Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Third Floor Conference Room

W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex

Brunswick, Georgia

 

Present:

                        Committee Members:  C. Fendig, D. Hogan, T. Thaw

Staff:  J. Bruner, J. Catron, D. Chunn, F. Dees, G. Hegstrom, A. Hudson, J. Johnson, P. McNicoll, J. Pereles, B. Rowell, C. Segars, R. Shell, C. Stewart, A. Thomas

Press:  M. Permar

Others:   Marshall Davis, Mr. & Mrs. Heller, Don Hyers, Mr. & Mrs. Lauren Nobles, Eric Poston

 

1.      Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.

a)      Approve the September 9, 2004 Finance Committee Minutes.

b)      Deny a request by Ms. Joan F. Heller that $146.56 paid in penalties and interest on her 2002 property taxes be refunded.

c)      Deny a request by Ms. Nancy McChesney that $483.62 paid in penalties and interest on her 2003 property taxes be refunded.

d)      Approve the real & personal property corrections to the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 Digests as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their September 8, 2004 meeting.

e)      Authorize bidding of those materials, goods, projects, or services whose funding has been approved in the FY 2004/2005 budget.

f)        Approve the attached list of FY04 Budgeted items to be carried forward to FY05.

g)      Approve the Resolution to amend the FY 03/04 Budget.

 

Chairman Fendig asked if there was anyone present that wished to speak on the above items.  After no response, the following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Hogan passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend approval of the consent agenda items.  (Vote 3-0-0)

 

2.      Discussion regarding a review of Water and Sewer issues with the County’s independent auditors, Mauldin & Jenkins, CPAs.

 

Mr. Charles Stewart, County Administrator, stated that a conference call had been scheduled with Miller Edwards and Wade Sansbury of Mauldin & Jenkins CPAs, to discuss their proposed review of the Water & Sewer billing and meter reading system.  After a brief introduction by Mr. Stewart, Mr. Edwards outlined his plan for the review.  He stated that the internal controls review is a part of the regular audit.  Agreed upon procedures which would include a sampling of meters for verification of readings would be done in addition to the normal audit procedures.  He stated that the County would need to set the initial parameters for the meter reading review.

 

Commissioner Thaw questioned whether any counties that Mauldin & Jenkins work with have their whole system on radio read meters.  Mr. Edwards stated that he had no clients that were totally radio-read but some were moving in that direction.  He agreed that radio reading minimizes human error and fraud and that it requires less employees and provides for a more timely billing process.

 

Mr. Edwards stated that their review will start the first week in October and they can give daily status reports to the Commissioner or to staff.  He said that they can present their report to the Board of Commissioners prior to the completion of the regular audit if the BOC so desires. 

 

3.      Consider adopting a resolution to set the date for taxes due to Glynn County, Georgia.

 

Mr. Jerry Hegstrom, Assistant County Attorney, presented this item and stated that it was necessary to adopt this resolution since a resolution was adopted last year which required that the property tax bills for 2004 have a due date of November 15.  Mr. Florence Dees, Tax Commissioner, informed the Committee that the Board of Education advertisement was calculated incorrectly and required re-advertising in order to comply with State law and Department of Revenue requirements.  She said that the delay in the adoption of the Board of Education millage rates has made it impossible to issue property tax bills with a due date of November 15.  Mr. Charles Stewart stated that this may require the County to borrow funds in order to alleviate cash flow problems related to the delayed receipt of taxes.  The following motion made by Commissioner Hogan and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed with Chairman Fendig voting against the motion. 

 

Recommend adopting a resolution to set the date for taxes due to Glynn County, Georgia.  (Vote: 2-1-0)

 

4.      Consider authorizing the Community Development Director to execute the contract for 5303 Funds with Georgia’s DOT to secure transit planning funds to support the Brunswick Area Transportation Study Unified Planning Work Program for FY 2005, pending review by the Office of the County Attorney.

 

Ms. Carolyn Segers, Planner, presented this item and stated that it was the follow-up to the grant application request that was approved several months ago.  She stated that the grant agreement had been reviewed by the County Attorney’s office.  The following motion made by Commissioner Hogan and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend authorizing the Community Development Director to execute the contract for 5303 Funds with Georgia’s DOT to secure transit planning funds to support the Brunswick Area Transportation Study Unified Planning Work Program for FY 2005, pending review by the Office of the County Attorney.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

5.      Consider approving the lease of tower space on the Cate Road water tower between Glynn County and Bellsouth Personal Communications, LLC, d/b/a Cingular Wireless in the amount of $19,800 per year plus an annual adjustment of 3% with the revenue to be recorded in the Water and Sewer Revenue Fund, and authorize the Chairman to sign the lease agreement.

 

Mr. John Catron, Information Technology Director, informed the Committee that RCC had negotiated the lease amount and that staff agreed that it was in line with the market.  Chairman Fendig explained that RCC is a communications consultant that the County contracted with to market the County’s tower space.  Mr. Ray Shell, Utilities Manager, discussed his plans to have a cap placed on the Cate Road water tower which would allow for more antennas on that tower.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Hogan passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend approving the lease of tower space on the Cate Road water tower between Glynn County and Bellsouth Personal Communications, LLC, d/b/a Cingular Wireless in the amount of $19,800 per year plus an annual adjustment of 3% with the revenue to be recorded in the Water and Sewer Revenue Fund, and authorize the Chairman to sign the lease agreement.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

6.      Consider approving the revised Contract for Maintenance of State Highways between Glynn County and Georgia Department of Transportation and that the Chairman be authorized to sign the contract subject to the County Attorney’s approval.

 

Mr. Joe Pereles, Public Works Director, requested that the contract with the Dept of Transportation be approved by the Committee.  Commissioner Thaw questioned whether the new mowers had been received and Mr. Pereles stated that they had.  Commissioner Hogan questioned the status of the Department of Corrections contract and Mr. Stewart responded that it would be on the next agenda.  The following motion made by Commissioner Hogan and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend approving the revised Contract for Maintenance of State Highways between Glynn County and Georgia Department of Transportation and that the Chairman be authorized to sign the contract subject to the County Attorney’s approval.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

 

7.      Consider awarding award the bid for the Asbestos and Lead Paint Abatement for the Gateway/Winchester Building to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, McGowan Construction Company, Townsend, GA, in the amount of $79,000.00 with funding to be provided by SPLOST #4.

 

Mr. Marshall Davis, Carter Goble Lee, stated that bids ranged between $79 and $255 thousand and that the low bid of $79 thousand was well within the $150 thousand budget.  The following motion made by Commissioner Hogan and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend awarding award the bid for the Asbestos and Lead Paint Abatement for the Gateway/Winchester Building to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, McGowan Construction Company, Townsend, GA, in the amount of $79,000.00 with funding to be provided by SPLOST #4.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

8.      Consider approval and implementation of Fire Inspection fees as outline in the attached table and the application of the fees to all inspections and reviews conducted by the Glynn County Fire Department at both the state and local jurisdictional levels with the revenue to be recorded in the Fire fund to offset costs incurred while conducting the inspection and reviews.

 

Mr. Charles Stewart reported that this issue was of importance to Commissioner Howard Lynn.  Fire Chief Al Thomas then explained the inspection process in the Fire Department and the inconsistencies in the assessment of fees.  Commissioner Thaw questioned how state and county inspections were differentiated.  Chief Thomas stated that the type was determined by the type of occupancy and the number of occupants in a building.  Chairman Fendig questioned why the Fire Department was requesting the fees and Chief Thomas stated that the Fire Department doesn’t receive any fees for local inspections and two inspectors are required to perform the function.  He stated that this is a user based function of the Fire Department and should be funded with user fees.  Commissioner Hogan agrees that there is a need to cover costs.  Commissioner Thaw stated that this should be reviewed by the Community Development Advisory Committee.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Hogan passed unanimously. 

 

Refer to the Community Development Advisory Committee the request for new Fire Inspection fees as outlined in the attached table and the application of the fees to all inspections and reviews conducted by the Glynn County Fire Department at both the state and local jurisdictional levels with the revenue to be recorded in the Fire fund to offset costs incurred while conducting the inspection and reviews.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

9.      Consider awarding the contract for the Virginia Street Drainage Improvements project to Poppell-Eller, Inc., the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, in the amount of $225,379.28 with funding to be provided by the FY 2000 property tax rebillings.

 

Mr. Jim Bruner, County Engineer, presented this item and the following motion made by Commissioner Hogan and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend awarding the contract for the Virginia Street Drainage Improvements project to Poppell-Eller, Inc., the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, in the amount of $225,379.28 with funding to be provided by the FY 2000 property tax rebillings.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

10.  Consider issuing a change order to Carter & Sloope for $4,500 to provide preliminary design of an alternate solution for transportation of waste to the City of Brunswick’s Academy Creek Sewer Plant through the City’s Mansfield Street Lift Station.

 

Mr. Don Hyers, Carter Goble Lee, presented this item.  Mr. Charles Stewart stated that the Mayor of Brunswick had recommended this waste transportation solution.  Chairman Fendig voiced his concern that Carter & Sloope had not addressed this option in their original design.  After further discussion it was agreed that the Finance Committee would take no action on this item but would defer it to the full Board of Commssioners. 

 

No Action.

 

11.  Consider authorizing the development of a solicitation for engineering services to perform an Anti-Degradation Review as the first step in obtaining the required permits for expansion of the capacity at the Exit #29 WWTP with funding to be provided from SPLOST IV, Tier 1.

 

Mr. Don Hyers presented this item and Mr. Charles Stewart and Mr. Ray Shell both voiced their opinion that the County should have the anti-degradation review performed.  The following motion made by Commissioner Hogan and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend authorizing the development of a solicitation for engineering services to perform an Anti-Degradation Review as the first step in obtaining the required permits for expansion of the capacity at the Exit #29 WWTP with funding to be provided from SPLOST IV, Tier 1.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

12.  Review the Standard Operating Procedure for Water and Sewer bill adjustments.  (C. Stewart) pages 72-75

 

Mr. Charles Stewart referenced the Water and Sewer bill adjustment procedures document and stated that he wanted the Commissioners to be aware of the method of making adjustment to the accounts.

 

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

 

Chairman Fendig identified all items except # 2, 8, and 10 as consent items.  Item # 10 was deferred to the full Board of Commissioners; item # 8 was referred to the Community Development Advisory Committee; and item # 2 was for Finance Committee review only and does not go forward to the full Board.