Commission Meeting

COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Commission Chamber Tuesday, September 05, 2023 2:00 PM PRESENT Mayor Garnett Johnson Commissioner Brandon Garrett Commissioner Jordan Johnson Commissioner Bobby Williams Commissioner Sean Frantom Commissioner Francine Scott Commissioner Stacy Pulliam Commissioner Tony Lewis Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle ABSENT Commissioner Alvin Mason Commissioner Catherine Smith-McKnight INVOCATION Reverend Chris Leslie, Walnut Grove Baptist Church. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DELEGATION(S) A. Ms. Nike Meyer regarding Instant Runoff Voting Presentation is made by Ms. Meyer. CONSENT AGENDA (Items 1-32) PUBLIC SERVICES 1. Motion to approve New Ownership: A.N. 23-33: A request by Kourtney Patel for a retail package Liquor, Beer, & Wine License to be used in connection with Stevens Creek Wine & Spirits located at 1061 Stevens Creek Road. District 7. Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve.  Motion made by Williams, Seconded by Johnson. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 2. Motion to approve Address Change Only: A request by Leonard Thomas Silas for a change of address for RTS- Restorative Therapy Solutions from 1219 West Wheeler Pkwy. to 149 Davis Road. District 7 Super District 10. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 3. Motion to approve scheduling a work session to discuss the matter of transient occupant confusion within the next 45 days with the inclusion of Ms. Blake, representatives from Housing & Community Development, the Administrator's Office, Sheriff's Office, Marshal's Office, Planning & Development, Destination Augusta and the hoteliers in the work session . (Approved by Public Services Committee August 31, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 4. Motion approve schedule a work session on this matter (panhandling ordinance for Augusta) within the next 60 days before drafting a panhandling ordinance. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 5. Motion to receive a donation from the Trust of Oakland Park., (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Frantom, Seconded by Scott. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis Mr. Guilfoyle out. Motion carries 7-0. 6. Motion to allow the Augusta Aviation Commission and its representatives to work with the Augusta Law Department on an amendment to the CFC Ordinance. (Approved by the Augusta Aviation Commission on July 27, 2023 and Public Services Committee August 29, 2023). Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle  Motion carries 8-0. 7. Motion to approve bid award contract for RFQ# 23-153 ARTS Freight Plan Update to Metro Analytics. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 8. Motion to approve tasking the Administrator's Office to work with Planning & Development to streamline the ordinance regarding mobile truck service with the use of readily identifiable decals for the vendors. (Approved by Public Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 9. Motion to approve the Rightsizing Plan as presented. ( Approved by Administrative Services August 29 2023) Motion to approve waiting until after the workshop on September 15 to have a final vote on this item. Motion made by Williams, Seconded by Garrett. Voting Yea: Garrett, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Voting Nay: Johnson Motion carries 7-1. 10. Motion to approve utilizing state contract (#SWC 99999-SPD-ES40199373-002) for the purchase of nineteen Ford F150s, at a total cost of $818,612 from Allan Vigil Ford for various departments. ( Approved by Administrative Services August 29 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 11. Motion to approve quantity one (1) Healthy Homes Project located at 2363 Mt. Auburn Street. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 12. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD's) request to provide Laney Walker/Bethlehem Revitalization Funding to contract with Capitalrise, LLC to develop new construction of two (2) single family units, identified as 1101 and 1110 Cedar Street,  within Laney Walker/Bethlehem.(Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 13. Motion to approve Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD's) request to approve the addendum engagement agreement with Cherry Bekaert to continue to provide grant management assistance to the Housing and Community Development Department. (23- 501C)(Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 14. Motion to approve request from the Central Services Department, bid #23-130, Vernon Forest Park – Restroom Permit Plan in the amount of $28,500.00 to be performed by Johnson, Laschober & Associates, P.C.(Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 15. Motion to approve the award of bid #23-177, Augusta Print Shop – Structural Retrofit in the amount of $93,450.00 to be performed by Contract Management, Inc. A thirty percent (30%) contingency of $28,035.00 was included. The final amount with contingency is $121,485.00.(Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 16. Motion to approve tasking the Administrator with compiling a consolidated listing of grants for commissioners. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 17. Motion to approve a request that the Augusta-Richmond County Board of Commissioners instruct the Board of Assessors, Chief Appraiser and/or their designee to appeal the 2022 Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA) Sales Ratio Study, and to ‘to refer the question of correctness of the current (2022) equalized adjusted property tax digest of the local school system  to the state auditor’ as permitted by Georgia Code 48-5-274, and to authorize the Board of Assessors, Chief Appraiser, and/or their designee to act on behalf of Augusta-Richmond County in any related hearings. (Approved by Administrative Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. ENGINEERING SERVICES 18. Motion to approve funding in the amount of $1,283,905.00 for Atlas Technical Consultants LLC (Atlas) Supplemental Agreement #1 for Task Order Two (TO2) for Willis Foreman Road Improvements Project Right of Way Acquisition under On-Call Property Appraisal and Acquisition for Augusta Engineering contract. Requested by Engineering. RFP 22-147 – 23ENG146(Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 19. Motion to authorize and approve construction of street lights for Windsor Spring Road Corridor between Meadowbrook Dr. & Crosscreek Rd. Also, approve and authorize allocating $600,000 from Street Lighting Program ARPA designated funds to the streetlights construction. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 20. Motion to approve proposal from Cranston Engineering Group, P.C. to provide additional engineering services to the sewer design for the Augusta Corporate Park Utility Extension. (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 21. Motion to approve a professional services contract with Ardurra Group for the Hicks Water Treatment Plant Filter 4 Rehabilitation project (RFQ18-132). (Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 22. Motion to approve sole source contract with Kleinschmidt Associates to provide the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s mandated Part 12D Independent Consultant Safety Inspection of the Augusta Canal in the amount of $85,000.(Approved by Engineering Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. FINANCE 23. Motion to approve funding for the November 7, 2023 .05% sales and use tax for the James Brown arena. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 24. Motion to approve to refer to the Administrator as a funding priority for inclusion in the upcoming budget discussions the hiring of Post Certified guards for prison work crews. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 25. Motion to approve funding in the amount of $310,000.00 from Contingency Fund as an emergency procurement for the replacement of locks and hinges a the Jail and to defer to the Administrator to come back with recommendation on funding for the new Jail pod.(Approved by Finance Services Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Williams, Seconded by Johnson. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 26. Motion to approve funding in the amount of $30,000 for the shortfall for the 2023 Arts in the Heart Festival funded from Contingency Fund. (Approved by the Finance Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Williams, Seconded by Frantom. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 27. Motion to adopt updated funding timeline to reflect increased collection rate of SPLOST 8. (Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2023).  Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 28. Motion to approve resolution authorizing proceeding with the issuance by Augusta, Georgia of its water and sewerage revenue bonds in order (A) to finance in whole or in part, the cost of certain improvements to the water and sewerage system of Augusta, Georgia and (B) if economically feasible to refund outstanding debt of Augusta, Georgia relating to the water and sewerage system; to declare the intent of Augusta Georgia to reimburse itself with a portion of the proceeds of such bonds for expenditures made in connection with such improvements; and for other related purposes.(Approved by Finance Committee August 29, 2023) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 29. Motion to approve the minutes of the Commission regular meeting held August 15, 2023 and the Special Called Meeting held August 29, 2023. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 30. Motion to ratify the commission's consensus to reschedule the following planning petitions from the September 5, 2023 meeting to September 19, 2023: Z-23-37 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission to approve with the conditions petition by Drayton Parker Companies on behalf of DOC MOB Augusta III, LLC requesting a rezoning from zone A (Agricultural) and B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to zone B- 2 (General Business) affecting property containing approximately 2.54 acres located at 3645- Wheeler Road. Tax Map #030-0-244-00-0. DISTRICT 3 Z-23-38 – A request for concurrence with the Augusta Planning Commission to approve with the conditions a petition by Drayton Parker Companies on behalf of COLCO Solutions LLC requesting a rezoning from zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to zone B-2 (General Business) affecting property containing approximately 5.66 acres located at 1924 Barton Chapel Road. Tax Map #068-0-007-00-0. DISTRICT 5 Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. APPOINTMENT(S) 31. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Marshall McKnight to Augusta Aviation Commission to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Mason McKnight, IV representing District 3. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 32. Motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Tyler Snead to the Augusta Housing & Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee representing Super District 10. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. ****END CONSENT AGENDA**** AUGUSTA COMMISSION AUGUSTA COMMISSION REGULAR AGENDA (Items 33-37) ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 33. Resolution by Augusta Richmond County Commission Approving the Issuance of Revenue Bonds by Development Authority of Augusta, Georgia for the benefit of AU Jaguar Facilities Development, LLC to Construct a Parking Deck. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. 34. Motion to ratify the submission of the GICH application, on behalf of Augusta, by the Housing and Community Development Department. Motion to delete this item from the agenda. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. FINANCE 35. Discuss requesting each department within the Augusta-Richmond County Consolidated Government model a 5% & 10% budget cut; to include the general and expenditure funding accounts. (Requested by Mayor Garnett L. Johnson) (No recommendation from Finance Committee August 29,2023)  Motion to approve receiving this item as information. Motion made by Scott, Seconded by Johnson. Voting Yea: Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis Voting Nay: Garrett, Guilfoyle Motion carries 6-2. Substitute motion to approve tasking the Administrator with asking the departments including the departments of elected officials to come back prior to budget season with a model for a three to five percent cut across each department. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Frantom. Voting Yea: Frantom, Garrett, Guilfoyle Voting Nay: Johnson, Williams, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis Motion fails 3-5. PUBLIC SAFETY 36. Motion to approve Amendment #1 to RFP 18-149 EMS Ambulance Billing Contract to extend terms and to authorize the mayor to execute all appropriate documents. (Requested by the Administrator- referred from the August 1, 2023 commission meeting - referred from August 8 Public Safety Committee) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Williams. Voting Yea: Garrett, Johnson, Williams, Frantom, Scott, Pulliam, Lewis, Guilfoyle Motion carries 8-0. LEGAL MEETING A. Pending and Potential Litigation B. Real Estate C. Personnel 37. Motion to authorize execution by the Mayor of the affidavit of compliance with Georgia's Open Meeting Act. ADDENDUM ITEM DELEGATION 1. Mr. Craig Camuso Vice President of State Government Relations for CSX Railroad RE: Olive Road Railroad Bridge Presentation is made by Mr. Camuso.