HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegular Commission Meeting June 27, 2019
REGULAR MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBER
JUNE 27, 2019
Augusta Richmond County Commission convened at 2:00 p.m., June 27, 2019, the Hon.
Sean Frantom, Mayor Pro Tem, presiding.
PRESENT: Hons. Frantom, Mayor Pro Tem; B. Williams, Garrett, Sias, Fennoy, M.
Williams, D. Williams; Hasan and Clarke, members of Augusta Richmond County Commission.
ABSENT: Hons. Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor, Davis, member of Augusta Richmond County
Commission.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- Commission Meeting here in Augusta Richmond County. Madam
Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- officially start this meeting.
The Clerk: --- okay. At this time I call your attention to the invocation portion of our
agenda which will be delivered by Reverend Mark N. Van Alstine, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic
Church. Would you please stand after which we’ll have our Pledge of Allegiance.
The invocation was given by Reverend Mark Van Alstine, Pastor, St. Joseph Catholic
Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was recited.
The Clerk: Office of Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr., by these presence be it known that Reverend
Mark N. Van Alstine, Pastor St Joseph Catholic Church is Chaplain of the Day his spiritual
guidance and civic leadership serves as an example for all citizens of Augusta, Georgia. Given
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under my hand this 27 Day of June 2019 Hardie Davis, Jr., Mayor. Thank you so much.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Please join me in thanking Father Van Alstine for his service to our
community. (APPLAUSE)
RECOGNITION(S)
June Years of Service
A. Congratulations! 2019 June Years of Service (YOS) Recipients.
The Clerk: I call your attention to the Recognition(s) portion of our agenda which will be
led by Pamela Griffin, Employee Relations Lead for our Human Resources Department who will
have the pleasure of recognizing our June employees, I’m sorry recognition Years of Service.
Ms. Griffin: Good afternoon Mayor Pro Tem Frantom, Commissioners, special guests,
Directors and citizens of Augusta, Georgia. My name is Pamela Griffin, Employee Relations Lead
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for Augusta, Georgia. Today it is my esteemed pleasure to recognize the June Years of Service
Recipients. For the Month of June 2019 we have 28 employees celebrating 5 to 20 years of service
with Augusta, Georgia. This afternoon we would like to recognize our 25 to 50 Years of Service
Recipients. For the Month of June the total years of service in institutional knowledge being
celebrated today is 450 years. When I call your name please come forward. Jan Hardy, Civil and
Magistrate Courts 40 Years of Service. (APPLAUSE) Gregory Tutt, Engineering Department 30
Years of Service. (APPLAUSE) If you are here and I did not call your name please come forward
at this time. Congratulations to all of our Years of Service Recipients please join me in a round of
applause as we thank these employees for their loyal service. (APPLAUSE).
The Clerk: I call your attention to our Consent Agenda which consists of Item 1.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: And I’ll take any motions to add to the Consent Agenda,
Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: I’d like to add item for consent I’d like to add Item 12 through 18 and then I
have a couple more.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: 12 through 18 ---
Mr. Sias: Yes ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- is under consideration. Okay, Commissioner ---
Mr. Sias: --- I ain’t finished.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- oh I’m sorry.
Mr. Sias: And since I was involved with the TIA thing, I’d like to add Item 25 as well.
The Clerk: Would that be the updated list, sir, or the list that’s in the book?
Mr. Sias: Add the updated list that we’ve been ---
The Clerk: Just received?
Mr. Sias: --- yes.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Any objections to that ---
Mr. Fennoy: Yes ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- you don’t want them to be?
Mr. Fennoy: --- no, no not that but 12 through 18 I guess.
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The Clerk: Are you objecting, sir, how many?
Mr. Fennoy: On Number 8 we have a discussion on ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: He’s trying to get 12 through 18 on Consent.
Mr. Fennoy: --- 12 through 18 ---
The Clerk: 12 through 18.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah, 12 through 18.
Mr. Fennoy: --- oh, okay, I can go for that.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, so we’ve got 12 through 18 and 25 right now ---
The Clerk: And that consists of the updated list.
Mr. Sias: Yes.
The Clerk: Okay.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- Commissioner Dennis Williams.
Mr. D. Williams: I’d like to add Item Number 21 for Consent.
The Clerk: 21, sir?
Mr. D. Williams: Yes, ma’am.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can we get 22 as well?
Mr. D. Williams: I have no problem with that you can add (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Because 22 we’ve already passed it. Okay, so we’ve got 21 and 22
added to that.
Mr. Sias: 23 as well.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, Commissioner Ben Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Item number 26.
Mr. Mayor: 26, yeah that’s a discussion so we don’t know if we’re approving that so no
on that one. All right, any other ones we want to add, can I get a motion?
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Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
CONSENT AGENDA
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
12. Request to approve submission of the FY2019 Annual Action Plan, upon completion of
the required 30-Day Public Comment Period and authority for the Mayor, as Augusta,
Georgia’s Certifying Official, to execute the documents, including but not limited to, the SF-
424s and Certifications required to be included with this submission. Certifications of
Consistency with the Local Consolidated Plan for FY2019 Continuum of Care N.O.F.A.
grant competition are included in this authorization as well. The FY2019 Annual Action Plan
represents funding for the following programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD): Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program,
Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
Program, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. Any
comments received during the 30-Day Comment Period will be forwarded back to the
Commission.
13. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development’s (HCD’s) request to
substantially amend the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan and 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan, as
well as the 2014-2017 Annual Action Plans, to reallocate $275,000.00 to the funding year 2018
for the creation of an Affordable Housing and Economic Development Projects.
14. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide additional funds to the (4 affordable townhouses) Community
Development Collaborative to assist with construction cost of Ashley Landings @ Heritage
Pine.
15. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide funding to assist one (1) low to moderate income homebuyer with down-
payment assistance to purchase a home.
16. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development’s (HCD’s) substantial
Amendment request for the 2017 Annual Action Plan (AAP) to reallocate $12,606.82 in
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds and the related publication of 30-Day Comment
Period, as required by the City of Augusta’s HUD-approved Citizen Participation Plan.
17. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide HOPWA funding to St. Stephen’s Ministry for 2018 Award Year.
18. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD’s)
request to provide funding to twenty-one (21) low to moderate homeowners in need of decent,
safe and compliant services.
PUBLIC SAFETY
21. Motion to approve $17,000 from contingency for the Record Restriction Program.
(Requested by Commissioner Dennis Williams)
22. MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE MARSHAL FEE
SCHEDULE FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE CIVIL AND THE MAGISTRATE
COURT OF AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY, GEORGIA.
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ENGINEERING SERVICES
25. Approve Augusta-Richmond County 2022 Transportation Special Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) Priority List.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second to add those to the Consent Agenda.
Please vote.
Mr. M. Williams: Add and approve or just add.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Add and approve, voting.
Mr. Clarke: 23 is not supposed to be on there.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah 23’s, take off 23.
The Clerk: Somebody asked that, but you’re taking if off now?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah 23.
Mr. Sias: Commission from the (Unintelligible), he had some questions.
The Clerk: Oh, okay.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: 23 is off the list that you see on your screen.
The Clerk: Okay, all right.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
The Clerk: Okay, so that would be all items with the exclusion of Number 23 that you’re
voting on.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: That’s correct.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0. \[Items 12-18, 21, 22, 25\]
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Madam Clerk, if we can go to the Alcohol 3 through 7 for me.
The Clerk: Okay, Ms. Walton?
Ms. Walton: Good afternoon. The first item we have is Alcohol A.N. 19-18. It’s a request
by Nickolas Robert Prokosa for a consumption on premise Beer License to be used in connection
with Wedges and Woods located at 3731 Wrightsboro Road. This application has been approved
by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Planning and Development. Do we have any
objectors to this alcohol petition?
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Say his name and address for the record.
Mr. Prokosa: Nikolas Robert Prokosa address is 3731 Wrightsboro Road, Augusta,
Georgia.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve.
Mr. Garrett: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote. Oh I’m sorry,
Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Is that his address or is that the address of the business?
Mr. Prokosa: Both.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Ms. Walton: The next item is Alcohol A.N. 19-20. It is a request by Tasneem Hassan
Jamil for a retail package Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Super Express #1
located at 3150 Wrightsboro Rd. Suite A. Do you want me to read these two separate, Madam
Clerk?
The Clerk: We can do them as companion.
Ms. Walton: Alcohol A.N. 19-21. It’s a request by Tasneem Hassan Jamil for a retail
package Liquor License to be used in connection with H&S Wine and Spirits located at 3150
Wrightsboro Rd. Suite B. This application has been approved by the Richmond County Sheriff’s
Office and Planning and Development. Do we have any objectors to this alcohol petition?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can the applicant state his name?
Mr. Jamil: Tasneem Jamil, 879 LeLand Lane, Evans, Georgia.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Just one question for the applicant. In this facility is there access through the
wall or internal access from one business to the other?
Mr. Jamil: No, sir.
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Mr. Sias: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to approve.
Mr. B. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote for agenda items four
and five.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Ms. Walton: Our next item is Alcohol A.N. 19-19. It’s a request by Nader Khatib for a
consumption on premise Beer & Wine License to be used in connection with Laziza Mediterranean
Grill located at 901 Broad Street. This application has been approved by the Richmond County
Sheriff’s Office and Planning and Development. Do we have any objectors to this alcohol petition?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Name and address.
Mr. Khatib: Nadir Khatib, 523 Marble Falls, Grovetown, Georgia.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. Garrett: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote. We missed number six
so we need to go back there.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Ms. Walton: Alcohol number A.N. 19-22. A request by Scott Allen for a consumption on
premise Bee License to be used in connection with Great Scott Golf, LLC located at 4324 Peach
Orchard Road. This application has been approved by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and
Planning and Development. Do we have any objectors to this alcohol petition?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: If the applicant could state his name and address for the record.
Mr. Speaker: Scott Allen, 2422 Castlewood Drive.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Fennoy.
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Mr. Fennoy: I know with the restaurants and the bars but what is Great Scott Golf?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: He’s the new owner of Point South.
Mr. Fennoy: Oh, okay.
Mr. Allen: It’s a new name. It’s still Point South Golf Club, a different corporation.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay all right, I just didn’t know what (inaudible).
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Motion to approve.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Madam Clerk, we’re going to go to Agenda Item number 9 please.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
9. Receive an update from the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority regarding
status on the proposal for the new James Brown Arena. (Requested by Commissioner Bill
Fennoy)
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Johnson: Good afternoon.
Mr. Fennoy: Good afternoon. I just wanted to know where the Coliseum Authority is as
far as a new proposed location for the James Brown Arena.
Mr. Mayor: Cedric, can you state your name and address for the record please?
Mr. Johnson: Yes Cedric Johnson, 3387 Tanglewood Drive, Augusta, Georgia.
Commissioner, that’s a really good question and in order to be able to answer that question for you
I’m going to have to give you a little bit of history so you can understand why we are where we
are. Back in May of 2015, we brought in AECOM to do a study to find out if it was even feasible
to build an arena in Augusta at 10/12,000 seat capacity. AECOM came back and told us yes that
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we could support an arena. In December the 8 of 2016 we brought in Sink Combs to do studies
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on the best locations for an arena and we formed a new arena committee and the Chairman of that
new arena committee was Vice Chair of the Authority Brad Usry. We asked the Administrator at
the time Ms. Allen to serve on that committee. We asked Barry White at that time, the Convention
and Visitor’s Bureau chief person, and we also asked Henry Ingram from the Development
Authority to serve on that committee and they spent a tremendous amount of time looking at
different sites, locations and places for that to be done. In January the four sites that we had in
January there was a request from some of the Coliseum Authority members to look at the
Riverwatch site and in our openness in being fair we looked at that site, came back, did the matrix
on it and it was not a top site. In May of 2017 we were asked to look at the Regency Mall site.
We did the same thing, we went through the study, paid for that study and came back and it still
was not the high site according to the matrix. 2017 I mean in August of 2017 we came back,
brought the ad hoc committee together, the arena committee together and we looked at the again
back at the number one site which was the Bell Auditorium site and that committee consisting of
the people that I mentioned earlier Brad Usry, Ms. Jackson, Barry White and Henry Ingram and
also Darrin Smith was at that meeting. It was a vote then to go at the current site. That vote passed
with one dissenter not voting to go with that site. So at that time we decided to bring it back before
the Coliseum Authority to get their blessings to go on with the arena at the current location and
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basically in that meeting on August the 22 2017 the Coliseum Authority voted for the two to
build it at Regency and since that time we’ve been at an impasse. We brought it to this Commission
twice. This Commission has voted twice to keep it at the current site. With a lot of concern and
a lot of emotion I think this Commission decided to then put it on a straw vote nonbinding and the
majority of the Coliseum Authority agreed that whatever that vote would be at the time that they
would adhere to what the will of the people was. That vote was about 60% of the people who
requested that it stay downtown at the current location and that was done back in May of last year.
Since that time it has come up several times with the Coliseum Authority to go forward on a study
that we had done through Sink Combs which we paid $142,000 dollars for and basically what we
just wanted to do was to complete that study and what that study will tell us or let us know if the
downtown location is okay to build the type of building that we want to do. There are soil studies
and other things that need to be done. That has been brought back before the Coliseum Authority
at least three times to go forward and the vote has been not to go forward so that’s where we are.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Thank you, Mr. Johnson. My, I guess, I guess my concern is that I believe
that we are in need of a new arena. Personally I prefer the Regency Mall location however
whatever location the voters say they wanted is something I could deal with. If they say they want
it downtown then I support downtown, but what I’m having difficulty with is the Coliseum
Authority not moving forward one way or another. I think that anybody that has a visited the
facility lately sees that there’s a need for a new facility in order for Augusta to continue to grow
and progress, I think that a new arena needs to be a part of that process. When you say we are at
an impasse, it doesn’t give me much encouragement looking down the road and I guess my next
question is where do we go from here?
Mr. Johnson: Commissioner, let me say one thing and I’ll try to answer your question. On
the handout that I’ve given you, I do want to mention that we’ve done about approximately $6
million dollars’ worth of renovations to both the James Brown and the Bell Auditorium. $4.5 of
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that has been done the Bell. That facility will remain there regardless of where the arena is put.
That’s one of the reasons why it’s so important if we could keep it at the same location. If you’ve
been in The Bell lately, you will see totally almost a totally new facility and with new chairs and
you’ll see an example of the chairs, we’ve got a new sound system, we put new carpet in, we’ve
tried to do things to the bathrooms to bring that facility up to par. In fact, The Bell is one of the
largest outside of Atlanta grossing small theaters in the State of Georgia so we’re very proud of
The Bell. I agree with you on the James Brown Arena. The $1.5 that we put in there and we put
a lot more than that but we’re talking about SPLOST funds that we put in there has been really for
maintaining what we have. Our equipment is so old that some of the times we cannot buy
replacement parts. We have to go ahead and buy new mechanical equipment to keep it up and
running. We don’t want to put a whole lot of money in it because we’re hoping that sometime
soon we’ll be able to start on the new arena. You asked about the impasse, what is the impasse or
why the impasse. Well, the reality of it is we have four Authority members who have not agreed
to vote to go forward to do the study and that’s the impasse.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Johnson, I thank you for this
report. I agree with Commissioner Bill Fennoy the impasse doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere.
We did know that politics got mixed up in this thing when we put it on the ballot. We know that
we didn’t promote it the way it should’ve been promoted. A lot of people didn’t know what we
was voting on, the way it was structured, the way it was given out was confusing from the
beginning, we knew that. I’ve got no problem with downtown. I know business owners I’ve talked
to and invested in the city who don’t want it at Regency Mall location but that is the best location.
Now if there’s another location that is better than that then somebody needs to, you know, wave
the wand and make it appear so we can look at it. We know that the present location is where the
location is between two railroad tracks, they’re still there. We know that the parks are not good
there. We know that they area is congested. The church has done a lot of work across the street.
It’s just not the right location. Now if there’s a better one then that, not the deal now my colleagues
and I went around and around for a long time talking about the deal. Nobody’d mentioned the
deal yet I still think it’s a bad deal but the deal that the owner of the property wanted and the
location are two different things in my mind. If we’re going to change that side of town, if we’re
going to change the city as a whole, we need to build something. I don’t know where Ron is now
he talked about the wow effect earlier. We’ve got to wow the people, let them know that we are
serious about doing something. Now if we sit here and talk with the members who won’t move
forward then we need to change members. We need to put somebody in there who’s going to be
aggressive and go ahead and get this thing going. It’s not going to get any better as we grow with
all the other stuff coming. We get more and more congested, Mr. Johnson, and I think you know
that but I’m just disappointed as to why we’re thinking that because the area in my mind I’ve been
in this town all my life it’s going to have to remain like that. There’s a stigma that’s out there now
and still out there that’s you know that’s not the place to be. We can change all of that but if we
keep sitting on our thumbs doing nothing it’s going to get harder and harder to make that happen.
I guess my question would be, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, what do we need to do as elected officials?
How can we push this bus on down the road since the members won’t do something is there
something we can do as a body because it’s left up to us now. We’ve got the authority there but
is there anything we can do?
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Other than replace the members I don’t see, I mean we’ve gone down
this road before. We kind of said you know told them to move it along and didn’t really get
anywhere when we as a body said that.
Mr. M. Williams: My question to Mr. Johnson then, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, is how many
years have we been dealing with this, Mr. Johnson?
Mr. Johnson: Well, since the vote we’ve been dealing with it for about 14 months.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, that’s the vote but I’m talking about the arena itself. And you
know I tell people I’m embarrassed because of the James Brown Arena when we don’t even have
a wallet sized picture or anything of James Brown inside not even a wallet sized. So since we’ve
been talking about a new arena, I’ve been hearing we can’t get the big concerts because the
capacity and we need a bigger venue to attract people in and whatever, whatever. We’re between
Charlotte and Atlanta right now. I mean you don’t know how many hundreds of thousands or
millions of people go up and down 20 right by us and we get what’s left over because we’re not
aggressive. We’re still sitting here talking as if things are going to change. If there’s another piece
of property or another area that we can look at, I’m sure we’ll look at it now. But we need to go
ahead and make a decision because we’ve been dealing with this thing for about how many years
I was trying to get that exact ---
Mr. Johnson: I can tell you we started the first study to find out if it was feasible to build
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an arena May the 19 2015.
Mr. M. Williams: --- 2015, okay.
Mr. Mayor: All right, Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d just like to say for the record, you know, this is
one of the few issues in this community that has pretty much went up the food chain meaning that
it started with the Coliseum Authority Board, it came to the Commission, it ended up in the
people’s hands and it was nonbinding. Many of us as Commissioners you know myself did not
support the Regency Mall as the place but I said for the record that if it passed out there I would
support that you know. According to Mr. Johnson today, many of the Coliseum Authority
members said the same thing not only after that passed all of a sudden many of them reneged on
that. The Commission took action to vote to make a statement saying that the only place based on
all of those moving parts that we would support is that they put it back in the same location because
that was the wishes of the people. Since that time the vote has come up several times and they
have not moved. I think that is in my mind a dereliction on their duties. I think the four members
that are there I know none of us take pride in trying to tell people how to vote because we don’t
want to be told how to vote but this something that a decision was made by them. They reneged
on it. We made a decision and a public made a decision and I think we ought to take a vote, I
make motion that we move those four members off of the board.
Mr. M. Williams: I’ll second that.
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. I’ve got a couple of questions, a statement then a
question. The arena has been in that location for approximately 40 years and I hear all this about
the problems with the location but one of the things is our downtown is the core of our city and in
this instance due to the geographical layout of Augusta-Richmond County it’s in the right place.
The railroad tracks have been there ever since the horse days and they’re not going anywhere and
that has not that has not killed the operation of the arena. But my question, Mayor Pro Tem, is for
the Attorney. The Coliseum Authority operates those venues on behalf of this government. They
are appointed by this government. If, does this government has the authority to go ahead and for
lack of a better term direct what needs to be done with this arena?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: The answer to your question I believe is not directly.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: But so but you have three members that are, terms are up and then
you have three members whose terms expire in 2020. It takes a super majority to remove those
other three because their terms are not up but the District 9 Commissioners all have to support that.
Is that true or not true?
Mr. Sias: Mayor Pro Tem, I didn’t get my answer.
Mr. Brown: I don’t have all the details on that but that is approximately correct.
Mr. Sias: I want to understand what the Attorney meant by not directly.
Mr. Brown: Could you pose your question again? Are you saying that can the Commission
from where it is with the present members being seated direct the development of the Coliseum
Authority outside without going through a vote of the Coliseum Authority?
Mr. Brown: Of the Coliseum Authority members does this governing body has the right
to say we want to build this arena and direct what needs to be done for this arena or either establish
the process and do it.
Mr. Brown: Of course you could vote to give them and inform them of what your wishes
are but you cannot direct their vote.
Mr. Sias: I wasn’t directing their vote. I’m talking about directing them to build an arena.
I don’t care about the vote. That is my question. Do we have the authority to build an arena, this
governing body?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Without going through the Coliseum Authority, is that what you’re
saying?
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Mr. Sias: Yes.
Mr. Brown: Commissioner Sias, I think my answer would be better given after you let me
look into that.
Mr. Sias: All right, thank you but you know we can build for lack of whatever the needs
of this community, this governing body can build a facility and so that is my question then. So I
will look forward to a response to that at a later date, Mayor Pro Tem ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
Mr. Sias: --- from the Attorney, thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Any other dialogue? Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: As much as I would like to see the Coliseum Authority move forward with a
new arena, I think that this Commission will be setting a bad example if we remove Coliseum
Authority members from their positions because they choose not to move forward, because they
choose not to move forward. Now if we chose to replace members because their term has expired,
I mean that’s one thing but because of the number of authorities and boards that we have here in
Richmond County if we choose to replace them because we feel like they’re not doing their job, I
think we’re setting a bad example.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, sir. Commissioner Fennoy, I think under normal circumstances I
may possibly agree with you, you don’t mind me (unintelligible), Mr. Chairman, but if you
remember correctly, Commissioner, they overhauled the whole board because of something very
similar in nature and I think you know what I’m talking about in particular when yourself and
Woody Merry got into the altercation down there. The delegation decided to overhaul the whole
board and they downsized the whole board for whatever reason so there’s precedence for people
when people don’t do their responsibilities and I think this is what we’re looking at now, the people
not doing so this has been done before, drastic measures. They downsized the board from I think
at that particular time Mr. Johnson was not on the board he was on the Airport Authority and I
think after that the delegation put him as the Chairman, am I not correct on that?
Mr. Johnson: You’re correct.
Mr. Hasan: I’m correct on that and they revamped the whole the seven-member board
from about a 12 or 13-member board somewhere along that nature so it’s been done before. But
better yet let me say this here. Let me say this here and this is you know a lot of times in Augusta
where we sit from and including this Commission we don’t get it right but very often do we have
something we can point to we got it right. When we sit here and talk about the success and we
rightfully so and we should we talk about the success of Augusta Regional Airport. That airport
was overhauled under the leadership and the chairmanship of Mr. Johnson. As we talk about the
Coliseum prior to this event here in spite of where we are now, the impasse we’re at now, it was
13
headed in the right direction. It was becoming a profitable, that doesn’t mean the venue doesn’t
need to be replaced. In this incident so now it is being highjacked for lack of a better term in there
but he showed good leadership and good stewardship in that capacity and we ought to find a way
to support that. It’s very seldom that we don’t like that but those things have happened, that’s the
history, the facts of what they are and we have to just accept that. I think that we still, we have
enough responsibility at this point to remove those individuals who have neglected, who have went
back on their own word, who have defied what the public has said as well as defied the
Commission. I think Commissioner Sias got it right. I think that’s going to be a challenge for us.
I’m hoping he can do it that way but for sure I think we ought to move for dereliction of their duty
and I think the law gives us that right to do that. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Bobby Williams.
Mr. B. Williams: I’d like to make a motion we take this a information and let cooler heads
prevail and also give Mr. Johnson some time and maybe have a conversation with him but I’d like
to make a motion that we take this as information.
Mr. Sias: There’s already a primary motion.
The Clerk: Substitute ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Substitute motion
The Clerk: --- substitute.
Mr. Garrett: I’ll second that substitute.
Mr. B. Williams: Substitute motion.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: You second it.
Mr. Garrett: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Fennoy yeah, Commissioner Fennoy first.
Mr. Fennoy: (Unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Oh, I’m sorry. Well, I had you down again, Commissioner Clarke, I
mean Garrett. I’ll get that right.
Mr. Garrett: I keep hearing the word impasse but if I remember correctly from the last
meeting that you guys had I believe the dissenting members that didn’t vote said they asked for 90
days, is that correct?
Mr. Johnson: They did but Commissioner we’ve, over a year and every time we get to a
point where it’s time to go forward, it’s look at another site, give us 90 more days, the only thing
14
we want to do is go forward. The reason we want to go forward the longer we take to build this
new arena the more money it’s going to cost. The longer it stays up, the more money we’re going
to have to put in it. Now again it’s this Commission’s decision. We’re willing to serve and do
what we need to do but it’s your decision.
Mr. Garrett: Do you believe that in 90 days that there will be a decision that you guys can
come back to us with?
Mr. Johnson: No, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: You already took 365 now that ain’t going to happen.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Marion Williams and let’s wrap it up.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, sir. You know and I’m listening here and really it don’t
matter to me which place which site we pick. I just think the Regency sit is the best site because
we need the room. Nobody’s talking about the parking, nobody’s talking about the infrastructure,
nobody’s talking about the congestion. If we had the same amount of room downtown in the
present location we wouldn’t even probably be having this discussion but because it’s congested
because we’ve got to look at the surrounding areas we need to be thinking outside this box that we
have put ourselves in now. We ain’t but four red lights from downtown and everybody says well
we don’t want to leave the heart of Augusta. We’re still in the heart of Augusta if the Regency
site was chosen it ain’t but four red lights from downtown in that location. But look at the room.
If you look at other cities forget about Augusta go to another city and see that they’ve got the arena
downtown in the middle of congestion. When the show is over, you want to be able to exit and
get in and get out. I mean a lot of people everything’s shut down the Waffle House is open until
10:00 o’clock but after the Waffle House you can’t get nothing to eat so you got to get on the
highway. You ought to be close to the interstate. You ought to be able to get on the interstate and
get out of Dodge. Now if we were like Atlanta and got all kinds of stuff going on you might want
to stay here and spend the night but ain’t (unintelligible) wait until the morning at eat at the Waffle
House when you eat at 10:00 o’clock at night. So I’m saying let’s look at this whole picture of
where we need to be and what we’re trying to accomplish. If you build a big arena you’re going
to have more cars, you want more you’ve got more traffic, you’ve got more everything else so why
are you going to build more and put it in the same spot when you’ve got the same amount of
parking at. Are we going to have the money to build a parking deck? We’re going to need one
and then the maintenance of the parking deck got to go so let’s, I hope the people that’s making
the decisions are a lot smarter than I am and if I can figure that out somebody else ought to be able
to figure that out as well. So I think we’re playing games. We know that politics got wrapped up
in this thing, Mayor Pro Tem, when it was put out it was put out wrong. I had a lot of complaints
about people didn’t know what they’re we’re voting on because of they way they worded it ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We worded it.
Mr. M. Williams: --- well the way it was worded. I don’t care there ain’t no we now I ain’t
go no miles in my pocket. I don’t know who put it down. We told them to word it yeah. I didn’t
tell nobody to put nothing on it but the way it was put out it was confusing. Now let’s be real. It
15
was confusing to the voters on that ballot on how that thing was supposed to be done. And so long
story short whether the voters understand it or not, they elected us to make the decision good, bad
or indifferent. We need to make them we can’t go back to the voters and say ya’ll need to be the
Commissioner. They chose us to be the Commissioner. We need to make the decision and we
done made some good ones and we made some bad ones but we need to make some. We can’t
expect them to come in and take what they gave us to do and get back to them and they do it.
That’s the way to destroy the whole process and that’s what we did, we allowed that.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, so we’ve got a substitute motion, Madam Clerk ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- we’ll vote on that one first.
The Clerk: --- the substitute motion is to receive as information Mr. Bobby Williams and
Mr. Garret seconded it.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Voting.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Frantom and Mr. Garret vote Yes.
Mr. Sias, Mr. Hasan and Mr. Clarke vote No.
Mr. M. Williams abstains.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion fails 5-3-1.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Back to the original motion.
The Clerk: The original motion remove Authority members voting No as stated by
Chairman Johnson, Mr. Hasan and Mr. Marion Williams.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Voting, clarification?
The Clerk: You want me to clarify those, okay. Voting No, I believe Mr. Johnson, well I
just asked him three members were from the District 9 appointment and one was from District 10.
Mr. Sias: And I just wanted ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Sias, can you plate your mike?
Mr. Sias: --- I wasn’t recognized then I get the mike. Okay, thank you. Is Commissioner,
on my colleagues motion are you saying that you remove these people those ones that selected for
their terms has expired or because they voted no, I’m just trying to ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Because they voted no, derelict of their duties is what he said.
Mr. Hasan: Can I speak to that?
16
Mr. Sias: That was my request ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan
Mr. Sias: --- from the maker of the motion if I can get a clarification from him.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir, because I believe there’s two things at play here. I believe I said
dereliction of duty is number one. The Commission has made a decision because we was at this
point we made a decision that we don’t put money from downtown. The second thing is that
you’re talking about $140 something thousand study that they were not even allowed the study to
th
be completed. You know even though I heard my colleague from the 8 mention that you know
for 90 days you heard Mr. Johnson respond that this is a repeated cycle so we can see at this point
they’re making deliberate attempts to undermine the process. So with our vote as a Commission
saying the only place that we will fund it and then at the same time they would not allow $140
study just to be completed, I think that’s a dereliction of duty so that’s my reason for asking for
their removal.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, may I ask Ms. Bonner a question?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Ms. Bonner?
Ms. Bonner: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Ms. Bonner, when we have appointments to different boards and authorities
there are certain conditions under which we could remove people from boards and authorities if
their terms have not expired.
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and my question to the Attorney would based on not voting to move
forward, would this be considered one of the terms and conditions under which they could be
removed from office?
Mr. Brown: Commissioner, again regarding the topics of the makeup of the board is
powers appointments and reason or necessity for cause for removal is a matter that I would need
to review before I could answer that question with confidence. I would kindly respect the
Commission even though it can do otherwise I would ask that they reconsider and have this
researched and make sure that it has not created an action that would have to be reversed as a
matter of law.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Dennis Williams. Mike.
17
Mr. D. Williams: Mr. Chairman, may I speak to the Attorney?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes.
Mr. D. Williams: If we’re just looking at removing the individuals with expired terms,
there’s nothing wrong with that because their term has expired and they need to be reappointed or
replaced anyway, am I not correct?
Mr. Brown: Expiration of term would be a sufficient reason to remove them. That part
would be clear.
Mr. D. Williams: So if we address those individuals ---
Mr. Brown: Yet it’s not clear to me exactly who is being removed and what their terms
are. I haven’t heard any names and I haven’t any details of expiration of terms. There’s nothing
in the record to indicate who those people are, who those individuals are.
Mr. D. Williams: --- okay, thank you, Chairman.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll withdraw my motion and let the Attorney do
his due diligence but I’d like to keep that same posture but also I’d really like to consider that but
I withdraw my motion for the time being. Should I make another motion or can you come back
and give us a ruling on this, Attorney Brown?
Mr. Brown: If you would in order to preserve the topic if you wanted to amend your motion
to a motion to either receive as information or a motion to move this to another, the same item to
another hearing either one of those would suffice.
Mr. Hasan: I want to make, I make, amend my motion to the next Commission meeting,
move to the next Commission meeting.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: How can you do that, Attorney Brown, after the votes have already
been?
Mr. Brown: I have not heard a vote.
Mr. Hasan: This is the primary motion, mine was primary.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ve already voted, how do we ---
Mr. Sias: There was no call for the vote. Somebody might’ve hit their buttons already.
Mr. Hasan: All of us, it has not been exposed.
18
The Clerk: You can amend a motion ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- right now ---
The Clerk: --- yeah ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: (unintelligible).
The Clerk: --- but we haven’t published the vote yet. The vote hadn’t been published.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ve got a motion ---
The Clerk: And then those who ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- (unintelligible).
Mr. Hasan: Just to the next meeting with the Attorney can get a chance to look at it.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- the next full Commission meeting?
Mr. Hasan: The next full Commission meeting.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, do I have a second to that?
Mr. Sias: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Before we vote, Commissioner Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Can I get the Clerk just to give me a list of those who are terms that
expired anyway? I don’t have to wait until ya’ll get, I need a list of those members who’s already
expired so I can see that today or tomorrow whenever I get out of this meeting or right now for
that matter so we don’t have to go through --
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, so we’ve got a motion to move this to the next full
Commission ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- please vote.
Mr. M. Williams and Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
The Clerk: Mr. Mayor Pro Tem, I’ll send out the list to all members of the Commission
the current and the State Legislation governing the appointment of those individuals.
19
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Johnson: Yes, let me tell you first of all and this is from all the Authority members we
appreciate the SPLOST dollars that ya’ll put in there. If we had not had that $6 million-dollars
that ya’ll agreed to give us, we would’ve been in dire straits and would’ve been coming back to
ya’ll asking ya’ll for more funding to keep those two buildings up, we really appreciate that. And
that’s my way of telling you we’re going to need some more money when your next SPLOST
comes up, thank you very much.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you for coming.
Mr. M. Williams: Either way ya’ll going to build to that.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Could I get a Point of Personal Privilege?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
Mr. Fennoy: I would like to ask my colleagues by the next committee meeting ---
thth
The Clerk: The 9 of July, committees on the 9 of July.
Mr. Fennoy: --- okay to in the next Commission meeting will be when?
th
The Clerk: The 16 of July.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, the next by the next committee meeting to bring forth three possible
names that we can discuss because this will be consensus appointments?
The Clerk: On the Coliseum Authority?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Typically, yeah the District 10 side has three and then the District 9
and then they bring them forward like that, that has typically what has been happening in the past.
The Clerk: Or the Legislation could in states, you have three members District 9
Commissioners will caucus together to come with a slate of names and it would take at least four
members of the District to move those forward so the same would apply to the District appointees
in 10.
Mr. Fennoy: However, before it would take six votes ---
The Clerk: Six votes to ---
Mr. Fennoy: --- to get (unintelligible).
20
The Clerk: --- right, yes, to get there.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, ma’am, Ms. Bonner, let me go back, do that again for me?
The Clerk: Okay, there’s six members, seven of the Authority. The Chairman is appointed
by the Legislative Delegation. Three members are appointed from District 9 which consists of all
those Commissioners that are within the District 9 commission seat being 1, 5, 4 and 2. Then you
have District 10 Commissioners that have three appointees as well consisting of 10, 3, 7, 8 and 6.
Mr. Hasan: Ms. Bonner, can I you say you’re going to send the legislation so this is my
question. Is the question is the way we’ve been doing it from a practice perspective versus just is
what I’m going to say to make it clear about what I’m thinking I could be dead wrong so let me
do that and I apologize especially publicly and that is if I was to appoint the gentleman in the front
row I live in District 6, I nominate him rather and he has to and that seat is empty does a Super
District 10 appointee need to be made. That person only has to live in there but a person from
Super District 9 can make the appointment. He has to live in 10, he doesn’t have to come from a
person in 10.
Mr. M. Williams: You confused me. I thought I knew the rules.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: That’s not the way it’s been done in the past.
Mr. Hasan: That’s practice, I’m talking about (unintelligible) ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, we’ll talk ---
Mr. Hasan: --- okay.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- all right, let’s move forward, Agenda Item Number 10.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
10. Update from Historic Augusta regarding the Jewish Museum. (Requested by
Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy, is this your item?
Mr. Sias: Ms. Bonner ---
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Sias: --- a word?
21
Mr. Fennoy: Good afternoon. A while back we agreed to work with the Jewish
Community on a museum and I just wanted to know where you are, have you run across any
hiccups, are you on course, just an update from ya’ll as to where we are and maybe an anticipated
completion date.
Mr. Jolles: Thank you for having us here today, Mr. Commissioner, Mayor Pro Tem and
fellow Commissioners. I’m Nathan Jolles. I’m both with the Augusta Jewish Museum Board and
Historic Augusta and Eric Montgomery is to my right. He represents Historic Augusta as it’s
Executive Director and also a member of the Jewish Museum Board. We of course believe we’re
an integral part of Augusta’s cultural and faith corridor along Telfair Street. And we negotiated a
lease agreement I say we Historic Augusta did with the City of Augusta and it was signed back in
July 2016 and the Jewish Augusta Museum Board was set up previously in 2015, received 501-C3
status in 2015 and then we formed a sublease with Historic Augusta. The lease has provided a 5-
year window of time for the museum to be up and running. We’re well within the parameters of
the lease and the sublease which would call for the operation of the museum by if not before
October 2021. We have, based upon our research we’ve determined that the most viable plan and
I think it’s important for those who are not familiar that there are two buildings actually involved.
There’s the old Court of Ordinary Building built in 1861 one of the few fireproof buildings of its
time in that area. And then we have the actual Synagogue Building which was built in 1869. It’s
one of the ten oldest synagogue buildings in the country and I think the oldest synagogue building
of its kind in the State of Georgia that’s still the same building. And we found the most viable
plan is to restore and remodel the old Court of Ordinary Building and have it running as Phase 1.
And we formed a number of committees, we’ve hired a project manager, professional grant writer
who was affiliated with Golden Harvest, website master and we’ve hired Jim Webb of Studio 3
Design. And you see a picture of the architectural drawings that have been provided by Studio 3
and at this point we believe the next step would be to do some selective demolition, make sure that
there’s not any asbestos or mold issues inside the Court of Ordinary Building. Also, to make sure
that we’re ADA compliant as far as the bathroom sizes and to get in and out of there. And so
based upon everything we expect to initiate renovations of the old Court of Ordinary Building by
next summer if not sooner and to have the museum up and running at least Phase 1 by the summer
of 2021.
Mr. Fennoy: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can I get a motion?
Mr. Fennoy: Motion to receive as information.
Mr. Garrett: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second, thank you guys for that presentation.
Mr. Jolles: Thank you for hearing from us today.
Mr. Mayor: Please vote.
22
Mr. M. Williams and Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, we’re going to Attorney Brown for a motion.
ADDENDUM
28. Motion to go into an executive session to discuss litigation, real estate and documents that
are exempt under O.C.G.A 5-18-72.
Mr. Brown: We would request a motion to go into an Executive Session for litigation, real
estate and documents that are exempt under O.C.G.A. 5-18-72.
Mr. Garrett: So moved.
Mr. Hasan: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion carries 9-0.
\[EXECUTIVE SESSION\]
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’d like to call this meeting back to order Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: We would request a motion to close Executive Session.
Mr. Sias: So moved.
Mr. Hasan: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Go to Attorney Brown for a motion.
ADDENDUM
29. Motion to approve a settlement agreement and release of claims by Teresa Smith against
the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Augusta, Georgia.
Mr. D. Williams: So moved.
Mr. Sias: Second.
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote, I’m sorry.
Mr. Brown: In the amount of $38,000 dollars.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you. I’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Agenda Item 2, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
2. Report from Code Enforcement regarding abandoned ramshackle structure located next
th
door to the Georgia Crime Center on 8 Street. (Requested by Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Bill Fennoy, your agenda?
Mr. Fennoy: Yeah, I’d like to hear from Mr. Wynder.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Terrence.
Mr. Wynder: All right, good afternoon, good evening Commissioner Fennoy is this the
building next door to the Coroner’s Office?
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
Mr. Wynder: Okay all right so we’ve actually been to court on this property since 2017.
We’ve actually received six continuances on this property to get a demolition order. And the
reason why it’s been taking so long is because two business entities have been in litigation to find
th
out who’s the actual owner of this property. On June 5 or earlier this month we went to court to
try to get that order and found out that the property was recently sold so what we’ll do now is we
have to go back to court in September to hear it one more time. I’ve already contacted the new
owner. Ms. Bonner should have passed out some paperwork in reference to all the properties that
were sold in that area. It was about 69 properties that were sold in that area to the new owner. But
what they’ll do in the meantime is keep the property cut and cleaned but what I want to do is get
an order to tear the structure down but in the meantime push as hard as I can to get the owner to
either repair or demolish. What the owner would do within the next 30 days is speak with the
architect and the engineer to find out what can and what can’t he do with the property, either repair
or demolish it. We don’t have that information yet as to what he’s going to do with the property
but he recently purchased the property within 30 days, 30 days ago.
Mr. Fennoy: Do you know what the property was formerly used as?
24
Mr. Wynder: I do not.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, I think Commissioner Marion Williams talked about mothballing and
buildings that we board up and that building’s been boarded up for at least 15/16 years. And it’s
it just doesn’t look right especially it being so close to the Coroner’s Office. So maybe 60 days
from now you can come back with an update?
Mr. Wynder: Yes, I will.
Mr. Fennoy: Is that enough time?
Mr. Wynder: Yes, it’s enough time.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Is that a motion?
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
Mr. M. Williams: (Inaudible).
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’m coming to you, are you making a motion?
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, to receive as information.
The Clerk: Am I to add on the 60-days update?
Mr. Fennoy: And the update in 60 days.
Mr. Garrett: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Marion Williams then Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Terrence, I’ve got a couple of questions.
The first one is, is this the property adjacent to the property we just tore down on Twiggs Street
there where the old mill was that we’ve been and all this property runs together?
Mr. Wynder: Yes, it does.
Mr. M. Williams: I mean this backs up to that property that’s overgrown with kudzu and
everything else, the building’s about to fall in. I don’t know how many bodies may be buried in
there. We hadn’t been in there in so long but I ain’t got no doubt there’s something that’s
deteriorated in the years it’s been like that but, Commissioner Hasan, but this is nothing new. I’m
just amazed at how they can sell property to somebody but we can’t find out who owned that
property to get them, and how many continuances did they have, five or six continuances.
25
Mr. Wynder: It’s had six continuances ---
Mr. M. Williams: Six continuances ---
Mr. Wynder: --- since 2017 to find the rightful owner.
Mr. M. Williams: --- okay to find the rightful owner but the rightful owner sold it now.
He had to come through some court somewhere to get the title and everything else done but we
don’t seem to be able to find him. I guess my question is though, Mayor Pro Tem, is what can we
leverage or does the court have to leverage a fine? We can’t put no code in place to put something
significant put some teeth in this project to make sure people don’t continue to do what they’ve
been doing for years and years and years to come?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Terrence, can you speak to that?
Mr. Wynder: Well, technically we already have something in place. Any time we take a
property to Nuisance Abatement Court, they put what’s called Lis Pending on the property. That
doesn’t say that the property can’t be sold. It just, it’s like a buyer beware to say something’s
going on with this property, you need to look into it. Like I said before what I want to do is I still
want to seek a demolition order but just as a backup I’m going to push as hard as I can to get the
owner to either repair or demolish. And if we have to take the owner to Magistrate Court there are
fines and fees that come along with that.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay but, Terrence, we’re on the same team I think but something ain’t
working. We’ve got property been boarded up for years and years and years in that same scenario
you just described has been in place and some of us have been torn open but we let them stay
boarded up. I think it was for a year it was supposed to have been but then after that year we’ve
got some for 15, 20-years they’ve been boarded up. And if we don’t call it in or the neighbor don’t
complain about it, it stays like that. There ought to be a list of properties with a date when it was
boarded up or supposed to have been boarded up in order to come back and say hey your time is
up. Why do we have to, and they’re only in certain sections of this community. They ain’t like
that everywhere now. I mean there’s a lot of them but they ain’t all over the city they’re in certain
areas. But there ought to be something that will raise a flag at some point to say time is up on it,
the clock ought to, the alarm ought to go off or it ought to not keep ticking or something to let you,
us know that we need to do something with that. So I’m just amazed because we still ain’t got
those feed mills or what are those containers back there. They’re still back there. We had a time
getting, it looks better we got that building off the front but all the work we did on the canal out
there it just it’s like nobody can see it. It’s like it’s not been effective.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: You want some more teeth in the game.
Mr. M. Williams: Something’s got to happen.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can we look at other municipalities and see if there’s anything else
we can do?
26
th
Mr. Wynder: I’m currently doing that know and I think July 9 I’ll be coming back before
you all to talk about the research that I’ve done on other municipalities and their boarding
ordinances.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay thank you, Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to try and caution us. I think you said you
want to try and get it demolished and sitting on the Land Bank and you’ve got a, and I’m going
we have a piece of property that was demolished and the city paid over $100,000 dollars to
demolish the property demolish it you know because the owner wouldn’t take care of it. And they
also and the property is contaminated so I think we’ve done right for all intents and purposes in
doing that because the blighted structure is gone for sure but the amount of money that we put into
it, there’s no recouping it and at the same time we don’t seem to have any long term plan for that
piece of property. Now in coming to what you’re talking about on 8th Street, I think you ought to
at least have are you trying to demolish, have an idea of what it’s going to cost to demolish it.
Either we need to find a different or more cost effective way to demolish properties of this
magnitude because it could easily cost us a substantial amount of money and we end up with you
know and we really don’t have a plan for it. We’ve got a very, very expensive piece of property
now that probably once you get the structure off it the property’s worth about $7,000 dollars even
though you done paid about as much as $125,000 to get rid of it. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be
done. We may have to look at to try and find some inmates or somebody to do some demolition
when we run into those very expensive properties because this, it don’t have to be that but we need
to find a more inexpensive way to demolish structures of that magnitude. It’s just a lot of money
with no way of recouping your investment.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you, Commissioner Hasan. We have a motion and a second.
Please vote to receive as information and then bring it back what did you say ---
Mr. Fennoy: 60 days.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- 60 days. I’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Item Number 8.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SERVICES
8. Discuss illegal dumping in Augusta-Richmond County. (Requested by Commissioner
Marion Williams)
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Marion Williams.
27
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On Sunday a week ago I came along MLK
just below Olive Road and a guy in a roll off truck went into the stop, opened the gate and went
in. And I went around the block came back and parked took my phone. I took four or five pictures
of him illegally dumping on this site which is the site they’ve got cars in there. Rob Sherman
addressed it a while back but long story short here is I had this put on the agenda to find out what
can we do. I did talk to the Marshal and they ended up catching the man themselves the other day
I think Scott may have some information about that dumping on the same site. There wasn’t no
tag on the truck because I pulled behind it to get a tag number. I even pulled up beside to get a
name but with a cellphone I wasn’t able to screenshot enough to see what name on the side of it
was. But my point is how can we put some teeth in this how can we find a way? A lot of the stuff
is done on the weekend. I mean we’ve got officers we’ve got Marshals, we’ve got code
enforcement people, we’ve got meter readers, we’ve got people down the road all the time. Do
we need to start a reward program or something to reward employees for finding that kind of stuff?
Something’s got to happen; it’s not getting any better. It’s happening again in the same area the
same with, in the same community. It ain’t happening all over town so how can we ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Let’s here from Captain Peebles.
Capt. Peebles: Was this 2160 MLK?
Mr. M. Williams: --- correct.
Capt. Peebles: So our officers did go out there and the general contractor there claimed
responsibility for all of the debris that was there. He was advised that it needed to be containerized
and hauled off of the landfill which he has already begun the process of doing. We know at least
one truckload has gone and I believe all of the materials are now containerized properly, the place
is permitted, it’s under construction and so it seems to be within compliance at this time.
Mr. M. Williams: When you say permitted and under construction what place is that?
Capt. Peebles: 2160 Martin Luther King and that’s the corner of Martin Luther King and
---
Mr. M. Williams: No, no, no you’re in the wrong ballpark, you’re in the wrong ballpark.
I don’t have the correct address but it’s about Olive Road coming down into town. It’s on the right
there. This was a place, there is some construction going and some people doing some remodeling
there and the stuff was sitting outside. That’s not the illegal dumping. What I’m talking about
and I gave the Marshal I showed him a picture, a photograph of the truck with a roll off and the
guy stopped, got a key out, opened the gate and went in and dumped and I sat on the side of the
curb and waited until he come out snapping pictures and I’ve got four or five on my phone but I
couldn’t read the name of the truck. It was an older guy, black male, took his key out, unlocked
the gate and went in and dumped turned around and come out and locked the gate back. So it’s
not that location. There’s some construction going on and they had some debris which shouldn’t
have been there on the doorway of that building right across from the old 2160, a place you used
to run in and run folks out of there, Scott, you know what I’m talking about. But this is that place
you’re talking about is across the street there at the old Harry’s Music Repair Store used to repair
28
music stuff there. Somebody’s renovating that but up the street where old Ralph Finneman’s used
to be. There’s an Auto Works is the name on the building. Auto Works. You’ve got a chain link
fence around it. Rob Sherman’s been there, we talked about it several times. They’ve got cars
wrecked and dismembered cars sitting over there. The guy does not have a business but he’s still
got a business license.
Capt. Peebles: Is that south of where we just described?
Mr. M. Williams: Right ---
Capt. Peebles: Same side of the road?
Mr. M. Williams: Same side of the road and they’ve been going in and out coming along
one weekend then the officer had him pulled over with a roll back taking some more scrap cars in
there. Now the owner owns that property got a business license so Rob Sherman says but he’s not
running the business.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can we look at like what we can do instead of the one specific issue?
Mr. M. Williams: Well yes, sir, I want a final solution I’m just ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: What are the solutions can I get a ---
Mr. M. Williams: --- yeah.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Thank you. I’d like to get Mr. Terrence back up as well without the Marshal
going anywhere.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
Mr. Sias: One of the things several of my colleagues my colleagues today and some other
times have asked about putting teeth in it is and one of the things is I believe that me might could
do there’s apparently a difference between residential property and commercial property that the
Marshal handles and Code Enforcement handles. And I would just like to see if we look at that,
find out if these two entities, the Marshal and Code Enforcement, is willing to join forces. It’s my
understanding that the Marshal’s Department doesn’t necessarily handle the commercial property
but also when Code Enforcement does something with a commercial property then I heard Mr.
Terrence the Director said they have to go back and they need law enforcement assistance. So my
question would be to our Marshal and the Code Enforcement, would a change of the ordinance
assist where then the Marshal have that law enforcement authority for a junk and stuff on
commercial properties as well.
Capt. Peebles: Sir, I could, so the codes to differentiate who is responsible for certain
duties and it depends on which ordinance is being violated. But that being said when we address
29
a certain piece of property when our officers go there if we know that the violation is something
that they are unable to address because it isn’t within their authority based on the ordinance then
we work hand in hand with Code Enforcement. So even though the two entities are different
almost all of the properties we touch we communicate about so there’s, that same with the Sheriff’s
Office as well so there’s very much a team approach to each piece of property.
Mr. Sias: I’m going to follow up, and I agree with that but here’s the issue that what I want
to say. There’s this property located where I go every day and I’ll go through there we see these
junk cars sitting on commercial property. Normally if it’s a residential property we call the
Marshal, ya’ll take immediate action then but on that piece of commercial property ya’ll have to
defer that to Code Enforcement. And my question be not trying to dump a workload but to make
that team more effective, do we need an ordinance change so that because if the Code Enforcement
guy goes to that junk car on the commercial property, he got to get the V.I.N., he got to do all this
then he got to send it back to law enforcement and it takes three times as long as if the Marshal’s
Office went to that same location. So my question and what I’m asking you all is why not we just
change it so that you all have the same authority to get rid of that stuff on commercial property as
you do on residential property without trying to add a workload because you’re going to be
involved in it anyway. That’s what I’m think now. I ain’t saying ya’ll need to make a commitment
today. If ya’ll need additional resources to make that because ya’ll move there faster and Code
Enforcement’s got a struggle with that.
Mr. M. Williams: If I can respond ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes.
Mr. M. Williams: --- to what Commissioner Sias just said. I talked with Terrence and
Terrence told me the owner of the property so evidently Code Enforcement is not talking to the
Marshal because Terrence told me the owner’s name of the property and I knew the name when I
heard it. That wasn’t the guy that was doing the dumping now but the owner of the property Code
Enforcement has got that. They know the address, they know who owns that piece of property.
But if they was communicating like Scott just said, it looked like that would’ve been a conversation
that would’ve taken place and we’d be able to at least watch out if nothing else for that particular
area. Certain areas just don’t get the same attention. This is an area that’s been blighted. This is
an old junk yard that’s been sitting there for years. The neighbors have done taken as much as
they can take. Nobody wants to come through there, nobody wants to change it. They want to
leave it like it’s been for 2,000 years. Those days are gone and we’re going to do something about
it. It’s sickening to think that people can go on the weekend or anytime and just dump where they
want to with a roll back. It’s bad enough taking a pickup truck but you’ve got a roll off you’re big
and bad enough to take a roll off in there and then just take your time, unlock the gate and dump
it on somebody else’s property. So the property owner, somebody knows something and we sit
here acting like, I don’t get it.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: What’s the will of the Commission here?
Mr. Sias: I would like to ask those entities to the Marshal and Code Enforcement to look
at what their respective mission is and the resources needed because we have a lot of commercial
30
property incidents now and I can understand that either one taking on extra would like extra
resources, would need extra resources. I’m not trying to say just dump something on anybody.
What I’m saying is can we look at that, how can we speed that up particularly you the law
enforcement and ya’ll tell us what ya’ll need to do that. We’re saying we have a problem. I think
in my particular view I think you all have the opportunity to provide us a solution. I also think you
need to provide us with what you need and if we want it then we will make those resources
available that you need particularly with the Marshal if you pick up that additional requirement.
I’m not asking ya’ll to just strain but to say hey, we could do this, we could speed it up. You give
us this authorization and these resources. That’s what I would ask to be brought back, Mr. Mayor
Pro Tem.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can you put that in the form of a motion, Commissioner Sias?
Mr. Sias: So moved, I can restate that.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes, please.
Mr. Sias: That we ask the Marshal’s Office and Code Enforcement to come back
with a plan of how we can increase Marshal authority to handle commercial properties and
the resources needed for that.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Hasan: I have a question for you (unintelligible).
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: The resources I don’t know, I can’t speak for Code Enforcement but if I
understand this correctly the Marshal’s going to have the find the resources and they didn’t say
they wouldn’t but I just want to get ahead of that. That’s why we’re increasing the fees because I
think in previous conversation he was going to be another I know there’s going to be more serving
notices and stuff so he’s going to increase manpower which is going to be increasing by us
increasing the fees so I don’t need him to come back here with a $200 dollar $200,000 dollar
request when we’re increasing these fees.
Mr. Sias: If I may?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Well, Commissioner, if I may respond respectfully that was, that was again a
residential issue. This is, we have a lot, they’re not authorized to go into these commercial areas
so they in my opinion now and I ain’t speaking for them their original budget doesn’t include that
because that wasn’t their mission that’s why I said resources. If we want to get this done, let’s at
least hear what they say before we tell them not to say it ---
Mr. Hasan: Well, let me, can I respond to that?
31
Mr. Sias: --- that’s all I’m asking.
Mr. Hasan: Yeah, I mean and he can do that with additional money that he’s getting so he
can allocate that we can get him the responsibility and he can cover that because he’s going to
generate additional money with increasing the fees so he can incorporate that in his game plan. So
your timing is impeccable as usual.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Williams and Commissioner Clarke.
Mr. Sias: And yours as well.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I thought the Marshal was for
Richmond County. I didn’t know we had a Marshal for private entity and business. I thought the
Marshal was for Richmond County, am I right, Mr. Attorney? Somebody needs to help me out
because I ya’ll getting confusing here now.
Mr. Brown: It is a Richmond County Marshal.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, Richmond County. If it’s in Richmond County and they’re wrong
whether it be business or homeowners or whoever the Marshal needs to address it. That’s what
we’ve got Marshal’s for. Now you come out and giving them additional resources we always can
use money. Tell me some entity that says I don’t need no more money just give me some more
work. All we need to do is put teeth in this program where we go to the court if we have to talk
the judges about what we’re doing and how we’re trying to clean this place. I am sick and tired of
bringing stuff that other folks ought to be bringing because they’re ride up and down the road.
Now it’s more than picking up litter. This ain’t no litter thing on Deans Bridge Road going to the
landfill and they ain’t doing a good job with that but we ain’t got to have a different entity to do
this. We’ve got Code Enforcement and the Marshal. They’ve been working together so long half
of them work for the Marshal.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Commissioner Clarke.
Mr. Clarke: I think to clarify the additional fees that we approved for the Marshal’s Office
that was for the evictions and evictions only.
Mr. M. Williams: Where did only come from, where did the only come from? Did we
approved something only for evictions? If the funds are there, I don’t think it’s only now.
Mr. Clarke: We agreed to raise the fees ---
Mr. Mayor: All right ---
Mr. Clarke: --- we’ve got a motion on the floor, don’t we?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- yeah, we’ve got a motion and a second. Please vote.
32
Mr. M. Williams no voting.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 8-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Madam Clerk, we’re going to, Commissioner Williams agreed to
Marion Williams agreed to combine Agenda Items 11 and 27.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
11. Discuss the day-to-day operations of Augusta, GA. (Requested by Commissioner Marion
Williams)
27. Discuss rules and procedures of Augusta Commission. (Requested by Commissioner
Marion Williams.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. The day-to-day operations I had this
put on to the agenda because I thought the day-to-day operations went through the Administrator
or he or she whoever is the Administrator. And a lot of people don’t understand between being an
Administrator and a Manager. We don’t have a Manager but whatever this Commission votes on
is supposed to be carried out through the Administrator’s Office. We had an email that was
circulated from the Mayor’s Office, I think it came from, asking employees to report directly to
the Mayor’s Office about threats or something of that nature. Well, if it goes through the day-to-
day operations goes through the Administrator, why is the Mayor’s Office asking for stuff to be
sent to his office which would circumvent the Administrator, in my opinion.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Well, there’s certain agenda things that the Mayor’s Office is taking
the lead on.
Mr. Hasan: Not that one.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay but if the day-to-day operation and that’s why I put it the day-to-
day not certain agenda. You as an elected official got the right to put anything on the agenda you
want to along with the Mayor and myself. But the operations when you’re talking about having
people to report to the Mayor’s Office and not report to the Administrator then to me that’s
confusing at best, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I just thought I’d put it in there and maybe the Attorney
or somebody can tell me right or wrong or indifferent.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Attorney Brown.
Mr. Brown: I’m not sure what question you’re asking so let me answer this question. Do
the day-to-day administrative employees, do they report to the Mayor? The answer would be no.
They report to the Administrator and they should be directed by the Administrator and not by the
Mayor or any other individual member of the Commission body.
33
Mr. M. Williams: Well and that’s my point because if that’s the case then I can put that
same request in and have report to Ms. Bonner from me if I wanted to but we’re going to change
the structure of the government if we do that so that’s why I had this put on there. The other item,
Mr. Chairman, if that’s clear with everybody we go to the Item 27 and discuss the rules and
regulations. The rules upon being on this Commission, last Commission meeting the Mayor was
recognizing the body to make a motion. You don’t have to be recognized to make a motion; no,
you don’t and if you don’t know, you ought to ask somebody.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, all right enough of that. I mean what can we do, how about
a workshop? I mean is that something so we can fully understand because back and forth I hear
two different things.
Mr. M. Williams: Well, here we are again. The Parliamentarian is here. I mean if we’re
going to get it straight why are we going to take a workshop, take a half a day to do nothing when
we can do it right here. If the Attorney our legal tells us this is the way it’s operated, the Clerk has
got all those that information. Somebody needs to just clarify. We ain’t got to have no workshop.
You go to a workshop and nobody knows what we did or didn’t do so let’s clarify it and say this
is the way it is. But I mean if that’s the case I can control or you can control from who you
recognize or not recognize if you do it that way.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Attorney Brown, would you like to speak to that?
Mr. Brown: To the extent it’s not addressed specifically by our rules this Commission
follows Roberts Rule by default. Roberts Rules generally states that a person’s not to be, to speak
until recognized by the person who’s chairing the committee. However, I do believe I do not
generally like Commissioner Williams I generally don’t think all the workshops are necessary to
get things done but if I think if there’s going to be repeated concerns about the rules, I do think in
that instance that cannot be assigned to the Administrator or assigned to a department because it’s
Commission business about its own rules that if there’s confusion or concerns about any given
rules it may be helpful to have a workshop and prior to the workshop list any rules that clarity is
needed so we can do it all at one time so it will not be so interruptive to our meetings.
Mr. M. Williams: I guess my question is, Mr. Attorney, is though to make a motion I’ve
pulled items before and pulled items myself and before I can even speak on an item some says
motion to approve and somebody seconds it and in a lot of cases they vote on it. So to be
recognized to speak is one thing but to recognize to make a motion or to be recognized to make a
second, if I don’t want to second if I don’t want that second to be made I don’t have to recognize
somebody who’s fixing to make it. If I was the presiding person in that instance so how, that’s
two different things recognized to be speak and recognized to make a motion. And our practice
has been for years not just when these newcomers come along but for years when if you had a
motion, you make a motion. If you don’t get a second, it dies for a lack of a second.
Mr. Brown: I will agree with that. The practice of the Commission has not been, motions
have been made almost regardless of who’s speaking or as soon as there’s a moment and the person
says I move or make a motion and another person says second. Traditionally it has not required
34
recognition by the Chair. It’s been the practice of the Commission to make a motion almost at any
time during a discussion.
Mr. M. Williams: And your practice is what? Your practice is what?
Mr. Brown: It becomes your functionary rule.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay, thank you, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy, you awake?
Mr. Fennoy: Just barely. You know since this agenda item and even the last agenda item
has to do with the Mayor and how he conducts his meetings, then I think that we ought to wait
until he is here to get input from him to get his point of view so that we’ll all be on the same page.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, thank you, sir. Two things. I was going to recommend that we, based
th
on what we ought to do a workshop on July the 24 on discussing the rules and discussing the day
to day operations, I think that’s one of the biggest things. I saw some of the news reports this week
some interviews that you all done and I don’t disagree with anything that was said but I think we’re
at that point that that can help us along the way and we need to try and get that done and get it out
th
of the way on July the 24. But I also ask if you consider that that the way that we have been
operating let’s continue to operate up until we have that meeting. Now why is that important?
Because last week, last week’s meeting the prior week is when we attempted to start it but last
week we conducted the meeting we had two substitute motions on there and it was out there for a
while before it even got a second. And so when the Mayor, and I do acknowledge now the Mayor
when we’re doing his consent agenda and stuff like that we do kind (unintelligible) but under
normal circumstances we do get acknowledged to make the motion, not so much to second it
because the Mayor can innocently go to my colleague Dennis and call on Dennis next because his
hand was up but Dennis not for the second of the motion that’s on the floor. And the Chair did
rule, excuse me and our Parliamentarian did rule a week or so ago the Mayor does somewhat have
a responsibility to ask is there a second and that didn’t happen last week, and we was out there we
had two substitute motions on the floor for quite some time and the Clerk had to remind us she
didn’t have a second. So my point is, I’m sorry, two points. That we as a body continue to operate
until we have the workshop and we make the decision how we want to operate from there. But
thth
we have a workshop on July 24 which will be a Wednesday or July the 25 which will be a
Thursday.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Is that a motion?
Mr. Hasan: That’s a motion.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Can I get a second?
Mr. Sias: Second.
35
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we have a motion and a second, Commissioner Bobby
Williams, did you have your hand up?
Mr. B. Williams: No, I was going to second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Marion Williams to wrap it up.
Mr. M. Williams: Yeah, let’s wrap it up but Commissioner Hasan brought a good point
up. We had a motion to fail and wouldn’t go to the regular motion. The Mayor tried to get another
substitute motion and you can’t do that. That’s not in the rules at all. You have to vote on the
motion and the substitute motion. If that fails, you go the original motion.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right.
Mr. M. Williams: So there is a need to talk about these rules and what we’re supposed to
do and if we don’t know what we’re doing, we ought not be trying to operate in that vein. We
ought to go back to the farm.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Thank you. We’ve got a motion and a second to host a workshop
thth
July 24 or July 25, voting. Commissioner District 9, you’re not voting, you’re not going to vote
again?
Mr. M. Williams: I ain’t voting.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
Mr. M. Williams: It’s in the rules I can do that.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes, you can.
The Clerk: Is this work session to be for the day-to-day operations, discussion and well as
rules of procedure?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: That’s correct.
The Clerk: Thank you.
Mr. Fennoy vote No.
Mr. M. Williams not voting.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 7-1.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Madam Clerk, Agenda Item Number 20 please.
The Clerk:
36
PUBLIC SAFETY
20. Motion to approve assigning the honorary road name of Terry Elam to Augusta Tech
Drive. (Requested by Commissioner Bill Fennoy)
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Yes, as many of you may or may not know Terry Elam, the President of
Augusta Technical College, is retiring in November of this year. When Mr. Elam went to Augusta
Tech, it was a small building located behind T.W. Josey. He has expanded the campus here and
also have campuses in I think Burke County, McDuffie County. He has really done me a favor
because I’m going to tell you why. Because my son used to stay with me for 40 some years and
he went to Augusta Tech, he got an Associate’s Degree and he done bought him a house so I ain’t
got to worry about him no more and he has a job making excellent money. And opportunities like
this has not only been provided for my child but has been provided for other folks who didn’t want
to go to college but they needed something that would provide them an opportunity to support a
family. So for that reason the Augusta Tech Drive I’d like to, we have a honorary road name
change honoring Terry Elam.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, would you like them to speak on that?
Mr. Fennoy: Yes.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
Ms. Pearman: Good afternoon Commissioners and Mayor Pro Tem. I’m Michelle
Pearman, IT GIS Manager and we definitely recommend if it is the will of the Commission to
move forward with this. This is an honorary name; it meets the criteria for the road naming policy
and the official name of course since this is an honorary name will still remain Augusta Tech
Drive.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. I want to commend Commissioner Fennoy for
bringing this forward and if he don’t have an objection, I move that we approve.
Mr. Clarke: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I’ve got a motion and a second, Mr. Clarke or Mr. Williams, are you
good?
Mr. B. Williams: Yeah, we’re good.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, we’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
37
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, looks like we’ve got to go back to Number 19. We skipped
it but it’s going to be quick.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
19. An update of The Depot Project. (Requested by Commissioner Ben Hasan)
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, sir, Mr. Chair. I’d like to make a motion to delete the item from the
agenda.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, looks like we’re on Agenda Item Number 23.
The Clerk:
PUBLIC SAFETY
23. Motion to approve the award of RFP 19-191 Janitorial Services for Augusta Fire
Department Administration Office to Immaculate Facilities Group, LLC and to authorize
the Mayor to execute the appropriate documents.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, who’s going to speak to this one?
The Clerk: Mr. Garret had questions about that.
Mr. Mayor: Oh okay, Commissioner Garret.
Mr. Garrett: Is there anybody here that can address this one?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Chief James?
Mr. Garrett: Permission to address the Chief.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes, sir.
38
Mr. Garrett: Chief, I had a couple of questions on this item. I saw where in the book didn’t
really see a whole lot of information on it. I guess my question did this go through the correct
procurement process?
Chief James: Yes, sir. It was a sealed bid. It went through the Procurement Department.
Mr. Garrett: Do you know how many people were able to bid on this?
Chief James: The exact number I don’t know. It was several though and the Procurement
Department may have the specific number but on most cleaning contracts there are a lot of, hold
on, one minute, approximately eight or nine companies bid on the job.
Mr. Garrett: Okay, can I ask Ms. Sams to come up for just a second?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Ms. Sams, please come forward.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir?
Mr. Garrett: Ms. Sams, did the Procurement Department look through all of this
information before it was put on the agenda to approve?
Ms. Sams: Well, that particular item did not come back through the Procurement
Department.
Mr. Garrett: Okay, is that because it was under a certain amount?
Ms. Sams: No, sir. It was not because it was a certain amount. If you look at your agenda
item at the bottom where it says approvals you will see that the Procurement Office was left off.
Mr. Garrett: Would you suggest that this item and items like this come through the
Procurement Office?
Ms. Sams: I suggest anything with a bid or a contract come through the Procurement
Office.
Mr. Garrett: Thank you, ma’am.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, my question is to Chief James and through Procurement we
typically get like all the information behind the agenda item. Is there a reason we didn’t get all the
information?
The Clerk: They attached the item ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: But in 23 in our book there’s just this one page. There’s not the
typical information.
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The Clerk: --- yeah because it didn’t go through Procurement. They’re the ones that attach
the supporting documentation.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I got you, Commissioner Marion Williams.
Mr. M. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor Pro Tem. I had no idea. I thought it went through
the process and I’m wondering why it wasn’t much material but how old is that building, Chief, I
mean how long?
Chief James: We moved in that building in 2008 ---
Mr. M. Williams: 2008 ---
Chief James: --- 2007, 2008.
Mr. M. Williams: --- okay, 2007, 2008. And how was the maintenance work being done
prior to making this bid?
Chief James: Prior to this specific bid we had a cleaning company. We had this a cleaning
company came and did the building ever since the building was put there.
Mr. M. Williams: With our bid process when they came in?
Chief James: Yes, sir. Every company went through a bid process and we don’t put the
items on the agenda until we hear back from the Procurement. After you go through the process
then Procurement will send you a letter or they’ll notify you that the process is completed. You
have to give them a recommendation letter and then after that they say you can move forward with
sending it forth to the Commission.
Mr. M. Williams: But that didn’t happen this time?
Chief James: That did happen this time. The only thing I could think that was did not
happen this time is sometimes when you put the item in the agenda system you’ve got to click
specifically on, it’ll either send it to the default people that approve it or you have to specifically
hit Procurement Non IT or Procurement if it’s an IT item. But sometimes people think they save
that in there and may have missed that particular thing as it goes through the system. But we as
departments I know for our department after you go through the Procurement process and a
company is selected, you have to send a letter to Procurement letting them know that you
recommend it goes to this company and then Procurement lets you know you can go ahead and
put that in the system because it has to come to Commission for approval.
Mr. M. Williams: Okay and I guess my other question ---
Chief James: They informed us that it had to come through the Commission for approval
and that’s why we put it in the system.
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Mr. M. Williams: --- okay but I’m still lost as to when the bid process, the bid process has
got to go through Procurement before it gets to the Commission and it has to be approved by the
Commission but it had to go through Procurement before it gets there. And the company you had
before, is this the same company that won the bid again or is this another company?
Chief James: This is the same company we had before, yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: And the bid was up ---
Chief James: Yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: --- okay.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: May I ask Ms. Sams a couple of questions please?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yes, sir.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir?
Mr. Fennoy: Ms. Sams, Commissioner Garrett asked you a question about the process.
Do you remember what that question was?
Ms. Sams: He asked me if it had gone through the procurement process.
Mr. Fennoy: And your answer was?
Ms. Sams: And I said no that particular item did not come back through the Procurement
Department. And I asked you all to look at the bottom of your agenda. There you will find a list
of the departments that approved the agenda item.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay and your last comment or recommendation was what?
Ms. Sams: Well, all agenda items concerning bids and contracts come through the
Procurement Office. That’s the way it should be.
Mr. Fennoy: Okay, does that include ambulance services?
Ms. Sams: No, sir.
Mr. Fennoy: You don’t have to answer that question.
Ms. Sams: Thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Commissioner Sias.
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Mr. Sias: Thank you. Ms. Sams, I just want to clarify something and I think I understood
what you were saying. You said come back through Procurement so did the initial part and all that
come through Procurement?
Ms. Sams: The bids were handled by the Procurement Department.
Mr. Sias: So when it got ready to go on the Commission agenda, that’s where we had the
breakdown.
Ms. Sams: Yes, sir.
Mr. Sias: So it wasn’t like, there’s no concept that somebody ran out and did a rouge bid.
It’s just the process when it came back they, you know when ya’ll sent them that letter I think the
Chief referred to said yeah we made this and then you go through the same NOVUS Agenda
process to come through that goes through all these departments. And somewhere we had a
breakdown there so I would think then somebody should’ve said not anybody in particular but
somebody should’ve said well this is an incomplete agenda item. We need to do something about
that before you get to this point of all this lack of questioning where did it go or not go. So I think
it’s appropriate for all of us particularly submitting department that when you look at your agenda
item if something is missing, you need, somebody needs to holler, somebody needs to holler. So
if you start if off right, make it end right so in that way it’s not like we’re pitting one department
or one group against the other. If there’s an error, let’s work together as a unit to fix that error.
Thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay. All right, Commissioner Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: I’d like to make a motion that we postpone approving this until
Procurement gets a chance to look over the final details so we can see everything and have
an appropriate item to vote on.
Mr. Sias: Second, if I may.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Second to postpone, the motion was to postpone. Commissioner
Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: I’d like to make a substitute motion that we approve.
Mr. D. Williams: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Two things. To point to my colleague Commissioner Sias, Mr. Sias, I think
we just, I think we agreed in principal that we’re going to second like we’ve been seconding so we
need to nip that in the bud. But I also want to ask Ms. Sams a question. Ms. Sams ---
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Ms. Sams: Yes, sir?
Mr. Hasan: --- what did you miss on your end that was not done? I’m trying to figure out
which way to go on this vote. So what did you miss by not coming back to you? Did you miss
something? What would’ve happened if it came back to you ---
Ms. Sams: Actually the city misses something including ---
Mr. Hasan: --- your responsibilities.
Ms. Sams: --- which includes my responsibility. The whole purpose of the agenda item
being placed in the Muni agenda is so that you can send it to each department according to the
object codes where your money is being drawn from. So if you forget any one of the departments,
you should not allow that agenda item to go forward because everybody needs to look at every
thing that has happened because every department are not a part of the procurement process. Like
if it was something concerning IT, that particular items needs to be routed through IT, you need to
send it to ---
Mr. Hasan: Ms. Sams, I appreciate you giving me (unintelligible). I was just talking about
this particular item here ---
Ms. Sams: --- okay.
Mr. Hasan: --- what did you, what did not happen, what did not happen for you?
Ms. Sams: It did not enable the Procurement Department to attach all of the required
information to the agenda item.
Mr. Hasan: Okay, all right.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Commissioner Marion Williams and the we’ll vote on the
substitute.
Mr. M. Williams: I’m ready to vote but I know, whatever they’ve got two motions out
there but the rules are the rules and so let’s go by the rules. If that’s what it’s supposed to do, let’s
do that, that same thing we talked about.
Mr. Mayor: Okay, so we’ve got a substitute motion to approve the agenda item on the
screen, is that correct?
The Clerk: Uh-hmm.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, let’s vote on that.
Mr. Fennoy and Mr. D. Williams vote Yes.
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Mr. Sias, Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Hasan, Mr. Frantom, Mr. Garrett, Mr. M. Williams and Mr. Clarke
vote No.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Fails 2-7.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Back to the original motion to postpone until, what was the original
motion?
The Clerk: I think he said until Procurement has all the appropriate information. They do
have it but because they were omitted from the routing, they were not able to attach the appropriate
bidding documents. So if that’s what you’re looking for we maybe can send it forward and at the
next meeting and have them attach all those items, is that what you’re looking for, no?
Mr. Garrett: Full Commission meeting.
The Clerk: Full Commission, yes, sir.
Mr. M. Williams: For Ms. Sams to look at that.
The Clerk: Yeah so that, that the item be rerouted to include Procurement because what
the Commission decided to send it through Procurement to make sure that it has gone through the
appropriate bidding procedures and processes and to attach all the relevant information to that
particular bid process.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay.
Mr. Brown: Also, Commissioners, I’d just like to make note that it possibly could have
been a minor error with using technology where it was not selected for that and that’s why it was
not included. But we will take note and make sure that doesn’t happen in the future, thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, thank you. All right, does everybody understand the
motion? Please vote.
The Clerk: Next Commission meeting with appropriate attachments from Procurement.
Mr. Fennoy votes No.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 8-1.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Agenda Item Number 24 please.
The Clerk:
FINANCE
24. Present 2020 Budget Planning Calendar for approval.
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Mr. Administrator.
Mr. Sims: We have our Finance team coming up regarding this matter. I think also you
all received your surveys and the Finance team will come and briefly talk about those.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: No, some of us haven’t gotten them to it.
Ms. Williams: No, I didn’t get but a couple.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Yeah, we’ll get them to you.
Mr. Sims: Okay, so we’re still waiting on ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ll get them to you.
Mr. Sims: --- thank you.
Ms. Williams: Okay and along that survey line we’ve got a couple of do overs. The
instructions were to rank them 1 through 10 and use each number only once. We got one or two
back that six out of the ten items were ranked the most important and got a score of ten. That
really kind of skews the results so we’ll be contacting a couple of people and ask them to kind of
let’s take another shot at it. So and then for those that didn’t, I would appreciate you sending those
back to Ms. Lena. Okay but you’ve got the budget calendar in the book. I really don’t have a
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whole lot to expound on that. The drop dead dates on there are October the 15 and November
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the 19 and everything in between is on to some degree flexible. If you’ll notice, you asked for
more work sessions. Every available week we schedule work sessions if they are needed and we
will kind of work through this process but we wanted to make sure that everybody had the
opportunity to get together and discuss the budget items.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Sias.
Mr. Sias: Thank you, sir, move to approve.
Mr. Fennoy: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: We’ve got a motion and a second, please vote.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 9-0.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: I think we’re on Agenda Item Number 26 please.
The Clerk:
ADMINISTRATOR
26. Discuss extended holiday for employees.
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Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Administrator Sims.
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Mr. Sims: Yes, Commissioners, back in 2017 for the 4 of July you all provided an
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extended holiday. You all allowed staff to be off from July the 3 in 2017 so what we’re asking
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for discussion today is to consider the same thing this year 2019 for July 5 to be an extended day
off. I emailed you all some items for consideration that you might want to have with your
recommendation. Those items are taken from the Finance team regarding the cost, regarding also
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July 5 as a pay date what would it, if you all made a decision to have us, have that day as a
extended day what we would have to do as far as an organization to allow that to happen. So today
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we’re asking for your consideration to consider July 5 as an extended day off for our most
valuable resource in our organization our workforce. Thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioners, the cost was $216,000. Where would that money
come from?
Mr. Sims: That cost consists of mainly from Law Enforcement, Public Safety as well as
Fire ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay ---
Mr. Sims: --- those two funds.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- and you did a survey that other municipalities around us do not
do this function?
Mr. Sims: We did a soft survey, yes we did, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay. All right, Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: You know again I agree with our Administrator that our employees are our
most important asset and our employees need to know that the Commission really appreciates the
work that they do. A lot of times we’re not in the position to give salary increases or bonuses but
for them to know that we appreciate the work that they do and that we do what we can do I think
that it motivates them and inspires them to do great things for the city. So I would like to if a
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motion hadn’t been made make a motion that we let July the 5 be a holiday ---
Mr. Hasan: Second.
Mr. Fennoy: --- a holiday with pay for our employees.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, we’ve got a motion and a second. I just want to say that you
know just because you don’t support a last-minute agenda item at $216,000 dollars doesn’t mean
you don’t care about the employees. This discussion should’ve happened during the budget
process, it should’ve happened way before today. To the employees that got to work extra at this
past weekend thank you for what you’re going to do but just because you don’t support a last
46
minute $216,000 dollars contingency when we talk about dilapidated homes. That’s a lot of houses
that could come down, our employees are the most important resource. But let’s not forget the
needs that we have in this community and they didn’t expect it. This is a last-minute thing so,
Commissioner Hasan.
Mr. Hasan: Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to say if my memory serves me correct
and the last time we done this in ’17 it wasn’t even on the agenda if my memory serves me correct.
We almost discussed as we had just come out of executive session and we mentioned it coming
out of the door and as a result we approved it. The Mayor suggested it as we was coming out of
executive session and we voted, it wasn’t even on the agenda so I just wanted to make note of that.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay we’ve got a motion, Commissioner Bobby Williams and then
---
Mr. B. Williams: Okay, Mr. Sims, you said the cost was $216,000?
Mr. Sims: That’s correct.
Mr. B. Williams: And the breakdown for that is for people who have to work over or what?
Mr. Sims: Finance can probably answer that question a little bit better but the cost is $216
and it consists of law enforcement as well as the fire.
Mr. B. Williams: Okay, is it not true that whether they work on Friday or don’t work on
Friday people will pretty much get the same salary payment, correct?
Mr. Sims: That’s correct.
Mr. B. Williams: Okay, is it not true that we have quite a few employees that make
overtime and if we give them that holiday and they don’t work overtime that means we’ll probably
save some overtime, correct?
Mr. Sims: From my understanding from, yes, from my understanding that’s correct.
Mr. B. Williams: So in that $216,000 are we talking about losing fees like for water bills
and different things like that we would collect, the water bill fees that we would collect is that
included in that $216,000 or are we just doing salaries?
Mr. Sims: I’m trying to understand your question again.
Mr. B. Williams: Well, what I’m getting at and I’m not sure if someone has to pay a fee
they can pay it on Wednesday or they pay it on Monday. I don’t know whether or not $216,000
loss that we’re talking about includes something in operations so my thing is that if that’s so then
they can pay it on Wednesday or they can pay it on the next Monday. But the think that I’m trying
to say is that as you stated before our most valuable resource is our worker and the thing that we
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have to think about is that the closer it gets to the 5 the more people are going to take off so you’ll
47
probably end up with a skeleton crew at work anyway so you’re got going to get anything done at
work. Another point here is that, another point here is that we need to think you know about the
th,
families. I don’t want to be off on the 4 I’m trying to plan a vacation I don’t want to be off on
ththth
the 4 and then have to come back to work. I want to be off on the 4, 5 and that Saturday and
that Sunday and then come back to work. But I can almost guarantee you that we’re not going to
th
have very many people at work on the 5 so we’re going to lose money either way so I think it
would go over better if we just gave them the day.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Garrett.
Mr. Garrett: I’d like to make a counter motion that we don’t approve this item and that’s
strictly because you know $216,000 dollars we didn’t budget for so obviously we’ve got to go pull
the money from somewhere else. But for that same amount of money we could tear down over 30
houses in some of these neighborhoods like we discussed earlier. I think that would go far more
or reach farther into our community than giving our employees an extra day off. You know I love
our employees and what they do but I just can’t support this and the impact it would have on our
budget.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: Did you get a second on that?
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Is there a second on that?
Mr. B. Williams: Second, if you didn’t. I have a second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Fennoy?
Mr. Fennoy: Yes –
The Clerk: Second to is to disapprove it, you’re doing that?
Mr. B. Williams: I’m doing a second, did we get a second from Mr. Fennoy?
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Clarke: Okay well ---
The Clerk: Well, I haven’t gotten a second on Mr. Garrett’s yet who’s doing ---
Mr. Clarke: Second.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, we’ve got a second, Commissioner Fennoy.
Mr. Fennoy: --- yes, I would like to remind my colleagues that there’s a $400,000 dollar
supplement that we’re talking about giving someone that was not a part of the budget and you
48
could tear down twice as many houses with $400,000 dollars as you can with $200,000 dollars.
But if you give the spend the $200,000 dollars for the employees I think that productivity will be
up and again the employees will feel appreciated and I think that’s to me at this particular time is
more important than something not being in the budget.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Administrator Sims ---
Mr. Sims: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- in past practices has it been that on holidays like this there were
skeleton crews anyway and every employee went home at 2:00 o’clock?
Mr. Sims: In the past and not just this organization most organizations you’ll probably
find that you have skeleton crew the day before the holiday as well as the day after the holiday.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay thank you, Ms. Donna, would you like to come forward please?
Ms. Williams: I’d appreciate it.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Sure.
Ms. Williams: If this goes forward there’s also another item of clarification. The
firefighters get five floating holidays so in 2007 when this was done as you mentioned kind of on
the fly at the end of July the Commission had to come back and attempt to equalize things for the
firefighters and provided them with 9 hours of straight pay. So that would need to be included in
any motion that would go forward to accommodate the firefighters because their holiday number
would not increase, so that was done for them in 2017 to equal out the problem with their holidays
versus the holidays of the regular staff. From a logistics standpoint I need to know if you need to
rd
move the payday to July the 3 because tomorrow is the end of this pay cycle. Tomorrow. It does
not end until midnight. Departments are still approving and entering their time for their employees.
th
While everybody looks at July the 5 as the payday when they get their money in the bank, the
process is completed much earlier than that. The files have to go to the banks in order to be
rd
effective two days prior to payday. So if you were paid on July the 3 you’ll just backed that date
st.
up to July the 1 It’s not a whole lot of time between tomorrow midnight when the pay cycle ends
st
and July the 1 when those files need to go to the bank. I’m not saying it can’t happen. My payroll
department will make every effort to get that done but if we miss that deadline then we have just
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backed ourselves up against the 4 of July holiday when the banks are not open.
Mr. Sims: All that information was emailed to the Commission as well.
Ms. Williams: Okay, I did not know what you were aware of but I would be remiss if I did
not let you know that.
Mr. Sias: I just want to ask our Finance Director one question ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Sure.
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Mr. Sias: --- you mentioned about the firefighters who we know have a 24-hour schedule.
How does that affect the Sheriff’s Office?
Ms. Williams: The number for the Sheriff, the two major impacts from these cost numbers
are for those offices that provide 24/7 coverage. We did an estimate on the Sheriff’s staffing. We
do not have his actual numbers. The Sheriff as you know does not is not required to follow our
Policy and Procedures Manual. But typically what they do is if that individual is scheduled to
work and they get paid holiday pay on top of their regular pay hence that functions as an overtime
type payment so the Sheriff has his own has his set of policies for handling those.
Mr. Sias: So does that mean and I get (unintelligible). So my question well you said what
we have to do for the Fire Department so then which would require some additional entities or
information so does do we have to do anything in reference similar with the Sheriff?
Ms. Williams: No, sir, he handles that.
Mr. Sias: --- okay, I’m good thank you.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Commissioner Bobby Williams.
Mr. B. Williams: And this is my last comment. We just sat in executive session and went
through about five, six, I mean nine ten cases I don’t remember how many but I know we gave out
more than $200,000 dollars in about 10 minutes ---
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: ---
Mr. B. Williams: --- so why can’t we spend two-hundred for our employees.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- all right, we’ve got substitute motion on the floor to deny is that
correct, Ms. Bonner?
The Clerk: Yes, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right ---
Mr. Hasan: Mr. Chair, you can go ahead with that one first and then we can come back to
the main motion.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: --- we have a substitute motion to deny the holiday pay for the
employees, voting.
Mr. Frantom and Mr. Garrett vote Yes.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Mr. Sias, Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Hasan and Mr. M. Williams vote
No.
Mr. Clarke abstains.
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Ms. Davis out.
Motion Fails 2-6-1.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Okay, back to the original motion to approve ---
Mr. Hasan: You need to make some amendments to that motion to accommodate ---
Mr. Sias: What the Finance Director (inaudible).
Mr. Hasan: --- what the Finance ---
The Clerk: 9-hours ---
Mr. Hasan: --- in the event that it passed.
The Clerk: --- for the Fire Department.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: Do you have that down, Ms. Bonner?
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The Clerk: That we extend the holiday to July 5 in the amount of $216,000 funding would
come from Public Safety and the Fire Department with the Fire Department being added nine hours
to accommodate their holiday schedule.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, voting.
Mr. Fennoy, Mr. D. Williams, Mr. Sias, Mr. B. Williams, Mr. Hasan and Mr. M. Williams
vote Yes.
Mr. Frantom and Mr. Garrett.
Mr. Clarke abstains.
Ms. Davis out.
Motion Passes 6-2-1.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, Madam Clerk, is there any other business before us?
The Clerk: No, sir.
Mr. Mayor Pro Tem: All right, this meeting is adjourned, thank you.
\[MEETING ADJOURNED\]
Lena Bonner
Clerk of Commission
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CERTIFICATION:
I, Lena J. Bonner, Clerk of Commission, hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy
of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of The Augusta Richmond County Commission held on
June 27, 2019.
______________________________
Clerk of Commission
52