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HomeMy WebLinkAbout_2002 07 09 City Commission Workshop Minutes CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP JULY 9, 2002 I. CALL TO ORDER The Workshop of Tuesday, July 9, 2002 of the City Commission was called to order by Mayor Paul P. Partyka at 6:13 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida 32708). ROLL CALL: . Mayor Paul P. Partyka, present Deputy Mayor Cindy Gennell, arrived at 6:14 p.m. Commissioner Robert S. Miller, present Commissioner Michael S. Blake, present Commissioner Edward Martinez, Jr., present Commissioner David W. McLeod, arrived at 6: 18 p.m. City Manager Ronald W. McLemore, present City Attomey Anthony A. Garganese, absent II. AGENDA A. Presenting To The City Commission The Fiscal Year '03 Preliminary Budget. This Item was not specifically discussed. B. Budget Review. Deputy Mayor Cindy Gennell arrived at 6:14 p.m. Community Development Department: Mr. Charles Carrington, Community Development Department Director introduced and presented the Budget for the Community Development Department. Discussion ensued regarding the purchase of a new printer for the Community Development Department. With regards to the new printer in the Building Department, City Manager Ronald W. McLemore said that he would "Check on" this purchase. Commissioner David W. McLeod arrived at 6:18 p.m. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE20F8 In regards to the Pernlits, and Inspections Budgets, the need for additional staffing to help facilitate the permitting process was discussed. Commissioner Michael S. Blake said, "I would be interested to know, along those same lines, how long does it take for an individual to receive a pelmit under a variety of different scenarios?" Manager McLemore said, "We would have to come back and give you that answer - to answer your question on permits, we probably ought to pick out two (2) or three (3) types and give you an answer." Manager McLemore then spoke of complications within the permitting process due to the applicants. Commissioner Blake stated, "I am not interested in their delays. I am just interested in what our turnaround delays are and whether or not we need to fund a position." Manager McLemore said, "I would not hesitate to come back to you during the year if you think we need to do it." Commissioner Edward Martinez, Jr. stated, "May I suggest that the Manager bring this back as an Informational Item so we can get on with the Budget." Commissioner McLeod added, "I will say this much, and it's from some experience dealing with our Building Department - I think our Building Department is much more thorough than sUlTounding communities when they come out to do the inspections. Our fellows that I see inspecting the jobs that I have been on or involved with, believe me I can go into Orlando or Orange County - Miami, and get an Inspector to come out, walk though, and be off the job in a lot less time. And I am not saying that that's wrong for our guys to be thorough, they are just trying to make sure they are protecting the City in what they are approving. And I think that that is some of the dilemma some of the Contractors and Builders are finding when they come into this area. The Inspection Department here is tough. They do not let things slide and they want it by the way it's shown - nothing less. And that slows your process, but yet they are doing what they are paid to do thoroughly." Delinquent pernlit fees, and the need for an additional staff person was discussed next. In regards to the Code Enforcement Depmiment, Commissioner Robert S. Miller said, "My perception of Code Enforcement is that it needs to be beefed up. I don't know whether that is because we need more people or we need more conscientious enforcement. I am not really sure what it is. I watch the reports coming out on the Code Enforcement Board activities and that seems to be rising slightly." With discussion, Mayor Patiyka said, "Why don't we just put potentially review the piece in terms of Code Enforcement, maybe potentially one (1) more person or a part timer of something." Commissioner Martinez spoke in favor of "Beefing up" Code Enforcement and said, "1 have said to you time and time again that enforcement is not a banking hour's job, nine (9) to five (5). Enforcement is a twenty-four (24) hour job. I can see where you don't have to have someone out there from - 8 p.m. to 6 in the morning, but you should be able to adjust the hours of duty of those employees to fit the needs of the City, to be able to enforce our Codes. And I for one have been to the Manager for six (6) months for CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE30F8 a violation in my District, for six (6) months, and no one in Code Enforcement could go out there and catch this person - because they don't start until 9 o'clock; and repeatedly I have said you have to do something about this here. I think that you have to beef up Code Enforcement and make sure that if we are gong to sit here and approve Codes and approve Ordinances to regulate some of the things that need to be regulated in the City to make this a great City - we have to have enforcement out there." With further discussion about Code Enforcement issues, Manager McLemore then suggested, "I would like to see us have our own Hearing Officer where we can deal with these things like this - and get decisions like that, instead of having to get into the sixty (60) to ninety (90) day process. And if we are going to spend some more money, I think we need to spend it there." Mayor Partyka said, "I think that's a good idea. Why don't we bring that up as an Agenda Item at some point in time." Commissioner Blake suggested, "That would be an ideal Resolution to put forth for the Florida League of Cities and get all the Cities in the State behind that because that is going to have to take Legislative action." Manager McLemore suggested that it could be done locally, on the City's own authority. Discussion. Public Works/Utility Department: Mr. Kipton Lockcuff, Public Works/Utility Department Director presented the Budget for Engineering and the Public Works Department. Tape I1Sidc B The Commission discussed Oak Trees along State Road 434, and with the possible widening of the roadway to six (6) lanes, Deputy Mayor Gennell stated, "I'd be interested - to find out if it's in the twenty (20) or thirty (3) year plan at all because I have reservations about us going to all this trouble to preserve these extra two (2) lanes, when I don't know that we are ever going to see this." The City Hall Budget was discussed next. Mayor Partyka spoke of the look of City Hall and stated, "I'd rather see a City Hall that doesn't have the art placards on the - floor underneath employee bid sheets, when we ought to be doing something a little better." In regards to the Transportation Improvement Fund, Mr. Lockcuff said to the Commission, "I didn't bring the list of streets we are going to pave so I'll have to get that to you." CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE 4 OF 8 After discussion on the status of beautifying George Street and related parking issues, Deputy Mayor Gennell stated, "I did wonder what was going on with that. I drove by there the other day and looked at it and it is just the same as it has been for twenty (20) years." Manager McLemore stated, "I think we need another meeting on that to look at the plan." Commissioner Miller said, "I assume you will bring this to us before it's a done deal." Manager McLemore agreed. Discussion. The next topic of discussion dealt with how to best utilize the City's additional revenues. In regards to such revenues, Deputy Mayor Gennell suggested, "It might be a good idea if we could establish some fund - a matching fund for neighborhood improvements where some of these neighborhoods for instance - private neighborhoods off of Sherry [Avenue] which probably don't have a lot of resources - they might be encouraged to upgrade their entrances and some of their streets - if there was some kind of Grant, even a small token one, from the City. And I just would encourage us to look at that type of thing in the future. " Tape 2/Side ^ Referring to the Stormwater Budget, a brief discussed started regarding insect control. Commissioner Blake stated, "Sanford has their Midge problem - is there any concern or issue as to whether or not they are moving this way?" Further, Commissioner Blake suggested that we work "With Sanford - towards a cure - if it is going to affect us too." Manager McLemore stated, "I will call the City Manager over there and talk to him about it. " Discussion. The Commission spoke of the members of the Tuscawilla Lighting and Beautification District Advisory Committee and the Oak Forest Wall and Beautification District Advisory Committee developing and having input into their own Budgets. Commissioner Blake stated, "I think that they should transmit, through some process their recommended Budgets - again, the capital side is fixed; that's defined. We know what that is. The maintenance side, we've got two (2) years worth of monies in this account at this point in time. I understand and appreciate Kip's [Lockcuff] comments that we really don't know what it is going to cost yet, but we need to get going on that to figure that out. And I know it has to be tumed over to us first and that hasn't occurred yet I don't think." Commissioner Blake then pointed out that "The Tuscawilla sign is mIssmg on the eastside of Winter Springs Boulevard." Commissioner Blake also said, "There still aren't signs on Seneca [Boulevard] either." Commissioner Blake stated further, "I would accept this still as being a ramp up year and let's go with what we have - but I would certainly CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE50F8 recommend that we have another year now to start working in that direction to give them the level of knowledge they need to be involved with as to what is being recommended to us. Whatever the time frame is Kip [Lockcuff] - one of the main responses that we had to some of the questions back then during the heavy questioning time that was out there, was that the citizens were going to have input on these budget decisions. I just think we need to make sure that we honor what we say." Deputy Mayor Gennell agreed with Commissioner Blake's comments and said, "Probably a Public Hearing Item would be appropriate. " Commissioner McLeod also stated his agreement with Commissioner Blake and said, "I definitely think we should let that burden be theirs and oversee it. But definitely I would not totally take that thing on because at some point something is going to be wrong and I think you need to have that Board there to answer to the people of the neighborhood where their money is being spent and why, and that's their recommendation. When they really take over the maintenance of this thing, I think it definitely needs to be that the Association is in charge." Commissioner Martinez suggested, "I for one, regardless of whatever anybody else wants here, would like to have someone on that Board come here and make a report to this Commission. There have been a lot of problems there for the last six (6) months, and we are hit in the streets with questions by citizens and we don't have any answers for them. We have to - and I think if they came here and publicly presented a report to the Commission, everybody would know where they are at. I would like that to happen." Commissioner McLeod added, "I think also if you are going to have somebody come and present for Tuscawilla, I think you should have somebody also come and present for Oak Forest. " Further discLlssion. Tape 2/Side B In regards to having the City Engineer design the soccer fields for the Central Winds Park Expansion project, Commissioner McLeod asked, "Are we truly saving money by taking the person's time up - the only person in the Department, to do the design rather than go outside and have a Consultant do the design, and then have that person just overlook it, review it?" Mr. Lockcuff answered, "I would say yes if the person has the time to do it. We have talked extensively. I will be monitoring that. I suspect we are going to need some outside help, to what degree I don't know." Manager McLemore said, "We will have further discussions about that." Regarding the Southem Water Main Interconnect, Commissioner McLeod informed the City Commission that "I would like to let everybody here on the Commission to know, in case you hear, I have hired a law firm to counter sue on behalf of my wife and myself - and it is also the same law firm as Anthony [Garganese, City Attorney] because he is handling it for the City. But for the portion of the counter lawsuit, my wife and I have CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE60F8 gone under contract with their firm, to pay for that out of our own pocket rather than have any City expenditures. So if there are any questions - 'Is the City paying anything for Commissioner McLeod?' - that is going to be absolutely wrong. I would just like the rest of you Commissioners to be aware that I have counter sued - and I have signed a Contract to do that." Parks A/l(1 Recreation Department: Mr. Chuck Pula, Parks and Recreation Department Director presented the Budget for his Department. Discussion. Mayor Partyka infonned Mr. Pula, "Evidently there is a group within the Little League that is petitioning to see if we can get the Regional World Series here and it happens to be for next year around July 4th - it is something evidently very prestigious. I know they have talked to you a little bit and there were some issues in terms of the fields." Mayor Partyka added, "So I bring this up only because you are going to see some petitions coming down because I have seen them already and they are collecting those. But there may be, I don't know what the answer is - it would be nice to have the Regional Games here at the best fields in Central Florida." Commissioner Martinez departed the Workshop at 8:59 p.m. The situation regarding the Concession Stand at Central Winds Park was discussed next. Commissioner Blake suggested, "I think it is time to pull the plug on it. We can certainly let the groups, whether it be Baseball or Soccer or Football, or whatever it is, let them enter into agreements to be able to use the facilities. They can handle the sales. The High School doesn't run a Concession Stand, the Boosters do and they raise money and they make money on it. Why are we throwing $40,000.00 dollars to contribute towards this when that group doesn't get a benefit and in fact it ends up costing them more. Let's turn it over to them, let them try to make some money, we save forty grand ($40,000.00). And guess what, I bet they make some money on it and they can buy more uniforms, more equipment, whatever it happens to be. It's time to turn the key on this." Mr. Pula stated, "We would recommend, if we're going to go this route that we just go with one (1) organization that would do all the baseball fields and one (1) organization that is soccer." Mr. Pula added, "We have begun those discussions and if that's your direction..." Commissioner Miller spoke of the quality of customer service at the Concession Stand and stated, "My concem is - I think there is a cost in running that facility, and I am not talking about the food concession, I am talking about a public park. And along with that goes a certain amount of City responsibility to maintain certain things, even though the use by the citizens is not repaying all of it. It is just an expense that is there. And I see CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE 7 OF 8 this as part of that. So if we are going to lose quality by having a volunteer type of arrangement, I am not so sure that the sh,,0l1fall each year is not something that we ought to just go on bearing because it adds quality to that facility. I just don't see it purely - dollars and cents. If it doesn't pay for itself - close it down." Further, Commissioner Miller added, "If you come up with something during the year, I think you can bring it to the Commission as an idea and we can vote on it then." Mayor Partyka said, "I think it's time - to reevaluate that completely and see if some other organization can do something like this where - we have a little more money to do some other things and also to get us out of this concession business potentially. Now if it doesn't work and we can't handle it then I would say we have got to maintain our first class quality and do it right. But it is time to look at it as far as I am concerned." Commissioner McLeod spoke of risks and stated, "I do agree with Commissioner Blake and the Mayor here. I do think it is time that we get with these organizations and I would like to set a date on that thing that after October 151 we don't operate it. It's that simple. And that gives us between now and then, to get with the organizations, and find out what they want to do." Discussion. Tape 3Side A Deputy Mayor Gennell pointed out that, "The one reason I am opposed to just shutting it down completely come October 151 with no other recourse in mind and wiping it straight out of the Budget for just the chance that there might not be a viable alternative available and we find ourselves with no food service and nothing in the Budget." Commissioner Miller stated, "I agree with Commissioner Gennell. I would like to see this left in. I think if you come up with some alternatives, bring them back to us and we can always allocate this money somewhere else once the year is underway." In conclusion Mayor Partyka stated, "I think we need to see some additional infom1ation." Regarding Senior Transportation, Commissioner McLeod suggested to Mr. Pula, "I would again advise you to go look on 'eBay.'" Commissioner Blake suggested, "My recommendation is if they really need a person that bad, they can use the person's slot that they have in Concession, and trade out with another Department in the City somewhere for a position that might be more suitable for her." Fire Departmellt: Fire Department Staffing was additionally discussed. Deputy Mayor Gennell suggested, "I think the discussion also has to be made about the potential for consolidation with the County." CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - JULY 9, 2002 PAGE80F8 Discussion then ensued on public safety and related costs. Tape 3/Sidc B Further discussion. Some of the details of the recent Fourth of July celebration were discussed. Regarding the comedian, Commissioner Blake stated, "He was not the right choice of entertainment for the population mix." Mr. Pula stated, "I agree and we will be addressing that with them. " A follow-up Workshop was agreed upon for Monday, July 15, 2002, beginning at 6:00 p.m. III. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Partyka adjoumed the Workshop at approximately 10: 14 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: HOLLY N. PIERSTORFF ASSIST ANT TO THE CITY CLERK, AND -~ .~~. , - ----..-/~ <~,.~---tjQc ~ "\"':'\'i.,.,,~. -,.'\~ :.... . ' 'J 'VI . ._~~. R.E4~()f.~~~~.Z ACES,CMC ClyY ~>LE'~<: " - ~."> . ~ ~ - ':", ~ 0.; ') . , ,"-'-""-:--"