Pre-Council Briefing
Minutes
August 14, 2007
Present: Mayor Jim Wetherington and Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Turner Pugh.
Councilors Wayne Anthony, Mike Baker, Glenn Davis, Berry Henderson, Julius
Hunter, Jr., Charles McDaniel, Evelyn Woodson and Gary Allen were present. Also
present were City Manager Isaiah Hugley, City Attorney Clifton Fay, Clerk of
Council Tiny Washington and Recording Secretary Tameka Colbert.
Absent: Councilor Barnes.
Guests: President of Columbus State University Dr. Frank Brown, Associate Vice
President for Academic Affairs Dr. Terry Norris, Vice President of Business &
Finance Mr. Tom Helton, and Director of the Learning Center Ms. Julie Bollinger.
Location: Council Chambers Conference Room, on the Plaza level of the
Government Center.
Meeting began at 8:02 a.m.
Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center:
City Manager Hugley informed the Council that there were guests from Oxbow
Meadows in attendance. He introduced the President of Columbus State
University Dr. Frank Brown. City Manager Hugley stated Dr. Brown would be
retiring in the coming months and we are proud of the relationship that we have
had an opportunity to have with Mr. Brown. He also informed the Council that
Mr. Brown?s accomplice Dr. Terry Norris, Associate Vice President for Academic
Affairs, would be speaking this morning along with Vice President of Business
and Finance Tom Helton and Director of the Learning Center Ms. Julie Bollinger.
City Manager Hugley said Council should have a map with a legend on it, which
shows three ponds off of South Lumpkin Road around the Oxbow Meadows
Environmental Center. He advised the Council to use the map as a reference.
City Manager Hugley then stated, for five years Columbus State University has
had an agreement with Columbus Water Works, which expired June 30, 2007. He
stated the agreement was centered on Oxbow Meadows Environmental Center,
indicating who would be responsible for what as it relates to the Environmental
Center. He said they have come to us and asked that the City be included in an
agreement, which would include, Columbus Water Works, Columbus State
University, and the City of Columbus. City Manager Hugley then explained that
the City?s involvement in the agreement would be related to the ponds that are
on the map, which was shared with the Council by Deputy City Manager Lisa
Goodwin. At that time Dr. Terry Norris approached the podium.
Dr. Terry Norris expressed his appreciation to Mayor Wetherington, Council
members, and City Manager Hugley for allowing him to speak on this matter. Dr.
Norris said Oxbow Meadows is a wonderful regional asset that is of great
significance to enriching the lives of all of us in this region. He said
twelve years ago Columbus State University entered into a partnership with
Columbus Water Works to develop a program in environmental education, virtually
every student in the Muscogee County School District, during the past decade,
has engaged in learning activities at the Oxbow Meadows Learning Center. He
said Columbus State University has invested about $1,000,000 in salaries for
faculty and staff, faculty, staff, students and citizens have given
additionally many thousand hours of volunteer time from Columbus, Phenix City,
and Fort Benning.
Dr. Norris notified the Council of special organizations that contribute to the
Oxbow Learning Center:
Georgia Power Company Georgia Forestry
Commission
Mead Westvaco Columbus Rotary
River Ways South Columbus Water works
Columbus Chamber of Commerce Columbus Home Builders Association
Dr. Norris enlightened the Council of the popular features that Oxbow Meadows
has to offer the community which includes the TreeTop Trail-1 of only 100 such
trails that exist in the world, 1 of only 3 that is accessible to the general
public, and the first of its kind in the United States. He said we also have
Raptor Enclosures that house species that cannot be reintroduced to the wild
including a red-tailed hawk, a great horned owl, a barred owl, and a black
vulture. Dr. Norris informed the Council that bird watching is also very
popular at Oxbow; 255 different species have been identified there. Dr. Norris
went on explaining several other features of the Oxbow Meadows Environmental
Learning Center to include: the butterfly watch, archeology, and the second
Sunday series.
Dr. Norris explained to the Council that Oxbow Meadows is at a cross roads
where decisions have to be made, and there are four factors influencing those
decisions:
First- the University System of Georgia is under new leadership with new
guidelines for operations.
Second- the memorandum of understanding between Columbus State University and
the Columbus Water Works expired June of 2007.
Third the long-time director of Oxbow Meadows, Dr. Becky Champion resigned to
take a job out of the area.
Fourth- the City has plans to fill the ponds that serve the program of the
learning center.
Dr. Norris explained with these four factors at hand, it is not possible for
Columbus State University to continue this operation and simply keep things as
they are. He said in order for CSU to continue the programs that have been
developed at the learning center we must conserve the ecological integrity of
the areas designated on the map. Dr. Norris pointed out that there were two
areas on the map outlined in red that constitute approximately 130 acres.
Dr. Norris informed the Council that the university is willing to invest more
university funds and to actively seek additional funds through contributions
and grants. He then stated the university seeks three outcomes:
A commitment from the Columbus Consolidated Government to abandon its
historical plans to fill the pond that serves the program to the learning
center and to preserve or improve the ecological integrity of about 130 acres
of remaining ponds and woodland
A long-term memorandum of understanding including Columbus State University,
Columbus Water Works and the Columbus Consolidated Government
To allow Columbus State University to use matching SPLOST monies designated for
the Oxbow area as matching funds in the pursuit of grants
Councilor McDaniel asked if there are any plans for a marina. Dr. Norris
answered by stating there is a possibility. Council McDaniel then asked Dr.
Norris could he offer any aid in the City building a marina or did he know
someone that would like to build a marina and award it to the City. Dr. Norris
said he did not know anyone at this time, but advised that Columbus State
University is always seeking partners.
Councilor Anthony asked if there were any plans for canoed trails, scouting and
camping.
Dr. Norris said absolutely, that is in the plan and has been for a long time.
Councilor Henderson stated he had forgotten the Council?s discussion on filling
the ponds, and asked City Manager Hugley would the ponds be filled for
developmental purposes or to help continue the mitigation of some of the
environmental hazards encountered in that area. City Manager Hugley said we
have reverted back to some documents to look at what transpired starting in the
early 90?s. City Manager Hugley advised that Billy Turner, President/CEO of
the Columbus Water Works was present and was also present back in the in 1990?s
and possesses historical knowledge involving the ponds. City Manager Hugley
said, as he understands it, ponds #1 and #2 were purchased with bond money. He
said the southern part of pond #1 was going to be used for inert waste
disposal, and the northern part of pond #1 was going to be used for a marina.
He also said pond #2 was going to be used for inert waste disposal as well, but
at a later time, Columbus Water Works came back and used Water Works money to
purchase a portion of pond #3 to be used as a marina. City Manager Hugley said
we are moving forward to fill pond #1 with inert waist, in fact we presume that
we have approximately seven years remaining to fill the southern and northern
end of pond #1. He then said we presume that we have eight years when we move
to pond #2, between ponds #1 and #2 there are fifteen years of life for inert
waste disposal.
Note: Councilor Hunter arrived at 8:43 a.m.
City Manager Hugley referred to a letter written to Billy Turner dated August
13, 2001 from former City Manager Carmen Cavezza stating, {In JJG?s proposal
references made to the City relinquishing one of the ponds to Oxbow Meadows
Environmental Learning Center, somehow a misunderstanding of our intention has
developed. We fully intend to fill both ponds with inert material as
permitted, the Environmental Learning Center can use the ponds up until the
time we start filling them. After we are completed, they can have total access
to the ponds.}. City Manager Hugley stated Michael Brown, Carmen Cavezza, Dick
Mckee, and Rufus Riggs maintained the position that both ponds would be
filled. He advised that the City is exploring other options as to when both
ponds are filled. He said the City is counting on fifteen years to work in the
option of composting.
City Manager Hugley said in reference to the second question posed by Columbus
State University relating to the memorandum of understanding, the City
recommends a twenty, twenty, ten agreement instead of a fifty-year agreement.
City Manager Hugley said in reference to question number three, to allow
Columbus State University to use SPLOST monies for a match to grants, would be
a policy decision.
Councilor Henderson said over the last six or seven years there has been a
tremendous shift in the focus on what?s going to go out in that entire region.
He said he does not think the best use for those ponds now would be for a
landfill site for inert waste. He said he would like to see an information
packet put together to point out what the options are, what the down side of
accelerating the composting program would be, what parcels are available to
takeover in some other parts of town, and also try to get a report on the
severity of the damages.
Councilor Anthony said he agrees with Councilor Henderson, and he thinks this
gives an opportunity for the Council to revisit the whole area in terms of how
it can be improved. He also said he thinks there are other options than
filling ponds with inert material.
Councilor Allen asked if it would possible to use part of the Old Camp Landfill
site to dump the inert waste and save one of the lakes for Oxbow Meadows. City
Manager Hugley said he did not think that would be possible but he would
inquire and ask the consultants.
Councilor Davis said he would like to revisit the plans as well and obtain a
better understanding of where the City is going with it and how the usage of
the land will continue in the future. He recommended having a work session to
get a better understanding on how to deal with waste and inert waste material
and the technologies that are out there. City Manager Hugley said we could
certainly come back and revisit this matter in a work session with the pros and
cons.
Mayor Pro Tem Pugh requested that the City Attorney be present during the work
session to bring the legal side to educate the Council of the legal
ramifications.
Meeting adjourned at 8:59 A.M.
_____________________
Tameka Colbert
Administrative Specialist II
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