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Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 29, 2001

Jury Assembly Room

Glynn County Courthouse

Brunswick, Georgia

 

 

Present:

                        Committee Members: J. Chapman and F. Tullos

                        Commissioners:  H. Woodman

Staff: J. Bruner, E. Clark, W. Davis, F. Dees, M. Eckert, R. Guarracino, T. Henderson, C. Johnson, E. Lang, P. McNicoll, J. Pereles, B. Rogers, R. Rowell, S. Schaeffner, K. Taylor

Press:  J. Berlin, M. Permar

Others:  S. A. Anderson, Wayne Hutcheson

 

1.                  Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.

a)      Approve the May 8, 2001 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes.  pages 2-4

b)      Declare the unusable items listed on the attached pages as surplus and approve the sale of these items at Auction.  (D. Chunn)  pages 5-8

c)      Approve the corrections to the 1999, 2000, and 2001 digests as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or Chief Appraiser at their May 2, 2001 meeting.  (S. Schaeffner)  pages 9-10

The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend approval of the Consent Agenda. (Vote 2-0-0)

2.                  Consider waiving the interest, accepting payment of $492.91 (which includes the $10.00 filing fee), and file a quitclaim for the 1983 tax deed on Parcel #01-00398.  (T. Henderson and K. Taylor)  pages 11-15

Ms. Tammy Henderson, Finance Dept. Administrative Secretary, presented this item and Mr. Keith Taylor, Assistant County Attorney, agreed that the County had no record of the deed or sale of the tax deed and staff recommended waiving interest.  After discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend waiving the interest, accepting payment of $492.91 (which includes the $10.00 filing fee), and file a quitclaim for the 1983 tax deed on Parcel #01-00398.  (Vote 2-0-0)

3.                  Consider a request from Mr. Wayne Hutcheson that the impact fees imposed on the building permit be waived.  (W. Hutcheson and T. Clark)  pages 16-17

Mr. Keith Taylor stated that there was no need to waive the tapping fee but that they only needed to accept the County Attorney’s interpretation of the Water & Sewer ordinance regarding capital tap fees for churches.  After discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend acceptance of the County Attorney’s interpretation of the Water & Sewer Ordinance regarding capital tap fees for churches.  (Vote 2-0-0)

4.                  Consider entering into a cost share agreement with Mr. Joe Clements to upgrade a new 2” waterline to an 8” line not to exceed cost to the County of $13,000 with funding to be provided by the St. Simons Island Water and Sewer Upgrade Program.  (U. Keller)  pages 18-20

Ms. Barbara Rogers, Administrative Analyst, explained Mr. Clements’ request.  Commissioner Chapman question whether Mr. Mark Eckert, County Administrator, agreed with the request.  Mr. Eckert stated that he did agree and that this line would also allow for fire protection for three neighborhoods in the area.  The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend entering into a cost share agreement with Mr. Joe Clements to upgrade a new 2” waterline to an 8” line not to exceed cost to the County of $13,000 with funding to be provided by the St. Simons Island Water and Sewer Upgrade Program.  (Vote 2-0-0)

5.                  Consider authorizing staff to purchase Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) Software from SDI/Govern in the amount of $265,450.00 with funding to be provided by the General Fund fund balance.  (S. Schaeffner)  pages 21-24 

Mr. Joe Pereles, Public Works Director, presented this item since he had knowledge, which was obtained during the time that he held the position of Information Technology Director, of the condition of the present tax computer system.  He stated that the current system is antiquated and that the software was written in-house.  He informed the Committee that there is no data integration with the Tax Commissioner’s system or the Geographical Information System (GIS).  The software is housed on a Risc 6000 system which is over ten (10) years old and is no longer supported by IBM and he is concerned that it may not last another six months.  Commissioner Tullos questioned whether Mr. Eckert supported this purchase and he replied that he fully supported it and expanded on the reasons for his support.  Commissioner Chapman requested an explanation of all functions that this software will improve and made the following motion which was seconded by Commissioner Tullos and passed unanimously.

Recommend the deferral to the full Board of Commissioners of the request from staff to purchase Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) Software from SDI/Govern in the amount of $265,450.00 with funding to be provided by the General Fund fund balance.  (Vote 2-0-0)

6.                  Consider authorizing staff to proceed with Alternative #3 for the North Glynn Parking Lot Lighting Project with monies to be taken from budgeted SPLOST #3 Funds and DCA Grant in the amount of $20,000 and authorize staff to proceed immediately to Commission on June 7, 2001.  (W. Davis)  page 25

Mr. Wesley Davis, Recreation Director, stated that the bids would be opened in the next week and that for safety reasons the lights needed to be installed before the next soccer season starts.  Commissioner Chapman asked that Mr. Davis reaffirm that the funds would be provided fully by the DCA Grant and SPLOST #3, which Mr. Davis did.  The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend authorizing staff to proceed with Alternative #3 for the North Glynn Parking Lot Lighting Project with monies to be taken from budgeted SPLOST #3 Funds and DCA Grant in the amount of $20,000 and authorize staff to proceed immediately to Commission on June 7, 2001.  (Vote 2-0-0)

7.                  Consider ending the Recreation Department’s provision of child care programs in order to eliminate the risk, and further, to remove ourselves from competition with other providers with the following closing dates; After School Program, effective June 8, 2001; the Camp Challenge Program, effective July 31, 2001; and the Camp Adventure Program, effective August 17, 2001.  (W. Davis)  pages 26-27

Mr. Wesley Davis, Recreation Director, stated that the Recreation Department is doing a good job with the Child Care Program but that there is a substantial risk involved with this program.  He said that they have had forty (40) children in the after-school program and around two hundred (200) in the summer program and they should expect comments from the public on this issue.  Mr. Eckert agreed with the proposal.  Commissioner Chapman stated that he did not think the County should be in the child care business and after further discussion, the following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend ending the Recreation Department’s provision of child care programs in order to eliminate the risk, and further, to remove ourselves from competition with other providers with the following closing dates; After School Program, effective June 8, 2001; the Camp Challenge Program, effective July 31, 2001; and the Camp Adventure Program, effective August 17, 2001.  (Vote 2-0-0)

8.                  Consider accepting the offer by the Georgia Department of Transportation to conduct a traffic study on St. Simons Island with the County’s 20% portion to be funded by the BATS budget or the remaining personnel budget in the Community Development Department.  (J. Bruner)  pages 28-30  

Mr. Jim Bruner, County Engineer, stated that the DOT had offered to assist the County by conducting the traffic study but that they do require a 20% match which cannot be funded by BATS since BATS is federal funds and the County is not allowed to fund the local match with federal funds.  He stated that there is sufficient funds remaining in the Engineering personnel budget.  The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend accepting the offer by the Georgia Department of Transportation to conduct a traffic study on St. Simons Island with the County’s 20% portion to be funded by the remaining personnel budget in the Community Development Department.  (Vote 2-0-0)

9.                  Consider a request from Personnel Director Becky Rowell to transfer $22,650 originally budgeted in the Public Works Department budget to the Personnel Department budget to fund the position of Risk Manager which will be housed in the Personnel Department.  (B. Rowell)  page 31

Ms. Rebecca Rowell presented the request and stated that interviews will be done in the near future.  Mr. Eckert stated that this position was approved in the Public Works budget and this is simply moving the function from Public Works to the Personnel Department budget.  The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed unanimously.

Recommend transferring $22,650 originally budgeted in the Public Works Department budget to the Personnel Department budget to fund the position of Risk Manager which will be housed in the Personnel Department.  (Vote 2-0-0)

10.              Request that Chairman Tullos identify the Finance Committee items which should be included as consent items in the Commission’s Meeting Agenda.

Commissioner Tullos identified items 1 – 4, and 6 – 9 as consent items.