Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Third Floor Conference Room

W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex

Brunswick, Georgia

 

Present:

                        Committee Members:   U. Keller, H. Lynn, T. Thaw

Other Commissioners: 

Staff:  P. Andrews, P. Christian, W. Davis, F. Dees, D. Deloach, M. Franklin, G. Grovner, D. Harrison, J. Horton, T. Hutchens, B. Mauney, P. McNicoll, B. Rowell, L. Shiver, C. Stewart, W. Worley

Press:   M. Permar

Others:  R. Thompson

 

1.      Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.

 

a)      Approve the November 8, 2005 Finance Committee Minutes. 

 

b)      Deny a request by Mr. Clifton S. Jones that $372.80 paid in penalties and interest on his 2004 property taxes be refunded. 

 

c)      Deny a request by Hodnett Cooper Hodnett, LLC, that $304.77 paid in penalties and interest on bill #042192 for 2004 property taxes be refunded. 

 

d)      Approve the real property corrections to the 2004 and the 2005 Digests and the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Digest as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their November 9, 2005 meeting.    

 

e)      Declare two 1998 Honda 4-wheelers as surplus and authorize transfer of the equipment to the Georgia Forestry Commission. 

 

f)        Transfer of $11,000 remaining in the Recreation capital improvement budget to the Recreation capital equipment budget in order to purchase a Riding Reel Mower.     

 

g)      Award the bid for the Tree Trimming and Maintenance to Locke Farms in the not to exceed amount of $62,000.00 with funding provided by the operating budget of the Engineering Department. 

 

 

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

 

Recommend approval of the Consent Agenda with the exception of items 1(a) and 1(f).  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

1(a) Commissioner Keller requested that 1(a) be pulled from consent since he did not attend the November 8, 2005 meeting.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Lynn passed with Commissioner Keller abstaining.

 

Approve the November 8, 2005 Finance Committee Minutes.  (Vote:  2-0-1)

 

1(f) Mr. Wesley Davis, Recreation Director, stated that money was available because DCA grant funds were used to fund the Epworth Tennis Court project.  Commissioner Thaw questioned whether there was sufficient funds for the Northwood Estates and Blythe Island Tennis Courts and Mr. Davis stated that there was.   Mr. Davis informed that Committee that the Reel Mower will do a better job of cutting the ball fields.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously.

 

Recommend the transfer of $11,000 remaining in the Recreation capital improvement budget to the Recreation capital equipment budget in order to purchase a Riding Reel Mower.  (Vote:  3-0-0)

 

2.      Consider a request from Richard Thompson concerning his Water & Sewer charges for October and November 2004. 

 

Mr. Richard Thompson stated that he was present to appeal his water bill because it was not possible to use the amount that was billed to him in October and November, 2004.  His house was vacant and listed with a real estate agent and was shown regularly during the time in question.  He said that the amount billed to his tenants prior to the account being set up in his name was not realistic for a family of five.  Mr. Paul Christian, Assistant County Attorney, said that he had checks for leaks but could not locate one.  He did notice a stucco house under construction behind Mr. Thompson’s house.  The house under construction used only 13,000 gallons of water during the time Mr. Thompson’s bill was in question.  After discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller passed with Commissioner Lynn voting against the motion. 

 

Recommend adjusting the sewer charges at 100 Thompson Cove for the October and November, 2004 billing.  (Vote:  2-1-0)

 

3.      Consider authorizing staff to issue an Invitation to Bid for the repair of roads damaged due to the heavy rains in early October with funding to be provided by the General Fund fund balance. 

 

Mr. David Deloach, Engineering Division Supervisor, presented this item and stated that roads inundated with flood water were damaged due to the traffic on the roadways.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend authorizing staff to issue an Invitation to Bid for the repair of roads damaged due to the heavy rains in early October with funding to be provided by the General Fund fund balance.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

4.      Consider increasing the Public Works Drainage Division Budget in the amount of $128,130 in order to make unfunded drainage improvements with funding to be provided by the General Fund fund balance.  

 

Mr. Tim Hutchens, Drainage Manager, presented this item and stated they were not requesting supplemental funds for materials purchased during the floods but for drainage upgrades and replacements that became critical due to the flood.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend increasing the Public Works Drainage Division Budget in the amount of $128,130 in order to make unfunded drainage improvements with funding to be provided by the General Fund fund balance.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

5.      Consider rejecting all bids for the Blythe Island Regional Park electrical upgrade. 

 

Mr. Paul Christian, Assistant County Administrator, stated that staff will be upgrading the first 12 sites in-house.   After discussion the following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend rejecting all bids for the Blythe Island Regional Park electrical upgrade.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

6.      Consider approving an amendment to the Solid Waste Ordinance.

 

Commissioner Keller requested that staff obtain comments from Ms. Florence Dees, Tax Commissioner, and have her to sign off on the amendment.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously. 

 

Recommend deferral of this item until the next Finance Committee meeting.  (Vote: 3-0-0)

 

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

 

Motion to hear an item concerning Cate Road Landfill Drainage.

 

7.     Mr. Paul Andrews, Assistant County Engineer, explained that the County has had drainage problems at the site of an old USDA ditch near the Cate Road Landfill.  He stated that staff recommends that the County take advantage of the cooperation offered by the railroad because it would be much more expensive to correct the problem in the future.  He stated that the Railroad would require more expensive materials if it is not done while they are working in the area.  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Keller passed unanimously.

 

Recommend entering into an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company for the Cate Road Landfill culvert project, subject to the County Attorney’s approval and authorize the Chairman to sign the agreement.  (Vote: 3-0-0) 

 

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

 

Commissioner Lynn identified all items as Consent Agenda Items except item # 6 which is deferred to the next Finance Committee meeting.