Engineering Services Committee Meeting

ENGINEERING SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Commission Chamber Tuesday, August 08, 2023 1:05 PM ENGINEERING SERVICES PRESENT Mayor Garnett Johnson Commissioner Alvin Mason Commissioner Catherine Smith-McKnight Commissioner Tony Lewis Commissioner Brandon Garrett 1. Presentation by Mr. Gus Gunderson regarding storm water. Motion to approve receiving this item as information. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Smith-McKnight. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 2. Rev. Ellis Godbee regarding Renovation Solution, LLC request for a Consistency Letter. Motion to approve receiving this item as information. Motion made by Lewis, Seconded by Garrett. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 3. Discuss and consider approving Renovatio Solution. LLC (RLS) “Consistency Letter” request for Construction & Operation of Renewable Energy (Biofuel) Facility at 1680 Dixon Airline Road, Augusta, Georgia. Also, authorize Augusta Engineering & Environmental Services Director providing requested “Consistency Letter” (draft Letter attached) to RLS. Requested by Engineering. (Referred from July 18 Commission meeting) Motion to table this item until a future date and have a town meeting at a date and time to be determined with the company and any interested citizens to discuss this matter. Motion made by Lewis, Seconded by Garrett. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 4. Discussion of Grounds Maintenance schedule of city lots, right- a-ways, and properties owned by the public; Task various department directors with coming up with a plan to resolve the  ongoing ground maintenance issue. (Requested by Commissioner Stacy Pulliam) (Referred from July 18 Commission meeting) Motion to approve scheduling a workshop to be coordinated by the Adminstrator's Office to discuss grounds maintenance and to include every department that participates in any type of right-of-way, grounds, vacant lot, and tree maintenance along with the Warden and a representative from 311 and to hold this work shop in the next 30 days. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Smith-McKnight. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 5. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way (Parcel 097-3-266-00-0) 2436 Lumpkin Road. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 6. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way (Parcel 097-3-253-03-0) 2504 Lumpkin Road. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 7. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way (Parcel 097-3-251-01-0) 2502 Lumpkin Road. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 8. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way (Parcel 097-3-265-00-0) 2438 Lumpkin Road. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 9. Motion to authorize condemnation to acquire title of a portion of property for right of way (Parcel 097-3-253-000) 2506 Lumpkin Road. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett  Motion carries 4-0. 10. Augusta County-Wide Solid Waste Management Program associated Environmental Services Functions – Augusta Commission Resolutions & associated Policies Review, Discussion, and Best Way Forward. Requested by Engineering. (Referred from the August 1, 2023 Commission Meeting) Motion to approve receiving this item as information. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Smith-McKnight. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 11. Discuss/approve hiring full-time City Arborist. (Requested by Commissioner Catherine McKnight) It was the consensus of the committee that an item be added without objection to the workshop on grounds maintenance regarding the matter of the City hiring a full-time arborist. 12. Approve Award of “Augusta’s Grounds and Landscaped Improvements Maintenance” Contract Part2 to Pond Maintenance of Augusta for Attached EXHIBIT A Contract Services, subject to receipt of signed contract and proper insurance documents. The Contract is effective 10/1/2023 for four years with an option to renew for one additional one-year terms. Also, approve $400,000/year to fund these contracted services. Requested by Engineering. RFP 22- 301. (Referred from the August 1, 2023 Commission Meeting) Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 13. Motion to approve the minutes of the Engineering Services Committee held on June 13, 2023. Motion to approve. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 14. Receive an update from Augusta Engineering and Utilities on steps that have been taken to clean out the ditches and sewer drains that were reported during the flooding on June 22, 2023. (Requested by Commissioner Stacy Pulliam) Motion to approve receiving this item as information. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Lewis. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0. 15. Discuss/ receive information on needs in the way of budgeting and schedule implementation for upkeep/maintenance on all city owned lots and right-a-ways to be on a rotation schedule versus a reactive schedule. (Requested by Commissioner Stacy Pulliam) Motion to approve scheduling a workshop to be coordinated by the Administrator's Office to discuss grounds maintenance and to include every department that participates in any type of right-of-way, grounds, vacant lot, and tree maintenance along with the Warden and a representative from 311 and to hold this workshop in the next 30 days. Motion made by Garrett, Seconded by Smith-McKnight. Voting Yea: Mason, Smith-McKnight, Lewis, Garrett Motion carries 4-0.