Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes
Glynn
County Board of Commissioners
4:00 P.M., Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Third Floor Conference Room
W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex
Brunswick, Georgia
Present:
Committee Members: M.
Bedner, J. Chapman, and C. Fendig
Staff: B. Boone, E. Brinson, D.
Chunn, F. Dees, B. Dimeo, M. Doering, M. Eckert, J. Hegstrom, C. Johnson, P.
McNicoll, J. Nealson, D. Newbern, J. Pereles, R. Shell
Press:
Others: Stacey Bristol, Ralph
Guarracino, and Pat Morris
1)
Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.
a)
Approve the December 10, 2002 Finance
Committee Meeting Minutes.
b)
Set the schedule for
the year 2003 Finance Committee Meetings at 4:00 p.m. on each Tuesday in the
week prior to regularly scheduled County Commission meetings, except for the
month of November (first meeting scheduled on Monday, November 10, 2003) and
December in which only one Finance Committee meeting will be scheduled.
c) Deny
a request from Mr. & Mrs. Steven Bristol that $361.79 paid in interest and
penalties on their 2000 property county tax bill be refunded.
d) Deny
a request from Mr. Paul T. Martin that $914.48 paid in interest and penalties
on his 2001 property county tax bill be refunded.
e) Approve
requests from the attached list of City taxpayers' that their tax & tag
penalties be refunded.
f)
Approve the real property corrections to the
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 Digests as
recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their
December 4, 2002 meeting.
g) Approve
the real property corrections to the 2000, 2001 and 2002 Digests and personal
property corrections to the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 Digests as recommended by
the Board of Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their December 18, 2002
meeting.
h) Approve
the real property corrections to the 2002 Digest and personal property
corrections to the 2000, 2001 and 2002 Digests as recommended by the Board of
Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their January 8, 2003 meeting.
i)
Approve the Resolution to amend the FY 02/03
Budget.
j)
Continue the Copier
Services cost-per-copy program and exercise its right to extend the current
contract with Ron Herrin Copiers for an additional year at $0.0171 per copy
with funding to be provided by each user's operating budget.
Chairman Bedner
removed item 1(a) and (b) from the consent agenda since Commissioner Fendig was
not on the Finance Committee at the December 10 meeting and a changed was
needed on the Finance Committee schedule.
The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by
Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.
Recommend approval of the Consent Agenda items 1(c) through
1(j). (Vote: 3-0-0)
The following
motion made by Chairman Bedner and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed with
Commissioner Fendig abstaining.
Approve the December 10, 2002 Finance
Committee Meeting minutes. (Vote: 2-0-1)
Chairman Bedner
requested that the July 22 meeting be changed to July 29 and any subsequent
meetings affected be changed as needed.
The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by
Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.
Set the schedule for the year 2003 Finance
Committee meetings at 4:00 p.m. on each Tuesday in the week prior to regularly
scheduled County Commission meetings, except for the month of November (first
meeting scheduled on Monday, November 10, 2003) and December in which only one
Finance Committee meeting will be scheduled, with modifications to the
published schedule as requested by Chairman Bedner. (Vote 3-0-0)
2) Consider increasing the budget for
the office of the Clerk of State Court by $6,900.00 to fund a temporary
employee for four (4) months, with funding to be provided by the General Fund
fund balance.
Ms. Elaine
Brinson, Chief Deputy of State Court, presented the request to the
Committee. Commissioner Chapman asked
Mr. Mark Eckert, County Administrator, for his recommendation. Mr. Eckert stated that he had worked with Ms.
Brinson on this request and that he felt that this was the best solution to the
situation at this time. The following
motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Fendig passed
unanimously.
Recommend increasing the budget for the office of the Clerk of State
Court by $6,900 to fund a temporary employee for four (4) months, with funding
to be provided by the General Fund fund balance. (Vote: 3-0-0)
3) Consider consolidating all elevator service and
maintenance needs into a single requirement and that Schindler Elevator
Corporation be awarded a contract, in the amount of $17,184.00, to execute
these requirements with funding to be provided by the Facilities Maintenance
operating budget.
Mr. Jay Nealson,
Facilities Manager, the lowest bidder would not accept the County's contract
terms and conditions with regard to indemnification and we were required to
recommend the next lowest responsive bidder.
He stated that the consolidation of the elevator service and maintenance
should result in considerable savings.
The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by
Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.
Recommend consolidating all elevator service and maintenance needs into
a single requirement and awarding a contract in the amount of $17,184.00 to
Schindler Elevator Corporation to execute these requirements, with funding to
be provided by the Facilities Maintenance operating budget. (Vote: 3-0-0)
4) Consider contracting with Direct Source Management, L.L.C.,
Hendersonville, TN to actively pursue the collection of unpaid County accounts
with reimbursement to be on a commission basis of 24% of the value
collected.
Chief Carl
Johnson, Fire Chief, presented this item and stated that the Emergency Medical
Service is currently paying approximately 30% for collection services. The following motion made by Commissioner
Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.
Recommend awarding a contract to Direct Source Management, L.L.C.,
Hendersonville, TN, to actively pursue the collection of unpaid County accounts
with reimbursement to be on a commission basis of 24% of the value collected. (Vote: 3-0-0)
5)
Consider retiring the police service dogs Nitro and
Rocko and, declare them surplus property and return them to either the original
owner or handler.
Matt Doering,
Assistant Police Chief, stated that both dogs had been donated to the County
and that one dog is eight (8) years old and had lost its proficiency. The other dog had never reached a
satisfactory level of proficiency.
Commissioner Chapman questioned whether this action would violate the
surplus property laws and Mr. Jerry Hegstrom, Assistant County Attorney, stated
that there should be no problem with this process. The following motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by
Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.
Recommend the honorable retirement of the police service dogs Nitro and
Rocko and declare them surplus property and return them to either the original
owner or handler. (Vote:
3-0-0)
6) Consider proceeding with staff’s recommendation to shift the additional
work for the three (3) RTU and the two (2) Radio Store and Forward Systems into
Phase One of the SCADA project at a cost of $74,679 to be funded by the Water
& Sewer Revenue Bond.
Mr. Ray Shell,
Utilities Manager, stated that the approval of this item would enable the
County to add critical wells to the SCADA system in order to provide additional
security. The following motion made by
Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.
Recommend proceeding with staff’s recommendation to shift the
additional work for the three (3) RTU and the two (2) Radio Store and Forward
Systems into Phase One of the SCADA project at a cost of $74,679 to be funded
by the Water & Sewer Revenue Bond.
(Vote: 3-0-0)
7) Consider applying for $72,000 in state assistance from the Georgia
Environmental Protection Division from the Scrap Tire Enforcement and Education
Program, and that approximately $54,224 of the $72,000 be earmarked to fund two
(2) County Code Enforcement positions, and the remaining $17,776 be used to
fund continuing educational activities performed by Keep Brunswick Golden Isles
Beautiful, Inc.
Mr. Dick
Newbern, Grants Administrator, stated that there is a March 1 deadline for
submission of the grant application and that the grant would be awarded in
June. Commissioner Fendig asked what
would happen on July 1, 2003 if the grant is not approved and Mr. Eckert stated
that the positions would be deleted.
Mr. Eckert stated that the grant funded capital equipment in the first year
and had funded these positions in subsequent years. Commissioner Chapman questioned whether it is essential that the
County retain the two positions and fund them with grant funds. He suggested that the grant funds could be
used for education and mentioned the removal of scrap tires and trash. After further discussion the following
motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Bedner passed
with Commissioner Chapman voting against the motion.
Recommend applying for $72,000 in state assistance from the Georgia
Environmental Protection Division from the Scrap Tire Enforcement and Education
Program, and that approximately $54,224 of the $72,000 be earmarked to fund two
(2) County Code Enforcement positions, and the remaining $27,776 be used to
fund continuing educational activities performed by Keep Brunswick Golden Isles
Beautiful, Inc. (Vote:
2-1-0)
At this time,
Chairman Bedner recognized Ms. Stacey Bristol who had arrived late and was not
present when the Consent items were voted on.
He informed her that her request for a refund of interest and penalties
as outlined in item 1(c) was denied as a part of the consent agenda. He stated that she should present her case
to the full Board of Commissioner if she wished to pursue the request.
8) Consider approving the following:
a)
Staff be authorized to procure a
new amphibious ditcher through the cooperative
Procurement program at a cost of
$261,880.00.
b)
Funding to be secured through a
five-year lease/purchase agreement.
c)
The Finance Department is to
obtain the most favorable interest rate for the
lease/purchase.
d) Revenue obtained by the Mosquito Control
Division Contract work for the Georgia DNR and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, is
to be used for reducing the balance on the lease/purchase loan agreement.
Joe Pereles,
Public Works Director, stated that this equipment allows for preventive
measures to be taken to reduce the mosquito infiltration in the County. He stated that this ditcher is fourteen (14)
years old and is in very poor condition.
The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by
Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.
Recommend approval of the
following:
a)
Staff be authorized to procure a new amphibious
ditcher through the cooperative procurement program at a cost of $261,880.00;
b)
Funding to be secured through a five-year
lease/purchase agreement;
c)
The Finance Department is to obtain the most
favorable interest rate for the lease/purchase; and
d) Revenue obtained
by the Mosquito Control Division Contract work for the Georgia DNR and U.S.
Army Corp of Engineers is to be used for reducing the balance on the
lease/purchase loan agreement.
(Vote: 3-0-0)
9) Consideration of the County's ownership role
in the St. Simons Island Lighthouse.
Mr. Mark Eckert stated that the General Services Administration (GSA)
has made the Lighthouse property available at not cost to any eligible
agency. His recommendation is to
support the Historical Society in their efforts to acquire the property and
stated that this is still a functioning lighthouse and if there is any sign of
lighthouse failure, the federal government would step in. Ms. Pat Morris, Executive Director of the
Coastal Georgia Historical Society, said that their intent is to keep the
Lighthouse open for the public. The following motion made by Commissioner
Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.
Recommend directing staff to write a letter to the General Services
Administration (GSA) in support of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
assuming the ownership and continuing the operation of the St. Simons
Lighthouse. (Vote: 3-0-0)
10) Request that Chairman Bedner identify the
Finance Committee items which should be included as consent items in the
Commission’s Meeting Agenda.
Chairman Bedner identified all items except 1(c), 7, and 9 as consent
items. Items 1(c), 7, and 9 will be
referred to the full Board of Commissioners with recommendations from the
Finance Committee.