Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-12-2017 CC MinutesCMLf SE1ASTKN HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017 - 6:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 1. Mayor McPartlan called the regular City Council meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. Pastor Karen Leedahl of Christ the King Lutheran Church gave the invocation. 3. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. ROLL CALL: Mayor Bob McPartlan Vice Mayor Andrea Coy Council Member Ed Dodd Council Member Jim Hill Council Member Linda Kinchen City Staff Present: City Manager Joe Griffin City Clerk Jeanette Williams Acting City Attorney Cynthia VanDeVoorde Hall in Robert A. Ginsburg's Absence Administrative Services Director Ken Killgore Airport Director Scott Baker Director of Golf Greg Gardner Procurement Manager Randy Moyer Deputy Police Chief Greg Witt 5. AGENDA MODIFICATIONS - None 6. PROCLAMATIONS, AWARDS, BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS Presentations of proclamations, certificates and awards, and brief timely announcements by Council and Staff. No public input or action under this heading. 17.120 A. Proclamation — Treasure Coast Waterwav Cleanup Week — July 24-29. 2017 — Coast Mayor McPartlan read and presented the proclamation to Steve Haigis from the Marine Industries Association. Mr. Haigis reported the good news is that there is less trash to pick up and he hopes not to be needed one day. He invited everyone to the cleanup on July 29, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Brief Announcements Christmas in July— Shop with a Cop Event, July 22, 2017 from 9 10 a. m. to 4 2 p.m. Mayor McPartlan announced the Christmas in July event. Vice Mayor Coy thanked the Lions Club, City Employees and Police Department for a phenomenal 4" of July celebration. Regular City Council Meeting July 12, 2017 Page Two CONSENT AGENDA All items on the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of consent agenda items unless a member City Council so requests, in which event, the item will be removed and acted upon separately. If a member of the public wishes to provide input on a consent agenda item, he/she should request a Council Member to remove the item for discussion prior to start of the meeting or by raising his/her hand to be recognized. A. Approval of Minutes — June 28, 2017 Regular Meeting 17.121 B. Award Continuing Professional Engineering Services Contracts to MBV; Dredging & Marine Consultants; CWT Engineering; and, Schulke, Bittle & Stoddard for Three Years with Two Optional One Year Extensions (Transmittal, Scoresheet, Agreement) 17.122 C. Approve the Purchase of Two Dell PowerEdge R730 Servers from Dell, Inc. Under the Florida DMS Contract #43211500-WSCA-15-ACS in the Amount of $19,998 (Transmittal, Quote, Contract, Certificate) 17.123 D. Approve First United Pentecostal Church of Sebastian Gospel Music Event at Riverview Park on Friday, July 28, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Transmittal, Request, Applications, Agreement) Ms. Kinchen asked to pull Item B. MOTION by Mr. Dodd and SECOND by Mr. Hill to approve consent agenda items A, C, and D. ROLL CALL: Motion carried 5-0. Item B Vice Mayor Coy—Aye Mr. Hill —Aye Mayor McPartlan - Aye Mr. Dodd —Aye Ms. Kinchen — Aye Ms. Kinchen stated CWT Engineering is only one month old and didn't feel the firm should be considered amongst the firms with more employees and experience to their credit. The City Manager stated Frank Watanabe of CWT Engineering was a City employee until July 3rd who was involved in 27 open projects and for continuity sake; he requested approval of the CWT Engineering contract. Mayor McPartlan noted that prior to coming on staff, Mr. Watanabe had a similar relationship with a firm the City utilized and did superior work. MOTION by Mayor McPartlan and SECOND by Vice Mayor Coy to approve item B. ROLL CALL: Motion carried 4-1 Mr. Dodd — Aye Ms. Kinchen — Nay Vice Mayor Coy — Aye Mr. Hill —Aye Mayor McPartlan — Aye Regular City Council Meeting July 12, 2017 Page Three 8. 9. 10. 17.084 11 Mr. Dodd noted it would behoove the City to have Mr. Watanabe continue the recovery of the $1.61M from FEMA for the dock repair. John Tenerowicz, 310 S. Wimbrow Drive, said he asked Mr. Watanabe about the dog park that was not addressed and now he was being brought back at more money. Since he was a former employee, he suggested the City bring him back as a parks foreman. COMMITTEE REPORTS & APPOINTMENTS - None PUBLIC HEARINGS - None UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate with Dredging & Marine Consultants (DMC) for Engineering and Design Services for the Earth Embankment Project (Transmittal, Minutes Excerpt, RFQ, Agreement) The City Manager said he was instructed to come back with a design of embanking the earth on the southern seawall and DMC was the sole bid response. He recommended approval noting if construction is needed, the same company could do this under the continuing services agreement previously approved. MOTION by Mr. Dodd and SECOND by Mr. Hill to approve and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and approve a contract within his spending authority with Dredging & Marine Consultants for the engineering and design of the project. ROLL CALL: Motion carried 5-0. Mr. Hill —Aye Mayor McPartlan - Aye Mr. Dodd —Aye Ms. Kinchen — Aye Vice Mayor Coy — Aye PUBLIC INPUT New information or requests to city council not otherwise on the prepared agenda Marvin Moffett, Palm Bay, said he was the founding president of Broken to Mended, Inc. who provides tutoring mentoring counseling and scholarships to school aged kids free of charge. His board of directors would like to know if the City would be interested in partnering with any available funds/donate land to build a building and provide a safe haven for children. Faye Campagna said she lives in an older section of Sebastian where the neighborhood is turning around and requested assistance to begin a neighborhood watch. Mayor McPartlan advised her to contact the City Manager and Chief of Police. John Tenerowicz, 310 S. Wimbrow Street, said for the last two days, the railroad arms have been down on the east bound and west bound of CR512 and at Main Street; it takes FEC 45 minutes to respond when the arms are stuck down and asked if anything can be done. The City Manager responded that he put in a call to FEC and will see what happens. Regular City Council Meeting July 12, 2017 Page Four Jim Sunnycalb announced the 4`" of July Parade could be seen on the Sebastian Bark Park website; and, the heat signs were still available. Vice Mayor Coy said there is also a copy of the parade on YouTube. 12. NEW BUSINESS 17.023 A. 6:52 pm The Administrative Services Director explained this is the point in the budget process that the City needs to set a proposed millage rate and displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See attached) He described the differences from the FY16/17 Budget, employee changes, and the transfer of funds for road and Lagoon improvements. He reported that the rolled - back rate is 3.4939 but that staff provided a balanced budget based on a 3.4 millage rate. He suggested the City should look at the impact of the additional homestead exemption that will probably go into effect three years from now. Given the unknown cost of the outstanding labor negotiations, a possible increase in employee health care and possible unforeseen events, staff recommended setting the proposed millage rate at 3.8. Ed Herlihy, Vice Chairman of the Citizens Budget Review Advisory Board, presented a PowerPoint presentation explaining what the Board has considered. (See attached) He said if the millage rate is left at 3.8, it will raise an additional $464,000 but with the fantastic job by City staff, the budget is balanced with a lower rate. He said the Board recommends a 3.4 millage rate but for the DR420 set the maximum rate of 3.8. Mr. Herlihy noted every citizen will probably vote for the additional homestead exemption and taxes will have to be raised. He said the Board discussed the establishment of a cushion during the next three years to ease the burden of that lost revenue and asked Council to consider such a cushion over the summer. Mr. Dodd said the Board motion made Monday night included the recommendation to set the DR420 at 3.8, they supported the balanced budget at 3.4 and asked Council to consider the impact of the homestead exemption change but did not approve the creation of the fund to address the homestead exemption. MOTION by Mayor McPartlan and SECOND by Vice Mayor Coy to set the TRIM notice at 3.8. Mr. Hill said setting the maximum millage rate and then going back to 3.4 because there are other things to discuss spending money on, is a complete dishonest statement to the public; staff did a yeoman's job of producing a tax cut; this happens every year; he would not vote to set the maximum rate above rolled -back rate because that indicates they may increase taxes when they have a budget that decreases taxes. Mr. Hill said he would propose to go to rolled -back and then get below that; Council has the ability to adjust the unknown staff increase and health care expense; the homestead exemption loss could be made up by incremental increases; next year's budget is based on what they do tonight and what they adopt. He would not support the motion. rd Regular City Council Meeting July 12, 2017 Page Five 7.00pm Mr. Dodd suggested they should deal with the difference between the 3.4 and 3.8 millage rate, noting if the City Manager is planning a 3% salary increase and for Council to. say that is incorrect makes his negotiation difficult. The 10% health insurance increase may be in line with what is happening in the industry and they can negotiate or find another carrier to reduce the increase. He then explained rolled -back is not a term that defines a lower millage rate than what you charged last year but a term that defines a millage rate that is required for the City to collect the revenue that we collected last year. In 2019, the Property Appraiser will give the City a rolled -back number that is greater than what was collected in 2018, so in 2019 the rolled -back rate will be a tax increase. He said a 5% health insurance increase could be covered by a 3.5 millage rate which tells everybody the City is thinking about that but not the $600,000 increase from a 3.8 millage rate. He offered an AMENDMENT to the motion that Council adopt a 3.5 millage rate for the DR420 form. Mr. Hill noted the rolled -back rate is 3.4939 which would essentially generate the same amount of revenue. Attorney Hall advised they should first vote on the amendment and then the prime motion as amended. Mr. Hill SECONDED Mr. Dodd's amendment. Vice Mayor Coy said the assumption that government doesn't need a little more each year to function is a flawed and inappropriate since things get more expensive. She said for the 13 years that she has been serving, she has found people amenable to raising taxes to accomplish their requests. People are not telling her that they pay too much taxes but asking her to fix the lagoon or their road. She also supported the idea of a homestead exemption cushion, at least until they see how much the insurance increase will be and noted it would be an unfair labor practice for the City Manager to guarantee a certain increase for the employees. She said any surplus could be used towards moving the Public Works Compound to the Airport. She supported setting the millage rate at 3.8. Ms. Kinchen said she agreed with Mr. Hill and Mr. Dodd. Mr. Dodd stated in the presented budget, there is $400,000 to do the engineering study to move the Compound; the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer have put together a 3.4 budget that covers everything the City would like to do, if they move to 3.8 they are signaling that it will be 3.8 in September and he is not willing to accept that. Vice Mayor Coy offered that if the cushion was set aside they would not need to raise taxes two years from now. Mayor McPartlan said they don't know the exact number of the pay increase or health insurance cost and if more is needed after setting the rate at 3.5, they will have to send out TRIM notices to every resident within the City. They are only setting the maximum rate at this point. Regular City Council Meeting July 12, 2017 Page Six Mr. Hill said if citizens decide to increase the homestead exemption, the rolled -back rate will be presented at that time and taxes will have to be raised. ROLL CALL: Mayor McPartlan - Nay Vice Mayor Coy — Nay Mr. Dodd — Aye Mr. Hill —Aye Ms. Kinchen — Nay Amended motion to set the maximum millage rate at 3.5 on the DR420 form failed 3-2. ROLL CALL: Ms. Kinchen —Aye Mayor McPartlan — Aye Vice Mayor Coy — Aye Mr. Dodd — Nay Mr. Hill — Nay Motion to set the maximum millage rate at 3.8 on the DR420 form carried 3-2. 17.124 B. and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Appropriate Documents (Transmittal, Invitation to Bid, Bid Tab, Agreement) The City Manager said staff went out to bid, L.H. Tanner was the low bidder and recommended approval. MOTION by Mr. Hill and SECOND by Mayor McPartlan to approve staff recommendation. Gt]w0"2 4 Motion carried 5-0. 17.125 C. Vice Mayor Coy — Aye Mr. Hill —Aye Mayor McPartlan - Aye Mr. Dodd — Aye Ms. Kinchen —Aye The City Clerk explained that she received an application from a property owner that requested to sit on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Mr. Hill said the rules in place are sufficient. Mayor McPartlan added that the applicant can participant in the meetings and address Council at any time. It was the consensus of Council to keep the residency requirement. 13. CITY ATTORNEY MATTERS - None 14. CITY MANAGER MATTERS The City Manager thanked the City employees, the Lions Club, and the fireworks provider for the great 4h of July. He reported that Brothers Construction is on site to repair the piers; the staging area is southwest corner of the overflow parking; unauthorized access in the construction zone will be enforced. Vice Mayor Coy asked that the summary he provided be given to the Chamber of Commerce. Regular City Council Meeting July 12, 2017 Page Seven 15. CITY CLERK MATTERS - None 16. CITY COUNCIL MATTERS A. Council Member Kinchen Ms. Kinchen said she voted for the 3.8 millage rate to determine what the raises and health care insurance will be but she probably won't support the maximum 3.8 rate in September. B. Mayor McPartlan Mayor McPartlan announced the joint Treasure Coast Regional League of Cities and Treasure Coast of Local Governments Annual BBQ is next week in Okeechobee and invited Council Members to come out and meet with the local legislators. C. Vice Mayor Coy - None D. Council Member Dodd Mr. Dodd thanked the City Clerk's office for the easy to use agenda packets. E. Council Member Hill - None 17. Being no further business, Mayor McPartlan adjourned the regular City Council meeting at 7:32 p.m. Approved at the July 26, 2017 Regular City Council Meeting. ,rIII A&, Mayor Bob McPartlan ATTEST.' Je ette L44lTiams;-QA-4-C - City Clerk