Columbus, Georgia

MINUTES

COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA

WORK SESSION

JANUARY 28, 2003





The regular monthly Work Session of the Council of Columbus, Georgia was called

to order at 9:02 A.M., Tuesday, January 28, 2003, on the Plaza Level of the

Government Center, Columbus, Georgia. Honorable Robert S. Poydasheff, Mayor,

presiding.



*** *** ***



PRESENT: Present other than Mayor Poydasheff and Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers were

Councilors R. Gary Allen, Wayne S. Anthony, Glenn Davis, Berry H. Henderson,

Julius H. Hunter, Jr., Charles E. McDaniel, Jr., Evelyn Turner Pugh, Nathan

Suber, and Evelyn Woodson. City Manager Carmen Cavezza, City Attorney Clifton

Fay, Clerk of Council Tiny B. Washington and Deputy Clerk of Council Sandra

Davis were also present.



*** *** ***



ABSENT: No one was absent.



*** *** ***











INVOCATION: Offered by Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers.

-------------------------------------------*** ***

***------------------------------------

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by Mayor Robert S. Poydasheff.

-------------------------------------------*** ***

***------------------------------------



INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS FROM RUSSIA:



Mayor Poydasheff said that he would like to introduce two guests who are

in the newspaper business from Russia. He said they are being escorted and

shown around the City by Ledger Enquire staff writer, Chuck Williams.



Mr. Chuck Williams then appeared at the podium and said that we have two

visiting journalists that are part of an International Exchange Program, the

International Center for Journalists, which promotes independent journalism

throughout the world. He said they will spend two weeks in Columbus looking at

our form of democracy. He said they will be going to the school board meetings

and throughout the community looking at different events.



Mr. Williams then introduced Ms. Barbara Olsen, the Interpreter, who is

also here and will introduce the two guests.



Ms. Barbara Olsen said she is with the State Department as an independent

contractor and said this program is under the auspicious of the State

Department?s International Center for Journalists. She said they are here going

through two weeks of apprenticeship, to see the American ways, with the

Columbus Ledger Enquirer with the assistance of Mr. Mike Barbach, Chief Editor

and the entire staff of the Columbus Ledger.



She then introduced Ms. (unintelligible), an Editor-in-Chief, of three

newspapers in the Ural Mountains, which is right on the borderline between

Europe and Asia, in the City of (unintelligible). She said the gentleman is

with a weekly newspaper, called (unintelligible). She said this is close to

St. Petersburg, Russia, the northwest.



With the assistance of the interpreter, the guests thanked the Mayor and

Council for their sincere gratitude, hospitality and heartfelt reception that

they are felling here. She said they stated that within the last two days, they

have already felt what a beautiful and wonderful City you have here.



The gentleman said within these two weeks they hope to gain a lot and

expand their ability to work in their experience and how to properly do their

job.



*** *** ***



PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL:



Mayor Poydasheff said he would like to compliment our public safety

personnel, as he has received a number of telephone calls because of an

altercation that involved a weapon and shooting in the Wynnton Road area. He

said Police Chief Dozier and his people handled that very, very well.



He said that on last night around 6:30 p.m., there was a big fire at the

Ralston Towers, which turned out to be a mattress fire. He said it could have

been devastating, but said our Fire & EMS personnel were right on the scene and

did very well. He said there was no lives lost, and said they deserve a lot of

credit.



*** *** ***



YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL:



Mayor Poydasheff said he would like to thank Junie Christian, Cassandra

Reynolds, Lisa Goodwin, Howard Pendleton, Sue Fountain, Nancy Boren, Greg

Hudgison and Joe Riddle for being here and supporting the Youth Advisory

Council. He said it was also very gratifying in seeing Dr. John Phillips, Mrs.

Brenda Dozier and Mr. David Ebron of the School Board.



He said he would also like to thank Deputy City Manager Isaiah Hugley who

has done such a magnificent job in putting this Youth Advisory Council

together.



Mayor Poydasheff said he was really elated to have Dr. Phillips here,

because we have really started working on our relationship with the School

Board and the School Administration.

-------------------------------------------*** ***

***------------------------------------

CONSENT AGENDA:



THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE SUBMITTED AND EXPLAINED BY CITY ATTORNEY FAY AND

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL, PURSUANT TO THE ADOPTION OF A SINGLE MOTION MADE BY

MAYOR PRO TEM RODGERS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR SUBER, WHICH CARRIED

UNANIMOUSLY BY THOSE TEN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL PRESENT FOR THIS

MEETING:________________________________



An Ordinance (03-4) - Amending the budgets for the fiscal year 2003

beginning July 1, 2002 and ending June 30, 2003, for certain funds of the

Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia; appropriating amounts shown in

each fund for various activities; amending the Personnel Schedule for the Fire

and EMS, METRA and Parking Management Departments; and for other purposes.



*** *** ***



A Resolution (49-03) - Accepting a deed to Hunter Hill Court in Hunter

Hill Subdivision, on behalf of Columbus, Georgia.



A Resolution (50-03) - Accepting a deed to an extension of Rocky Creek

Drive, in Section Six, Big Creek Subdivision, on behalf of Columbus, Georgia.



A Resolution (51-03) - Excusing Councilor Skip Henderson from the January

14, 2003 Council meeting.



A Resolution (35-03) - Excusing Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers from the

January 21, 2003 Council meeting.

-------------------------------------------*** ***

***------------------------------------

WORK SESSION AGENDA:



AIRPORT COMMISSION:



Mr. Jack Friou, Chairperson of the Airport Commission, appeared and

introduced Mr. Mark Oropoza, Airport Manager and Ms. Christi Dixon, Airport

Marketing Manager.



He said what they would like to do this morning is to give you an update

on the commercial aviation side of the Airport, focusing on the economic impact

and the trends at the Airport over the last several years.



Mr. Friou said they particularly think this is relevant in light of the

news last week of US Air Express leaving the Columbus market. He said they

don?t know what Delta?s reaction will be to this news. He said we are now down

to one airline, which pretty much gives them a monopoly; so this is something

that they will have to keep an eye on. He said they have seen this in other

cities where Delta has been left as the single provider of air service, and

they have taken advantage of that in their rates.



Mr. Friou said they have an excellent facility that we have at the

Airport, particularly for a City this size. He said they have a healthy general

aviation side for the Airport, in terms of the corporate aviation and general

aviation with private pilots. He said they have a thriving fixed based operator

to serve those needs, as well as a growing avionics business at the Arport.



He said the management at the Airport is top notch, in spite of some

declines in air traffic for various reasons, Mr. Oropeza have been able to

manage day-to-day operations of the Airport, on a break even basis. He said

their security is something to be commended, particularly after September 11th

and the stresses that they have had.



Mr. Friou then gave a twenty-minute slide presentation to update the Mayor

and Council on the loss of US Air Airlines and the impact that it would have on

the Columbus Metropolitan Airport.



The following areas were then highlighted as it deals with the economic

impact, which includes the following:



- Air Service Development



- Business Relocation



- Tourism/Convention



- Airport Commercial Development



Mr. Friou said that they have also reached out to the Chamber of Commerce

with this information and said that Mr. Gaymon and his staff have been

receptive to the information that has been provided to the community as a

whole. He said they went to the Chamber with this message, and said this is

something that we have to face up to, which is a vital regional asset that is

at-risk.



He said the reason it is at-risk is because of the declining use of the

Columbus Airport by travelers based in this region. He said they want to

highlight this situation, whereby they lost Northwest about a year ago, and

then recently US Air.



Mr. Friou said their objective is trying to figure out a way to turn this

situation around to get a reasonable amount of people, 18,000 out of the

360,000 people, instead of driving to Atlanta to use the Columbus Airport and

begin the process of turning this around.



He said to do this, they are working with the Chamber of Commerce and have

formed a Task Force, which is being headed up by former Economic Development

Director, Dick Ellis and made up of the various stakeholders to the Airport in

the community. He said there are travel agents, members from the City

government, the Chamber of Commerce and the larger corporate travelers in the

City.



He said they have met a few times to begin the process of tackling this

problem, and have developed a survey to send out to the flying public to

determine just what is it that is good and what is it that is bad, so that we

can find out what it is going to take to get people to make that decision to

book their travel out of Columbus, rather than driving to Atlanta.



Mr. Friou said as this group continues to meet and try to get its hands

around this issue, they hope to be able to come up with some alternatives and

solutions to get this thing turned around. He said they felt like this was an

important presentation to make to the City Council, because you need to know

where we are, as we are all in this together.



After Mr. Friou concluded his presentation, several members of the Council

then expressed their views as it relates to the Columbus Airport and the

reliability of flights, as well as the prices of the tickets between here and

Atlanta. Mr. Friou then responded to several questions and comments of members

of the Council.



Mayor Poydasheff encouraged Mr. Friou to consider utilizing the services

of some of the members of the Council, who have been traveling and understand

some of the problems that you have heard from them.



Councilor Davis said whatever he can do, he would like to let the Airport

Commission know that he is available to help out in anyway possible, and feel

free to contact him.



*** *** ***



GEORGIA POWER COMPANY - DOUBLE CHURCHES 115/12KV PROJECT:



City Manager Cavezza said that Georgia Power Company has built a station

on River Road, to supplement the great demands that they are having on power in

this area.





He said it has been through the public hearing process sometime ago, and said

Mr. Merrill is present here this morning to give the Council an update. He said

they are about to go into another phase of that project and want to bring the

Council up-to-date on that.



Mr. Buddy Merrill said about a year ago, they met with some of the members

of the Council, all the adjacent property owners, as well as some other

stakeholders to talk about a major construction project that they have in North

Columbus. He said the name of the project is called Double Churches. He said

there has been a lot of growth in North Columbus and they have completed a lot

of the work and will be beginning another phase in February.



He said they are going to build a high voltage transmission line, 115,000

volts from Oliver Dam, north of River Road for about 2.9 miles, to step the

voltage down; so, they can serve the houses and businesses in this area.



Mr. Merrill said they identified this as a high growth area in the mid

80?s and purchased a site for the electric sub-station in the mid 80?s as well

as purchased the easement to build this high voltage transmission in the late

80?s.



He said they wanted to make the Council aware that they will begin

construction around February 10th and it will be a highly visible project when

they begin. He said he knows that some of the Council members will be receiving

some telephone calls from individuals who drive up and down River Road and said

this is why he wanted to make you aware of the project. He said he assures

you that the only reason they are constructing this project is to serve the

growing electrical demands in this part of our City.



Mr. Merrill said they had intended to have this project done before the

summer of 2002, but there was some issues with the Department of Transportation

and it has taken up until this time, to clear those issues up. He said it is

essential that they get this project completed by the summer of 2003 to ensure

that they have adequate supply for that part of our City.



City Manager Cavezza then asked Mr. Merrill if they are going to have to

cut down any trees, to which Mr. Merrill said they have already cut the trees

that they needed to cut down. He said they did that about a year ago.



Mayor Poydasheff said when he met with Mr. Merrill and the City Manager,

Mr. Merrill indicated that there will be an attempt to beautify the area that

is on Georgia Power?s right-of-way, by planting shrubs and trees.



Mr. Merrill said some of the property owners are going to take care of

the right-of-way up against their property. He said they purchased about 25

feet behind the DOT right-of-way, so they don?t have much property to do

anything with. He said there would be some, but minimum landscaping on their

part.



Councilor Davis said he sat down with Mr. Merrill and Mr. Watkins and they

explained the need for this project. He said that we are outgrowing our needs

in this area, which in this case is power. He said the bottom line is that we

have to have it. He said Mr. Merrill told him that they were going to make it

as easy and painless on the citizens in that area.



He said he knows that there is going to be some obstacles and possible

interferences, because we are dealing with a major project, with a lot of heavy

equipment in the area. He said the important thing is that people know what?s

coming and they have time to adjust.



In addressing those concerns of Councilor Davis, once again, Mr. Merrill

stated that they are in the process of notifying the adjacent property owners

so that they will be aware of what?s going on. He said they are also in the

process of notifying other stakeholders, i.e. Council members, and other people

that have interest in the City and in particular interest in this part of the

City, they are notifying them.



However, he said they can?t notify everybody, and said for the most part

they will be off the road?s right-of-way, so it shouldn?t interfere with

traffic. He said the interference will come as they drive along River Road,

hauling 95-foot concrete pole and have the crane. He said that will be the time

that it will be most noticeable.



At the request of Councilor Allen, Mr. Merrill then gave more details as

to exact location of where this project is going to be. A map was then

distributed around the Council table, showing the area where the project is

located. (A copy of the map was filed with the Clerk of Council for the

Council?s records.)



Mr. Merrill said they named this project the Double Churches project,

because this is the name that they came up with and said the electric

sub-station is along River Road, close to the inert landfill.



He then responded to several questions of members of the Council, one

being, why don?t they put this transmission line underground. Also, if

Georgia Power or the utility industry are looking at ways of how they are

putting up sub-stations today versus how they did it twenty years ago, to

enhance that and be a little more environmental and ecstatic consciences.



Councilor Woodson expressed some concerns regarding the cutting of trees

around power lines. She said she was told by one of the Georgia Power employees

that this was in the contract that was done years ago, where there is no exact

way of how the tress could be cut. She said she was told that the tree could be

cut any way as long as it doesn?t cause any damage. She said if we have a storm

the tree could fall on property. She then asked Mr. Merrill if they could

address how they prune these trees, and how could they do a better job at it,

than just chopping around it and leaving it looking the way it does.



Mr. Merrill then responded to those concerns of Councilor Woodson and

others, stating that in order to provide reliable electric service, they do

need to prune and cut trees. He said the contract that Councilor Woodson

mentioned is the Franchise Agreement that they have with the City of Columbus.



Councilor Woodson asked Mr. Merrill if they could look at this for the

future, to see what they can do, to do a better job.



Mr. Merrill said that one of the things that they encourage people to do,

is not to plant trees where there are power lines. He said most of these trees

have been planted since the power lines were constructed. He said we ask them

not to plant trees that don?t grow large.



Mr. Merrill said there are a lot of flowering trees and small trees that

you can be planted around power lines that never have to be trimmed. He said

they have had very little success in getting developers or property owners or

home owners to do that or think about what kind of trees to plant when they

plant trees. He said it is much easier to correct it up front than it is to

correct it on the back end.



City Manager Cavezza pointed out that the tree ordinance is going to deal

with that, whereby we ask them to plant the lower trees. He said our Arborist,

Rachel Buice has been working with Georgia Power Company?s contractors, to try

to do that. He said something is being done to deal with that situation.



Several minutes of discussion developed on this matter, with Mr. Merrill

and City Manager Cavezza continuing to respond to questions of the Council on

this subject.



*** *** ***



GREEN SPACE PROGRAM:



Mr. Rick Jones, of the Community Development Department appeared and gave

a fifteen minute slide presentation, which outlined the following information:



Program Goal:



To establish and continue a mechanism whereby the Columbus Consolidated

Government can permanently protect at least 20 percent of its land as open and

connected green space.



To offer permanent preservation of the following types of natural resources



Water quality protection

Flood protection

Wetlands protection

Reduction of erosion

Protection of riparian buffers and other habitat for native species

Scenic protection

Protection of archaeological and historic resources

Provision of recreation

Connection of existing or planned areas contributing to the other types of

natural resources



Mr. Jones said they have purchased some property off of Cusseta Road,

approximately 90 acres, where they have swapped some property with the Interior

Department for the Infantry Museum.



He said they are also looking at obtaining another piece of property in

the north part of the community for this same purpose, and should close on it

this week. He said this is an additional 13 acres, which will be added to the

total and will be about 1500 acres that we have acquired under this program.



Mr. Jones said that we also have some private ownership, which is

approximately 400 acres that will count in next year?s program. He said a

private owner has put into a conservation easement of his property.



He said in 2001, they were given almost $600,000 for the green space

program, and FY-02 another $500,000, and as of this date, they have spent

approximately $200,000 of that, and within the near future, they will have

about $800,000 to expend toward this project.



Mr. Jones said the FY-01 funds will have to be expended by May 2003 and

the FY-02 funds will have to be expended by May 2004. He said as far as future

funding goes, they have not heard anything; but are hopeful that it will still

be in the Governor?s budget.

He then showed a map of unprotected land to be evaluated for green space

protection, which should be looked at.



Mr. Jones said every year they have to submit a report to the State of

Georgia where they are, and said they are at that stage right now, and then

highlighted those areas which must be submitted, as outlined below.



Green Space Report



A statement of the county?s goal for green space protection

A brief narrative description of Muscogee County and areas which are

experiencing rapid growth

Future and existing land use map

Identification of local land use ordinances, policies, and regulations which

promote green space preservation

Identification of existing permanently protected green space

An identification of revisions to incorporate the green space program into the

Columbus Comp Plan

An identification of legal and structural barriers

A ten-year strategy

A certified copy of a resolution adopted by Muscogee County





Green Space Report



Strategy will address how to use each of the following green space tools:

Acquiring new land

Acquiring land in fee-simple

Acquiring conservation easements on privately-owned land to protect natural,

historic or recreational resources, or to protect agricultural or forestry land

use





Where We Are Now



Unified Development Ordinance



This ordinance will offer minimum requirements and standards for the protection

of the natural environment that consists of the following sections:



Environmental Protection

Resource Conservation





Environmental Protection Component



Will require that natural, undisturbed greenways along the Chattahoochee River,

watersheds and protected stream corridor be established and maintained.





Resource Conservation Subdivisions



Illustrates the requirements for creating resource conservation subdivisions



Resource conservation subdivision is a voluntary residential development option;



Allows residential development while protecting significant environmental and

natural resources

Allows development of smaller lots as a tradeoff for environmental, natural

resource and community character



Provide alternatives for ownership and management of lands held in common





Revision of the Columbus Comprehensive Plan



Will identify primary and secondary conservation areas such as parks, flood

hazard areas, woodlands, and conservation subdivisions that offer permanent

preservation of land in future land use map.



Will include the Columbus Green space ten-year strategy





Additional Methods of Permanently protecting green space



Identifying properties along Bull Creek Watershed that are not permanently

protected. Muscogee County will utilize green space funds and other sources of

funds to acquire potential properties



Placing selected city-owned properties which meet the goals of the Green space

Program under permanent restrictive covenants





Creating a Community Green Space Task Force



Identify potential green space properties



Identify various sources of funds for the green space program



Offer programs to educate and inform the citizens about green space preservation



Mr. Jones said they have been working diligently on this program and have

not spent as much money as they would like to on this program, but said they

are working on it. He said one of the issues that have come out of this in

dealing with the tree ordinance and this program itself, is working with the

Chattachooee Valley Land Trust, He said they have been very supportive and can

have the potential of acting as their arm to make sure that land is protected

throughout the community. He said one of the safeguards that you have to look

at, is who is going to be responsible for making sure that this area does stay

a green space and who are you going to enter into legal terms with.



He said the land trust has gone out and are working with private citizens

and making sure that they understand what a conservation easement is and how

they can benefit from it.



Mr. Jones said they have also been working with the City, to make sure

that we obtain our goal of 20%. He said they have been very beneficial to use

and a very strong partner with us. He said they are also trying to work with

the Department of Natural Resources to come up with an agreement to allow them

to help put up the upfront cost to encourage private landowners.



After concluding his report, Mr. Jones then responded to several questions

of Mayor Peters and members of the Council.



City Manager Cavezza said the land is supposed to be all passive, as he

understands it. He said anything that has been developed or we are planning on

developing does not qualify for this program. He said the maintenance portion

is a critical point, because often times it is nice to have a green space area,

but then people will dump in it and we will have other problems; and then we

will have to stay on top of it to maintain it.



He said it is his understanding that the Conservation Group will also take

the responsibility of maintaining the problem. He said it is not going to

become solely the City?s responsibility.



Mr. Jones said what they will do is enter into an agreement with a private

owner, and they will come up with a stipulation that they will basically

oversee it for them. He said in order to make sure that it stays a conservation

easement, they will make sure that it is constantly police or check out the

trash and make it work from that standpoint.



Mayor Poydasheff asked that Mr. Jones provide information and a contact

telephone number regarding the Green Space Program and run this information on

CCG-TV for individuals who might be interested in donating property for this

program.



*** *** ***



HOME PROGRAM:



City Manager Cavezza said we have been working with the Home Program for

some time now, and said that we have a new team in place, who has pulled this

program together and said we have really made some great progress and said

Lynnette Gross is here today to give the Council an update on where we stand.



Ms. Lynnette Gross then gave a status report on where they are with the

Home Program, which is outlined below:



Down Payment Assistance Program:



? Assisted to date 67 Citizens with Home Purchase - $315,000

? Funds remain for 38 additional down payments - $210,000

? Total FY 03 Funding 105 down payments - $525,000.



Home Owner Rehabilitation Program:



? Program was shut down for over a year.

? Council approved policies September 2002.

? September 2002, 145 applicants on waiting list.

? File review resulted in finding ineligible applicants, applicants had

passed, and applicants had received prior assistance.

? Currently there are 96 active applicants remaining on the list.

? FY 03 Funding 16 loans at $30,000 each - $480,000



Status of the 16 active loans:



? Currently 8 applicants with clear titles are getting estimates for repairs (2

of these will be loans one 1% and 1.3%).

? Owner to get three estimates, choose a contractor, preparation of closing

documents and then begin rehabilitation.

? Currently 8 applicants have title concerns and are in the process of clearing

those issues before we can proceed.



Rental Rehabilitation Program



There have been no interested parties since this program is now a low interest

loan. The interest rate would be 65% of prime rate at the time of closing.



FY 03 Funding 20 units at $20,000 each - $400,000



Ms. Gross said her staff and the Community Development Advisory Board are

now looking at re-allocation of these funds during the budget cycle to best

supply ?affordable? homeownership opportunities to the residents of Columbus,

Georgia.



Councilor Turner Pugh said if we are not using this money for that

purpose, why couldn?t we just ask the Council to reallocate the money to the

first-time homebuyers program.



Ms. Gross said if they reallocate the money they will have to go through a

public hearing process because it will be a substantial amendment. She said in

order to comply with the HUD regulations; they will have to go through the

public hearing process.



She said they would have to use that money in a specific period of time,

and said she is not sure if they could use $400,000 in the time period; because

this money has been on the books for several years. She said they would have to

get it reallocated where they think they can use it within a year.



Ms. Gross said the reallocation that they are considering would be new

line items, things that they have not done in the past, and therefore, will

have to be an amendment to the Consolidated Plan.



City Manager Cavezza said the bottom line is that they would have

difficulty spending that money short term. He said we are in the process of

doing that for the next budget cycle, and we are in that budget cycle now, and

will be going through those hearings to reallocate the money for the future

year. He said any money not used would be carried over into the new program.



Councilor Henderson said it surprises him that we don?t have any interest

in the Rental Rehab Program, in light of the fact that we have the Columbus

Housing Initiative working through the new Environmental Court. He said if they

are making more cases, he would assume that these people would be very

interested. He said that may be a symptom of a larger issue and said maybe it

is time we get an update on the progress that is being made on substandard

rental properties in the community from the Columbus Housing Initiative and

what type of cases we are making through the Environmental Court.



Mayor Poydasheff said City Manager Cavezza, Ms. Gross and others went

around on last week to some of the areas in South Columbus and said we may have

to go back to the ordinance and tighten it up. He said some of these absentee

landlords leave their properties fallow and bordered up and nothing else is

done about them.



Ms. Gross then responded to several questions of members of the Council

regarding different aspects of the Home Program.



Councilor Woodson asked that Ms. Gross look at putting some information on

CCG-TV quarterly regarding the Rental Rehab Program.

Ms. Gross and City Manager Cavezza then responded to questions of

Councilor Suber as it relates to property on Cusseta Road, where $700,000 has

been spent on that project and said it is still not up to standard.



Project Care Program



? This is the Emergency Assistance Program that we have for our elderly and

disabled citizens.

? A maximum of $5,000 and is just to assist with emergency needs (new roof,

handicapped ramp, plumbing, etc)



This program was also completely shut down for over a year.



? Current activity - 21 people in various stages of receiving assistance

? 4 completed.



Our Goal is to assist 30 Citizens this fiscal year



After a 15-minute presentation and Ms. Gross responding to several

questions of members of the Council, this matter was concluded.



*** *** ***



EXECUTIVE SESSION:



City Manager Cavezza said he would like to request an executive session

after the adjournment of the Council meeting this morning to discuss two real

estate issues.

-------------------------------------------*** ***

***------------------------------------



SALES TAX:



Regarding a memorandum that was distributed around the Council table from

ACCG this morning, Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers said that he was reading this

correspondence from ACCG and said they are opposing the sales tax that we are

asking for.



Councilor Turner Pugh said that is not our tax that we are requesting.

City Manager Cavezza said that he believes that this is a different one, as

this does not pertain to consolidated governments.



Councilor Turner Pugh said that there is a tax that the cities are trying

to get. She said right now, the way the sales tax program works, the cities and

counties that are not consolidated, the counties determine what percentage of

that sales tax the cities can have. She said the cities are trying to work

outside of that and get their own sales tax and the counties are fighting it.



*** *** ***

UPCOMING EVENTS:



City Manager Cavezza highlighted several upcoming events and important

dates for the Council to remember, which are outlined below:



Tuesday, January 28th ? Greater Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting

at the RiverCenter, at 6:00 p.m., where Danny Amos will be the Speaker.



Wednesday, January 29th, at 5:30 p.m., there will be a meeting with the

downtown merchants regarding streetscapes along Broadway, in the Council

Chambers.



Thursday, January 30th, at 11:30 a.m., at the Convention & Trade Center,

Economic Outlook Luncheon.



Thursday, January 31st, at 10:00 a.m., Ribbon Cutting and Reception for

Congress Mac Collins? local office at 5820 Veterans Parkway, Suite 305.



Thursday & Friday, February 13 & 14, Mayor/Council Retreat at Callaway

Gardens.



*** *** ***



VETERANS PARKWAY @WILLIAMS ROAD:



Councilor Henderson said he talked with Deputy City Manager Richard Bishop

and he has assured him that this matter is moving forward. He said he has been

receiving a number of telephone calls, with the new high school being open out

there off of Veterans Parkway, we have talked about a need for a left turn-lane

and a left-turn movement on the signal there at Veterans Parkway and Williams

Road, as you head south on Williams Road.



He said what concerns him is that as difficult as it is now, there is

proposed development off Whitesville Road and also the anticipation of the

School District opening a new Middle School and Elementary School, he would

hate to see us wait again until the need becomes so great that it takes a while

to get the problem solved and we put people through some unnecessary issues.



Councilor Henderson said he understands that it is a State intersection

and that we have to work with them on trying to get that signalization done,

but said it is absolutely necessary with the way the City is growing out in

that general direction that we get it done.



Councilor Davis said that he has been receiving those same telephone

calls and said he would really like to see our staff focus on planning and

what?s going on in this area, as there is a lot of development issues coming up

in the area. He said he would also like them to address those traffic issues

that we are going to have to deal with as development continues. He said this

needs to be seriously looked at and he would like for us to get our staff

looking into it a little bit more.



City Manager Cavezza said that they are looking at it, and said one of the

problems that we are running into is when you are dealing with Federal money it

is very difficult to get any attention or any sense of urgency and said they

won?t deviate from their rules. He said we are going to have to find a way to

work around it. He said we would talk about this at the Retreat.



He said we are almost at the point of forgetting about Federal money on

those kinds of projects and go in for county contracts and use some of our

money and hopefully more of the State?s money, to deal with these more urgent

issues; and then program the Federal money for later on down the road. He said

they are trying to work out that strategy right now, to figure out how to do

that.



*** *** ***



SOUTH COLUMBUS:



Councilor McDaniel said there has been a lot of talk lately about

development in South Columbus and said the Mayor and City Manager have been

criticized on the radio, saying that you?ll have a conflict, but we know that?s

not true.



He said if you really want to help South Columbus you need to build a

Marina down there in Oxbow Meadows; because that would draw new hotels, also

with the new Infantry Museum going out there. He said he thinks that it will be

a great asset if we can get a Marina built, and said it really needs to be

considered.



Mayor Poydasheff said we are working on it and said the one thing that

this Administration has done, is that we have started the process. He said

nothing would be done over night, as it is a long-term process. He said he

doesn?t want people to misunderstand the fact, and that is he and the City

Manager work very closely together.



Councilor McDaniel said he is trying to raise some money privately,

because we really do need that Marina.



City Manager Cavezza said what he is hearing people saying is that in

Mayor Poydasheff?s four years we are going to fix South Columbus, but he is

saying that it is going to take more than four years to do that. He said it is

going to take a major commitment by a lot of people and said we are not going

to turn it around over night, so let?s not put that false information out.



Several members of the Council expressed their views regarding this

subject.



Councilor Woodson said in preparation of what we are planning on doing in

South Columbus, she would like to get a listing of the incentives that the City

offers businesses to locate in South Columbus and the Enterprise Zone.



Mayor Poydasheff said he is presently working to establish the system, the

organization and the strategy, the thinking and all of that will come in due

time.



After some fifteen minutes of discussion on this subject, this matter was

concluded.



*** *** ***



FORREST ROAD:



Councilor Turner Pugh asked City Manager Cavezza if we have heard from the

State Department of Transportation as it relates to the Forrest Road

environmental study?



City Manager Cavezza said as of last week when Deputy City Manager Richard

Bishop was in Atlanta, and addressed that to the Department of Transportation

people, they said it would be this summer.



He said we have been asking them for some time now, and Sam Wellborn has

been working with us on this, and we have involved the Commissioner. He said it

is up at the Federal level and have evidently run into a bureaucratic bind. He

said maybe the way to do it, is to go to Congressman Collins and see if he can

assist us.



Councilor Turner Pugh said she thinks that we do need to go talk with our

Congressional Delegation, as we have three Congressmen up there now. She said

we have been waiting on an environmental study for over a year now, and said it

doesn?t make sense. She said every time we ask for it, it still is not done.



City Manager Cavezza said he will go to our Congressional Delegation to

see if they can help us.



*** *** ***



MARINA:



Councilor McDaniel asked City Manager Cavezza if we can put the Marina in

the Enterprise Zone, to which City Manager Cavezza said he don?t think that we

can. He said it would have to meet certain demographic data in order to do

that, and he is not sure whether or not that would apply. He said we could look

to see if the data would apply to that area. He said there is a trailer park

out in that area, and said it is usually based on people, the demographics, and

income.



Councilor McDaniel said if we could, that would give some tax incentives

for people to build a Marina. He said he thinks it would be a good idea if we

could, and then asked the City Manager to have his staff to do some research

and check and see if we can put it in the Enterprise Zone.



City Manager Cavezza said there is also legislation to try to include

commercial and day care centers in the Enterprise Zone. He said they are

working on it at the State level, but he doesn?t think there is a provision for

a Marina.



*** *** ***



EXECUTIVE SESSION:



Regarding an earlier request of City Manager Cavezza to go into an

executive session to discuss two real estate issues, Councilor Allen then made

a motion to allow the Council to go into an executive session. Seconded by

Councilor Woodson and carried unanimously by those ten members of Council

present for this meeting.



*** *** ***



At 11:05 a.m., the Council adjourned its regular session to allow the

Council to go into an executive session.



At 11:38 a.m., the regular session was called back to order



*** *** ***



WALGREEN?S PROPERTY:



City Manager Cavezza distributed around the Council table information

pertaining to the Walgreen?s property and the preparation of the site. He said

this will come up for discussion within the near future and before we can issue

a Certificate of Occupancy we will have to discuss this with the Mayor Pro Tem.

He said what they have done is gone out to an independent company and asked

them to make an assessment on whether or not the work done out there meets the

goal.



He said that this document states that we exceeded what we have expected them

to do. He said in fact there has been a significant decrease in the water flow

out there.



Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers said Deputy City Manager Bishop did discuss this

with him, and said what we did was took it upon ourselves in the wake of all

the discussion and controversy out there, as to just whether or not the

engineering proposed would work, we had an independent engineering opinion

applied to that piece of property and they concur that the runoff and the

velocity of the water will be significantly decreased from what it was before

the start of the development.



City Manager Cavezza said that is what the City staff has been saying all

along.



*** *** ***



Mayor Poydasheff then pointed out that the Council did meet in an

executive session to discuss two real estate issues, but there were no votes

taken.



*** *** ***



With there being no other business to come before this Council, Mayor Pro

Tem Rodgers then made a motion for adjournment. Seconded by Councilor McDaniel

and carried unanimously by those eight members of Council still present for

this meeting, with Councilors Anthony and Hunter having left during the

executive session, with the time being 11:44 A.M.



*** *** ***







Tiny B. Washington, CMC

Clerk of Council

The Council of Columbus, Georgia