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Wednesday, December 14, 2011 – 9:00 a.m.
This meeting was attended by four out of the five commissioners, County Clerk Teresa Watson, County Manager (CM) Bill Sawyer, and County Attorneys Rob and Tom Morton. CM Sawyer advised that Commissioner Carol Bass was absent due to a death in her family.
1. CALL TO ORDER .................................................................................... Chairman Doug Mangham
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ................................................................... Chairman Doug Mangham
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. 50-14-1 (e) (1))
4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A.§ 50-14-1(e) (2))
Minutes of the following: Regular Monthly Meeting of November 29, 2011 and the Special Called
Meeting of December 7, 2011.
5. INVITED GUESTS
6. REPORTS – From Commissions, Departments, Committees, County Manager, Attorney
a. Monthly Reports submitted from County Departments and County Authorities, including a Revenue/Expenditure Statement for all departments, and a summary check register.
b. County Manager Report
• County Manager Comments: CM Sawyer advised that Commissioner Carol Bass was absent due to a death in her family.
• Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts: [Note from the Editor: These are the only amounts which were read in the meeting yesterday.]
General Fund - $260,848.78
Jury Account ..................................................................................................
Cash Reserve Account - $285,713.94
Jail Fund ........................................................................................................
E-911 Fund ....................................................................................................
DATE Fund ...................................................................................................
Juvenile Court Fund .......................................................................................
Residential Impact Fees - $275,525.17
Commercial Impact Fees - $12,120.38
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 - $257,677.35
c. Commissioner Reports: None.
d. County Attorney Report to Commissioners: None.
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Approval/denial of a Software License/Agreement with DeltAlert for a web-based emergency notification system to rapidly initiate alerts during local, state and national emergencies ($14,700, with a grant paying one-half of total cost) with changes incorporated from the 11-9-11 Board meeting. County Manager, Fire Chief and EMS Director recommend approval.
Motion to approve. 4-0.
b. Approval/denial of Pike County Transfer Station Contract with Countryside Sanitation, Wayne Harper owner, for solid waste management. County Manager recommends approval.
Motion to approve. 4-0. [Note from the Editor: Thank you to the County Commission and Countryside Sanitation Owner Wayne Harper for coming to a written agreement on the operations of the Pike County Transfer Station. Countryside Sanitation has done a fantastic job out there with recycling and taking care of household waste; however, a written contract between parties is just good business practice. I didn't realize that there wasn't a written contract until it came up in the meeting. Thanks to all who remedied this situation.]
8. NEW BUSINESS
a. Approval/denial of renewal for Alcohol License (Retail Sales) for Beer and Wine for Philip M. Hays, d/b/a Hunter’s Corner Store, 12471 Highway 18, Williamson. County Manager recommends approval; applicant has met all criteria.
Motion to Approve. 4-0.
b. Approval/denial of renewal for Alcohol License (Retail Sales) for Beer for Jack Park, et al, d/b/a The Cedars Golf Course, 13080 Highway 18, Zebulon. County Manager recommends approval; applicant has met all criteria.
Motion to Approve. 4-0.
c. Approval/denial of renewal for Alcohol License (Retail Sales) for Beer for Jack Park, et al, d/b/a The Pines Golf Course, 3094 Reidsboro Road, Williamson. County Manager recommends approval; applicant has met all criteria.
Motion to Approve. 4-0.
d. Appointment for a vacancy on the Board of Assessors for an unexpired 4-year term, set to expire on 4- 14-12.
There were no applications received to fill this vacancy. It will continue to be advertised until this vacancy is filled.
e. Appointment for a vacancy on the McIntosh Trail Community Service Board for an expired 3-year term, set to expire on 12-31-13.
There was one application for this position. Motion to accept Bobby Blalock. Approved 4-0.
f. Appointment for a vacancy on the Pike County Water & Sewer Authority for a full 5-year term, set to expire 12-31-16. Applicant(s) have met all criteria.
This was postponed until the next meeting.
g. Appointment for three vacancies on the Pike County Environmental Review Board for full 3-year terms (advertised in error as a 4-year term), set to expire 12-31-14.
Ken Gran, Charles Way, Marcus Hines, and Patricia Beckham put in their applications for this position. Ken Gran and Charles Way were reappointed to their positions. Patricia Beckham was also placed on on this board. Motion to approve 4-0 on all.
h. Appointment for one vacancy on the Three Rivers Regional Commission Board as the Pike County non-public sector representative for a full 1-year term, set to expire 12-31-12.
Fred Roney is currently on this board and asked to be reappointed. Motion to approve the placement of Fred Roney to this board. Approved 4-0.
i. Appointment for two vacancies on the Two Rivers R C & D Council, as Pike County representatives for Executive Board Member and alternate, for full 1-year terms, set to expire 12-31-12.
George Norris and Tom Lacey asked to be reappointed to this board. No other applicants. Motion to approve 4-0.
Update 12.21.11:
NEW BUSINESS – 2011 SPLOST
a. Approval/denial of Agreement with Contractor, John W. Spratlin and Son Inc., of Lincolnton, Georgia, for renovation and addition to the historic 1895 Pike County Courthouse, in the amount of $2,670,000 with a start date of March 1, 2012 and completion within 360 days. Project Manager, County Manager Bill Sawyer, recommends approval.
Click here to find a link to the referendum, courthouse floor plans, etc.
Click here to read County Clerk Teresa Watson's Post Agenda for this meeting.
Click here to read Resolution for a called March 15, 2011 SPLOST Referendum. It is located under New Business #4.
The County Manager negotiated with John W. Spratlin & Son, LLC out of Lincolnton, Georgia for a bid that was closer to $2.5 million from their original bid of $2,995,000. The negotiated bid is $2,670,000. Click here to read about the bids received on this restoration project. The starting date would be March 1, 2012 and the project would be completed within 360 days. The amount given as verified as good for another 30 days as the commissioners are going to vote whether to continue this matter until the next meeting for a vote before the entire board. Ben Carter gave the presentation and entitled it as a bid restoration and addition to the Courthouse. There were two negotiated final amounts with one coming in under $2.5 million and the other coming in under $2.7 million. CM Sawyer was adamant that the $2.67 million contract be the only one that was discussed in the meeting. Public comment was allowed with five minutes per person. [Note from the Editor: After hearing the comments by citizens about this project and what will be changed in order to meet lower dollar specifications, I completely understand why the County Manager made the choice to go with the higher of the two amounts. Thank you to the Pike County Commission for allowing public comment on these proposed changes. Everyone is not going to be pleased with any one project, but it is a big deal for the Commission to allow the public to speak out on a topic--especially on the Courthouse renovation. Second, thank you to CM Sawyer and anyone else who had a hand in negotiating with the lowest bidder to bring the price down to something more manageable. * [Added 12.27.11: Personally, I would support going with John W. Spratlin & Son's original bid of $2,995,000 so this project can be done right and we won't have to worry about updates to the Courthouse for many years.] The sad thing is that this project began as a Courthouse only project and then stretched out to include roads and some are going to be legalistic and insist that we stick to a number that was estimated for this project rather than looking at the entire picture. The Courthouse is a Tier One project which will get completed before the roads are done and I would like to see it done well. Roads need all of the help that they can get too but skimping on the Courthouse is going to leave work to be done later such as replacement of ductwork and 1995 HVAC units. Changes need to be carefully weighed for pro's and con's to be sure we are doing the right thing. I am thankful that the Courthouse is getting renovated and would like to see it as historically accurate as possible. Especially the Courtroom so it could be used in future movie projects, etc.]
Update 12.22.11:
The County Manager reviewed the bid with the contractor to determine what could be reduced to bring this project under budget but not detract from the total usability of the project. Some of the changes that were discussed in this meeting were as follows: only installing one new elevator, reducing the number of security cameras to five stationary cameras (one at each holding cell plus two more), use parablic fixtures instead of chandeliers and use commercial grade fixtures throughout the courthouse rather than specified light fixtures, use 800 amp electrical service rather than 1200, use replica windows for replacement and fix those that can be fixed, no new metal roof at the clock tower--repair any leaks and repaint all metal, shingle roofing to replaced with stand seam metal roofing, 20 year TPO instead of 30, no waterproofing around the foundation, eliminate the foundation drain system and piping of downspouts around the existing building, eliminate all crawl space renovation except what is required for the addition, changing all security doors to hollow metal except at holding cell doors, no card readers on the doors, subfloor not to be removed unless it's rotten and any rotten joists to be repaired from underneath, no lead paint abatement except for pulling loose paint from the courtroom ceiling to prepare for new paint, removing the clock allowance for repair since it is working, and relocating but not replacing the existing 1995 HVAC units or ducts that carry heating and air in the building.
Reasons were given for each of the differences. Relocating rather than replacing the HVAC units will allow everyone to remain in the courthouse while renovations are taking place. The current windows are not operable now so replacement with aluminum, historic profile windows will not detract from the project. There is some leaking around the base of the clock but the rest of the metal is good and replacing it with aluminum would be inferior to what we have. Contractor will patch any existing holes and give a long warranty date on the clock. Shingle versus metal is the main difference between the $2.5 and $2.67 million contracts. Crawl space is dry and dusty but no water getting through the walls now so drainage system is not necessary. All doors except for the jail doors would be hollow metal and the jail door in the courtroom would be covered by another door so the courtroom does not have a metal door visible beside the judge's bench. Current doors are from the 1990's and don't need maintenance or to be replaced. Wooden doors would simply be repainted. Hollow metal doors would basically look the same as the other doors. The changes in the security cells will not be an escape issue since the walls will be concrete block and twelve feet tall and this would be a substantial savings. The walls will be covered with drywall to help with sound in case an inmate beats on the wall. It's not a lead paint abatement project since this is only 5% of the project and the dust will be kept down. The county and the city are working together on the fire line. Ben Carter said that he had never seen a charge on a county from the city on a project like this. Only adding one elevator will be a big savings. There was $10,000 in the project for restoration of the clock but it has been serviced this year already and it works. Mr. Carter said that feels good about the items on the list and the negotiation process.
Commissioners then asked questions of Contractor, John W. Spratlin and Son Inc. and Ben Carter. How much are we losing on efficiency by not replacing the HVAC units? Current units are likely 10 or 12 seer so there will be some loss of efficiency but the units may last another 10 years after which the units and ductwork could be replaced. Mr. Carter advised that several of those bidding on this project did not want to leave the current occupants in the building while renovations are ongoing. He said that this makes the project work with minimal disruption of service to the occupants of the building so all of the occupants can be left on the first floor and no one has to be moved twice. Said that the Wilkes County project was done like this. * The metal roof is NOT a screw-down roof that can be prone to leaks around the screws.
9. PUBLIC COMMENT (Limited to 5 minutes per person)
Joy Walker is the Chairman of the SPLOST Committee. She said that when they began the work on this project, they had no idea what it would cost so an estimate of $2.5 to $3 million was chosen. This was carried through the project and an approximate figure of $2.5 for the Courthouse and $2.7 for the roads was chosen because a figure had to be chosen for the resolution to be voted on. "There's a huge difference between saving money and being fiscally responsible and doing the right thing." She said that the county has saved money on roads for the 35 years that she has lived here, but look at what our roads look like. She asked the commission to keep in mind that the Courthouse has been here for 115 years and will be here for another 115 years. She said that commissioners have the opportunity to produce a product that people voted on that was to be the center of pride that belongs to everyone that will be a thing of beauty and utility for years to come or commissioners can use the opportunity to save money on the project and nickle and dime it to death until it ends up a pile of bricks that is a Courthouse in the middle of Zebulon. She asked commissioners to do the right thing and give the voters what they were promised.
Parrish Swift asked questions about the life expectancy of shingles versus a metal roof. Shingles can last for about 40 years. The metal roof is long-lasting but will require a coat of bronze paint in about 20 years. Mr. Carter said that asphalt shingles are the most economical, high performance, least likely to leak roof that there is but that the metal roofing has come a long way. They said that either one will work though the metal provides a more aesthetic look for a courthouse. He also said that once a building reaches a certain occupancy level, builders cannot use asphalt shingles because they are combustible. Mr. Swift said that he doesn't think that when we lock in a price that there will be a problem with change orders with our current county manager. "There is a lot of misinformation going on out there with this whole process," he said. The have been comparisons between this project and past projects with past leadership that may not have been qualified or had the necessary experience, but that this project has good leadership and will go like clockwork if it is allowed to.
Becky Watts spoke (as citizen and not newspaper editor) and said that Parrish asked a lot of the same questions that I was going to ask on metal versus shingle roofs. I said that my biggest concerns are the county having to get up there and do maintenance on a shingle roof in twenty years, that we are looking at saving money versus doing something that is durable and long-lasting, and the efficiency with a metal roof if it will help with air conditioning costs because that money will add up over a period of time. "I would like to see this done well... If we are going to cut corners on this, we might as well not do it at all."
Roosevelt Willis said that he didn't think that the county had planned for the additional space when the courthouse renovation was planned but that the cost figure was not set in stone and that the additional is well worth it to do it. He went on to say that he didn't think it was a good idea to postpone the vote until January because there is no guarantee that there will be a full board in January or any other time. He said that most of the people were there today and that that they had enough information to make a decision, he asked commissioners to make a decision today.
Update 12.27.11:
Patricia Beckam said that she doesn't want patching to be done on the clock tower. If it is going to be done, do it right. If anything needs to be patched, replace it and be done with it.
Tommy Burnsed asked if remodeling would get rid of the squeaking floors. He was advised that they cannot guarantee that every squeak will be gone, but they do plan to screw down the floors. Tommy said that the addition was not in the original vote and that this has turned to a remodeling and addition project rather than a historic renovation job because people didn't want to move out of the courthouse. Said that he was concerned that judges have had too much say in this process.
John Morrison said that he came in here happy that the county was going to move forward on a good project and now things are being taken out and wondered if this is a project that he can support. He said specifically that the floors have been layered and were soft before this and wondered if the commissioners are going to make some poor choices trying to save $200,000 or $300,000. He said that he has been in construction business a long time and doesn't like the cuts that are being taken with this project. He thinks that the floors should be taken down to the original wood.
Doug Rounds said that he has lived in Pike County for 47 years and is a member of the SPLOST Committee who was promised oversight on this courthouse project which hasn't happened. He said that if the commission is going to do this project, do it right. This project has potential and he doesn't want to see it nickle and dimed to death. He finished by saying that the dollar amount was not set in stone and that he would like to see a vote on it today.
The public hearing was then closed. Commissioner Tommy Powers made a motion to postpone this vote until the next meeting so the commissioners will have time to check over the figures. Commissioner Tamra Jarrett gave the second. The motion to postpone was passed 3-1 with Commissioner Don Collins opposed.
County Manager Bill Sawyer confirmed that the price given in the meeting is good for 30 days.
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION: 10:00 a.m. with Commissioner returning to regular session at 10:06 a.m.
a. County Manager requests consultation with the county attorney, or other legal counsel, to discuss pending or potential litigation, settlement, claims, administrative proceedings, or other judicial actions brought or to be brought by or against the county or any officer or employee or in which the county or any officer or employee may be directly involved, as provided in O.C.G.A. §50-14-2(1), germane to Magistrate.
11. ADJOURNMENT: 10:07 a.m.
Read past write ups of Board of Commission meetings by clicking on the Pike County Times "Links" page above, clicking on Pike County Government, Commissioners, and then scrolling down to find out what the date of the meeting is.
All of my links to past meetings are listed as follows: www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOC[insert date here like this 11.29.11].html. Today's meeting is online as www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOC11.29.11.html. The County Government website also has links to minutes from past meetings.