Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, April 4, 2006

Third Floor Conference Room

W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex

Brunswick, Georgia

 

Present:

                        Committee Members:   C. Johnson, U. Keller, & T. Thaw

Other Commissioners: 

Staff:  J. Bruner, K. Bryant, P. Christian, W. Davis, A. Mumford, P. McNicoll, D. Newbern, B. Rowell,  C. Stewart, S. Trautz, W. Worley

Press:   M. Permar

Others:  P. Overton, H. Peppiatt

 

1.      Consider approval al of the Consent Agenda.

 

a)      Approve the March 14, 2006 Finance Committee Minutes.  

 

b)      Deny a request from Ms. Helen Peppiatt that $455.26 paid in penalties and interest on her 2005 property taxes be refunded.   

 

c)      Deny a request from Ms. Kay Birdsong that $423.82 paid in penalties and interest on her 2004 property taxes be refunded.                  

 

d)      Approve the real property corrections to the 2005 Digest(s) and the personal property corrections to the 2004 and 2005 Digest(s), as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their March 22, 2006 meeting.             

 

e)      Declare the unusable item(s) listed on the attached page(s) as surplus and approve the disposal of these item(s) in the best interest of the County. 

 

Item 1(b) was pulled from the consent agenda for discussion.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

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

 

1(b)  Ms. Helen Peppiatt  addressed the Committee and stated that she didn’t get her 2003 tax bill and contacted the Tax Commissioner’s office and then paid her taxes and penalties.  She did receive her 2004 tax bill but did not receive the 2005 bill.  She said that her address had not changed.  She was requesting that penalties and interest paid on her 2005 tax bill be refunded.  Commissioner Johnson told her that they were unable to waive the fees.  Commissioner thaw requested that Ms. Florence Dees have a representative at the meeting in the future.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously.

 

Recommend denial of a request from Ms. Helen Peppiatt that $455.26 paid in penalties and interest on her 2005 property taxes be refunded.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

 

2.      Consider accepting the $500,000 Employment Incentive (EIP) grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). The purpose of the grant is to help offset the costs of the drainage structures that will be installed as part of the Glynn County Rail Connector project and authorizing the Chairman to execute the grant contract with Georgia DCA, subject to the review of the County Attorney. 

 

Mr. Dick Newbern presented this item and stated that the County Attorney’s Office had received the contract.  The $500 thousand grant will serve as the County’s portion of the project and will be used to offset the cost of the drainage work.  He stated that there is no County match required.  Mr. Will Worley, Assistant County Attorney, stated that he had received the contracts that morning and had not completed his review.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend accepting the $500,000 Employment Incentive (EIP) grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). The purpose of the grant is to help offset the costs of the drainage structures that will be installed as part of the Glynn County Rail Connector project and authorizing the Chairman to execute the grant contract with Georgia DCA, subject to the review of the County Attorney.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

3.      Consider accepting the $22,694 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) from the U.S. Department of Justice, with the understanding that the funds be spent on eligible items and the County agrees to a cash match in the amount of $2,522, and authorizing the Chairman to execute appropriate grant documents, subject to the review of the County Attorney. 

 

Mr. Dick Newbern presented this item and Asst. Police Chief Scott Trautz stated that the matching funds ($2,522) for this grant would be provided from the Police Seizure Fund.  He stated that the funds would be used to for the purchase of uniforms and equipment.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend accepting the $22,694 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) from the U.S. Department of Justice, with the understanding that the funds be spent on eligible items and the County agrees to a cash match in the amount of $2,522, and authorizing the Chairman to execute appropriate grant documents, subject to the review of the County Attorney.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

4.      Consider adopting a Resolution authorizing the County to file a grant application for $5,000 to the Georgia Secretary of State Archives Office for Probate Court to implement a records preservation project, including the purchase of a microfilm reader/printer and a match of $5,000 in cash from the County budget or in-kind services. 

 

The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend adopting a Resolution authorizing the County to file a grant application for $5,000 to the Georgia Secretary of State Archives Office for Probate Court to implement a records preservation project, including the purchase of a microfilm reader/printer and a match of $5,000 in cash from the County budget or in-kind services.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

5.      Consider awarding the base bid and Alternate #1 to the lowest responsive bidder, Douglas Plumbing and Electric Co., Douglas Georgia for $3,659,626, and negotiate a change order to the contract to extend water approximately one mile further along Buck Swamp Road and approximately two additional miles along US 82 to serve two new development sites with funding of approximately $2.8M be provided from SPLOST IV and additional funds be borrowed from GEFA or another source, depending on the market, to be repaid from SPLOST V. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Jim Bruner, County Engineer, stated that the County had received four bids for the project.  The project as bid included water and sewer line work along Broadway Street, water line work along major Wright Road, Lawrence Road, North Harrington Road, and Cate Road, and water line work in Kelvin Grove and Devonwood subdivisions.  The bid also included an Alternate #1 for water line work along Buck Swamp Road, Myers Hill Road and US82.  He stated that staff would like to add an additional three miles onto the Alternate project and estimated that it would cost an additional $900 thousand.  Mr. Charles Stewart, County Administrator, stated that he would like to negotiate the Buck Swamp/Myers Hill project with Douglas Electric and Mr. Worley stated that negotiation was an option since the bid was over budget.  After discussion concerning the possibility of awarding the bid for the Alternate #1 to the low bidder for that project, fhe following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend awarding the base bid for Tabs 1-7 of the Eight Neighborhoods Water and Sewer Project to the lowest responsive bidder, Douglas Plumbing and Electric Co., Douglas Georgia for $2,021,992.30, and negotiate the bid for Tab 8 to include extending water approximately one mile further along Buck Swamp Road and approximately two additional miles along US 82 to serve two new development sites with funding to be provided from SPLOST IV and additional funds be borrowed from GEFA or another source, depending on the market, to be repaid from SPLOST V.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

6.      Consider approving funding for the purchase and installation of wiring and equipment to establish telephone and data services for the Casino building in the amount of $20,000 with funding to be provided by the lowest Splost 4 Tier 2 project available.

 

This item was pulled at the request of Mr. Charles Stewart. 

 

7.      Consider revising the current Vehicle Assignment & Use Policy to include a vehicle allowance for the Public Works Director. 

 

Mr. Charles Stewart, County Administrator, requested that the policy be amended in order to provide a vehicle allowance to the new Public Works Director.  Commissioner Johnson commented that there were some employees who needed to be removed from the vehicle allowance list.  Commissioner Thaw questioned whether the County had considered leasing vehicles and Ms. Phyllis McNicoll, Finance Director, stated that they had not.  Commissioner Keller requested that the County Administrator initiate a senior staff pay review and then eliminate the vehicle allowances for those individuals.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend revising the current Vehicle Assignment & Use Policy to include a vehicle allowance for the Public Works Director.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

8.      Consider approving, pursuant to the terms and agreements entered into between Glynn County and the Branigar Organization, Inc., Union Camp Corporation, and U.C. Realty Corporation, Glynn County disbursing $787,375.75 to International Paper Company, via International Paper Realty Corporation, and that $267,768.69 and any other costs that become eligible for reimbursement in the future be paid quarterly to International Paper, pursuant to the terms of the applicable agreements, as respective tapping fees are received; provided, however, that no disbursements of any kind will be made to International Paper pursuant to the subject agreements and as approved hereby until and unless:

1)      Glynn County receives from International Paper Company the requisite deed(s) in a form approved by and satisfactory to the Glynn County Attorney; and

2)      Glynn County receives a release and indemnification agreement in its favor for the disbursement of the above sums in a form approved by and satisfactory to the Glynn County Attorney. 

 

Mr. Aaron Mumford, Assistant County Attorney, presented this item and explained that the reimbursement requested was not related to the PAWS Wildlife Park property.  Ms. McNicoll stated that after the initial payment is made, payments will be made on a quarterly basis until the County’s commitment is completed.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend approving, pursuant to the terms and agreements entered into between Glynn County and the Branigar Organization, Inc., Union Camp Corporation, and U.C. Realty Corporation, Glynn County disbursing $787,375.75 to International Paper Company, via International Paper Realty Corporation, and that $267,768.69 and any other costs that become eligible for reimbursement in the future be paid quarterly to International Paper, pursuant to the terms of the applicable agreements, as respective tapping fees are received; provided, however, that no disbursements of any kind will be made to International Paper pursuant to the subject agreements and as approved hereby until and unless:

1)   Glynn County receives from International Paper Company the requisite deed(s) in a form approved by and satisfactory to the Glynn County Attorney; and

2)   Glynn County receives a release and indemnification agreement in its favor for the disbursement of the above sums in a form approved by and satisfactory to the Glynn County Attorney.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

9.      Consider providing added services for beach park restrooms housekeeping and maintenance as follows:

-Divide work between Recreation staff and a private contractor.

·         Start date – April 15 – September 15

·         Seven (7) days per week

·         One attendant per site

·         Recreation staff will maintain the parks from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm

·         Private contractor will maintain the parks as follows:

Coast Guard Station   1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Massengale Park       1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Neptune Park              1:00 pm to 6:00 pm                

 

 

Mr. Paul Christian, Assistant County Administrator, handed out a new memo as he presented this item and stated that staff had explored options to use a private contractor to start on April 15.  Commissioner Thaw questioned the oversight of the contractor and was told that Wesley Davis and Kathy Bryant would oversee the project.  Mr. Wesley Davis, Recreation Director, stated that an RFP will be prepared for the service starting in July.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller  passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend providing added services for beach park restrooms housekeeping and maintenance as follows:

-Use a private contractor for the following at a price, not to exceed $9,685 per month, which includes all supplies and cleaning equipment:

•     Start date – April 15 – September 15

•     Seven (7) days per week

•     One attendant per site

•     Private contractor will maintain the parks as follows:

Coast Guard Station   7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Massengale Park         7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Neptune Park               7:00 am to 6:00 pm                .  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

10.  Consider approving that the County take over the rights-of-way maintenance of the listed roads and provide funding via a contract with the current provider.   

 

Mr. Charles Stewart presented this item and the following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend approving that the County take over the rights-of-way maintenance of the listed roads and provide funding via a contract with the current provider.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

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

 

 

Commissioner Johnson identified all items except item #5 as Consent Agenda Items.