Columbus, Georgia

COUNCIL BRIEFING





December 18, 2001





A Council Briefing was held on Tuesday, December 18, 2001 in the Council

Chamber Conference Room, on the Plaza Level of the Government Center, Columbus,

Georgia. Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rodgers, presiding.



PRESENT: Present other than Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers were Mayor Bobby G. Peters,

Councilors: R. Gary Allen, Berry Henderson, Charles McDaniel, Robert

Poydasheff, Richard Smith, Nathan Suber Evelyn Turner Pugh and Evelyn

Woodson. Also present were City Manager Carmen Cavezza; City Attorney Clifton

Fay; Director of Finance Kay Love and Director of Human Resources, Tom Barron.



ABSENT: Councilor Julius Hunter



This meeting was called to order at 8:20 a.m.



City Manager Cavezza opened the meeting with the following announcements:





MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS:



q Received letter from Mr. Jim Buntin of the Development Authority which

states that he is not interested in selling the Gorman Property to Mr.

Erickson. (The letter was made available to the Council)

q A proposed ordinance would be brought up which prohibits smoking in the

bleachers

at ball games on City facilities.



AGENDA ITEMS:





? Demolition Services for Columbus Square Mall.



? Audit of Indigent Care is up for approval.



? There will be a Public Hearing on the Fog Development petition,

January 8, 2002 .



? Confirmation is requested for the appointment of Mr. Charles

Schilling as Director of the Civic Center.



? The City Attorney?s Agenda lists that approval is requested to

declare property identified as Sheriff Deed as surplus .to sell to Humanity

and Community Housing Development. Organization .( CHDO)



? Listed on the Clerk of Council?s Agenda, A cell tower (Special

Exception) resolution located at 4416 Armour Road.



? The Council will be asked to approve Five hundred (500 ) trees

purchased by the City.





AMENDED PUBLIC SAFETY HIRING QUALIFICATIONS:



Concluding with announcements, City Manager Cavezza recognized Chief Dozier as

the speaker and asked him to come forward to talk about the officer shortage in

the Police Department.



Chief Dozier appeared and thanked the Council for the opportunity to speak on

behalf of this important issue. Referring to the memorandum in each

Councilor?s packet, he said he feels strongly about the educational standards

within the Police Department and was opposed to provisional standards , but

since September 11, 2001, there have been additional responsibilities placed on

the Department and for this reason, he asks Council for the authority to

hire additional officers with the conditions as stated below:



? Waive the educational requirements for recruitment and selection for

one year. This amendment would run for one year ( January 1, 2002 until

December 31, 2002.)



? Require any person hired to obtain their minimum educational

standards within (3) years of their hire date. They would sign a ?condition of

employment contract? whenever they were placed on payroll.



? The class allocation list by grade would be amended to indicate

Policed Officer , no Degree, Grade 9 (entry level salary $23,251.03). Whenever

the employee met the basic minimum educational requirements, they would be

moved to pay grade 10 and the salary would be adjusted to existing city policy.



He continued reporting that one hundred thirty- four ( 134) officers were

hired, but pointed out the retention rate was not that great. At the present

time, he said there are 18 vacant positions within the department; however,

by the end of the month it could reach twenty ( 20) vacancies. He expressed

concern for the military leave obligation and reported that of the fifteen

( 15) people on leave observation, three have since been called for active

duty.



Councilor McDaniel recommended hiring the new hires in a Grade 9 slot

instead of Grade 10 with the stipulation that they could not be promoted

until completing two years of college.



Restating his request, Chief Dozier requested one - year to assist in filling

the vacancies.



Councilor Poydasheff concurred with Chief Dozier?s request as being reasonable

and offered to support the concept.



Councilor Woodson expressed concern for the officers morale and asked what

was the feedback regarding the decision, which Chief. Dozier explained that

while not all support the concept, majority of the ranking files; the main

staff and from indicators, he believes the F.O.B is supportive of the

request. He emphasized it would be mandatory that the education

requirement is completed within three years.



Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers offered support for the idea with the one - year

stipulation and said this will give many of us an opportunity to see how this

program works. He then asked if this could be placed on First Reading today,

which City Manager Cavezza stated the Mayor has placed it on First Reading,

today. There was continuous discussion as to whether it should be advertised

as a First Reading, whereas advised by Attorney Fay that this issue could

be placed on First Reading with the target date set as January 9, 2002).



SHORTAGE OF EMT/PARAMEDICS:



City Manager Cavezza reported that Chief Waters submitted a package to the

Mayor, with a request to hire 5 EMT Paramedics due to a shortage in the

Department. He then recommended that Members of Council consider including

the EMT/ Paramedic request with the Police Department?s request.



CIVIC CENTER DIRECTOR:



He advised the members that Mr. Charles A. Schilling is up for confirmation as

the Director of the Civic Center.





ANNOUNCEMENTS: (Continued)



q Vision 2001 Meeting, December 18, 2001, at 4:00 p.m. at the Performing

Arts Center.

q Youth Advisory Council Social Event, December 18, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. at

the Civic Center.







There being no further business to discuss, this meeting adjourned at 8:43 a.m.









Gloria A. Carey, Secretary