Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 6, 2003

Third Floor Conference Room

W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex

Brunswick, Georgia

 

 

Present:

                        Committee Members: M. Bedner, J. Chapman, and C. Fendig

Staff:  D. Chunn, F. Dees, M. Eckert, J. Hegstrom, C. Johnson, S. Johnson, Mann, P. McNicoll, J. Nazzrie, W. Pittman, B. Rogers, A. Sapp, A. Thomas

Press:  Josh Rayburn, Matthew Permar

Others:  Mike Browning, Gary Colberg, Marshall Davis, Wilson Harrell

 

1.         Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.

           

a) Approve the April 22, 2003 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes. 

 

b) Deny request by Ms. Margaret A. Morse that $1,123.76 paid in penalty and interest on her 2002 property tax be refunded. 

 

c) Deny request by Mr. And Mrs. Richard Ellison that $2,146.76 paid in penalty and interest on his 2002 property tax be refunded. 

 

d) Deny a request from Sally Hardman, Beachcomber BBQ, that $100.00 paid in penalties on alcohol excise drink tax be refunded. 

 

e) Approve the real 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 April 16, 2003 meeting. 

 

f) Declare the unusable items listed on the attached page as surplus and approve the sale of these items in the best interest of the County. 

 

 

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

 

Recommend approval of the Consent Agenda.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

2.                  Receive a presentation from Dr. Wayne Lindstrum concerning the Gateway Center appropriation.

 

Dr. Lindstrum stated that 205 of the Gateway Center’s 600 employees are from Glynn County and that represents a $6.1 million payroll.  He stated that the proposed $266 thousand reduction in the appropriation from Glynn County would result in a decrease of nine staff positions.  Chairman Bedner voiced concerns that the Center had a $6 million problem and the County Commissioners became aware of it when it appeared in the newspaper and then receive a report from the Center only after the County proposed elimination of funding.  Dr. Lindstrum stated that Camden County had cut off their $400,000 support of the Center and that Glynn County is now the major County contributor.  Chairman Bedner suggested that Dr. Lundstrum bring a proposal back to the Budget Team.

 

No action was taken by the Finance Committee.

 

3.                  Receive a report from Florence Dees, Tax Commissioner, regarding the change of address process in her office. 

 

Ms. Dees reported to the Committee that when a taxpayer purchases a property parcel, a form PT61 is filed with the Clerk of Superior Court.  That form is then forwarded to the GIS Department where an address is generated.  When property exchanges hands, the taxpayer files a return for a homestead exemption and the homestead address overrides the PT61 address.  The new property owner can also file a change of address form with the Tax Commissioner’s office.  Chairman Bedner stated that the PT61 should have an option for listing the billing address and asked Ms. Dees to give the Commissioners a memo requesting that the County’s state representatives add a billing address option to that form.

 

No action was taken by the Finance Committee.

 

4.                  Receive a presentation from Gary Colberg of the Hospital Authority.  (M. Bedner)

 

This item was moved to the end of the agenda at the request of Mr. Colberg.

 

5.                  Consider declaring the police departments issued 120 Glock pistols as surplus and use them as trade in toward the purchase of 125 new Glock pistols, and award the bid to the lowest bidder, Arvin’s Inc. in the amount of $62,825 with $38,768 being funded from the trade in of the surplus weapons and the remaining $24,065 being funded from the police departments Law Enforcement Block Grant.  

 

Chief Bob Pittman, Police Chief, stated that the department has a five-year replacement policy for all departmental issued duty weapons and that the current weapons were purchased five and one half years ago.  He requested authorization to replace the weapons and trade in the old weapons and stated that the memo listed Arvin’s Inc. as the lowest bidder but Smyrna Police Distributors was actually the lowest responsive bidder.  The following motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

 

Recommend declaring the police departments issued 120 Glock pistols as surplus and use them as trade in toward the purchase of 125 new Glock pistols, and award the bid to the lowest bidder, Smyrna Police Distributors, Inc. in the amount of $62,825 with $38,768 being funded from the trade in of the surplus weapons and the remaining $24,065 being funded from the police departments Law Enforcement Block Grant.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

6.                  Consider approving the requested Emergency Rescue Service rate increase and set EMS billing at BLS $350.00; ALS-1 $400.00; ALS-2 $450.00; Specialty $500.00 and $8.50 per loaded mile for all transports. 

 

Chief Carl Johnson, Fire Chief, presented this item and stated that the cost of providing emergency medical services for fuel costs, non-hospital provided supplies, and replacement of equipment have all risen since the last rate increase on March 14, 2000.  He stated that Glynn County is charging less than all other counties in our EMS region except McIntosh County and McIntosh is in the process of changing their fees.  Changes in federal laws will not allow the hospital to bill the patient for supplies used by the EMS unit and are now billing the County for those supplies.  With the current rate structure, the County does not receive reimbursement from the patient for the supplies purchased from the hospital.  Chairman Bedner voiced concern that the collection rate was only 57% but Chief Johnson stated that the rate was so low because of the write-offs required for Medicare/Medicaid patients and the large number of patients that have no insurance.  The following motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed with Chairman Bedner voting against the motion.

 

Motion to defer this item to the full Board of Commissioners with no action from the Finance Committee.  (Vote: 2-1-0)

 

7.                  Consider awarding a contract for Private Probation System management to Sentinel Offender Services, LLC for the base fee amount of $35.00 per month per probationer with optional fees as outlined in the Fee Schedule and all fees will be paid by the probationers. 

 

Ms. Phyllis McNicoll, Finance Director, presented this item and stated that the State Court Judge and Magistrate Court Judge requested that the contract be awarded to Sentinel Offender Services.  The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.

 

Recommend awarding a contract for Private Probation System management to Sentinel Offender Services, LLC for the base fee amount of $35.00 per month per probationer with optional fees as outlined in the Fee Schedule and all fees will be paid by the probationers.  (Vote: 3-00-)

 

8.                  Consider approval of a resolution to enter into a five year capital lease with Municipal Services Group, Inc. for water meters in the amount of $433,131 at an interest rate of 3.62%.

 

Ms. Phyllis McNicoll presented this item and stated that the Board had previously approved the large water meter replacement program and the capital lease financing option.  This request was authorization for the Chairman to sign the lease purchase agreement.  The following motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Chapman passed unanimously.

 

Recommend authorizing the Chairman to sign a five-year lease/purchase agreement with Municipal Services Group, Inc. at a cost of $48,152.55, subject to review by the County Attorney, all in accord with the purchase and financing of replacement water meters from Metron-Farnier for $433,131 authorized by the Board of Commissioners at their meeting on April 3, 2003.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

9.                  Consider approving a 10% increase in the water and sewer rates effective July 1, 2003 for St. Simons Island District, Mainland South District, and water customers within Mainland North and direct staff to advertise the rate increase and hold a public hearing in accordance section 2-2-9 of the Glynn County Code of Ordinances. 

 

Mr. Mark Eckert, County Administrator, presented this item and Chairman Bedner questioned why the increase was being brought before them again since they approved a three year program of 10% increases in July of last year.  Mr. Gary Moore, County Attorney, stated that one Board could not commit a future Board to increase and therefore the increase must be reaffirmed by the current Board.  The following motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Bedner passed with Commissioner Chapman voting against the motion.

 

Recommend continuing to implement the previously planned program of rate increases (approved by the BOC on 7/18/02) by approving a 10% increase in the water and sewer rates effective July 1, 2003 for St. Simons Island District, Mainland South District, and water customers within Mainland North and direct staff to advertise the rate increase and hold a public hearing in accordance section 2-2-9 of the Glynn County Code of Ordinances.  (Vote: 2-1-0)

 

10.              Consider issuing a contract to D.R. Construction Company for the cleaning, sealing, and tuck pointing of the exterior of the New Courthouse in the amount of $54,710.00. 

 

Mr. Marshall Davis, Lee Design & Management Group Program Manager, explained that bids had been received for the cleaning, sealing, and tuck pointing of the exterior of the Courthouse and recommended award of the bid.  The following motion made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commissioner Fendig passed unanimously.

 

Recommend issuing a contract to D.R. Construction Company for the cleaning, sealing, and tuck pointing of the exterior of the New Courthouse in the amount of $54,710.00.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

11.              Receive a report on garbage service alternatives.  

 

This item was pulled at the request of Ms. McNicoll.

 

12.              Receive a presentation from Gary Colberg of the Hospital Authority.  (M. Bedner)

 

Mr. Gary Colberg discussed plans for an addition to the hospital complex and requested that the County and City sell the hospital land to the Authority.  They stated that the office condominiums must be built on property owned by the Authority so that they could be sold to the doctors.  The following motion made by Commissioner Fendig and seconded by Commissioner Bedner passed with Commissioner Chapman voting against the motion.

 

Recommend approval of the transfer by quitclaim deed to Glynn-Brunswick Memorial Hospital Authority all the County’s interest in the real property comprising the Southeast Georgia Hospital on First Street in Brunswick, Georgia if the City of Brunswick also conveys its interest to the Hospital Authority for the payment of $1,000,000 each to the City and County.  The conveyance shall have a reversionary clause with title of that portion not conveyed as permitted herein reverting back to Glynn County if any of the following occur:  1) the Glynn-Brunswick Memorial Hospital Authority ceases to operate a public, non-profit hospital on the site; 2) the Glynn-Brunswick Memorial Hospital Authority levies any tax millage against the taxpayers of Glynn County or makes any charge against the County itself to pay for all or any part of the cost of providing indigent care; 3) Glynn-Brunswick Memorial hospital Authority sells, conveys or hypothecates any portion of the premises except the sale of individual office condominiums to health care providers or 4) dissolution of the Glynn-Brunswick Memorial Hospital Authority.  (Vote: 2-1-0)

 

13.              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 items 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 as consent items.  Item 4 and 6 were referred to the full Board.