Columbus, Georgia

Minutes



COUNCIL BRIEFING



Meeting

December 7, 2004



Members Present: Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers and Councilors R. Gary Allen,

Wayne Anthony, Glenn Davis, Berry Henderson, Julius Hunter, Jr., Charles E.

McDaniel, Jr., Evelyn Turner Pugh, Nathan Suber and Evelyn Woodson. Also

present were Mayor Robert S. Poydasheff, City Manager Carmen Cavezza, City

Attorney Clifton Fay, Deputy City Manager Isaiah Hugley, Clerk of Council Tiny

B. Washington and Deputy Clerk of Council Sandra Davis.



Members Absent: No one was absent.



****************************************** **********

********** *****************************************



This meeting was already in progress when the Deputy Clerk of Council arrived

in the Council Chambers Conference Room, Plaza Level of the Government Center

at 5:03 p.m.)



*** *** ***



EMS Contract:

City Manager Cavezza briefed the Council on a previous matter involving EMS.

He reminded everyone that because we don?t have sufficient vehicles or people

to maintain the EMS services, we have gone out with an RFP and have contracted

with two companies to supplement our people. He explained that we did this on

a temporary basis, but now we are asking the Council to approve it for up to

two years. He anticipated that in those two years, we are hopeful that we

would have enough paramedics trained, because those firefighters that are going

through the courses now would be able to supplement and support the EMS

services. He projected that we are looking at a loss of about $400,000. in

doing this process, but we don?t have much of an alternative. He said that as

we look forward to that $2 million projection that we usually receive in

Medicare, we are expecting a decrease in that of about $400,000. to make this

happen. He advised that the EMS contract is listed on the City Manager?s

Agenda for the Council?s approval tonight.



*** *** ***



Public Defender:

City Manager Cavezza advised that another item on the agenda tonight is the

purchase of office furniture for the Public Defender?s Office. He said that

there is a $90,000. bill for the new Public Defender?s Office and this is all a

part of their budget. He reiterated that this is out of the Public Defender?s

FY-05 money. He said that we have told them that the City could not support

them outside of that money allocated for FY-05.



Making reference to another matter, City Manager Cavezza explained that as the

Public Defender?s system is currently configured and directed by the State,

they only have to support the Superior Court and Juvenile Court. He said that

we are working with the Chief Public Defender to also support the Recorder?s

Court and he can do that without any more money from us. He said that if the

Chief Public Defender does not do that; then, we are in a position where we are

going to have to go out and hire some people to defend indigents in Recorder?s

Court, which we do not want to do. He said in order to work with ?Bob? to make

this happen, we are going to have to change some procedures in Recorder?s

Court. He explained that right now we bring in all of the witnesses and have

people sitting there; we basically have a court. He said that this is not

going to happen, because we are not going to have all of those witnesses and

police officers present. He explained that it would be like a triage, because

they would come to Recorder?s Court, make their guilty plea, pay their fine and

go home or if they choose to go to court; then, they are scheduled for court at

a later time. At this point, he stated that it is determined within 72 hours

if the individual is indigent and the Public Defender links up with that

individual and provide them a proper defense. He said right now, the indigent

walks into court having never seen his Public Defender but has to make a plea

decision. He pointed out that this is consistent with the new rules that the

State has imposed. He said the determination about who is indigent now

transfers from the judges to the public defender, which makes it a much more

efficient system. He said there is some resistance to this, but we plan to do

this on a three months basis and then take a look at it. He added that he

would be writing Mayor Poydasheff a letter today to see about pulling together

a small citizen group to look at Recorder?s Court and ways to make it more

efficient.



In response to a question of Councilor Henderson, City Manager Cavezza said

that this system would generate less court time. He went on to say that we are

not going to be paying a lot of these court fees to Police Officer, who have

become accustomed to that.



Mayor Poydasheff maintained that we are not going to be implementing anything,

until we show it to Judge Doug Pullen, who has asked that we put our

projections in writing and pass it by him.



*** *** ***



Unified Development Ordinance:

City Manager Cavezza said that we are going to be looking at the Unified

Development ordinance that is listed on second reading for today. He said that

we had an issue on churches last week, but he believes that we have fixed

that. He explained that if a church is going to locate in a residential area;

regardless of residential classification and the size of the church, it would

need a special exception. He said the Council would have to approve a Special

Exception Use for the church. He said if the church is not in a residential

area; then, there would need to be a Special Exception if there are 250 or more

members.



Councilor Henderson advised that he had told some individuals that this

ordinance would be back on first reading, and they would have an opportunity to

be heard today. Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers recommended that we allow anyone that

wants to be heard on this matter tonight to be able to do so. City Manager

Cavezza suggested that individuals be allowed to speak and leave it on second

reading unless the Council feels that it needs to go back on first reading.



Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers pointed out that the trend now is that churches are

locating on the thoroughfares out of the neighborhoods, and this is something

that we are going to have to work on. He said also, we have to be careful not

to unreasonably limit the churches. City Attorney Fay added that this is

according to the Federal law.



*** *** ***



Environmental Court Judge:

City Manager Cavezza advised that Mr. Stephen Hyles has expressed an interest

in being the Environmental Court Judge. He pointed out that Judge James

Messner has resigned and we plan to bring that forward. He said that if the

Council has any concerns or anyone else that they would like to bring forward;

then, let us know soon.



Councilor Suber asked about the advertising process, at which time, City

Manager Cavezza maintained that it was advertised but he does not have the

specifics. He advised that we have received three applications. Councilor

Suber then asked about the application process for someone that is interested,

because he would like to bring a nomination forward.



*** *** ***



Arena Football Carpet:

City Manager Cavezza said that there is a surplus carpet on the agenda tonight,

which is the indoor arena football carpet that we would like to sell.

Councilor Hunter asked about the chances of getting another arena football

team, at which time, City Manager Cavezza said that he does not believe there

would be another one, because he believes arena football has failed.



*** *** ***



Rigdon Park:

City Manager Cavezza pointed out that there is going to be some construction on

the Riverwalk in the Rigdon Park area, which is going to be about 1500 feet.

He advised that the Riverwalk would close in January and would take about four

months. He explained that there is a cave-in there due to a bad overflow

pipe. He said that as a result, we are going to divert people around and

through the housing area. He said that we would get the word out.



*** *** ***



Midland Rezoning:

Mayor Poydasheff advised that Councilor Allen has requested that the Midland

rezoning be brought up early, because he has to leave the meeting at

approximately 6:30 p.m.



*** *** ***



There being no further business to discuss and with the dialogue being

concluded, this meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.







________________________

Sandra T. Davis, Deputy Clerk of Council