues that they will provide the same service with
no subsidy. And again my question is why do we want to give a contract to Gold Cross and a
subsidy when we have two other ambulance services that will provide that with no subsidy
whatsoever. Would any of the pro Gold Cross people can answer that for me? Can I ask that
question, Mr. Mayor? Can I ask Mr. Mayor Pro Tem that question?
Mr. Mayor: I’ll tell you what we’ll do. I think it’s a good question, it’s a good question.
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I’m going to recognize if you don’t mind I’m going to recognize the Commissioner from the 4
and then we’re going to take action on the substitute that has been presented to us by the
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Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Sias: Thank you. I just have a couple of questions I want to get clarification on,
clarification on with this item. In Paragraph 2 are we saying that Gold Cross will be dispatching
Augusta ambulances?
The Clerk: Which document, I’m sorry, sir.
Mr. Sias: Item 44 thing that’s what I’m asking ---
The Clerk: Oh on the one that the Attorney and the Administrator ---
Mr. Sias: --- the one you just read off.
The Clerk: --- oh, okay.
Mr. Sias: I’m trying to get a clarification from the maker of the motion or someone is that
in Item 2 is that saying Augusta ambulances will be dispatched by Gold Cross?
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 6.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir, from the location, Commissioner, they’re the only ones based on
being the zone provider that can dispatch ambulances. Nobody else has the authority to do that.
Mr. Sias: What it is they can release it to our dispatch center to dispatch them (inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: Well, they can but that’s not what, but to your point the only the one here is
the one allowed to dispatch them.
Mr. Sias: So what I’m just saying they’re actually dispatching our ambulances.
Mr. Brown: Chief James probably would be the best to answer that question for us.
Mr. Sias: I mean he didn’t write this.
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Mr. Mayor: All right hold on, I hadn’t recognized him yet so just hold on the
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Commissioner from the 4. All right ---
Mr. Sias: But I’m still ---
Mr. Mayor: --- there’s a series of questions ---
Mr. Sias: --- yes, the first one I still haven’t got answers so are we saying that we’re
relinquishing our ambulance to be dispatched by Gold Cross? That’s what I see in Item 2 ---
Mr. Mayor: --- okay all right ---
Mr. Sias: --- Paragraph 2.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right, the Chair recognizes the Fire Chief if you’ll approach.
Mr. Hasan: He’s not best to answer that.
Mr. Sias: He didn’t write this.
Mr. Hasan: That’s what I’m saying.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, that’s my concern he didn’t write this.
Mr. Sias: Well, can I ask the Attorney?
Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: Yes, Chief James did assist in writing this. He is the person who is our, he is
the person who is in charge of EMS Services and who would be the one of the subject matter
experts. So if you want an accurate answer I’m sure Chief James could explain the answer if that’s
what’s desired.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, I will qualify that one statement with regards to who’s in charge of
EMS Services and that’s Gold Cross. Okay ---
Mr. Sias: I mean (unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: --- yeah, I understand. All right, so with regards to this document, everybody
just suspend. All right for Item 44 there are four paragraphs and some notes the Commissioner
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from the 6 has spoken to this presentation and the notes with regards to the subject. All right,
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there are questions that the Commissioner from the 4 has, Chief James, to the best of your ability
if you will (inaudible).
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Chief James: Mayor and Commissioner, that specific question is regarding dispatching the
units and I think the 911 Director would actually be the subject matter expert on who’s going to
dispatch those units.
Mr. Sias: I ain’t got all day.
Mr. Mayor: All right, so here’s what our posture is. All right, let’s just vote the substitute
up or down and let’s try to at least deal with that. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner
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from the 4.
Mr. Sias: I don’t want to be rude or disrespectful ---
Mr. Mayor: Sure, I’m recognizing you.
Mr. Sias: --- but if my question can’t be answered then finally just somebody said it
because I have another question.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the question can’t be answered.
Mr. Sias: My question is are we legally allowing Gold Cross to dispatch our ambulances
because that’s what it says in here and we need to understand that’s what we’re doing ---
Mr. Mayor: Well, it does say that. I mean it says that.
Mr. Sias: --- and I don’t know if that’s legal. My next question is my colleague’s motion
included a $400,000 dollars subsidy for one year and $550,000 for the second one and $550,00 for
the third year. Then if there’s a court case pending and if Gold Cross then the zone is opened up,
do we keep paying this subsidy are we obligating ourselves to pay a subsidy when the zone may
opened up by I think it’s Court of Appeals where this case is pending, that is my second question
---
Mr. Mayor: Okay, all right ---
Mr. Sias: --- I would like to get an answer.
Mr. Mayor: --- the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown to speak to the second question.
Mr. Brown: Can you repeat?
Mr. Sias: Yes, what I’m saying is since I did not if it’s okay with you sir, I didn’t see a
whatever you want to call it, not a sunset clause but an ‘if’ clause I didn’t see that in this agreement.
So my question is if they, the court rules against them and that is opening up the zone are we going
to continue to pay them this subsidy? I don’t see an ‘if’ clause in this thing or an escape clause I
didn’t see that in this document. So that is what I’m asking trying to get a clarification and that is
do we need to put an escape clause in this proposal.
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Mr. Brown: The subsidy is payable at the discretion of the Augusta Commission. At any
time the Commission is not bound to continue to pay Gold Cross for three years or even for one
year. The subsidy amount is simply letting, making a commitment that if over a yearly basis that’s
the amount that will be paid. The amount is actually paid monthly. The city could not pay Gold
Cross if it’s no longer the zone provider. Those are the details that would be in the MOU.
Mr. Sias: Okay ---
Mr. Brown: You can’t pay a subsidy, an ambulance subsidy for someone who’s not who
is not the zone provider.
Mr. Sias: --- that will be in the agreement that will be in the proposal.
Mr. Brown: It would have to be in the proposal. We could not pay Gold Cross if they no
longer have the zone.
Mr. Sias: Okay, thank you.
Mr. M. Williams: Call for the question, Mr. Mayor.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 5.
Mr. B. Williams: Call for the question.
Mr. Frantom: Thank God.
Mr. Mayor: Okay we have a matter of a substitute that’s before us with a proper second
that’s what we’re voting on. All right, I’m going to have Madam Clerk restate that so everybody
understand where we’re at.
Mr. M. Williams: We done heard that, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: Okay as long as you know what you’re voting on.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Hasan and Mr. Garrett vote Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Ms. Davis, Mr. Sias, Mr. Frantom, Mr. M. Williams and Mr. Clarke
vote No.
Motion Fails 3-7.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Madam Clerk, I think we’re back to the motion made by the
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Commissioner from the 7 the Mayor Pro Tem with a second by the Commissioner from the 8.
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Mr. Sias: Can we get a clarification on whatever that motion whatever that is?
Mr. Mayor: Sure, we will.
The Clerk: We’re going to put it on the screen, sir.
Mr. Mayor: Okay.
Mr. M. Williams: Mr. Mayor, we don’t understand that now. We done sung this song
now, I mean both motions ---
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- you either take a vote up or down, win or lose.
The Clerk: I’ll put it in the record.
Mr. Mayor: That’s correct. All right everybody hold on, hold on, hold on, it’s late in the
evening the sun’s about to go down. All right, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk: The original motion Mr. Frantom, Mr. Garrett was to accept the list as
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submitted by the Mayor dated May 30 2019 Item 1 extract deleted. Item 2. Eight ambulances, 24
hours per day from Gold Cross. Three ambulance 24 hours per day from Augusta. 3. Staff with at
least advance EMT paramedic preferred. 4. Gold Cross chance of first refusal if additional
ambulances needed and Augusta not going to provide. 5. Billing at rates set by Augusta, Georgia
annual review of market rates with rates to not decrease below current rates without approval of
both parties. 6. Subsidy: $400,000 prorated for 2019, $600,000 for 2020, $650,000 for 2021,
$650,000 for 2022, two one-year options to renew at same rate net. Gold Cross person and 911
Center the last one closest ambulance dispatched. The last one was ambulance locations: Augusta
Fire Department Station 9, 13, 18. Gold Cross, 2512 Wrightsboro Road, 2323 Washington Road,
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900 Baker Avenue, 10 and Walker, 2802 Regency Blvd. 2. Hephzibah Fire Station 16. Remove
EMS A.B. Fire Chief as Contract Administrator.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, the Chair recognizes Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: What I said was there are several of these terms here that were put in in
anticipation of having the contract that the city has been working on the last two years with Gold
Cross allow these terms would not really apply without a contract. Does it, is the Commission as
a part of this vote to negotiate a contract with Gold Cross? Are we going back to negotiating a
contract or are we just listing these terms?
Mr. M. Williams: We’re listing the terms and ---
Mr. Brown: Well, there are several terms including the Fire Chief being as Contract
Administrator that’s one term that would not make sense in this arrangement as well as a couple
of the other terms probably would not make sense in this contract such as on the first page of Gold
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Cross where it has C.G. but it should be G.C., Gold Cross person and 911 Center the chance of
first refusal there are several things here that when anticipated for a contract where the city was
the provider and the city is not going to be the provider. Gold Cross will own the zone completely.
Mr. M. Williams: --- then Mr. Mayor we need ---
Mr. Mayor: All right, so hold on a minute ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- (unintelligible).
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Mr. Mayor: --- the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9 state your inquiry.
Mr. M. Williams: So Mr. Mayor we extract those things that the Attorney just said in
previous contract as outlined not contract but agreement.
Mr. Mayor: Yeah, I think what we’re hearing is the term contract goes out the window
(unintelligible).
Mr. M. Williams: Right but I mean it’s something we throw around, something we think
we know we’re thinking and (unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor: All right, Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: You want to cross through Gold Cross personnel 911 Center, is that correct?
Mr. M. Williams: Right.
Mr. Brown: You want to cross through Chief James as the Contract Administrator –--
Mr. M. Williams: Right.
Mr. Brown: --- you would cross to remove the EMVAB that was MVSAB that was
specifically for a contract where the city would be the provider and the Gold Cross, also Gold
Cross chance to be first refusal is their zone they’re going to control that will come out and I
believe one more item in terms the use of the fire stations, would that entire section go out? And
in that all right also Station 16 would come out because the Chief would not be the Administrator
so Gold Cross would not be in Augusta, Georgia’s Fire Station 16. Whether there’s action in
Hephzibah or not is going to be up to Hephzibah.
Mr. Mayor: So ---
Mr. M. Williams: So moved.
Mr. Mayor: --- all right.
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Mr. Brown: Let me, remaining would be Block 2, Block 3, Block 5, Block 6, Block 8 and
portions of Block 9.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, you said Block 2, 3, ---
Mr. Brown: Block 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 portions of Block 9 well Block 9 with the exception Station
16.
Mr. M. Williams: So moved, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: --- well you already had a motion on the floor and a second. I think they’re
just clarifying what that looks like.
Mr. Mayor: Attorney Brown, it’s your understanding that if this measure moves forward
that these are elements of continued negotiations with Gold Cross?
Mr. Brown: Yes, this is what the Commission’s authorizing the Administrator not to take
to Gold Cross a formerly a Memorandum of Understanding.
Mr. Mayor: All right, voting.
Ms. Davis, Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Frantom, Mr. Garrett, Mr. M. Williams and Mr. Clarke
vote Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Mr. Sias and Mr. Hasan vote No.
Motion Passes 6-4.
ENGINEERING SERVICES
47. Discuss assessment of tree inventory, the process of the removal of hazardous trees and
the timeline of removal. (Requested by Commissioner Mary Davis).
Mr. Mayor: Madam Clerk, regarding Item Number 47 we’re going to move that to the first
committee meeting in July.
The Clerk: First committee in July?
Mr. Mayor: Committee in July, yes, ma’am.
Mr. Mayor: And we’ll take up Number 48.
The Clerk:
ENGINEERING SERVICES
48. Discuss/approve the placement of a monument in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
(No recommendation from Engineering Services Committee June 11, 2019)
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Mr. Mayor: Okay the Commissioner from the 1 I want to ask everybody to give due time
and consideration for this very important measure. This is the last item of business that we have
today but it is an extremely important measure. And so I’m going to recognize the Commissioner
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from the 1 who’s worked diligently with them if he’ll yield and we’ll recognize Ms. Brenda
Durant and Reverend Larry Fryer to speak to this matter.
Ms. Durant: Also joining us is Mr. Leon Maben who is on the Board of Directors for the
Lucy Craft Museum of Black History. Thank you and good evening. I don’t often say good
evening at a Commission meeting. I’d like to start by saying the Greater Augusta Arts Council is
the public art agency for the City of Augusta. I believe that term flew out of everyone’s head at
the last meeting. Reverend Fryer is here as a part of the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee
to answer any questions that this body may have. I want to just start with some basic information
about the Martin Luther King Memorial. There is a Martin Luther King Memorial Committee that
has been raising money and researching locations for a memorial in Augusta, Georgia. Recently
the location on the 900 Block of Broad Street in the median has been identified if you, you’re all
from Augusta you can picture this as in front of the old ‘Y’ the current TaxSlayer Building. That
is the 900 Block. This location was brought to the public art panel for approval. It was approved.
It was then sent to the Great Augusta Arts Council Board for approval. It was approved as the
public art agency and as the routine goes. Now it is coming to the Commission as we always do
for approval. What we are asking is for approval to mark that location as a location for a Martin
Luther King Memorial Park. We know that Broad Street is going to go under a big construction
for the TIA Project that is they’re in the last span. That will a couple of years from now so it won’t
be anything fast which leaves the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee to raise money for the
memorial. We are just requesting that we put a place holder on the maps of Broad Street that
would say MLK Memorial Park. We want it to be saved. We have talked to the City Engineering
Department. They’re comfortable with this knowing that is we don’t an image at the moment that
have flexibility as things are being put in underground, power, water things of that sort that we can
be flexible because again we don’t know what the what is in this case. The Martin Luther King
Memorial Committee has hired an artist to do a rendering of the image or images for the Memorial
Park. They are expecting these images soon. Again the routine would be these images would be
brought to the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee for approval. It would then be sent to the
Public Art Panel for approval, sent to the Great Augusta Arts Council for approval, sent to the
Commission for approval. We’re hoping to have that done for the January celebration at Paine
College. I said that Engineering was just asked us to be flexible and we have agreed to be flexible,
so that is where we are today.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, one let me thank the committee for the good work that’s being done
with regards to this. Much of what I’m hearing I’m hearing for the first time other than simply
knowing that there’s been a great deal of discussion, work and effort that’s gone into this and it’s
work that I’m extremely proud of to say the least as it relates to our city. I don’t know where the
rest of the body is and I’m hoping to entertain some conversation. I know folks are ready to go and
have some wings and who knows what else, ready to go home but our counter, our counter with
regards to the proposed location. Not having known or understood what the alternatives were,
when I think about where we are as a city and in particular the role that Dr. King has played
internationally while I understand wanting it to be highly visible in our city. When we look at
where our city is going in terms of the work that’s being done, our counter that two proposed and
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more meaningful locations would be one on the site that’s currently being remediated adjacent to
the canal where there’s been a host of conversations about making that canal walk a pedestrian
walk with park benches and other things where it could be prominent. It could be a place of
reflection, it can be a place of great consideration and it’s directly across the street from our Judicial
Center. One of the things that the drum major for justice often talked about is the issues around
equity, the issues around social justice and that area speaks historically to that. We talked about
the James Brown Heritage Trail other things tied to and connected with that. This is an unique
opportunity for us to take this monument this very important again figure in our nation’s history
and international history and do something that I think is not only collaborative but significant for
Augusta. But I also submit to you I believe that those partners who are working on remediating
that site where the old Trinity Church used to be that’s now across the street but will be moved
back could be partners in this discussion with us. When you think about having to engage in
securing funding for this it’s always easier when you have partners who look for opportunities to
do substantial things in communities of interest like Augusta and as such I would offer that being
considered before we decide today on Broad Street. And I’ll pause there and come back to the
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Commissioner from the 6 then the 9.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate you at least considering
another option to the location because I would like to do the same. I would like for it to be
considered right where they’ve done the roundabout at Old Savannah Road and Martin Luther
King Boulevard. There’s a roundabout there now, you can put it in the middle of that roundabout
they’ll be looking at several places there. We’re talking about in the next five years where the
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ACD is operating now probably already 12 Street that whole area would be built out as being
currently there right at Gordon Street right now building homes so it would be right there as you’re
building bringing families back in and for young persons as well as seniors to walk out their door
and in their neighborhood there’s a monument, as the Mr. Mayor would say, that the Mayor said
the drum major for justice right there in that roundabout where you can see for several different
locations in the intersection where the roundabout is. Thank you.
Ms. Durant: Can I speak for a second?
Mr. Mayor: All right, yes.
Ms. Durant: So I’m going to speak and then I’d like to turn it over to Reverend Fryer about
their search. But in the research that we’ve done about roundabout public art this is not a memorial
garden that would be seen afar. We imagine that people who come to see it would want to walk
up to it the way they do the James Brown statue currently on Broad Street. And so the roundabout
issue and we’ve had a conversation with Traffic is that we wouldn’t want to put something in a
roundabout where people would be parking or slowing down or trying to get out of their cars to
see it. So I would just for reference for future reference about roundabouts such as like a general
roundabout conversation. But then if you want to know about the history of where the Martin
Luther King Memorial Committee has looked Reverend Fryer has that information.
Reverend Fryer: Thank you, Mayor and Commission. We have been looking for as a
matter of fact a number of years since we had begun in 2007 when we announced the project at
Beulah Grove Baptist Church at the King celebration then. We have looked at a number of areas
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one in particular where the Mayor spoke of in front of the Judicial Center. It was one of the first.
Over in the area kind of area you were speaking of Brother Corey Johnson had mentioned that and
then of course Commissioner Matt Aiken who has walked with me some. We had talked about
downtown Broad and of course recently the area where Trinity was. And we thought that because
of who he was we were looking at having it where people of all races and colors and what have
you could appreciate and see it and be a part of it because he was a man of racial equality, because
he was a man that was about diversity and inclusion we looked at those sites. One site also was
mentioned but I told them I don’t think that would be a site where it ought to go was you know the
Judicial Center then you have that canal and you have the train tracks and someone had mentioned
that but I told them no that’s not good that’s dangerous. So the sites that are mentioned now we
think would be good once the Commission may say well this site or that site and we also will be
looking at that and go with that particular site. Of course we will be funding the project and this
will be one of the phases because there were some other phases of things that will be coming down
the road. But basically if we were here on Broad, if we were at the Judicial Center which I think
really compliments Dr. King and even when we were down the street by the old Trinity where I
even pastored would be good. So we are going to work together on making the best presentation
we can.
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Mr. Mayor: All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 9.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Reverend Fryer, Mr. Maben, I thank all three
of ya’ll for coming. I’m sort of a mind set too that where it shouldn’t be in the roundabout area
for a number of reasons. The first reason is that every Martin Luther King Boulevard has always
been in the hood. I mean in every city I go to and I think it’s time to expose to the world someone
who has laid his life down for mankind, not for black, not for white but for whatever is right. I just
think that we need to find a place though so I don’t want to be too hasty in making a decision. I’m
not really for Broad Street and I’m not against Broad Street but there is not enough room there for
the people that I can imagine will be coming in because Broad Street is a wide street if you’re
going down the street but the land area there is just, even James Brown statue don’t get the credit
it really deserves because of the location where it is. So I’m in support 150% if there is such a
thing. I think we’re on the right page. I think it’s something that needs to be done but if we do that
wow factor I’ve been talking about, Ms. Bonner, we can make a huge difference in our community
and folks across this country will understand that we are a progressive thinking city. Atlanta’s not
the only progressive thinking city. A lot of things that go on, Reverend Fryer, I don’t particularly
care about Atlanta but you can find something to do 24/7 and I’m trying my best to get Augusta to
open up and to be able to attract people in our city. With conversation about the James Brown
Heritage James Brown shined shoes, he sung under the streetlights along with Leon Austin who
you know and several other local people who didn’t have no history. They harmonized so those
are type things I’d like to see built back up. Brenda, you probably don’t know I mean you’re too
young to know about the Red Star when they’re were open 24/7 and the Tasty Shop ---
Ms. Durant: I appreciate that you think I’m too young to know that. I’m going to pretend
I am.
Mr. M. Williams: --- okay. Well, we had the Red Star, the Delmont, the Tasty Shop all of
those places and was in that area but it’s gone now and our young people don’t have a clue, don’t
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have a clue about what was there. Where the John Ruffin Building is across the street I was too
young to go in there but across the street was the Delmont, a restaurant with a hotel upstairs and
right across the railroad tracks is where the Red Star was right across from the post office. So I
said all that to say that I’m excited to hear, you know, how ya’ll are working together. I’m excited
to hear what’s coming. I just hope we do that wow effect and try to get everybody we can on board
to do something that’s going draw people to Augusta and when they come in, they ain’t going to
just look at the statue. They’re going to stop at the grocery store, they’re going to stop to buy gas,
they’re going to spend some money in our city and eventually maybe even move here. But that’s
my comments, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to put that out.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you so much. All right, we’ve got two more commenters but
what I’d like for us to do is receive this as information so that we can revisit these alternative sites
and have some more discussion about it, okay, with an understanding that we’ll reconvene in our
first full Commission meeting in July. Okay, the Chair recognizes the Mayor Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and thank ya’ll for coming before us. Do
you envision that I know you said that you privately funded the statue. Do you envision, Reverend
Fryer, that the city would kind of be an enhancement around that statue?
Reverend Fryer: Yes, I do. Of course we would look for the city to provide the land for
it.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Right.
Reverend Fryer: The official name of it is the Martin Luther King Memorial Statue Parks
and Garden ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got you.
Reverend Fryer: --- that is what we’re really looking to have. And of course wherever the
city feels it can help us we’re not turning down any support (unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: What’s the timeline?
Reverend Fryer: Well, now when were looking when she had said at first it was probably
those two years but if it doesn’t do then you’re saying now the other sites it could be longer because
I know they’re still doing work there at the Trinity site and I don’t know when that will be done
or when that will be completed. And if that you know with all the contamination they said is there
whether or not you would be able to put something there to grow if there has been contamination
and of course one of the places we thought we as a committee thought was the site across from the
Judicial Center.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Right. Well and I’ve got to say that to say that maybe you know this
might have to be something we look at a SPLOST project down the road if we know that there’s
a vision to make this happen and we as a Commission need to look at that also if we want to add
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it to the list or see where we can find that funding for the enhancement aspect. Thank you, Mr.
Mayor.
Mr. Mayor: All right, thank you. All right, the Chair recognizes the Commissioner from
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the 4 and we’ll close with the Commissioner from the 3.
Mr. Sias: Thank ya’ll for coming. We are going to accept this as information and
ya’ll keep us updated so we can get the clarity and details of what you want from the city
because we don’t want to hold this thing up forever. That’s my motion.
Motion Passes 10-0.
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Mr. Mayor: The Chair recognizes the Commissioner from the 1.
Mr. Fennoy: I second that motion but I also want to mention that on the river was also one
of the ---
Reverend Fryer: Yes, that’s right ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- proposed locations.
Reverend Fryer: --- yes, where the Jessie Norman Amphitheater is.
Mr. Fennoy: Right so but I think one of the things that they’re also looking for is once we
get the statue up and the park up that the city provides perpetual care for that particular area.
Reverend Fryer: Right.
Mr. Mayor: Okay all right, thank you. We’re going to receive this as information, Madam
Clerk, and we’ll come back and revisit this in July, okay? All right, if there’s no additional
business before us, we stand adjourned.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
Lena Bonner
Clerk of Commission
CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy
of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on
June 18, 2019.
_______________________
Clerk of Commission
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