Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good morning. I'm calling to order the management and internal services committee meeting for Tuesday, October 14th. Um, let's begin with an invocation. Please, if you'll remove your hats and bow your head. Thank you, Lord, for this day and the freedoms we have, including the right to assemble and to govern ourselves. Please be with us as we go through this agenda today and make decisions that impact our neighbors and our community. forgive us our entitlement and help us make our decisions in fairness and in wisdom and in truth. In your name we pray. Amen. Amen.

Please join me for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for it stands one nation under Godisible with liberty justice for all. Thank you. We have a quorum here with three members present. We need approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. What is your pleasure? Motion to approve. Second. Thank you. Minutes are approved. Is there any changes to the printed agenda? All fair. Madam chair, for your consideration, we would ask to move the presentations G1 and G2 uh to the next committee meetings. Miss Reese is unable to be with us today.

All right. Is that the Let's see. We're not Are we having a committee meeting? Yes. Yes. Okay. So that will be uh moved out two weeks. Thank you. So G1 and G2 are moved. I have nothing on the consent agenda. Moving directly into the debate agenda, Mr. Johnson. Yeah. First item for your consideration is service agreement with the CSR Alliance for Fort Gordon. This is a budgeted item that we do every year. Uh total amount for the service agreement is $25,000. Staff recommends approval of the service agreement alliance for Fort Gordon. Move to consent. Second. So move. Thank you. Next,

uh the next item you have for consideration is service agreements with Safe Homes and Safe Homes of Augusta and the Hatime and Deborah Marshall Scholarship Foundation. You can see that the uh total amounts is a thousand to each one of those organizations. The staff has prepared the service agreements and we'll get those signed with uh with the checks are dropped off. Staff recommends approval to consent. Second. So moved. Next.

Next item you have is resolution 2532. This is the to appoint the initial members of the Columbia County Library System. Uh as you know now that Columbia County is going to have a standalone library board. We have to appoint new new members. Uh these members will need to begin work uh pretty soon working on bylaws uh any guidelines that are in place. Uh we'll need to hire a new re regional director. So they do have some work to do. So, the slate that we have before you today that's been recommended by or nominated by the commissioners is the countywide seat will uh be uh actually chair of this committee. Connie Pier uh Rusty Jarrett will be the district one representative. Cecilia Brown will be the district three representative and John Luton will be the district four representative. District two is um is is vacant. Uh we're going to leave that vacant now to allow whoever wins the district 2 race to be able to appoint their own person. Staff recommends approval. You can see the length of the initial terms is in the backup information.

Very good. Thank you. And we have a speaker today, Miss Karen Pum. Would you like to come forward? Please state your name and address for the record.

Hi, good morning. I'm Karen Parham, 3421 Hilltop Trail. Um I'm speaking on behalf of the Freedom to Read Coalition of Columbia County. So our organization is concerned about the direction of the new Columbia County Library System when um county administration through the community services director continues to manage library operations while also placing that same position on the board that hires and oversees the library director, it creates a built-in conflict of interest. So even if direct uh supervision of staff changes, real control still rests with the county manager and the commission through this administrative link. That means that the library's independence exists only on paper and not in practice. So we urge the county to establish a structure that keeps library governance separate from county administration and political influence. Thank you.

Move to consent. Second. So moved. Thank you. Okay, one more item, Mr. Johnson.

Yes, ma'am. Uh, the next item we have is resolution 25-33. This is established in the Columbia County Library fees fund. Uh, historically, the uh, library advisory board had a fund that money would go into that uh, for late fees and and other fees with the sale of books and those sort of things. It's grown into a pretty sizable amount of money. Uh so with the library advisory board no longer in place, it's incumbent upon the county now to establish a a fund for that. Uh so due to our fiduciary responsibility, I would ask that we would use this resolution to establish a special revenue fund. That way those those funds can continue to be earmarked for library operations and use. Uh but they will be in a special revenue fund. We will be coming back to you with a fee schedule uh as well um as far as how the new fees will be distributed and dispersed, but we do need do need to establish this fund. So, staff recommends approval.

Move to consent. Second. So moved. Thank you. Let's move on to financial services. Um Colonel Kennedy, this first item will be briefed by Mr. Josh Small. Good morning, Josh. Good morning.

Morning. Uh yeah. So the uh performing arts center uh currently does not own any moving light fixtures for theatrical productions. Um it's something that we've kind of seen over the last three years. Uh several shows that come in ask for the moving light fixtures. So we have to go outside of what our current inventory is and we have to rent those fixtures. Uh so purchasing these would significantly reduce that uh rental and also would enhance our current capabilities you know not just for the touring shows but for the you know our community events that come through as well. So u today uh staff recommends purchase of 16 moving light fixtures from Quest Productions for $62,400.

How much have we been spending on rental um they'll say in the past year? Yeah, we're averaging about $15,000 over the last three years. per year. Per year. Yes, sir. What's the lifespan of these if we uh lifespan? You're you're looking for probably 10 to 15 years. And the maintenance I mean the light bulbs that you have to replace. Yeah, the light bulbs will be the things that are replaced most frequently, but they are LEDs, so they last a long time. Move to consent. Second. So moved. Thank you. Thanks.

Next. Uh the next item is the fiscal year 2425 required budget adjustment for the audit. By state law, the final expenditures for all departments must be within the legal legal level of budgetary control, which is the department level. The attached adjudgments will bring us into compliance. Staff recommends approval. I I do have a comment on this that I just throw in there. So you'll see that there were two actually large ones there. One was fleet services and the other one was the detention center. Those just those two equaled uh right at a million dollars. Uh the detention services or detention center is overtime in in the jail. So we're having they're short staff. We're still trying to fill positions. So the sheriff is is utilizing overtime to be able to uh keep the jail staffed. And then the fleet services the $675,000 uh deficit uh was for vehicle upfitting. As you remember, we got a lot of vehicles at one time, so we had to upfit all those vehicles at one time. Uh, so we did have to make that adjustment as well. Overall, this is typical for what we would make as far as budget adjustments for the year. I I've been through this. I sat down with Mr. Kennedy and Miss Reese. We don't have any issues with the adjustments. So, they seem to be pretty much in order or they seem to be in not pretty much, they seem to be in order.

If I can add one more thing, you see a number of places say personnel benefits. are generally incurred from new hires that were approved or changes in benefits that people make at open enrollment are included. And then we had another almost half a million dollars in increase in li liability insurance and property claim insurance. I think on the heels of lean our insurance carriers are seeing a need for an increase. So it all kind of hit at one time. How much have we received back from FEMA? Ga we were at 51 million correct last count 51 million or a little over halfway.

So about 80 million around 80 million is what we're looking at total. Um so a little over halfway. Your pleasure. Second. Thank you. So moved. And one more. Yes, ma'am. The next item will be briefed by Miss Paulie Buchanan. Morning, Paulie.

Good morning. So, Columbia County has been awarded up to $8,500 from ACCG for their group self- insurance workers compensation fund employee safety grant. All of their members are encouraged to apply for this. It is designed to provide additional funding for items or services to help control risk and reduce employee injuries. We requested the funding to purchase equipment and supplies related to enhanced protection for rescue calls and training for fire services and safety for water utility services. Staff does recommend acceptance of the second. So move. Thank you. Moving on to facilities. Mr. Bther,

good morning. How y'all doing? a few items duration this morning. The first being an independent services contract agreement with electrical design consultants. Um this is for professional services uh for a generator design bid package for the exhibition center and Columbia County Fire Station 16. Uh staff recommen recommends approval of this contract and the price not to exceed price of 33,500. What budget? This is TABT budget. Move to consent. Second. Thank you. Next.

The second item uh for your consideration is independent contract agreement with Pin Roofing. Uh this is for the re-roofing of the Evans Library. Um we due to Hurricane Helen, we had multiple roofers come out and inspect the roof. Uh we initially wanted to repair um patch some areas, but working with insurance uh we were uh granted the capability to re-roof that. Um, so we went out and got three quotes and roofing was the lowest qualified at 100 $141,500. Staff recommends approval first with insurance. The original roof that's

it's a and it's an upgraded roof um in terms of uh of insulation. was your pleasure. Excuse me. So move. Next. The next item for your consideration is change order number eight for the Columbia County tennis court renovations project. Um this included Patriots, Riverside, Lonnie Morris. The project is complete. Uh the project did uh go on for a little bit longer than necessary. Um we also worked with that contractor for repairs after Hurricane Helen. Um so this is our final change order for that project. Staff recommends the approval of this in the amount of $77,07.

Second. So moved.

The next item for your consideration is the rejection of bids for the Columbia County Evans Library HVAC renovations. We started this project some time ago um knowing that we needed to have some work done to the chiller there. Project grew in scope um just due to the age of the building. Um so we we designed a complete HVAC renovation project. Uh obviously the project came in way over budget. So we elected to reject the bids and repair the chiller as is. So we uh currently replaced one compressor in that chiller and we're going to be replacing another chiller compressor. So uh I think we're in good shape. Staff does recommend thection of the

move to consent. How long will it take them to rework the pillars? That should be pretty quick. Yes. So, we already replaced one compressor. The other's on the order. Um once it gets here, it's a one or two day process. Second. Were good move with a question. Were you trying to see from general contractors rather directly to an HVAC company? Yes, ma'am. Due to the scope, the size and scope and the the building occupancy, it required a GC. Um, next

the next item for your consideration is the easement with Georgia Power for the Pard House. Um, this is to get new power run to a new area on that site for that project. Project actually bids Thursday. So, looking forward to that. Staff recommends recommends approval of this. Move to consent. Second.

Okay. Moved. One more. Last item for your consideration is change order one for the Patriots Park gym improvement project. We have been working on renovations for that facility. We've been roofing it. Uh we're getting a new gym floor that's actually installed now. Um we've placed the HVAC uh the gymnasium area. Um and obviously this summer was very hard for us in HVAC world. Um so we had some failures in these units. These are the units that are above the office workout uh dance floor and yoga area. Um so they're in a very tough place to get to maintain. Worked with our in-house HVAC technicians to repair them the best we could to get them by, but uh we figured that this was the best opportunity and replace those units. Um, so staff recommends approval of off offering this to our contractor that's on site right now. Has a change order to place those units in the amount of $140,8884.

I feel like we've been working on Patriots Park forever or is the end in sight. We've uh we've taken a a bit a bite out of it a little bit at a time. So move to consent. Second. So moved. Thank you, Mr. Baker. Thank you. Um I have no other action items. Do we have any legal matters? No, ma'am. Legal matters. Let's move into staff reports. The first report is a year-to- date budget report. Um, currently should be operating at a benchmark of about 25% in my discussions with Miss Reese. She has no concern. Have any questions to state?

The next report is a splash report. Uh we received the August sales tax revenue in the amount of $3,88,416. That's slightly less than July and slightly less than last year's same time last year in July

questions. Investment report and for your review and information the investment summary is attached. No questions for that. Do we have any commissioner or public comment? Uh, Colonel Kennedy, is it uh open voting for early voting? It is. Can you give us started today at both UT Creek and so I encourage everybody to get over to uh Hill and and vote. Um, I have no items for executive session. We will adjourn and come back in three minutes. Thank you.

Good morning. I'm calling to order the development and planning services committee for Tuesday, October 14th. We have already given the invocation and said the pledge this morning. We have a quorum with all members here. Have you had the chance to review the minutes from the previous meeting? I have. Accept. Uh second you have any changes to the agenda today? Ready for your approval, Madam Chair. Thank you. We will move forward with that as is. Do not have any presentation or consent agenda items this morning. So we will move directly into the debate agenda. And it looks like we are starting with Mr. Sterling. You're starting with Mr. Scarberry.

Start off with a little little toast here. All right. This uh first item I have is alcohol beverage license for Gregory M. Parker uh doing business as Parker's 114. They have applied for an alcohol beverage liel beer and wine for off off premise consumption from 3900 Washington Road. They have provided all the required information and approach to the property of September the 24th. No known opposition to our office. The distance requirement is not required due to Walgreens has been in did not close until February the 20th of this year. Uh staff recommends approval of license at the November 4th board of commission meeting.

That second. So moved. Next. All right. Next we have the alcohol beverage license for Garcia Pino Incorporated doing business as Agave's Mexican Grill. The has provided alcohol beverage license to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for onremise consumption from 720 Point Bluff Parkway sweet one. They have provided all the required information and notice of posted the property as of October the 1st. Opposition staff recommends approval of the license of November 4th, 20.

So moved you. Now it's Mr. Sterling. Good morning. Got a couple easement encroachment agreements for your consideration. The first one is tax map077G, parcel 828. The applicant's looking to uh have an encroachment agreement with the county to replace an existing retaining wall along the side property line. Staff reviewed it has no concern. Recommends move to consent. Second. So moved.

Uh similarly, uh easement encroachment agreement for tax map 084 parcel 004h. The applicant is requesting an Eastman encroachment agreement to allow the construction of an place an of an existing wall that was built without a permit along the rear property line. Uh as you can see backup that is a wall around their existing pool. So the retaining walls within that drainage and utilities uh staff's reviewed it has no concerns and recommending approval. Move to consent. Second. So moved. You any legal matters this morning? staff reports.

All right. Uh attached for your information only is the September 2025 planning department workload monthly report. Answer any questions you might have? Questions? No questions. Also for your information and review the August 25 plan review workload monthly report and answer any questions you might have about that. I don't have any questions. No questions. All right. The first one I have is the development services monthly report and attaches a copy of that for your information. No further actions required.

No permits are up just widely. Third.

Next. Next one is our development services financial report and attaches a copy of that for you for that.

No questions. All right. Last one we have is temporary events alcohol permits. Passes copy of approve of them. record. No questions. Thank you. Do we have any commissioners or public comment this morning? That we have no executive session items. We will adjourn at 8:54.