Columbus, Georgia

Budget Review Committee Minutes of the

Columbus Consolidated Government

May 18, 2004





Present: Mayor Bob Poydasheff and Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rodgers. Councilors Evelyn

Turner Pugh (Chairperson), Wayne Anthony, Glenn Davis, Gary Allen, Nathan

Suber, Charles E. McDaniel Jr., and Julius Hunter, Jr. City Manager, Carmen

Cavezza; Finance Director, Angela Cole; Senior Budget Analyst, Joe Riddle;

Chief Administrator, Liz Turner; Deputy City Manager, Richard Bishop; Deputy

City Manager, Isaiah Hugley; City Attorney, Clifton Fay; Budget Analyst, Leah

Cordura; Budget Analyst, April Harris; Human Resources Director, Tom Barron;

Budget Analyst, Trish Dorton; Ledger Enquirer Reporter, Kelly Estes and Captain

Glenn Bahde. Also present were Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council and Triena

B. Sharpe, Administrative Specialist. Councilor Evelyn Woodson arrives at 11:43

a.m.



Absent: Councilor Berry Henderson.



Location: Ground Floor Conference room of the Government Center.





Meeting began at 11:20 a.m.





Uptown Columbus, Inc.

Meeting began with Ms. Lisa Collins, President of Uptown Columbus, Inc. sharing

brochures and presenting information to highlight the programs available within

her organization. She explained that Uptown Columbus is a Facilitator of

Businesses in the Downtown area, and is established as a 501 C-3 Corporation.

She explained that they are the arms working with the Public and Private Sector

for Economic Development. She shared that the SBA (Small Business Association)

was a part of Uptown Columbus, but was not successful. In response to Mayor Pro

Tem Rodgers question, she stated that Uptown wants to ensure that properties

are in friendly hands. She stated that Uptown is recruiting and helping

businesses with the challenges they are experiencing. She explained that there

total budget is $250,000. In Response to Councilor Suber she stated that the

$100,000 supplements are for Uptowns budget.



Ms. Collins shared the following:



Purpose:

? For the furtherance of economic development in Uptown Columbus.

? To make the Uptown area a place where the citizens of the community recognize

the historic, cultural, educational, governmental, entertainment and commercial

significance of Uptown as the focal point of activity in Columbus, Georgia.



Revitalization:

? Continuing the facilitation of economic development by playing a role in the

relocation of CSUs Theatre and Arts Department to the Uptown area, the River

Restoration Project, the restoration of the Pillowtex property, the

Streetscapes Project, the 14th Street Pedestrian Bridge project and more.

? Working with the Public and Private sector to update the 1999 LDR Uptown

Master Plan to incorporate the above mentioned projects and their impact on the

Uptown area.



Recruitment and Retention

? Using information provided by the Robert Charles Lesser & Co, LLC study

(prepared for the W.C. Bradley Co. for redevelopment/reuse strategy of

Pillowtex Mill and adjacent property) to determine long range recruitment plans

for Uptown area.

? Residential is a top priority as it is a ?driver? use.

? Redevelopment of upper stories in Uptown area is also a top priority.

? Continue to investigate incentives for businesses relocating in the Uptown

area.

? New Web Site www.uptowncolumbusga.com

? Producing a resource guide to be used in attracting new business to the area.



Chairman Turner-Pugh briefly summarized the history of BID & Uptown who were

separated, and said that there was a possible legislatively influence to

improve changes.



Mayor Poydasheff commends Uptown Columbus on the good work done with Fort

Benning Base and Victory Drive.



Chairman Turner-Pugh shares that the Councils objective is to find ways to cut

areas of overlap.



Ms. Collins concludes her presentation and leaves at 11:35 a.m.



Crime ?Witness Protection Program:

Chairman Turner-Pugh addressed the District Attorney?s representatives to

report back by June 5, 2004 with answers to their financial state.



Finance Director Angela Cole explains the allocation of funds from the Fund

Balance, by stating that 70% goes to the District Attorney?s Office and 30%

goes to the State Court. She advised that the revenues are not going up; she

stated that the Expenses for programs are rising. Ms. Cole advised that FY04

was o.k., but she stated in FY05 we are hurting. She stated that the State has

reduced the allocation and this reduced the amount but not the obligations.

Then she shared that there is an automatic requirement for $60,000 that was

set-up by the state.



This is a summary of the Victim Witness Surcharge Spreadsheet for the FY04 and

FY 05 fund year:



Revenues FY04(Projected) FY05 (Budgeted)

4753 Recorder?s Court surcharges 124,599 122,158

4754 Superior Court surcharges 22,162 20,683

4755 State Court surcharges 6,512 7,870

4756 Municipal Court surcharges 2,703 3,307

4757 Harris County surcharges 28,290 23,109

4758 Talbot County surcharges 15,875 15,855

4759 Marion County surcharges 4,325 4,476

4760 Chattahoochee County surcharges 26,918 27,103

4761 Taylor County surcharges 17,229 16,430

4478 Crime Victim surcharges 0 0

Fund Balance Distribution 0 24,164

Total Revenue 248,613 265,155



Expenditures

D.A. Victim witness program 255,811 272,027

D.A. Victim witness program -grant 80,936 102,492

Solicitor Victim witness program 68,346 125,727

Rape Crisis program 0 0

Aid to Outside Counties Center (Equipment) 0 0

Total Expenditures 405,092 500,246



Less Base Amount (budget before imposition

Of surcharge 63,308 63,308

Less grant from state for DA program 82,087 82,087

Less grant from state for solicitor 35,248 35,248

Total expenditures against surcharges 224,449 319,603



Unused surcharge revenue (total revenue

Minus total expenditures against surcharges) 24,164 54,448

Prior year balance 0 0

Ending year Balance 24,164

54,448



Nonoperating Funds:

Mr. Cavezza explains slide for the mandatory organizations that are being

funded; differentiating between which ones are mandatory. The lists of

organizations are as follows:

? New Horizon*

? Health Department on Services*

? Health Department Rent*

? Airport Commission*

? Planning Commission (RDC)*

? Valley Partnership

? CRDC Senior Meals

? Lower Chattahoochee ? Meals on wheels

? Area Agency on Aging

? Columbus Day Care

? Health Department Senior Referral

? Keep Columbus Beautiful

? Department of Family and Children Services

? Rape Crisis

? Uptown Columbus

? Literacy Alliance

? Children?s Tree House

(* Required by law and or local government.)



Ms. Cole submitted a copy of the non-operating funds proposal for FY05:

FUND NAME PROPOSED for FY05

0211 UDAG 74,502

0212 Economic 15,000

0213 HOME 1,371,866

0215 HUD Section 108 1,382,700

0216 Multi-Government 2,653,548

0219 Columbus Green Space 200,000

Trust Fund

0222 Hotel/Motel 2,394,973

0223 Police Forfeiture 105,000

0224 County Drug Abuse 200,000

0225 Metro Drug Force 110,000

0227 Penalty Assessment 100,000

0228 Sheriff Forfeiture 160,000

0435 2000 Sales Tax Proceeds 30,943,702

0508 Special Projects 3,503,842

0540 1999 Sales Tax 16,906,702

0551 Columbus Bldg Auth 250,000

Revenue Bond 1999C

0552 G.O. Sales Tax Bond 250,000

Series 2000

0553 Columbus Bldg Authority 350,000

Series 2001

0554 Columbus Bldg Authority 9,500,000

Revenue Bond 2003A

0555 Columbus Bldg Authority 3,500,000

Revenue Bond 2003B

0556 G.O. Sales Tax Bonds 7,000,000

0985 Family, Youth and Coalition 50,000

(See attached note for descriptions)



Chairman Turner-Pugh requests for City Attorney Fay to research the contracts

to ensure the details of Columbus Governments required commitment. Mayor

Pro-Tem Rodgers echoes her concern.



Ms. Cole states that the CRCD funding was reduced already.



Councilor Suber left at 11:55 a.m.





Reviewing the PowerPoint Slides

? Capital by Fund

? Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

? 1999 Sales Tax Allocation

(Mr. Cavezza advised that there is no more Public Allocation for Public Safety

vehicles after the 1999 SPLOST)



General Comments:

Councilor Woodson advised not delaying items that may prove to be a problem in

the future, if not dealt with in the present.



Chairman Turner-Pugh states that she wants to separate the one time mandatory

purchases from long term commitment.



BREAK 11:10 p.m.

RESUME 11:30 a.m.



ADD/DELETE LIST

Definition:

Budget process works by the administration submitting proposed areas to the

Council to ADD/DELETE or accept line by line or collectively. The Charter is

the enforcer to define the Councils position to do these things.



The Council members collectively go over various items listed on the Capital

Outlay slide for determining the priorities for adding and deleting from the

budget.



Councilor McDaniel states he would like CPR devices placed on the ADD list,

after explanation for there purposes was given by Captain Glenn Bahde.



Councilor Woodson voiced concerns about the insurance and roof repair which

were stated earlier as uncovered. Mayor Poydasheff advised that the implied

warranty of fitness & completion applies in this situation. City Attorney

Clifton Fay advised that the Statute of Limitation would cancel any ability to

correct.



Mr. Cavezza requests delaying decision on budget for the Public Defenders

Programs.



Ms. Cole states that the Health Insurance Budget will slightly increase because

everyone will pay during the salary increases. She states that we are passing

on the benefits but not increasing the over 1 million dollars.



Suggestions:

Mr. Cavezza states that the meat of the issue is the concern for the 6 million

dollars going into the Fund Balance. Councilor Rodgers states that the General

Fund is projected revenue and expenditures, and interjects the possibility of

increasing the revenue. Councilor Anthony suggests increasing the revenue by

increasing fees.



In response to increasing Recorder?s Court to $2,000, Attorney Fay advised that

this must

be done through Charter Amendment ? through Local Act of General Assembly that

amends the Charter.



In response to a suggestion in reference to amnesty fees, Ms. Cole stated that

we have collected 72% and are fairly aggressive in collection. She also stated

the following:



100% on Collection Occupation Tax

80% on Lot Clearing

72% on Ambulance, goal is 75%

75% on Hazardous Matter Clean-up

100% on Reimbursement of Judge and County wide



Several other members shared about Collection Revenues at 96% and the Parking

fees collected as options to consider.



Chairman Turner-Pugh expresses the need to define and firm expectations, while

Mr. Cavezza explains the necessity for guidance and advised that the Fund

Balance is presently at 67 days.



Councilor Hunter shares his concern for the LOST & desire to continue to

improve Columbus? economy without cutting back on the quality of life. He then

shares his agreement to support the budget for 67 days, and states a desire for

a 90 day projection, he further adds not to fix this amount in stone.



Several members shared concerns about cautiously approaching the Fund Balance,

while Ms. Cole states that the fastest growing population is the retirees.

Councilor Anthony suggest pulling from reserve to pay one time, increasing the

user fees (16%) and reducing Fund Balance which he states can help the budget.

Councilor Davis shared that he wants to show citizens concessions to convince

them of the necessity for the LOST. Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers shared that we

acknowledge the Fund Balances projection but not fix anything based on days for

Fund balance.



In response to the effects of the demolition, Mr. Cavezza advised that the

procedure will be stretched.





Councilor Davis expresses concerns about the items proposed to be deleted.



City Manager Cavezza suggests meeting with Mayor Poydasheff, Mayor Pro Tem

Rodgers and Chairman Turner-Pugh.



Meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m.







_____________________________

Triena B. Sharpe

Administrative Specialist

Recording Secretary