Columbus, Georgia

Minutes



COUNCIL BRIEFING



Meeting

May 13, 2003



Members Present: Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers (arrived 8:40 a.m.) 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 and Finance Director Kay Love.



Members Absent: No one was absent.

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City Manager Cavezza called the meeting to order at 8:38 a.m. in the Council

Chambers Conference Room, Plaza Level, Government Center.



Bistrita, Romania visit:

Mayor Poydasheff briefed the members of Council regarding the visit to

Bistrita, Romania. He spoke about the playground that was constructed for the

children of Bistrita.



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Victim Witness Surcharge:

City Manager Cavezza advised that we are going to be discussing the Victim

Witness surcharge. He recognized the presence of State Court Solicitor Ben

Richardson and District Attorney Gray Conger. He said that he would give each

an opportunity to present their information to the members of Council. He

advised of the recommendation of administration, by stating that Finance has

drilled the numbers and it could work any way you want it to work. He said

that we looked at which area drew the most income and by far, Recorder?s Court

was the area that brought in the most. He pointed out that neither one of

these organizations involve Recorder?s Court. He said that we took the fines

and revenues that the District Attorney brought in and the Solicitor, which

equates to 70% for the District Attorney and 30% for the Solicitor, and that is

his recommendation.



City Manager Cavezza said the second part of his recommendation is that in the

FY05 Budget that we ask the District Attorney and the Solicitor to come to the

Council with a combined program for victims, which would do away with all of

this.



District Attorney Gray Conger, came forward to agree with the calculations of

the Finance Department regarding the revenue piece. He said the State Court

Solicitor is spending approximately 18% of the funding. He pointed out that

several months ago, the Finance Department came up with giving the DA?s Office

75% and the Solicitor 25% and this would be giving the Solicitor more than they

contribute percentage wise, which is not necessarily the right way to do it.

He proposed that since the Solicitor?s Office is using close to 20%; then, the

20% is a more accurate amount for the Solicitor?s Office to receive. He then

spoke of a letter that he had previously distributed to Finance Director Kay

Love, Financial Planning Division Manager Joe Riddle and City Manager Cavezza,

and said he would present the same letter to the Council before the vote is

taken on this matter. He said if the Council votes to give the Solicitor 30%,

it would cut his office in the future by approximately 12%.



In conclusion, he proposed the division for the 5% surcharge on fines in the

future be divided up with the Solicitor?s Office receiving 20% and the DA?s

Office receiving 80%



State Court Solicitor Ben Richardson, said the division should not be based on

expenditures. He agreed with the 70/30 split with the DA?s Office receiving

the 70%. He also pointed out that the two victim programs should remain

separate and this is the only issue that he has with what has been said today.



There was continued discussion regarding the separate programs, at which time,

Councilor Henderson advised that he would strongly support trying to put these

two programs together as soon as possible. City Manager Cavezza recommended

that the 70/30 division only be for one year, and thereafter, the two

organizations come in by the start of Fiscal Year 05 with a plan to consolidate

these two programs.



City Manager Cavezza said that he would bring a resolution to the Council next

week for approval.



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Riverwalk Cleanup:

City Manager Cavezza advised that it is going to take between two to three

weeks to clean it up; hopefully, we will be able to get some funding from the

Corp of Engineers to pay for some of this. He said that Riverwalk held up

nicely considering the extent of the damage, because this was the highest the

river has rose onto the Riverwalk.



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Council Parking Spaces:

City Manager Cavezza pointed out that the Councilors? parking spaces are for

the Councilors on Tuesdays or any time they are needed. He requested the

Councilors not tell others that they can use those parking spaces.



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Emergency Siren System:

City Manager Cavezza stated that Emergency Management Director Riley Land would

be going over the emergency siren system by demonstrating the sounds and

identifying those signals. He said cards have been made and would be

distributed around town.



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Public Agenda:

City Manager Cavezza advised that Mr. Ricket Carter is listed on the Public

Agenda. He recalled that the Council approved demolishing his home several

months ago. He said the day of the demolition, Mr. Carter called him to try to

have the demolition stopped, but it was too late, because he had done nothing

to the property.



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Budget Review Committee Meeting:

City Manager Cavezza announced that there would be a Budget Review Committee

Meeting directly after the regularly scheduled Council Meeting.



Meeting adjourned 8:57 a.m.







________________________

Sandra T. Davis, Deputy Clerk of Council





































Council Briefing

May 13, 2003

Page Two