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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-05-20041225 Main Street [] Sebastian, Florida 32958 Telephone (772) 589-5330 E] Fax (772) 589-5570 City Council Information Letter November 5, 2004 Transition and Relocation - Sebastian Municipal Complex Consistent with a report provided a few weeks ago, all departments and employees currently housed in the Old Sebastian Elementary School section of City Hall began relocation activities into the new facility earlier this week. As such, please be advised that we remain on schedule to begin formally reporting to work in respective quarters effective Monday, November 8th, The remainder of the month is being made available for employees to become settled in new office environments accordingly. Therefore, whenever any of you stop by the facility anytime during the month of November, as well as the first few several days of December, final project related activities will also continue concurrently. Specific tasks for completion include window treatment installation, floor and carpet cleaning, periodic elevator adjustments and finalization of various carpentry related issues. Appropriately, all parties involved continue to work diligently in these regards, as necessary to prepare for the Sebastian Municipal Complex Dedication Ceremony to be held Wednesday, December 8% Municipal Complex Monthly Expenditure Report The attached October 27, 2004 spreadsheet report represents the most recent summary of total expenditures related to the development and construction of the Sebastian Municipal Complex. As referenced in both the total budget and the interest earnings columns, overall project funds available total $11,598,343.28 (including bond proceeds, Bureau of Historic Preservation Grant for Old Schoolhouse/City Hall Restoration Program, and the Fiscal Year 2004 third quarter $6,500 adjustment to finance costs associated with shuffleboard court installation). Total expenditures as of the most recent report available for the project is $8,736,719.69. The current outstanding encumbered amount equals $2,272,307.33, which also City Council Information Letter November 5, 2004 Page 2 represents various related purchase orders, leaving an unencumbered balance totaling $589,316.26 to cover additional expenses until the project has been completed. Grant Award from Environmental Protection ARenc¥ 319 Program Several of you may recall efforts to secure ancillary funding from potential grant programs to financially assist the City of Sebastian with implementation of capital projects referenced in the Sebastian Stormwater Utility Master Plan. I am pleased to report that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently notified us that a $313,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 319 Program is being awarded to our community. As referenced in the attached letter from Mr. Karl Kurta, DEP Administrator, Nonpoint Source Management Section, actual federal allocations will engage circa August 2005. In this case, dollars will assist with the implementation of the Periwinkle Drive Stormwater Improvement Project. I wish to therefore publicly thank Ken Jones and his staff in the Stormwater Utility Division for their assistance and diligence in making this opportunity available in our community. Because of such efforts, the City of Sebastian also enjoys an ability to pursue other EPA 319 grant funds to help finance other master plan projects later next year. Partnership with Gabor Insurance Company - Old Train Depot Restoration and Relocation Pro.qram Several days ago, my office hosted a meeting with Mr. Ron Gabor of Gabor Insurance Group of Miami who is also currently working to establish a presence here in Sebastian. As previously reported, Mr. Gabor was successful in purchasing the former Florida East Coast Railroad parcel located behind the Coldwell Banker Building on Main Street just west of United States Highway One. As Mr. Gabor is presently working with the Department of Growth Management to commence with a site planning process to govern construction of a new office building, as well as a location for the Old Train Depot recently acquired by the City from the Florida Inland Navigation District, arrangements are being made to host Mr. Gabor and his architect Robert "Bobby" Altman during your December 8th session. City Council will therefore have an opportunity to engage communication of ideas and recommendations for respective logistics, as well as authorization City Council Information Letter November 5, 2004 Page 3 to proceed with compilation of partnerships accordingly. applicable agreements for respective Proposal to Restore America Grant Program As the City of Sebastian recently enjoyed success in securing historic districting designations in our community, grant procurement opportunities to help finance improvements to structures located in, or those that are of close proximity to either Sebastian Historic District East or Sebastian Historic District West are becoming available. I recently learned of one such program entitled "Restore America". Interestingly, both the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Home and Garden Television cosponsors this initiative. As referenced in the attached program description, financial assistance ranges up to $100,000, to finance professional service fees or brick and mortar construction expenses. As the most recent application cycle employs a deadline of November 30, 2004, arrangements are being made to seek authorization from City Council during you November 17th meeting to submit a respective proposal. Encleeure(s): Spreadsheet Report - October 27, 2004 Municipal Complex Project Funds Availability and Expenditure Repot[ Letter from Department of Environmental Protection - EPA 319 Grant Award Announcement Program Description - Restore Amedca Grant Program My Documents/InfoLetter235 Department of Environmental Protection Twin Towers Office Building Jeb 8t~ 2600 Blair Stone Ro~d Governor Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400 October 22, 2004 Colleen FI, Castille Mr. Kenneth W. Jones Stonnwatar Utility Engineer City of Sebastian 1225 Main Street Sebastian, Flodde 32958 RE: Section 319 Grant Proposal Status Dear Mr. Jones: Thank you for submitting the project entitled 'Sebastian Periwinkle Drive Stormwater Improvements" for funding consideration from the FY2005 Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Grant Program. As always, the competition for grant funding was very keen. The Department received 51 project proposals requesting more than $25 million in funding. We anticipate having approximately 8 million available this year barring a ny Federal budget cuts to the Section 319 grant. We are piaased to inform you we have included your project in our draft FY2005 Section 319 grant work pian that has been submlffed to EPA for their review. If EPA approves your project and Florida receives full funding, your project will receiye $313,000.00. Please let me know by December 15, either by phone, email, or letter, whether you intend to accept this level of grant funding. If you do not respond, we will reallecate the grant funds to one of the deserving projects that did not get funded this year. We anticipate receiving comments from EPA on the draft work plan by December, 2004. At that time, we may contact you if we require additional information or if changes need to be made to your project in response to EPA's comments. We anticipate receipt of the grant funds from EPA by August 2005~ Shortly thereafter, we will contact you to initiate contracting, In the intedm (starting October 1. 2004) any non-federal expenditures made for the project can be counted towards the required 40% match. We appreciate your interest in and support of Florida's nonpoint source management program, We leek forward to working with you on this project. If you have any questions, please do not hesilate to call me at 850/245-8682 or email at kad.kurka@dep.state.fl.us. Sincerely, ' ', 'K~rl ~(urka .' = Administrator ': '~ Non .ppint Source Management Section KK/hp NATIONAL TRUST RESTORE AMERICA Grant Guidelines aeswre America: A Salute to Preservation is a partnership between the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Home & Garden Television (HGTV). Since 2003, Restore America has provided 24 grants to National Trus.t Save Amarica's Treasures sites aerossAmerica that highlight the work of preservation at landmark proparties. HGTV has told the story of these sites [brongh on-air and on-line content. In 2005 Restore America: A Salute to Preservation will focus on the revitalization of places where people live, through grants for residential projects. Nonprofit organizations and public agencies are invited to apply for grants. Approximately 6 to 12 grants will be awarded for projects such as rehabilitation of single family residences or adaptive use of historic buildings for housing, creation of upper-floor apartmems in Main Street communities, or restoration of Save America's Treasures sites [bat continue to have a residential use. Restore America seeks to create awareness of the importance of preserving America's historic places for future generations. Recognizing that every historic place has a story to tell, the National Trust and HGTV invite applicants to tell [be story of their sim's rote in the community flu:oughout its history. The compelling story should include how the site was used, who used it, how it is used now, and who will live in it in the Future. Restore America also wants to know about the peop!~ leading the revitalization effort and how [bose leaders became involved in preservation. Grants are intended to further [be restoration or rehabilitation of a historic stmcun~ for residential use. Grants may be used for professional services fees or laicks and mortar construction expenses. Projects will be considered in light of ~ Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. Grants will range up to $100,000. Approximately six (6) to twelve (12) grants will be awarded. Grant recipients will be required to give permission to videotape the property under restoration for use on HGTV and HGTV. com and their affiliated television and print outlets, pursuant to an appropriate location ~nt. HGTV anticipates creating media salutes to tell [be story of the sites. Grant recipients will publicly acknowledge [be support of the National Trust and HGTV. Entities eligible to apply for grants ave 501(c) (3) and other nonprofit ovganizatious and public agencies. Applicants that have received previous National Trust financial assistance are eligible provided [bat all grant requirements are current. Properties generally slmuld be at least 50 years old and eillier cunently in me as a residence or mixed use incleding n~flences ca' will be upon completion of the project. Although b, isl~c designation is not required, ligdng in the Natiolml Regis~r, slate regis~, local landmark designation or location in a designated ~m~ic dish/ct is preferred. Examples of eligible projects include single family homes or resi- dences that result from adaptive use of stmcWres whose original use was industrial, comme~cinl or governmental, such as schools adapled for senior housing, factories adapted as axtists' lofts, or upper floor apmments created out of retail establishments. Rehabih'tation work at any stage will be comidered. At a minimum, plans must be in plnc~ for work to begin as early as February 2005. The project must be completud or have achieved substantial progress by June 2006. Grant recipients agree to a progress inspection and a [mal inspec- tion to ensure the projec3's compliance with the requirements of Thc grants will be paid in two installments with 50% paid following Ihe pmgrnss inspection and 50% upon successful completion of ~ grant temas.