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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07082009CIP Workshop~~ HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM WORKSHOP MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2009 - 5:30 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA Mayor Gillmor called the Workshop to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. ROLL CALL City Council Present: Mayor Richard H. Gillmor Vice-Mayor Jim Hill Council Member Andrea Coy Council Member Dale Simchick Council Member Eugene Wolff Staff Present: City Manager, AI Minner City Attorney, Robert Ginsburg City Clerk, Sally Maio Deputy City Clerk, Jeanette Williams Police Chief, Michelle Morris Police Captain, Bob Lockhart Police Captain, Greg Witt MIS Senior Systems Analyst, Barbara Brooke-Reese 09.112 4. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM A. CITY MANAGER PRESENTATION The City Manager began his PowerPoint presentation (see attached) stating the CIP had been favorably recommended by the Planning & Zoning Commission and their comments are in minutes. He began by explaining the difference between the General Fund and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) revenues. He explained the General Fund which is funded by ad-valorem taxes, franchise fees and utility taxes and covers services such as police, roads, mowing the grass, personnel and make up approximately 85% of the budget. He further explained CIP Funds, designated by Statutes and which include discretionary sales taxes, motor fuel taxes, storm water utility fees, recreation impact fees and Capital Improvements Program Workshop July 8, 2009 Page Two incremental property taxes which for the most part are in the bank and now is the time to spend because it is a buyer's market and contractors are ready to work. He said that although there is a reaction not to spend money in these hard economic times, spending available monies for CIP projects can actually stimulate the economy, and most have little impact on the general fund. He said other than the Golf Course club house, he had proposed projects that don't need personnel support, noting for instance if you were to build a park it will require maintenance and support. He listed CIP accomplishments: Indian River Drive/Main Street Improvements, Easy Street Improvements, the Hangar Project, the Pedestrian Bridges, the Twin Ditches, Quarter Round Drainage, Sidewalks, Periwinkle Retention, and the Stonecrop Crossing. He continued with the active projects to include Collier Creek, Barber Street Resurfacing, the Dog Park, Beautification of CR512, Potomac and George Street Crossing and the Tennis Court at Schumann Drive. The City Manager said the new projects proposed were: Splash pad perimeter roofing, Cavcorp lot turf block paving, Powerline Road design, and moving the City garage. He went on to explain the Golf Course debt payment is about to retire in 2010 and the bond could be renewed to construct a new club house and expand the tee box. He noted the bond payment would come from Golf Course user fees. He mentioned one project that should be planned for is to place the electric lines underground in the CRA district. He displayed pictures with and without the overhead lines noting it would add ambience to the district. The City Manager said recurring CIP debt needs to be paid first and includes the debt on City Hall, the storm water bond series, Golf Course note, the street project, continuing to change out ten police cars a year which this year may include some hybrid cars, the quarter round project, ditch maintenance, street light costs, and our pledge for the Go- Line bus service. B. PUBLIC INPUT Sal Neglia, Sebastian spoke on the need for a community center Joe Scozzari agreed with Mr. Neglia and suggested using the retiring golf course note for the community center. Don Wright, 720 N. Fischer Circle, said any project not essential at this time should be postponed until the economy changes. He noted there is financial risk in taking on new debt. Damien Gilliams, 1623 U.S. Highway 1, commended the City Manager for receiving grant monies for some of the projects, hoped that money be set aside to create a grant department, suggested a roof over the Schumann Drive basketball court, said the CAVCORP parking lot could wait, said the current club house should be remodeled, said now is not the time to bury the electric lines in the CRA district, said police cars don't need to go over 55 mph, suggested allowing electric golf carts throughout the City. Capital Improvements Program Workshop July 8, 2009 Page Three He said the City missed the boat on purchasing the old Walmart property at $2.7 M to build a new community center. Ms. Coy said for the record the old Walmart property was offered to the City at $3.3 M. C. COUNCIL DISCUSSION Mr. Hill said this was a good proposal, that the golf course is a great asset to the City but he saw some wants and not needs, noting we are getting out of debt and should not risk taking on new debt when citizens are not buying new cars, did not think burying the electric lines was appropriate at this time and may be risky. He said we should go through each proposal and decides which are worthy. Ms. Coy said she couldn't agree more that this is not the year to go into extra debt during uncertain times, said it was probably not the year for the clubhouse or underground lines, but would like to have discussions on moving the garage. Mayor Gillmor said he agreed with not seeing the need to bury the underground utilities, said our community center is woefully insufficient and if we are going to talk about moving the garage he would like to see a community center here, noting it would attract boat shows, home shows that we don't have now. Ms. Simchick said the City Manager's presentation was the best one yet, noted the MPO takes 6-8 years to get a road built and now is the time to earmark funds, discussed relocation of garage and said before we build a community center, let's discuss what type we want; recommended postponing the CAVCORP lot, and said she did not want to take on new debt at the golf course. She suggested using monies for the CAVCORP lot to put the electric lines underground which will help during storms and is more important than a new community center. Mr. Wolff also thanked the City Manager for his presentation and reminded everyone that once something is built it will impact the general fund by requiring operation and maintenance such as a community center. He noted people come to Florida to fish and golf, agreed it is a buyer's market, that it would be at least a year before we would move on the golf course and we have a fantastic opportunity to update what we have. He noted that with the underground utilities, America's power grid is undergoing transformation and he would have great trepidation in undertaking a project without understanding what will happen in the next ten years. He asked if we are going to consider moving the garage we need to decide where would it go, how much would it cost, what would it be replaced with and he pointed out that whatever moves forward, it should be asked what impact the taxpayer will have. The City Manager said he has received enough input to get a good tally on what should be included in the adoption of the CIP resolution at the next meeting. 5. Given the workshop intervened with the 6:30 scheduled Council meeting; Mayor Gillmor adjourned the workshop at 6:39 p.m. Approved at the July 29, 2009 Regular City Council meeting. J (~I ~ ~ 1 ^ /', Ric and H. Gillmor, Mayor Sally A. io, MMC - City Clerk