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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/07/20021225 Main Street [] Sebastian, Florida 32958 Telephone (772} 589-5330 [] Fax (772} 589-5570 City Council Information Letter June 7, 2002 Recreation Services at Sebastian Communit Cente_r As referenced in the attached electronic mail message from Mark Mason, please be advised that this week's action by the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners to approve provision of recreation services within the unincorporated areas effective October 1, 2002 will result in reassignment of County personnel currently stationed at the Sebastian Community Center. As such, the City Manager's Office and the Departments of Public Works and Finance are working diligently to incorporate funding to continue respective programs via the City of Sebastian Fiscal Year 2003 Proposed Budget. This process essentially involves ascertainment of salary and benefit costs for a position like that currently occupied by Cathy Falzone, as well as those for applicable subcontract services offered (i.e. subcontracted aerobic, gymnastic and dance instruction). Additionally, respective user fees for programs will be incorporated, as authorization by City Council may have to be considered accordingly. Skvdive Sebastian Tax Delin uenc Declaration The Indian River County Tax Collector's Office recently informed the City of Sebastian that Skydive Sebastian has been declared delinquent on payment of property taxes as of April 1, 2002. A payment extension was granted to Skydive Sebastian, whereby a final payment totaling $10,593.07 was to be delivered by May 31, 2002. To date, payments have not been received, resulting with the tax collector proceeding with formal collection procedures. Because the Sebastian Municipal Airport is the landlord for leased property currently housing Skydive Sebastian's operation, the City of Sebastian will be named as jointly impacted by adverse collection activities. Accordingly, city staff is working as diligently as possible to resolve this matter with the tax collector, including direct inquiries to Skydive Sebastian, as well as City Council Information Letter June 7, 2002 Page 2 informing them that such an action represents a formal default of their lease agreement with the City of Sebastian. Hopefully, this matter will soon be remedied via proper payment to the Indian River County Tax Collector's Office by the end of the month. County Positio~Powerline Road Construction After well over a year, my office was finally provided a written response relative to the City of Sebastian's request to Indian River County to expedite construction/paving of Powerline Road, beginning south on Barber Street, a few blocks west of Schumann Drive. Powerline Road, a county thoroughfare also referenced as 70th Avenue, you will recall is a dirt road not only employed by heavy trucks delivering fill to the community for new construction projects, but also as a secondary general vehicular thoroughfare from County Road 510 in Wabasso. As such, residents in this area of the community have had the unpleasant experience of dirt and sand being deposited onto their homes and in city streets. As referenced throughout the attached letter from Indian River County Director of Community Development Bob Keating, a process is underway to implement respective improvements to Powerline Road. Necessary logistics in this regard involve retention of right-of-way via the Fischer Sand Mine approval as granted in 1999, as well as surveying the corridor in order to document additional space needs to effectively accomplish a paving improvement program. Unfortunately, Indian River County officials have not yet identified or programmed funds to implement this effort. Only immediate short term solutions have be initiated to date, namely issuance of a requirement to Fischer and Sons to apply water to Powerline Road to reduce dust from vehicular traffic. In addition, the Sebastian Department of Public Works has recently implemented a more aggressive street-sweeping program in the area, to help alleviate other problems such as hazardous streets and lousy aesthetics. However, the long-term solution remains to implement a substantive paving project! Stormwater Master Plan Earlier this week, I spoke with Camp Dresser McKee (CDM) Staff Engineer Eric Grotke relative to the status of the Sebastian Stormwater Master Plan, anticipated for consideration of adoption at the end of the year. Documentation is currently being compiled to outline severe drainage problem areas in the community, as well as to communicate preliminary City Council Information Letter June 7, 2002 Page 3 proposed solutions respectively. As such, arrangements have been made to host a presentation during your July 24th regular meeting. No formal direction by City Council will be necessary during this discussion. However, you and residents attending the meeting will have an opportunity to ask questions relative to applicable issues and/or concerns. Grant Awards to the City of Sebastian During the past couple weeks, a number of newspaper articles were published in the area relative to reports of special project funding from the State of Florida for various local initiatives, with references made about funding allocations for Sebastian Elementary School and Riverview Park not being subjected to gubernatorial vetoes. In an effort to clarify this matter, I am pleased to report that these items refer to successful grant awards from the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation and the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) totaling $450,000 to the City of Sebastian. A special category grant totaling $250,000 to help fund the Sebastian City Hall/Old Sebastian Elementary School (thus the reference 'Sebastian Elementary School') interior restoration program was authorized by Governor Jeb Bush via execution of the State of Florida Fiscal Year 2002/2003 Budget, to take effect July 1, 2002. The reference to Riverview Park involves a successful award from FRDAP totaling $200,000 to help finance park expansion activities via implementing improvements to recently acquired riverfront property (eligibly ranked FRDAP proposed projects were also authorized via final budget execution). Other grant procurement efforts typically are supported by other sources (i.e. accounts established via specifics user fees, federal allocations, etc.) and therefore are not subject to formal direct action by the Office of the Governor. Respective agreements for grant projects will be forwarded sometime later this summer. Congratulations! Enclosure(s): Electronic Mail Message from Mark Mason - Recreation Memorandum from County Administrator Jim Chandler - Recreation to Unincorporated Areas Letter to Skydive Sebastian Including Notice from Tax ColLector - Skydive Sebastian Tax Delinquency Letter from Robert Keating - Powerline Road My Documents/InfoLetter136 Terrance Moore From: Mark Mason Sent: Friday, June 07, 2002 9:17 AM To: Terrance Moore Subject: Recreation Terrence, Following notification of the County's decision to provide active recreation in the unincorporated area with the Cities providing their own, I called the County to obtain information as to the time frame for the cutover of services, their current costs, etc. The County will be providing me with a schedule of revenues and expenditures associated with the recreation services for the Community Center. The County will be holding a meeting soon to organize the recreation services within the unincorporated area and to make certain decisions about the staff, etc. at the Community Center. The County will notify me of the results of the meeting so that certain preparations can be made for a smooth transition. Mark C. Mason, CPA Director of Finance City of Sebastian Telephone: (561) 567-8000 June 4, 2002 TO: FROM: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 1840 25th Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960 Indian River Shores Town Manager Vir~nia Gilbert Fellsmere Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Jobaa Little Sebastian City Manager Terrance Moore Orchid Town Manager Ernie Polverari Vero Beach City Manager Rex Taylor es E. ~'~andler " ounty Administrator The Board of County Commissioners, at today's meeting, considered my May 29, 2002 memo regarding recreation services. For next fiscal year the Board unanimously approved provision of services within the unincorporated area by the County with the mumcipalifies being responsible for their respective jurisdictions. If you have any questions concerning the preceding please call. JEC/mg CC: Assistant County Administrator Joe Baird Intehm Associate Recreation Director M/ke Redstone Inter/m Associate Recreation Director Rob Slezak HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND 1225 MAIN STREE'[ · SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958 TELEPHONE: (561) 589-5330" FAX (561) 589-5570 June 5, 2002 CERTIFIED MAIL Mr. James Iarmoocone Slcydive Sebastian of South Flor/da, Inc. 800 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 510 t:ort Landerdale, FL 33301 Dear 1V ir. Iannoooone, SUBJECT: NOTICE OF DEFAI. JLT This Ietrer is to inform you that the lease agreement betwveen Sl~dive Sebastian of South Florida, Inc. and the City of Sebastian is currently in default pursuant to Article Twelve (12), matitled "Taxes." On May 2, 2002, the City of Sebastian received a letter from the h~dian River County' Tax Collector's Office (attached) staring that the taxes for parcel numbers 22-30-38-0000~-0000- 00005.0 and 22-30-38-00001-0000-00007.0 needed to be pa/d by May 31, 2002. As reported on June 4, 2002 by the Indian River CourtW Tax Collector's Off, ce, these taxes became delinquent on April 1, 2002 and have since not been paid. Please understand that according to Article Twelve (12) of your lease agreement, the tenant shall pay ali taxes, assessments, etc. on a timely basis (pages 15, 16). In accordance with Article Twenty-Three (23) o£ your lease, you are hereby informed that this Event of Default must be corrected within thirty (30) days and that we m'e officially requesting a copy of the receipt stating that the taxes have been paid in full. In addition, it is imperative that you contact the Indian P. Jver County Tax Collector:s Office as soon as possible as they are preparing to issue "Tax Executions and Tax Wren'ants" which will name both the City o~ Sebastian and Skydive Sehastitm of South Florida, Inc. in a lawsuit. Although this simmion is likely the result of a minor oversight, ymn' in,mediate action ~s required and can easily remedy this unfort~mate circumstance. For your convemence, I have attached a copy o£ the Tax Collector's letter, which includes the appropriate contact infomaation fbr that office. Please feel free to contact e~ther City Manager Terrence Moore at 772-589-5330 or myself at 772-581-0111 if we can be of any assistance. Sinc~ ~ Airport Manager Enclosure (!) CC: Terreuce Moore, City Manager Rich stringer, City Attorney Mark Mason, Finance Director "An E~ual Opt)ortunity Employer" CeleDrating Our 75th Anniversary CHARLES ~A~ SEMBLER Tax, Collector }~ry Z. ~OD2 Fo~ ~y ~mls ~ om~ ~ M~ 31. 2002 ~e ~ colle~r's ~ ~'~ ~o¢~J ~ ox~ ~n~on We ho~ ~ b~h om b~ ~ ~ fi~ ~s ~1 ~ ~d ~ ~y 31. 2602, T~ j,~ f~ yin' EO. Box 1509. Ymo B,t~, ~ 32961-1509 INo,~: (56I) 567-8000 ..I~/~ (561) 770-5009 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS May 31, 2002 Mr. Terrence Moore City Manager City of Sebastian 1225 Main Street Sebastian, F1 32978 Dear Mr. Moore: Please be advised that County Administrator James Chandler has asked me to respond to your letter to him of May 17, 2002, regarding the paving of Powerline Road. Tins is that response. As you remember, you and several of your staff met with me and several other county staff on February 13, 2001. Among the items discussed at that meeting was the paving of Powerline Road. At that meeting, I indicated that paving Powerline Road between CR510 and Barber Street would not be a viable MPO priority project. There are several reasons for that. First, any project listed as an MPO priority for federal funding must be on the MPO's adopted cost feasible long range transportation plan (LRTP). Powerline Road is not an LRTP improvement project. Second, it takes at least thirteen years to get a priority project constructed, and that is an unacceptable timeframe for Powerhne Road paving. Finally, Powerline Road is a relatively short segment of roadway and therefore not cost effective for federal funding. Although Powerline Road was determined not to be a viable MPO priority project, the other roadway discussed at the February 13, 2001 meeting and referenced in a March 12, 2001 letter firom you to me has been addressed. Last year, Fleming/Vocelle Street was included in the MPO's 2001 inghway priority project list. Because Fleming/Vocelle was not incorporated in FDOT's 2002/03 - 2006/07 Five Year Work Program, that project will be considered for inclusion in the MPO's 2002 highway priority project list. Since our 2001 meeting, county staff has been working on the Powerline Road issue. For the last few months, staff has required that Henry Fischer & Sons (operator of the Powerline Road sand mines) wet down Powerline Road to reduce dust from vehicular traffic. That has provided some benefit. In the near future, the county public works department and Henry Fischer & Sons will cooperate to enhance the Powerline Road travelway with asphalt millings or some other method of stabilization. Besides those short term efforts, the county has been working on the long term solution - paving Powerhne Road. Toward that end, county staff has preserved Powerline Road right-of-way through the Fischer mining site plm~ approvals. Staff has also discussed other issues with Fischer representatives. These include obtaining additional right-of-way, using mine pits for road run-off, and cooperating on roadway construction. In addition, the county has initiated the process of surve,ving the Powerline Road corridor. More so than other roads, Powerline Road presents many challenges to get paved. Other than the Fischer obtained right-of-way, the only right-of-way which the county has for Powerline Road is a twenty foot maintenance map right-of-way. Complicating matters even more are Florida Power and Light (FPL) rights-of-way which lie on both sides of the Powerline Road travelway. In addition, major power lines are located on the west side of the road. Given the issues associated with Powerline Road, county Public Works staff feels that paving the road will take at least a year, and that assumes best case conditions. Although survey work is underway, right- of-way will need to be acquired, improvements will need to be designed and permitted, and only then may construction commence. Most likely, Powerline Road will need to be designed as a curb and gutter road. That will increase the project's cost. As of this time, no funding source has been identified for this project. That is something that must be done soon. I hope that this addresses your concerns. Please contact me if any questions remain. Sincerely, Robert M. I(_eatin.g, ,~P Corumunity Develop~hent Director Cc: James Chandler Jim Davis Start Boling, AICP Chris Kafer, P.E. Phil Matson BCC Office