HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission-1997 Winter Springs City Commission talks annexation,
waste collection, and new police vehicles
BY LINDA HUMPHREY
Winter Springs City Manager Ron McLemore said Monday he would like to invite the
Oviedo city council to sit down with his mayor, city commissioners and staff members to
discuss possible annexation of specified areas drawing the attention of both municipalities.
Referring to an article in the February 20 issue of The Voice concerning the Oviedo council's
enticing commercial builders into annexing into Oviedo,McLemore said,"Possibly a joint
meeting with Oviedo to discuss annexation plans could prevent warfare with each
other...hopefully we can have a planned agreement regarding who annexes what."
McLemore went on to say that Winter Springs is also interested in looking into the
possible annexation of areas such as Tuska Ridge and Sunrise subdivisions near Red Bug
Lake Road.Basically,property resting from the new mall area west to Tuscawilla Road.
In other business, commissioners approved a request by McLemore to hold a public
hearing and consider approval of the Second Reading of an ordinance providing for a new
franchise agreement with Browning Ferris Industries(BFI)for the provision of Solid Waste
Collection Services.If approved,the breakdown of monthly services would be:
*solid waste collection $7.55
* solid waste disposal 4.10
* customer services .65
*franchise fee .35
*rate stabilization 1.03
Each customer would pay a total of$13.68 per month for waste collection effective March
1,1997.
Winter Springs residents could soon see two new police vehicles on the road.These are
not in addition to the existing patrol units,rather to replace two vehicles with high mileage and
high maintenance costs.In a February 24 memo from McLemore to commissioners,he stated
the need was recognized by the police department in their current Fiscal Year Budget for four
new vehicles. However, due to cost cutting measures,the request was reduced from four to
two.
The commission has previously approved the purchase of two vehicles from the City of
Okeechobee at a February 4 workshop.That purchase has been completed,but there remains
two current police vehicles in need of replacement.McLemore said due to financ al savings
elsewhere in the City's budget,he now has an opportunity to eliminate these olGer vehicles
with more than 120,000 miles on each. McLemore said that in 1995-96 the police department
replaced two engines and seven transmissions in their fleet of marked patrol cars.The depart-
ment spent$6,000 over budgeted funds to keep vehicles operating.The cost of the two new
vehicles will be about$39.000.Commissioner Michael Blake suggested that an entire inven-
tory be done on city vehicles with a plan of action which would guide the commissioners as to
where specific needs would be met in the budget in an ongoing manner.
A special workshop will be held to discuss the S.R.434 Vision project on Monday,March
3. For meeting time,call City Hall at 327-1800. Discussion of communication towers within the
city will be included on the regular agenda during the 6:30 p.m.March 10 commission meeting.
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B! Letty Liniiart
There was so much sweetness and light,I thought I was in a Shirley Temple movie.
The last time I covered the Winter Springs Commission,last year, John Govoruhk was the
city manager and John Fering was a conunissioner and John Bush was mayor.
Now,Fering is out,Paul Partyka beat Bush by a few votes and Partyka is mayor,and the
city manager is Ronald W.McLemore,or"Ron"as the guys call him.(The guys include Cindy
Gennell,a fixture on the Winter Springs Commission.)
In the old days, it was de riguer for everyone to take pot shots at one another and
undermine the advice of the city manager and city attorney,Frank Kruppenbacher.
Now,I don't know if its because the cast has changed or because there are sunspots,but
sweet reason prevailed at the commission Monday.
Sure,Commissioner John Langellotti tried to make an issue of the fad that Gennell used a
city car to drive to Tallahassee for a League of Cities Meeting."Ron"assured everyone it was
on city business,her own car was out of commission,and she would have received mileage if
she hadn't taken the city car.
Also,Gennell's request to up her travel allowance to$2000(from$1000)because she was
on so many boards and commissions furthering the interests of the city elicited a"After You,
Alphonse—Thanks to you, Gaston" maneuver from the assembled guys, all of whom (but
Langellotti)told McLemore they hadn't used their own allowances and Gennell was welcome
to theirs.
John Fering was heard from.He had written the commission to challenge a contract letting
to the garbage people,and Kruppenbacher said the contract was legit,because it wasn't to
purchase anything.Ron got a little testy when Kruppenbacher suggested it was all right with
him to submit the question to the Attorney General. McLemore said he thought the City
Attorney could rule and that the Attorney General just handed down decisions that were hard
to interpret. Kruppenbacher said to McLemore`you don't have to get hot about this"and
McLemore said he wasn't hot and we were back in the Shirley Temple movie.
But the amazing thing was that Gennell and Commissioner Michael Blake and Commis-
sioner David McLeod,all of whom wanted to keep a sliver of land of the Schrimschers'in the
Town Center Plan, bowed to Ron and took it out because Ron said it would lead to better
things if they did. All o f them took the word of the Schrimschers'attorney,Willard,that no
development plans would be submitted until the negotiations between the Schrimschers'and
the City Manager were concluded.
McLeod said he would yield"because he knew the way the Schrimschers do business"
and the other two said,in essence,that Ron knew best.
What a change from the old days.
9? 2
Agenda Item F (Regular) Add-On
May 12th Commission Meeting
It is quite obvious this administration has no qualms about deviating from laws
governing Sunshine Law and participating in close door meetings which violate State Laws
regulating homeowners associations. However,I could be incorrect on the City's total violations
should you be able to produce documents supporting the Commissions 5-0 vote for funding
of over$65,000 tax dollars as a result of those meetings.
Supporting documentation would be the minutes of the meetings with the Tuscawilla
Board of Directors whom we all know abide by the law(ha). The financial information along
with the bidding process that took place for the association to also expend $5,000 of their
memberships funds. According to the THOA director at public input during the above
referenced commission meeting.the Orlando Sentinel,and even the THOA's own"Tuscawilla
Today'wrote that this has been going on for months.
I read into public input at last nights meetings the THOA violations and I will cite
briefly a couple of the City's probable violations."Advisory boards whose powers are limited
to making recommendations to a public agency and which posses no authority to bind that
agency in any way are subject to the Sunshine Law—There is no"government by delegation"
exception to the Sunshine Law,and public agencies may not avoid their responsibilities or
conduct the public's business in secret by use of an alter ego"
From Government in the Sunshine Manual
Not only were these meetings held in secret,unposted.but no authority was given to
either the City Manager or elected official to attend, conduct, participate. or bring to the
Commission an issue two hours prior to approving the add-on agenda item. The meetings
were not only held behind closed doors,but attended by a commissioner with a conflict of
interest. Those meetings directly effect over 5,000 residents who were kept in the dark on the
whole issue. Shame on that 5-0 vote. Did you already have the vote wired? You sure as hell
allowed no public input! I asked this be tabled but was turned down.
Since the whole episode involved public officials and taxpayer dollars,I'm sure that
City has documentation to support the meetings and expenditures. Please have these posted
in the City Hall lobby by Thursday afternoon. Fm sure there are many who would like to
review t hem.obtain copies outlining and leading its untimely presentation by your office. All
taxpayers in the City should have questionable concern on this use of their tax dollars.
Submitted by H.Scott
9 706 4c