Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 28, 2001

Third Floor Conference Room

W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex

Brunswick, Georgia

 

 

Present:

                        Committee Members: M. Bedner, J. Chapman, and F. Tullos

                        Commissioners:

Staff: C. Alexander, J. Bruner, D. Chunn, W. Davis, R. Guarracino, C. Johnson, U. Keller, P. McNicoll, G. Moore, J. Nazzrie, D. Newbern, J. Peterson, R. Pittman, S. Schaeffner, K. Taylor, A. Thomas

Press:  M. Permar

Others:  Cameron Bland, Patricia Morris

 

1.                  Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.

a)      Approve the August 7, 2001 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes. 

b)      Deny a request by Mr. Roy B. Walden III., Walden Shores LLC, that $10,179.13 paid in penalties and interest on his 2000 property tax be refunded.  

c)      Approve the corrections to the 1997 digest as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or Chief Appraiser at their August 1, 2001 meeting. 

d)      Approve the attached list of FY 01 Budgeted items be carried forward to FY 02. 

e)      Deny a request from Quality Inn that Accommodation Excise Tax late penalties of $563.24 be waived or reduced. 

Item 1(b), and 1(e) were pulled from consent after a request from Commissioner Chapman and item 1(c) was pulled for a correction at the request of Keith Taylor, Assistant County Attorney.  The following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Recommend approval of the Consent Agenda items 1(a) and 1(d).  (Vote:  3-0-0)

1 (b),(e), & 10.

Commissioner Chapman informed the Committee of discussions he had with Mr. Larry Driggers, State Revenue Department, concerning the waiver of tax penalties and presented a letter from Mr. Driggers concerning that issue.  Mr. Gary Moore, County Attorney stated that the code section that Mr. Driggers referred to allows the Board of Commissioner to authorize the Tax Commissioner to waiver tax penalties but he had contacted Ms. Florence Dees, Tax Commissioner, and she had stated that she did not want that authority.  After discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Recommend rescinding the Board’s August 2, 2001 action waiving the May 2001 Accommodation Excise Tax late payment penalties assessed to Trupp Hodnett, and recommend to the Board of Commissioners that no penalties will be waived in the future except in cases of gross negligence by the County.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

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

Recommend the denial of a request by Mr. Roy B. Walden III, Walden Shores LLC, that $10,179.13 paid in penalties and interest on his 2000 property tax be refunded.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

Recommend the denial of a request from Quality Inn that Accommodation Excise Tax late penalties of $563.24 be waived or reduced.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

1(c)

Keith Taylor informed the Committee that the documentation for this item included a request for a refund of property taxes that were billed and paid based on erroneous values.  The following motion was then made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman and passed unanimously.

Motion to discuss a refund of taxes related to the digest correction.  (Vote 3-0-0)

The following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Tullos passed with Commissioner Chapman abstaining.

Recommend approval of the corrections to the 1997 digest as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or Chief Appraiser at their August 1, 2001 meeting and approve the refund of taxes related to the digest correction.  (Vote:  2-0-1)

2.                  Consider approving a Change Order for $13,217 to reflect actual repair quantities to the St. Simons Island Fishing Pier be approved for Sea Tech Marine International. 

 

Mr. Jim Bruner, County Engineer, presented this item and after discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

 

Recommend approving a Change Order for $13,217 to reflect actual repair quantities to the St. Simons Island Fishing Pier be approved for Sea Tech Marine International. (Vote:  3-0-0)

3.                  Consider authorizing the Recreation Director to proceed with Alternative #3 for the Massengale Restroom Change Order with monies to be taken from Program-Object: 804-574. 

Mr. Wesley Davis explained the reason for the change order and after discussion concerning the original decision to use the existing sewer lines the following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Recommend authorizing the Recreation Director to proceed with Alternative #3 for the Massengale Restroom Change Order with monies to be taken from Program-Object: 804-574. (Vote:  3-0-0)

4.                  Consider retaining one Recreation Department van and trade in remaining two Recreation Department vans during the purchase of three new trucks. 

Mr. Uli Keller presented this item and was questioned about whether the cost of this proposal was included in the current budget.  After discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Defer this item until the next Finance Committee meeting on September 11, 2001.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

5.                  Consider approving Douglas Electrical & Plumbing change order #2 to Lift Station #1 Project in the amount of $52,373.71 with funding from SPLOST #3.

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

Recommend approving Douglas Electrical & Plumbing change order #2 to Lift Station #1 Project in the amount of $52,373.71 with funding from SPLOST #3. (Vote:  3-0-0)

6.                  Consider recommending that the Board of Commissioners support The Branigar Organization’s recommendation that the County seek a one-year extension in the construction start-up date for the EDA—PAWS utility grant, subject to the requirement that Branigar absorb all appropriate costs associated with or resulting from the re-bidding process. 

Mr. Dick Newbern, Grants Administrator, explained the reason for the delay in the project and after discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Recommend that the Board of Commissioners support The Branigar Organization’s recommendation that the County seek a one-year extension in the construction start-up date for the EDA—PAWS utility grant, subject to the requirement that Branigar absorb all appropriate costs associated with or resulting from the re-bidding process. (Vote:  3-0-0)

7.                  Consider accepting the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant in the amount of $94,462, and authorize staff to move ahead with administration of the project and expenditure of funds.

Mr. Dick Newbern presented this item and it was noted that the cash match would be funded by the Police Seizure Fund.  The following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Recommend accepting the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant in the amount of $94,462, and authorize staff to move ahead with administration of the project and expenditure of funds. (Vote:  3-0-0)

8.                  Consider accepting the following three grant awards from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs:

·         $25,000 grant to help fund the culvert repair at Touchstone Parkway

·         $8,000 state grant to help pay for Infrared Fire Helmet

·         $7,000 state grant to help pay for design of addition at Lighthouse Museum,

direct staff to file appropriate grant applications with Georgia DCA, and authorize the Chairman to execute appropriate grant award contracts subject to the County Attorney’s review. 

Mr. Dick Newbern stated that the wording of the $8,000 grant should be changed to “Thermal Imaging Fire Helmet”.   The following motion made by Commissioner Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

Recommend accepting the following three grant awards from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs:

·         $25,000 grant to help fund the culvert repair at Touchstone Parkway

·         $8,000 state grant to help pay for Thermal Imaging Fire Helmet

·         $7,000 state grant to help pay for design of addition at Lighthouse Museum,

direct staff to file appropriate grant applications with Georgia DCA, and authorize the Chairman to execute appropriate grant award contracts subject to the County Attorney’s review. (Vote:  3-0-0)

9.                  Consider approving the proposed addendum and authorizing the Chairperson to sign said document. 

 

 

Mr. Uli Keller presented the Addendum to the Visitors Bureau Contract.  Mr. Keith Taylor stated that the wording should be changed in Section 1A(3) to identify the amount that the Contractor will pay for each item.  After discussion Chairman Tullos requested that the item be deferred to the Full Board of Commissioners

No action taken.  This will be deferred to the Full Board of Commissioners.

10.              Discussion on waiver of penalties.

This item was discussed along with Items 1(c) and 1(e) earlier in the meeting.

11.              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(a,b,c,d,e), 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 as consent items.