Finance Committee Meeting Minutes
Glynn County Board of Commissioners
4:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Third Floor Conference Room
W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex
Brunswick, Georgia
Present:
Committee Members: J. Clark and C. Johnson
Other Commissioners:
Staff: F. Carpenter, D. Chunn, W. Davis, D. Hainley, D. Newbern, B. Rowell, S. Santee, C. Stewart, S. Trautz, W. Worley
Press:
Others: Mr. J. Herndon, Various citizens- Epworth Tennis Courts
1. Consider approval of the consent agenda.
a) Approval of the April 24, 2007 Finance Committee Minutes.
b) Approve a request from Mr. Jim Herndon, Veta Hill Construction, Inc., that $2,571.04 paid in penalties and interest on parcel #04-12033 be refunded.
c) Approve the Real Property corrections for the tax years 2000-2006 as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or the Interim Chief Appraiser at their Wednesday, April 18, 2007 meeting.
Commissioner Johnson asked if Jim Herndon was here and if he wanted to speak. Mr. Jim Herndon representing Veta Hill Construction, Inc. stated that the tax bill in question was sent with the wrong address. He stated that he had paid all other taxes.
The following motion made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Clark passed unanimously.
Recommend approval of the consent agenda. (Vote: 2-0-0)
2. Consider authorizing:
a) Total renovation of the tennis court surfaces and fencing for two (2) existing tennis courts located at Epworth Park in an amount not to exceed $43,000.
b) Construction of two (2) new tennis courts, including fencing, in an amount not to exceed $83,500 at Epworth Park.
with funding to be provided by General Fund fund balance, which will be reimbursed by SPLOST #5, with interest, when funds become available.
Mr. Wesley Davis, Recreation Director, presented the item. He stated that the projects had not been bid out but estimated that the cost would be between $43,000 and $83,000. He asked for permission to move forward with the bid process. The tennis courts at Epworth have quite a few large cracks them. Mr. Davis informed the Committee that staff would contact the United States Tennis Association to determine whether there are any grants available.
After discussion concerning funding and whether this project could be bid and then come back to the Finance Committee with a recommendation for funding and award at the same time, Commissioner Johnson requested that this item be pulled from this agenda and directed staff to bring this item back after bidding.
No action taken.
3. Consider authorizing Glynn County to enter into a contract in the form attached hereto, subject to the County Attorney’s review for the Blythe Island Regional Park Night Ranger.
Mr. Wesley Davis, Recreation Director, requested the addition of a part-time Night Ranger at Blythe Island Regional Park (BIRP) who would work for the Park in lieu of rent. He would be responsible for working five days a week from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. and would provide Park Patrol, clean the restroom, assist the campers as needed and help maintain the park during the evening hours. This position would eliminate some of the current staff’s overtime. Mr. Will Worley stated that their office has reviewed the contract and it is approved as to form.
The following motion made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Clark passed unanimously.
Recommend authorizing Glynn County to enter into a contract in the form attached hereto, subject to the County Attorney’s review for the Blythe Island Regional Park Night Ranger. (Vote: 2-0-0)
4. Consider authorizing the Chairman to execute the Indemnification and Hold Harmless Agreements with GBCC, Inc. After execution by all parties, Glynn County will deliver the Utility Facilities Encroachment Permits to the developer.
Mr. Will Worley, Assistant County Attorney, presented the item explaining that this is another Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Indemnification Hold Harmless Agreement that they periodically bring before the Board where the County gets the permit on behalf of the developer and in exchange they get Georgia Department of Transportation to require them sign the agreement to hold the County harmless if they go out there and damage the highway, they are responsible, the County is not. The only difference between this one and a normal one is they have signed a separate agreement for the water part and a separate agreement with the sewer part. There are actually two agreements here, two different letters of credit, and they have looked over everything. They have signed copies of the agreements in hand and both letters of credit.
Commissioner Johnson asked what GBCC is and Mr. Worley responded that it is a developer out of McDonough that is building a NASCAR course.
Ms Becky Rowell, Assistant County Administrator asked if the County was going to pay any cost of this.
Mr. Worley stated no, that GDOT requires that municipality or County get the permit, therefore the County gets the letter of credit, they are paying for it, if they get half way across the road and decide they don’t want to do anymore, then the County cashes in the letter of credit and we go and finish it off.
Mr. Rowell spoke about last weeks Public Infrastructure Committees discussion about crossing the big highway.
Commissioner Johnson stated that this is commercial offer and they have got to bring an eight inch line across the road.
The following motion made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Clark had a vote of 1-0-1 with Commissioner Clark abstaining.
Recommend sending to the full Board consideration of authorizing the Chairman to execute the Indemnification and Hold Harmless Agreements with GBCC, Inc. After execution by all parties, Glynn County will deliver the Utility Facilities Encroachment Permits to the developer. (Vote: 1-0-1)
5. Consider adopting the Resolution supporting the $229,321 grant application to be submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation for second-year bus transit services in Glynn County with a local match of $229,321 to be shared with the City of Brunswick.
Mr. Dick Newbern presented this item explaining that this is another application for funding the perspective bus transit system service in Glynn County. This will put in place some federal funds for operating costs in case the County decides to move ahead with this project. The match for the County and City to be shared will be $229,321. There is going to be an implementation study done to examine the feasibility of moving ahead with the bus transit services. The results will be done sometime this year. The County will then be able to decide to whether to move ahead with bus transit service based on the implementation study results. This resolution is to move ahead with the application, put the money in place so that in case the County does decide to move ahead there will be funds available to fund the capital and the operation expenses for bus transit.
Mr. Stewart encourages that the County proceed with this and stated that if the City of Brunswick does not approve this, then the County should not continue. Commissioner Johnson requested that staff get the City of Brunswick’s approval on these type items before bringing them to the County.
The following motion made by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Clark passed unanimously.
Recommend adopting the Resolution supporting the $229,321 grant application to be submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation for second-year bus transit services in Glynn County with a local match of $229,321 to be shared with the City of Brunswick. (Vote: 2-0-0)
6. Request that Chairman Clark identify the Finance Committee items which should be included as consent items in the Commission’s Meeting Agenda.
Commissioner Clark identified all items as consent agenda items except #2, which no action was taken and #4 to be referred to the full Board of Commissioners.