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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-09-2009TO: Members of the Sebastia C uncil FROM: Ai Minner, City Manage RE: JANUARY 9, 2009 — R E T T S UPDATE DATE: Friday, January 9, 2009 Below are a number of topical updates. As always, if you have any questions about these or any other matters, please contact me at your convenience. POLICE K-9 Please see an e-mail sent to you separate from the agenda package. This e-mail gives some additional information on K-9 costs as the PD is requesting single source purchase for a third police K-9, at the meeting on Wednesday, January 14. For price comparison purpose, the Information may be helpful and was unavailable at the time the packets were compiled. FOUR CHAPLAINS MEMORIAL As a prelude to the January 14, 2008 Council Meeting - Several months ago, the City Council was approached by a veterans group to place a memorial in Riverview Park which commemorates the "Four Chaplains". Since that time the veterans group, led by Diane George, has been working to raise funds and a re/design of the monument. At the January 14, 2008, regular meeting, the group will be revealing their new design and formally requesting that the Council designate/grant a 50 foot x 50 foot location for the monument. Because funds have not been fully raised to construct the monument, the group would like to place a plaque which marks the location of the monument to come. In your packets will be more details on the location. GEORGE STREET DITCH REHABILITATION Also on the agenda for January 14'h is a request from me to fill a side -yard ditch in the 990 block of George Street. This ditch location is at the Elkham Waterway and immediately drains a major ditch. The open ditch is between two houses and is wide, deep and eroding. Maintenance efforts have become difficult, the sidebands are eroding and it is a prime candidate for being placed underground. However, because of the size (60" culvert minimum), permitting and work crew availability, this project has been constantly delayed. In addition, the two property owners have complained about safety and potential damage to their homes/property. In short, our estimate to repair the ditch is $90,000 and I will be requesting that a transfer be made to improve the area. More information on this request is in you agenda packets. HEALTH CARE In the Tuesday, December 23r' edition of the Press Journal, you may have read an article about the City of Sebastian looking into a "health care clinic" to lower health care costs. My apologies on this topic, because you probibly first read about this topic in the paper. In a conversation with Ed Bierschenk, the topic came up very casually conversation we had in my office. Generally that conversation was on the budget and other ongoing projects. However, Ed told me that Vero Beach was starting a clinic and asked if Sebastian was going to participate. My response was, "if we can save moneyA we would be interested. Nonetheless in about a fifteen minute conversation, a one minute dialogue was had on health care, so I was as surprised as you when I saw the headline in the article was "City Starting Health Care Clinic". Anyway, upon that conversation I have had conversation with Jim Gabbard, City Manager of Vero Beach, and a meeting with Kurt Gehring of the Gehring Group (our health insurance brokers). Last year we briefly looked into this topic, as well as self insurance, and found it to be a little risky because our pool is still relatively small. In short, Debbie Krueger and I will continue to examine this option. As more details on our loss ratios come available this year and we plan for FY 2010, this will be an important element to watch. And if costs, benefits and everything is equal it could be a viable option. GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT If you recall, in the last Current Topics Report, I spoke to Council about using a "shell ordinance" to provide some leeway for administration of the City's Land Development Regulations on specific items that have "slowed reviews" and/or caused outcry from the public concerning "unfriendly business" regulations. After further review, I have decided to hold off on that item. Instead, I have chosen to make a few personnel adjustments. Council was advised of this change and it has been implemented. Namely, I refer to the relocation of Susan Lorusso to the GMD. The change has no budget impact and provides the GMD with additional staff to help process work load, while freeing up Jan King and Dord Bosworth to focus on site plan reviews. To date, the change has been in effect for a little over two weeks. Based on current site plan submittal rates (one approximately every two weeks), the backlog (about 12) should be cleared by the end of January. I will report more on this as the process moves along. US HIGHWAY 1 LAND PURCHASE I have been in contact with Richard Scott, the owner of the parcel on 1301 US Highway 1. He seems willing to sell the parcel. While the City did an appraisal on this parcel about a year and half ago, Interim City Attorney Robert Ginsburg advised that a new one would be required if the City is considering moving forward on this purchase. As you know we have looked at this property in the past, it provides opportunity to remove the blighted structured, add landscaping and/or parking. in additional it is an irregular parcel which may make it difficult for development in the future and City ownership may be the best way to help improve the safety, aesthetics and provide other benefits for the City. As a result, I will be seeking a new appraisal and discussing contingent prices with Mr. Scott. Of course, no formal action on this will be made without Council direction. Should an Idea price be encountered, I believe ample funds are in the CRA and/or the Indian River Drive/Main Street Project to finance its purchase. Should you have any comment on this plan of action, please contact me at your convenience. COLLIER CREEK CANAL S.E. Cline Construction is beginning to clear and ready the "lease lots" that Council approved at the December 10, 2008 meeting. i am still working to secure one more lease on the Layport side of the project. In addition, Dave Fisher reported that a very productive meeting was held today with SJRWMD, so we seem to be on track with the permit modification. In short, we are slowly getting closer to the start of dredging and wail construction. As of today we anticipate permit modification to be complete by the end of January and into February, with the notice to proceed on construction being issued sometime in mid -late February. SCHUMANN TENNIS COURTS in the FY 09 CIP, Council approved a refurbishment of Schumann Tennis courts by (1) resurfacing the existing 6 courts; (2) installing two new courts; (3) new signage; (4) constructing some small shelters; and, (5) developing a new restroom facility. To date, Engineering has been working with Neel -Schaffer to submit SJRWMD permits for the additional asphalt to be installed (i.e., new court construction). It is anticipate that this permit will be received in the next 30-60 days. In the interim the park design, via a new site plan, will be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Board at their February 19 meeting. Formal construction bidding is estimated by mid March, with a construction agreement to come before Council sometime in April. Without any delays it is anticipate that this project could be completed by August 1. Funding to complete all the tasks may be an issue on this project. The current outlay is $170,000. At this time, that may not be enough to cover the restroom facility improvement. Once bids are submitted for the asphalt work (including construction of the two new courts), I will report to Council on direction for the restroom. 1 anticipate that report coming to you at the time the construction agreement is awarded for the asphalt. PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES In December, I gave Council a brief e-mail about the delay in the completion of the Pedestrian Bridge Project. After additional meetings between Gregori Construction, Echo Bridge and Neel - Schaffer, a change order is being processed that will push back final completion on the project to March and remove galvanizing from the steel. Instead, the bridges will have high performance paint. The down side is obviously the delay and potential additional maintenance on the bridge -- though this is expected to be minimal. On the positive side, the City will see a reduction in costs and instead of the silver -galvanized color the bridges will be a more aesthetically pleasing brown. In more detail, the problem was identified after timely approval of shop drawings on 2 Sep 08. Gregod's bridge supplier, Echo Bridge, became aware of an important structural integrity issue on another similar project of theirs in Virginia (for the VA DOT) that directly applied to the approved specifications for our project. That issue had to do with the type of steel specified and the effect of galvanizing on that particular steel. In essence, when the steel was galvanized the welded joints began to crack. Echo notified Gregorl of their concerns and Gregor! in turn notified the City and our engineers of record for the project, Neel -Schaffer. (The issue has been well documented and we are awaiting the full documentation package.) After much discussion and consideration, we have responded and addressed this possible "latent defect" situation by changing the specification for the steel and moving to the high performance paint coating. The bridges are now being built and delivery is expected sometime in the first part of February. 1NDIAN RIVER DRIVEIMAIN STREET This project should be starting up shortly. H&D Construction is due in with their performance bond and additional Insurance Information next week. Upon receipt of these items notice to proceed will be issued. DOG PARK Efforts are now being taken by my office to get the Dog Park Project started again. As a result we are examining a site off Empress. To date, Engineering is preparing a site plan that will be reviewed by Planning and Zoning. Of course, public advertisements and notice to effected property owners will be sent. This site is currently owned and maintained by the City. Hence, construction costs and future maintenance costs should be relatively low, making this site rather easy to convert. CHESSER'S GAP COMMERCIAL SITE PLANIPRELIMINARY PLAT On Friday, January 9, 2009, 1 met with GMD staff and Todd Howder (MBV) to review some final details on the Chesser's Gap Commercial PUD/Preliminary Plat. This plat has been developed in pieces and this subject specifically concerns multi-famlly development. Multi -family development is approved in the PUD by a previously conditional use. The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Site/Plan and Preliminary Plat for this multi -family development in October 2007. However, because much of the PUD remained unplatted, staff would not permit the multi -family preliminary plat to go before Council. Now that Fischer finally plated that PUD, staff requested updates on the traffic analysis, environmental report and school capacity. With those items updated, the preliminary plat is ready to be placed on the Council agenda for January 28, 2009. You will be receiving all that documentation for review in your next agenda packet.