I
MINUTES
MIDDLE FLINT REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
JACKS RESTAURANT
MONTEZUMA, GA
WEDNESDAY, APRIL
28, 2004
12:30 P.M.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Ralph Brown, Chairman, Marion Co.
Terrance Bryant, 1st Vice Chairman, Sumter Co.
Richard Turk, 2nd Vice-Chairman, Taylor Co. George Crawford, Secretary, Webster Co.
Dave Wills, 3rd Vice-Chairman, Webster Co. Jerry Kirksey, Webster Co.
Jeff Couturier, Treasurer, Crisp Co. Cora Black, Schley Co.
Bill McGowan, Sumter Co. Jared Stevens, Sumter Co.
Willie James Larry, Macon Co. Dan Gattis, Schley Co.
Steve Arrington, Schley Co. Ronald Graham, Marion Co.
LaVonne Jernigan, Marion Co. Terrell Hudson, Dooly Co.
Mary Ayers, Taylor Co. J. B. Williams, Taylor Co.
Willie Davis, Dooly Co. Greg Speight, Dooly Co.
Sarah Trask, Macon Co. A. J. Rivers, Crisp Co.
Roosevelt James, Macon Co.
James Harris, Crisp Co.
STAFF PRESENT DCA APPOINTMENT ABSENT
Don ten Bensel Barbara McCarty
Grace Howell
Gerald Mixon
OTHERS PRESENT
Sarah Walls Hobby Stripling, U. S. Congressman Jim Marshall=s
Mickey Holloway Office
Kenneth Cutts, U. S. Congressman=s Sanford Bishop=s
Office
WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Ralph Brown called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone.
INTRODUCTIONS
Chairman Ralph Brown introduced and welcomed guests Hobby Stripling, District Director from Congressman U. S. Jim Marshall=s office and Kenneth Cutts from U. S. Congressman Sanford Bishop=s Office.
MINUTES
Minutes of the March 24th Board meeting were presented for the Board=s review and approval.
Motion: Motion was made by Dave Wills and duly seconded by Mary Ayers that the minutes be accepted as presented. Vote was unanimous.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Don ten Bensel
presented the financial report to those present. Don reported that in June 2001 the Middle
Flint Board voted on a 3.4% cost of living increase for city and county dues
that would start Fiscal Year 2002 and that an adjustment would be made to
whatever the cost of living increase is for each ensuing fiscal year to come.
A copy of the increases in dues was included in the Board packet.
There were no questions from the Board regarding the financial presentation.
OLD BUSINESS
FY 03 Audit
Don ten Bensel report that the FY 03 audit had been completed and accepted as an unqualified audit.
DCA Performance Audit
Don ten Bensel reported that last fall a Performance Audit was performed by the Department of Community Affairs. Don stated that the overall evaluation of the audit was good. A couple of findings that needed to be corrected were: not having advance notice of committee meetings, name any board member that voted against an item, and date projects were due. These have been or is now in the process of being corrected.
E-911 Update
Gerald Mixon reported that last night the Middle Flint E-911 Authority held their regular monthly meeting. This was the first meeting held by the Regional E-911 Authority with Executive Director Michael Yates. Gerald stated a lot of activity is going on at the Center, i.e., construction on the building, address system being updated, looking into health and liability insurance, etc.
Workforce System
Mickey Holloway reported that at present we are serving 400 people through the Workforce Investment Program. At last month=s Board meeting, Mickey reported that Workforce System received the 2002 Performance Report. Our area exceeded in all categories except the youth. Mickey stated that changes have been made to improve this category. Mickey also stated that the staff is working on new contracts for the new fiscal year.
CDBG Applications Due March 31
Don ten Bensel reported that the staff submitted ten Community Development Block Grant Applications to the Department of Community Affairs on March 31. The municipalities that applied for CDBG funding are: Andersonville, Buena Vista, Crisp County, Ellaville, Reynolds, Schley County, Taylor County, Unadilla, Vienna, and Webster County. Announcements of the CDBG applications are expected sometime at the end of July.
GPS/Mapping Projects
Don ten Bensel reported that the Marion County Water System should be completed by the next Board Meeting and Schley County for hydrants and cut off valves is expected to be completed in a couple of months. Staff is also working on Taylor and Macon Counties Parcel Map Maintenance.
Montezuma EDA/EIP Grants - Flint River Foods Project
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) approved a $1,000,000 Grant to assist the City of Montezuma in purchasing a Spray Application Field and Wastewater Treatment Plant. Don reported that an Employment Incentive Program (EIP) application for $500,000 has been submitted for this project also.
NEW BUSINESS
Possible Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plans
Don reported that Federal Law requires state and local governments to have an approved disaster mitigation plan in place to be eligible for federal disaster assistance in the event a federally-declared disaster occurs in their jurisdiction. Last year staff wrote an application for Crisp County and the other seven counties have been funded and waiting to get details from GEMA.
Georgia Department of Transportation Planning and GPS Contracts for FY 04/05
Gerald Mixon reported that just this week we received a proposed draft contract with the Department of Transportation and briefly reviewed it with the Board.
By-Law Change
Don ten Bensel reported that in Article II, Section 3 of the Middle Flint RDC Bylaws the original wording included the following: AEach member of the board shall have one vote. In order to enjoy voting privileges in business transacted by the RDC and to be considered a member in good standing, each city and county shall keep its dues current or lose its voting privileges on the Board of the RDC.@ Don stated that due to the recommendation of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and based on a statement made by the Attorney General, that Abecause the Board Members voting rights are established by statute, it would be inappropriate to curtail them by means of center bylaws or rules and regulations. Accordingly, though a center may establish some form of sanction for failure to remit dues, suspension of voting rights is not available@ the bylaws should be amended to delete reference to loss of voting privileges for Board Members representing governments behind in the payment of dues.
Motion: Motion was made by Jeff Couturier and duly seconded by Roosevelt James to accept the amendment as presented. Vote was unanimous.
By-Law Change - Robert Rules of Order
Don ten Bensel reported that a change in Article IX, Section 1 of the Middle Flint RDC Bylaws also needed to be amended.
Recommendation was made to change the wording of the Rules of Order from AAll meetings of the Board of Directors shall follow those rules established for the conduct of such meetings as set forth in the ARoberts Rules of Order@ to add Aas set forth in the most current edition of Roberts Rules of Order.
Motion: Motion was made by Jeff Couturier and duly seconded by Dave Wills to accept the amendment as presented. Vote was unanimous.
Board Member Appointments
Don ten Bensel reported that letters would be going out at the end of the week concerning the appointments/reappointments of the Middle Flint Board members for FY 2004-2005. The term is for one year running from July 1 thru June 30. If anyone has any questions they can contact our office. The deadline is June 17 but government entities are encouraged to get them in earlier if possible.
PROGRAM
Board Member Bill McGowan gave an informative presentation on the Power Alley Update. Mr. McGowan is Chairman of the Power Alley Authority.
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS
Board Members present were given the opportunity to give a brief report on things of interest pertaining to their cities and counties.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.