Okaloosa County BOCC — November 4, 2012 — Colin Baenziger — reading text

Director Dick Evans said, and the $1.4 million in debt service the city is paying annually is still manageable and worth it to honor the private developer's investment. The mixed-use residential/commercial and retail development has a total estimated price tag of $800 million, and it promises to redefine more than 40 acres of the waterfront just east of the Marriott Savannah Riverfront hotel. As part of the original development agreement for Savannah River Landing, the city had signed off on elevating and widening President and General McIntosh and straightening a section of McIntosh. A second phase of President Street improvements, which include building a bridge over railroad tracks, was not part of the agreement. In trying to secure federal stimulus funds for that phase, city officials emphasized its hurricane evacuation and improved safety features. "I saw no difference in the plan as it was proposed all along," Alderwoman Mary Osborne said. "That's a major development. Nobody's going to walk away from that." -34-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order The improvements along President help not only Savannah River Landing but also other planned commercial and residential developments on the south side of the road, Osborne and city officials said. Should Ambling Cos., the developer, fail to move forward on its investment, City Manager Michael Brown said, the city would have a site with improved roads, drainage, a riverwalk and established water and sewer lines. He and other city officials said they were confident Savannah River Landing would remain viable and were confident vertical construction would begin next year, as company officials have stated. Savannah River Landing continues to operate from trailers on the site. On Monday, the project plans to unveil a new Web site, said Kate Freeman, the company's marketing and community relations manager. Sales efforts continue on the residential, commercial and retail front, but she said she could not disclose any information about whether any new commercial or retail clients had been signed up. "The economic times have certainly been a lesson in patience for us," she said. "But we're still committed to the original vision of the project." -35-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Savannah Morning News (GA) March 27, 2009 SAVANNAH TIGHTENING ITS BELT COUNCIL TOLD BUDGET COULD BE SHORT BY $9 MILLION Author: LESLEY CONN, 912-652-0326, lesley.conn@savannahnow.com One out of every 10 city positions is going unfilled as the city of Savannah deals with declining revenues expected to total $9 million. The city has left open 250 positions and by year's end expects to have 330 positions vacant, said Chris Morrill, the city's assistant city manager over financial services. Those openings so far have saved the city $1.6 million. A team of city administrators reviews any job positions to determine if it needs to be filled. Only lower-level police and fire department jobs are exempt from review so that public safety needs will continue to be met. The city employs about 2,500 workers. Other teams of employees are examining key aspects of city operations to look for further cost-cutting measures, but city leaders cautioned the City Council on Thursday that the shortfall could be higher than anticipated. One factor that could change the financial projections is any changes the state legislature may pass regarding property and sales tax collections. "Bottom line, we may need to cut $10 million to $15 million," City Manager Michael Brown said. "I hope it's not $20 (million)." Revenue reports from the first two months of the year show collections down in some key areas, Morrill said. February sales taxes are down $388,000 from the same time in 2008, and hotel/motel taxes for February are down $191,432. Building inspection fees are down $169,113. Some key areas are doing better than expected. Recorder's Court fees were $142,148 above projections, and water and sewer tie-ins - an early indicator of new building - are about $100,000 above projections. In February, the city collected $600,000 in tap-in fees. Morrill's budget presentation came during a council workshop. During council's regular session, they took the following action: - Passed a resolution to be sent to the Georgia Department of Transportation restating the city's top priorities for transportation projects. None of the city's priority projects was included in the first round of federal stimulus projects the state selected. Their top item for the second round will be the widening and elevation of President Street, a $36 million project. Council members also asked that local congressmen and groups such as the National League of Cities get a copy as well so they could see that stimulus money was not making its way past Atlanta. - Asked city staff to return within 60 days with recommendations for instituting a registration and card system for bartenders and servers, as well as stiffer penalties for minors who try to buy alcohol. -36-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order - Approved a contract for $1.5 million for curbs, gutters, underground storm drainage and pavement improvements in Fernwood, a neighborhood near Savannah State University. The project has been on the city's to-do list for several years. - Granted a liquor license to the owners of Sweet Melissa's, 35 Whitaker St. Owner Denise White Pipkin agreed alcohol would be served only to dine-in customers. City officials had been worried customers would be allowed to drink and congregate outside, which would contribute to pedestrian traffic problems at the busy intersection. -37-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Savannah Morning News (GA) February 25, 2009 CITY PREVIEWS STIMULUS SPENDING COUNCIL MEMBERS LIST $422 MILLION IN ELIGIBLE PROJECTS, RANGING FROM TRANSPORTATION TO JOB TRAINING AND DAY CARE Author: LESLEY CONN, 912-652-0326, lesley.conn@savannahnow.com The city of Savannah has identified $422 million in local projects and programs that could be funded under the federal stimulus package. Entries include $50.7 million for widening and elevating the President Street Extension, $30 million to upgrade Savannah-Chatham police headquarters on Habersham Street, $182,300 for a downtown day care center and $100,000 for an electricians training institute. Now city leaders have to determine which projects should have the highest priority - and which will have the greatest chance of being deemed worthy by the 13 federal departments that will award funding to competing projects that will pour in from across the nation. All the projects under review are considered "shovel-ready," meaning work - and the workers who would be hired - would start quickly. Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill said the city was ahead of the game because of its five- year capital improvement planning, which would drive what the city submitted. "It's a shotgun approach," he said. "Those who will be successful will be flexible ... and will be able to mold their project to fit the criteria." -38-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Savannah Morning News (GA) February 24, 2009 CITY, COUNTY DISPUTE JAIL BILL SAVANNAH, CHATHAM WORK TO RESOLVE $600,000 IN CHARGES Author: ERIC CURL, 912-652-0312, eric.curl@savannahnow.com The time it takes Savannah to reimburse Chatham County for costs associated with housing jail inmates has some county officials concerned. City officials say extra time is needed to scrutinize the county's error-filled monthly bills. According to an intergovernmental agreement, Savannah is supposed to pay the county $35 per day for each inmate arrested in the city. Bills are to be sent and paid monthly, but a back and forth between the two governments regarding certain charges has delayed the process. The delays have been a recurring challenge and county officials are trying to speed up payments, said County Manager Russ Abolt. "It's money we feel we're due," Abolt said. Some county commissioners voiced concerns after no reimbursements were received after the first quarter and only a small portion of the amount budgeted had been received after the second quarter, which ended Dec. 31. Abolt attributed the delay to the time the city takes checking the bills. On average, it takes two to three months from the time the Sheriff's Department sends an initial list of jail fees until the final bill is sent, said Linda Cramer, county finance director. A final bill for August, September and October did not get sent until January, Cramer said. Once the bill is sent, Savannah typically pays in two to three weeks, Cramer said. Savannah paid the county about $1.3 million last year for inmate housing, she said. About $404,000 has been received this year. "When we have an accurate bill, we pay it," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill. But accuracy is not typically the case, Morrill said. Between 2003 - when the agreement became effective - and 2007, more than $640,000 worth of errors were discovered, Recorders Court Director Prince Johnson said in a memo regarding the issue. An average of 10 percent, or almost $10,700, worth of errors is found each month, Johnson said. Sheriff Al St Lawrence and Jail Administrator Col. McArthur Holmes said there are disagreements regarding certain charges. The city may refuse to pay for a city inmate once another jurisdiction places a hold on that inmate, Holmes said. The city should still pay the bill, he said. The day an inmate is "bound" to the courts is also commonly a matter of dispute. City officials say inmates are often classified as city prisoners when the arrest actually took place in the unincorporated county. The county has no similar complaints from the other municipalities, St Lawrence said. Other municipalities may return their rosters more quickly, but their bills consist of only a small fraction of the bookings reviewed by Savannah, Johnson said. Savannah typically reviews an average of 930 inmates and more than $100,000 in charges, while Garden City was invoiced an average of about $5,600 in charges for the first 10 months of 2008. The county proposed having the city pay an average advance each month to speed up the process. Depending on the actual expense, the city would later be credited or charged. City officials declined. The county should work on fixing the errors before the city should have to pay an incorrect bill, Morrill said. -39-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Entrepreneur August 2008 GFOA's new president-elect and executive board.(Government Finance Officers Association) (Paul A. Macklem, Catherine R. O'Connor,) The Government Finance Officers Association is governed by an 18-member executive board, which