Overview of the operations of Area Planning and Development Commissions in Georgia: 1985

VERVIEW OF THE OPERATIONS OF
....L-__''__-----.'
AREA PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS IN GEORGIA: 1985
t

GJ &;
Georgia Department of Community Affairs Jim Higdon, Commissioner

6> Government Information Division
40 Marietta Street Atlanta, Georgia 30303
September, 1985

Received
JAN 31 1986
DOCUMENTS UGA LIBRA IES

T.ble of Contents

Section

Introduction .

1

Administrative Overview

2

Regional Picture

4

Sources of Funding for Are. Planning and Deve-

lopment Commissions

4

Local Funding Sources

5

State Funding Sources

6

Federal Funding Sources

6

APDC Work Program and Capabilities. 8

Technical Assistance Capabilities

8

Studies or Plans of Local Governments

8

Other APDC Programs and Services 10

Programs for the Elderly'

10

Job Training Parternship Act Programs

10

Business Loan Programs

11

Historic Preservation Programs

11

Transportation Planning and Coordination

12

Other Programs of the APDCs

13

Computer Use in Georgia's APDCs

14

Appendix A: Forecast Revenues: FY 1986

17

Appendix B: Description of Computer Services. 18

Received
JAN 31 1986
DOCUME TS UG L1BRAR'ES

List of T~bl And GrAphs

Table

1. Number of Persons Employed by APDC 2

2. Per Capita Dues, APDCs 5

3. Technical Assistance to Local Governments 8

4. Studies or Plans of Local Governments

9

5. Programs for the Elderly.

10

6. Activities Associated with Job Training

Partnership Act

11

7. Business Loan Programs..

11

8. Historic Preservation Programs . 12

9. Transportation Planning and Coordination . 12

10. Other Programs of the APDCs . . 13

11. Summary of Computer Systems and Uses 15

!3r aph

1. Composition of APDC Boards: FY 1986

2

2. Forecast Funding Sources: FY 1986

4

3. Forecast Local Revenues: FY 1986

5

4. Forecast State Revenues: FY 1986 .

6

5. Forecast Federal Revenues: FY 1986

7

INTRODUCTION The eighteen Area Planning and Development Commissions (APDCs) in Georgia were organized in the early 1960's to assist local governments in the state. This report, based upon survey data collected in the summer of 1985 on behalf of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Area Planning and Development by the Georgia Mountains APDC, provides an overview of the operations, and in effect, . the capabilities of the Area Planning and Development Commissions. In addition to the programs and services provided by the Area Planning and Development Commissions, the survey also examined the sources of revenue that the Area Planning and Development Commissions utilized and the staff with which they provided their services. Most importantly, however, the survey examined the programs and services that were provided; A major section of the survey, and this report, examined the data processing or computer capabilities that each Area Planning and Development Commission utilizes. This report will examine each of these areas in turn. First taking a cursory look at the administrative make up of the Area Planning and Development Commissions and their sources of funds. The report will then examine each program area as identified in the survey instrument.
1

CHAPTER 1: ADMINISTRATIVE OVERVIEW

Fifteen of the eighteen 1 Area Planning and Development Com-

missions responded to the survey, a response rate of 831., an ex-

cellent response for any survey.

The APDC's reported boards

varying in size from 13 persons to 35 persons. The average size

board was composed of 28 persons: 19 of whom were elected

officials, either mayors, councilmen or county commissioners; 4

were minority non-elected members, and the balance were non-

publicly elected officials. Graph 1 provides a graphic presenta-

tion of this data.

Graph 1: Composttton of APDC Boards:
I'Y 1 Sllll!

Non-elected (17.11:&)

Overall, 651. of the boards members were elected officials, 171. were minority members, and the remainder, 181., were nonelected members.
The fifteen APDC's employeed a total of 407 full-time individuals. Eighty-seven of these persons held clerical positions and 320 held professional positions. The survey did not measure how the professional positions were used, however. Nor was the assignment of positions by program or responsibility explored. The following table provides information for each APDC on the number of full-time persons employed.
1 Those APDCs not responding were the Heart of Georgia~ Lower Chattahoochee, and Oconee APDCs.
2

Table 1: Number of Persons Employed by APDC

APDC Altamaha Ga Southern ARC CSRA Coosa Valley Chattahoochee-Flint Coastal Georgia Mountains McIntosh Trai 1 Middle Georgia Middle Flint North .Georgi a Northeast Georgia South Georgia Southeast Georgia Southwest Georgia

Total 18 80 16 35 14 35 38 12 18 18 28 24 41 16 14

Professional 14 60 12 29 10 28
34 9
14 15 23 18 32 12 10

Clerical 4
20 4 6 4
7 4 3 4
3
5 6 9 4 4

...::.

Regional Picture

The Area- Planning and Development Commissions serve their

member local governments on a regional basis. The number of the

counties and municipalities served varies from APDC to APDC. The

number of counties served by the fifteen responding to the survey

ranges from a low of five in the Chattahoochee-Flint APDC to a

high of 14 in the Southwest Georgia APDC.

The Middle Georgia

APDC serves thirteen- municipalites while the Atlanta Regional

Commission serves fifty-one municipal governments. It should be

noted that not all counties and municipalities in each region

choose to be a member of the APDC.

The population served by the APDC's also varies greatly. The counties in the Atlanta Regional Commission contained an estimated population in 1984 of 2.04 million persons. The middle Flint APDC region, however, could claim only 97,000 in 1984.

Sources of Funding for Area Planning and Development Commi ion.

Funding sources for APDC's can be divided into four basic

types: state, local, and federal, as well as a general other

category.

Graph 2 shows a breakdown on the expected source of

funds for APDC's in 1985. For the 15 APDC's responding to the

survey, local funds amounted to $5.3 million or 13.81.; state,

$29.4 million or 75.51.; federal, $3.9 million or 10.91.; and

other,$265,OOO or less than 11.. Overall, the 15 APDC's reported

expected revenues of $38.9 million in FY 1986.

Graph 2: Forecast Fundlng Sources:
I'V 1 "a::l

Federal (1 o.,,~)

Local (13~)

State (7::1.:5~)
4

Local FundinQ Source.
Local funding sources for Area Planning and Development Commissions are derived from three areas: local dues, collected on a per capita basis from member jurisdictions; contracts; and a broad "other" category which constitutes the majority of the expected local funding for FY 1986 as Graph 2 shows. Dues amount to almost 13.6'l. of all expected funds. Contracts amount to 1'l. of expected funds. The large other category can be traced in large part to the Atlanta Regional Commission which reported expected revenues of $2.4 million in "in-kind" services.
Graph 3: Forecast Local Revenues:
I'Y , eae

Other (~o.,~)

Contract. (" .O~)

A closer look should be taken of the local dues structure. Amounts reported ranged from $0.25 per capita to $0.80 per capita.

Table 2: Per Capita Dues, Area Planning and Development Com-

missions

APDC

Per Capita Dues

Altamaha Ga. Southern

$0.45

ARC

0.30

CSRA

0.30

Coosa Valley

0.50

Chattahoochee-Flint

0.30

Coastal

0.50

Georgia Mountains

0.60

McIntosh Trail

0.25

Middle Georgia

0.35

Middle Flint

0.45

North Georgia

0.65

Northeast Georgia

0.40

South Georgia

0.73

Southeast Georgia

0.80

Southwest Georgia

0.60

The average per capita dues reported by the fifteen APDCs

responding to the survey was $0.48.

The median reported was

$0.45.

St.te Funding Sources

As was noted, state funds will account for 751. of the expected funds for APDCs in FY 1986. The majority of the state funds, 411. or almost half, as is shown in Graph 3, will originate from the Department of Labor for contracts for the Job Training Partnership Program. Department of Human Resource contracts for the Area Aging Programs will provide 16.21. of expected funds, other state funds will provide 151. of total forecast APDC funds. Department' of Community Affairs money will provide 101. of expected state funding for APDCs.

Graph 4: Forecast State Revenues:
FV 1 IiIIUS

OTHER (20.0~)

DCA (' ..... 2~)

OHR (2'.~~)

DOL ( .... ,.o~)

Federal Funding Sources

Federal funds are expected to contribute about 101. of total

APDC funding in the coming fiscal year. Funds from the Economic

Development Administration are expected to amount to 21. of

federal funding; and Appalachian Regional Commission funds, less

than 11.. The majority of Federal funds, however, are expected to

come in the form of "other" funds, alS the following graph shows.

These "other" federal funds, however, will not be realized by all

APDCs.

The Atlanta Regional Commission will receive $627,000

from the Urban Mass Transit Administration, Coastal APDC will

receive $193,000 for a Title V program, Georgia Mountains will

receive $1.2 million for aging programs and North Georgia will

receive $200,000 from the Applachian Regional Commission for a

housing rehabilitation program in the City of Canton.

6

Graph 5: Forecast Federal Revenues:
I"Y , suss
Other (1I.3:S)
The table in Appendix A summarizes the expected funding for the fifteen Area Planning and Development Commissions.
7

Chapter 2: APDC Work Program and Capabilitie.

Technical Assistance Capabilities

One of the purposes of APDCs was to provide assistance to

local governments in those areas that required special skills or

abilities that the local government might not possess. The APDCs

fulfill this task by providing technical assistance to the local

government and by producing spe~ial studies and reports.

The

following table provides data on a selected list of technical as-

sistance projects that the fifteen APDCs are able to provide.

Table 3: Technical Assistance to Local Governments

Type of Assistance

Number Providing

Industrial development support Budget and finance Solid waste management Water and sewer management Financial packaging Planning and zoning Personnel management Law enforcement Tax assessment Community betterment programs Community services planning Codes and ordinances Housing Data processing

************** ( 14)

************ ( 12)

************** (14)

************** (14 )

************* ( 13)

************* ( 13)

************* (13)

*********

( 8)

********

( 8)

************* (13 )

************** ( 14)

************* ( 13)

**********

( 10)

******

( 6)

All but one of the APDCs are able to provide technical assis-

tance in the areas of industrial development, solid waste

management, water and sewer management and community services

planning.

Just over half are able to provide support in the

areas of law enforcement and tax assessment and less than half

are able to provide support in the area of data processing.

Studies or Plans of Local Governments
In addition to technical assistance services, APDCs also perform other services for member local governments. One of the most important is the development of special studies and reports. The ability of individual APDCs to perform the various types of studies that might be needed by a local government could vary greatly. The following table depicts the types of studies that the fifteen APDCs are able to provide.

8

Table 4: Studies or Plans of Local Governments

Type of Studies or Plans

Number Providing

Population studies Economic base studies Existing land use studies Future land use studies Local transportation studies Zoning ordinances Subdivision regulations Mobile home ordinances
Soil erosion & sedimemtation
Environmental protection studies Manpower studies Personnel management plans

************** ( 14)

************** (14)

************ (12 )

************ ( 12)

************ ( 12)

************ ( 12)

************ (12 )

************ ( 12)

*********

( 9)

*********

( 9)

********

( 8)

************ ( 12)

These studies and plans represent only those that are provided by a majority of the APDCs. Individual APDCs are able to provide additional assistance with administrative space studies, annexation studies, feasibility studies, and industrial site selection.

9

Chapter 3: Other APDC Progra and Service.

Programs for the Elderly
Utilizing DHR aging funds, the APDCs have become very active in providing services to senior citizens. Table 5 provides data on the types of programs being provided and the numbers of APDCs providing the services.
Table 5: Programs for the Elderly

Type of Program

Number Providing

Nutrition sites

************** (14)

Meals for the homebound

************** (14)

Transportation

************** (14)

Civil legal services

************** (14)

Coordination nursing home ombudsman************** (14)

Retired senior volunteer project *****

( 5)

Senior employment programs

***********

(11)

Home health services

**********

(10)

Community care act coordination

************** (14)

Operation of senior centers

************* (13)

Technical assistance

************** (14)

Homemaker services

****

( 4)

Telephone reassurance

***

( 3)

Information and referral

**

( 2)

It should be noted that one APDC did not respond to this question on the survey.

Job Training Partnership Act Programs
As an earlier section of this report revealed, APDCs receive a substantial portion, 311., of their total funding from the Department of Labor"s Job Training Partnership Program. Data from the survey also shows that ten of the APDCs serve as the administrative agency for programs under the JTPA program. The JTPA program activities of these APDCs are summarized in the following table.

10

Table 6. Activities Associated with Job Training Partnership Act

Type of Activities

Number Providing

Title II-A Full-Year Employment Title II-B Summer Youth Program Vietnam Veterans Employment Senior Employment Programs Dislocated Worker OJT Training Older Worker Program Try-Out Training

********** ********* ** **** ********
* * *

( 10) ( 9)
( 2)
( 4)
( 8) (1) (1)
(1)

The primary programs that are provided are the Title II programs, full-year employment and summer youth employment, provided by 10 APDCs and 9 APDCs respectively. and the dislocated worker program, which is provided by 8 APDCs. Four APDCs provide senior employment programs and 2 provide employment programs for Vietnam veterans.

Business Loan Programs

To a certain extent APDCs are also becoming involved in economic development programs. Table 7 summarizes the activities of those APDCs which are involved in business loan activities.

Table 7: Business Loan Programs

Type of Programs

Number Providing

SBA 503 Program SBA 502 Program Revolving loan program Loan packaging assistance Working capital agreement

*********** ******** ****
* *

( 11)
( 8)
( 4) (1) ( 1)

Area Planning and Development Commissions are primarily involved in Small Business Administration programs. Eleven of the fifteen APDCs are involved with the SBA 503 program and eight are involved in the SBA 502 program. Other activities of this type that APDCs are involved in include the revolving loan program, 4 APDCs; loan packagi ng assi stance, 1 APDC; and wodd ng capi tal agreement, 1 APDC.

Historic Preservation Programs

Area Planning and Development Commissions receive funding from the Department of Natural Resources for historic preservation programs as an earlier section of this report showed. The varied activities that the APDCs are involved in are summarized in the following table.

11

Table 8: Historic Preservation Programs

Type of Programs
Development of nominations Coordination of investment credit
tax program Technical assistance local groups Downtown revitalization programs Education programs Environmental review assistance Grantsmanship Information dissemination Planning assistance Resource surveys Site surveys

Number PrOViding

-------------------

**********

( 10)

********

( 8)

*********** ** **** ** *** ** ** ** **

( 11> ( 2)
( 4)
( 2) ( 3)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)

The primary activities that the APDCs are involved in are the development of National Register nominations, 10 APDCs, and technical assistance to local groups, 11; and coordination of the investment tax credit program, 8 APDCs. As the table shows, the other historic preservation activities that the APDCs are involved in are varied. In addition to those identified in the table, other individual APDCs are involved in ordinance assistance, zoning assistance and fund raising.

Transportation Planning and Coordination

Area Planning and Development Commissions receive a small percentage of their total funding from the the Georgia Department of Transportation for transportation projects. The uses of these funds are summarized in Table 9.

Table 9: Transportation Planning and Coordination

Type of Assistance

Number Providing

DOT contracts

Planning contract

***************(15)

Rural transportation contract ********* Metropolitan planning organization **

( 9) ( 2)

designation

Each of the fifteen APDCs that responded to the survey are involved with the DOT planning contracts. Nine of the APDCs are involved with the rural transportation or Rideshare contracts. Only two are designated as a metropolitan planning organization for purposes of transportation planning. Individual APDCs are involved in air quality planning as it relates to transportation,

airport system planning, rail abandonment assistance, research studies, traffic engineering, transit impact monitoring, and urban area plan coordination.
Other Programs ~ th~ APDCs
The uniqueness of the APDCs is emphasized by the category of "other" programs that they are providing to their member governments.

Table 10: Other Programs

Type of Program

Number Providing

Areawide tourism development

*******

7)

Administration of Georgia Land

**

2)

Sales Act Review Program

Adminsitration of Metropolitan

**

2)

River Protection Act

Development imapct review

**

2)

Legislative staff support

**

2)

River and lake management planning **

2)

assistance

In addition to those services or programs identified in the preceeding table, individual APDCs also provide the following list of services:

~ervice
Administrative services Census depository Development impact review (2) Land use mamaqement policy planning Legislation drafting Legislation tracking Legislative staff support for General
Assembly members (2) Market stLldi es Printing cooperative Public seminars and workshops Regional enterprise development program River and lake management planning
assistance (2) Water resources management (2)

13

Chapter 4: Computer U in Georgi.. APDCs

Summary of Systems and Uses

As in many organizations, the uses of computers in Georgia"s

APDCs has increasingly become of more importance in the past few

years.

APDCs are not only using their computer systems for in-

ternal use, keeping track of their administrative structure and

assisting in analytical uses, they are also using the systems to

assist their member governments in their daily activities.

Each of the fifteen APDCs utilizes at least one computer sys-

tem to some extent according to the descriptions submitted in

response to the survey. Seven have at least two systems, and six

have at least three systems. Of the fifteen with one system, one

APDC has a mainframe system, four have mini-computer systems,

nine have micro computer systems, and one utilizes a Department

of Labor (DOL) terminal. Three of these systems are dedicated

systems, used for only one purpose. Of the seven with a second

system, one utilizes a mini-computer, and the rest, six, use a

micro computer system. Five of these seven systems are dedi-

cated systems.

The six with a third system report four micro

systems and two DOL terminal systems. Two of these systems are

dedicated systems.

Seven of the APDCs use their computer systems to perform

their payroll work. Eleven do their accounting work on the com-

puter systems.

Other internal uses include data base man-

agement, transportation modeling, word processing, spread sheet

work, and typesetting. Three of the APDCs use their systems to

provide payroll services to their member local governments. One

APDC performs accounting services for its local governments on

one of their systems. Examples of other computer services per-

formed for member governments include voter registration, jury

lists, utility billing, law enforcement recordkeeping, vehicle

tag accounting, and vehicle cost reports.

Appendi>: B provides specific information on the type of computer systems utilized by each APDC.

14

Taole II: SUI ary of COlputer Systels and Uses

La.put@r Syst@1 NUMb@r I

Type of D@dicated

---- Int@rnal Use ----

---- External Use ----

APDC

Systel Systel Payroll Accounting Other Payroll Accounting Other

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~I ta aha Ga. Southern Terl, DOL

i'

N

N

Y

N

N

N

Aile

l1ain

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

'j

CSRA

Hicro

N

y

y

y

N

N

N

Coosa Va II ey

l1icro

N

N

y

N

N

N

N

Chattahoochee-Flint

Hicro

N

N

Y

Y

N

Ii

H

Coastal

Hiero

N

N

Y

Y

N

N

N

G@orgla l10untains

Iii ni

N

Y

Y

i'

N

N

N

l1c1ntosh Trail I1lddl@ Gl!orgia

l1iero

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

N

Iii cro

N

Y

Y

y

N

N

N

l1iddl@ Flint

Hicro

N

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

North Gl!orgla

Hini

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

y

North@ast Georgia

Mini

N

Y

Y

y

N

N

H

South G@or~la

Mini

N

Y

Y

N

Y

y

Y

Southeast Georgia

l1icro

i'

N

N

Y

N

N

H

South_est Georgia

Micro

N

N

N

Y

Ii

k

'j

Co.putl!r System NUMber 2

Type of Deaicated

APDC

System Systetl

Alt. dha Ga. Southern

None

"IiC

l1ini

i'

C3R';

Micro

N

(oo~a Valley

Hi ero

Y

Chattahoochee-Flint

None

Co~stal

None

Geor~~a Mountains

"iero

y

~cIntosr, Trall

None

III ddl e GeorgIa

None

:1ld,He ~lint

None

~()rth Georgi a

"iero

'~r ,heast 6eorg I a

MIcro

30ut Georgia

Hiero

Soutneast Georgia

None

South~l!~t Georgia

None

---- Internal Use ---Payroll Accounting Other

N

N

y

N

N

N

N

y"

N

N

y

N N

N N

"y

N

N

---- External Use ---Payroll Accounting Other

N

N

N

101

tl

Y

N

N

N

101

N

N

N

H

N

N

Table II: Cant.

o.~~ter Svstel NUlber 3

Type of Dedicated

---- Internal Use ----

---- External Use ----

APOC

Systel Systel Payroll Accounting Other Payroll Accounting Other

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alta,aha Ga. Southern

None

ARC

Micro

'(

N

N

y

N

N

N

CSRA

Micro

N

N

N

V

Ii

N

N

Coos~ VallH

None

C~attahoQchee-Flint

None

Coast~l
Georgia Mountains

None ler., DOL

N

N

y

N

N

Ii

PIc Intos~ lrai I

None

Middle Georgia

None

lIiddle Flint

None

Nort~ Georgia

Micro

N

N

N

i'

N

N

N

Northeast Georgia

left, DOL

N

N

N

V

N

N

Ii

50uth Georgia

"icro

Ii

N

'(

Y

N

Ii

N

Southeast Georgia

None

Southwest 6eorgla

None

APPENDIX A: FORECAST REVENUES: FY 1986

Amount

Percentage

Category

($)

of Total

----------------------~--------------------------------------

Total local

5,292~555

13.61.

Dues

2~059,345

5.31.

Contracts from local governments

583,273

1. 51.

Other

2,649,937

6.81.

Total state DCA contract DOT planning contracts DOT rldeshare contract DNR preservation planning contract
DHR aginq program DOL JTPA contracts
Other

29!,395!,273
4~172,750
142,000
740~375 110~000 6,312~540 12~043~908 5,873~700

75.51. 10.71.
0.41. 1. 91. 0.31. 16.21. 30.91. 15.11.

Total federal Economic Development Administration Applachian Regional Commission Other federal

3,967,965 748,099 319,001
2~900,865

10.21. 1. 91. 0.81. 7.51.

Total other funds

265~206

0.71.

Total Forecast Funds

38~920~999

100.01.

l!

Appendix B: Description of Computer Systems
Alta.aha Georgia Southern: Syste I: DOL State "IS-Syste., ter~inals IBH .odel 3276, 12 keyboards IB~ 3270, printer IBH 3287.
tIanta ~eQlonal Co ission: Sy~te. 1: OED PDP 11/34A, two 26 Megabyte RR07 disk drives tied to IBH 3031 Hainframe. Syste.2: DEC NPS 211 with 5 VT100 terlinals, 2 letter quality printers. Syste. 3: IB" PC\XT
Central Savannah River Area: Syste 1: DEC Rainbow 100 with hard disk (4l! Syste.2: Radio Shack TRS-SO Hodel II, Systfl 3: IBH PC\AT.
Coosa Valle~: Svstel I: IB" PC\AT, Syste. 2: IBH PC\XT.
(~attahoochee-Flint:
Syste. 1: IBH Oisplaywriter syste. with IBH 5216 letter quality printer.
Co~stal:
Syste. I: RadiO Shack Hodel II.
6eo~gla "ountains: Syste. I: Wang 2iOO HVP BOHB, 4 worK stations, band and latrix printers.
c1ntosh Tr~l1: 5~ste, I: Televldeo TSBO 2H With 64~ RAM ana 1 hard disk drive With 9.8HB and 1 floppy disk drive.
Idljle Flint: Svste. I: 18" PC\XT.
'hdjle Georgia: Syste. 1: Altos 9B6.
'lorth GeOrlll a: Systel I: IBH Systel 34, CFU 15340). Printer (5225) With 4 ter'lnals (5251) 128K.
Northeast Georgia: S stel I: Basicl4, 410, 9bK le.ory. 42 liB fixed diSk, 5 ter.inals, 3 printers, Siste 2: IBH PC\XT, 10"B fl~ed DiSk, I floppy diSk, color graphics printer. caiar printer, ~ystfl ~: Ib" VOT 32]1) (21.
oult. ueorola: SvStfl I: IBH Syste!l 38, 5vstel 2: IBII PC\IT, 5ystel 3: lSI! PC.
18

Appendix B (Cont.) Southeast Georgia:
Svste I: 18ft PC\IT. Sout west Georgia:
Svste- 1: COlpugraphic 8204.
19