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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-04-26 - City Commission Regular Meeting MinutesREGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2023 9:30 AM COMMISSION CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER Mayor Michelle J. Gomez called the Wednesday, April 26, 2023, City Commission meeting, being held in Commission Chambers, to order at 9:30 a.m. ROLL CALL Present were Mayor Michelle J. Gomez, Vice Mayor Marlon D. Bolton, Commissioner Kicia Daniel, Commissioner Morey Wright Jr., and Commissioner Elvin Villalobos. Also present were City Manager Levent Sucuoglu, Assistant City Manager Maxine Calloway, City Attorney Hans Ottinot, and City Clerk Kimberly Dillon. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Kicia Daniel led the Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence. Mayor Gomez recognized Administrative Professionals Day and the thanked staff. 1. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT City Attorney Ottinot had no report. 2. CITY MANAGER REPORT City Manager Sucuoglu provided a presentation of his report, which is on file in the City Clerk's Office. 2.a. Small Business Week Proclamation Requested by Lori Funderwhite, Economic Development Manager Mayor Gomez read the proclamation and presented it to Peter Mason. 2.b. Building Safety Month Proclamation Requested by George Folles, Chief Building Official Mayor Gomez read the proclamation and presented it to George Folles. 2.c. Employee Service Awards 5 Years of Service Greg Rosenberg Jamea Bush Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Richard Einhom Lancelot Bonner Antonio Williams Vanessa Charry 10 Years of Service Alberto Montanez Zachariah Steiner 15 Years of Service Moses Pineda Ramlochan Williams 20 Years of Service Keisha Lawson Rose Terrelonge Michael Cain Todd Shoats Vincent Dixon 25 Years of Service Tederra Sims Michael Annese Melissa Grant Dania Maldonado Mayor Gomez called for a recess at 9:56 a.m. Mayor Gomez called the meeting to order at 9:58 a.m. Page 2 3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Mayor Gomez noted the rules for public comment were posted and opened the floor to comments from the public. 1) Howard Strassler, Sonny's The Car Wash Factory, 5870 Hiatus Road, Tamarac, commented on discussions regarding changing to Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) fire. He stated the growth of his company would not have happened if they were not in a City that supports growth, and asserted having a local fire department was part of that. Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page 3 He discussed the value of the team in place at Tamarac Fire Rescue and stated working the County would not be the same. 2) Ed Radosh, Kings Point, Tamarac, stated Tamarac Fire Rescue is a Rolls Royce with 50 years of great service, and BSO should not be asked to take over their duties. He discussed the standings of the Florida Cup Standings. He noted Tamarac Fire Rescue was listed as number five (5), and BSO was at the bottom of the list. He stated he had provided the Clerk with a copy of the standings to distribute to the Commission. Mayor Gomez sought and received consensus to allow Mr. Radosh additional time. Mr. Radosh continued briefly, asserting Tamarac Fire Rescue should remain as -is. 3) Ronald Barish, 7555 NW 99t' Avenue, Tamarac, thanked Mayor Gomez for her assistance with the installation of chains in his community. He stated he was requesting three (3) speed humps and three (3) stop signs with the words "strictly enforced" on them. He discussed plans to construct a United States Postal Service (USPS) mega - center which would cover Tamarac and asked that the Mayor send a letter asking that it not be built, as it would impact workers. 4) Darcy Schiller, Kings Point, Tamarac, stated she was impressed by a change to the location of yield sign in the roundabout by Amazon. She noted she was thrilled the Commissioners were wearing Tamarac Fire Rescue shirts and asked that the City address ethics issues related to Vice Mayor Bolton having a potential conflict of interest as an employee of the County and a City Commissioner. She asserted the residents would be fighting the change of the Fire Dept. She referenced item 1 Od and stated she did not understand why Commissioner Villalobos and Vice Mayor Bolton needed so many hours of part-time staff. 5) William Goffinet, 5106 Bayberry Lane, Tamarac, commented on the 13t' Floor project and stated other land should be looked at, and the golf course amenity should not be taken away from homeowners without proper compensation. He stated he wanted to know about potential arsenic on the property. 6) Jeffrey Shapiro, 6104 Orchard Tree Lane, Tamarac, stated following a heavy rain two (2) weeks ago, he had been upset to read comments from a Commissioner on NextDoor asserting that adding more waterway to the community for the pending development would add additional absorption. He argued this was incorrect and referenced his own science lessons in high school. He discussed planned changes to the land under the proposed development agreement, and stated the City needed to protect residents. 7) Dr. Kate Johnson, Mainlands, Tamarac, addressed proposed changes to overnight parking and stated she wholeheartedly supports the plan, as the streets are dangerous at night. She suggested the City's grant program for renovations be utilized for driveway widening if needed. Continuing, Dr. Johnson addressed items 1 Oc and 1 Od, and thanked Minutes April 26, 2023 —Regular Commission Meeting Page 4 Commissioner Villalobos for listening to the resident concerns. She suggested the Commissioners opt out of the car allowance while the matter is being workshopped. She commented on 1 Ob and asked that it be approved, and detailed backup information be provided for all agenda items. She congratulated Vice Mayor Bolton on his new full- time position with Broward County and reiterated previous comments that this represents a conflict of interest. She discussed item 4h and stated it would result in issues for Homeowners Associations (HOAs). 4. CONSENT AGENDA City Manager Sucuoglu stated there were no changes to the agenda. Moved by Mayor Gomez; seconded by Commissioner Villalobos to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion Approved: 5-0. Voting For: Mayor Gomez, Vice Mayor Bolton, Commissioner Daniel, Commissioner Wright, and Commissioner Villalobos. Voting Against: None. 4.a. Approval of the March 20, 2023, Workshop Minutes 4.b. Approval of the March 22, 2023, Regular Meeting Minutes 4.c. TR13898 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, awarding Bid 23-18B to Zones, LLC, and approving the purchase of a Pure Storage, Storage Area Network (SAN), including five (5) years of maintenance and support, to be purchased through Zones, LLC, for a total purchase cost of $246,000.42; authorizing expenditures from the appropriate accounts; authorizing the appropriate City Officials to approve renewal options; providing for conflicts; providing for scrivener errors; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. 4.d. TR13924 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida authorizing the appropriate City officials to select, approve and award the acquisition of temporary staffing services on an as needed basis to temporarily fill budgeted employee vacancies for all City Departments and provide for a method to staff temporary positions as a result of unanticipated or temporary departmental workload increases in an amount not to exceed an aggregate total of $300,000.00 annually per fiscal year for fiscal years 2023, 2024 and 2025, utilizing agreements awarded by the state of Florida department of management services, or other formally competed agreements by other Florida governmental units, or national purchasing cooperatives, and to establish a process for acquiring specialized temporary staffing needs, as well as establishing quotation procedures when there are no available firms with competitively bid agreements in the best interest of the city; ratifying previous FY 23 expenditures made to Cochhbha Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page 5 (Computer Aid Inc.) in the amount of $63,200.00; providing for conflicts; providing for scrivener errors, providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. 4.e. TR13919 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, approving a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") regarding Broward College provision of workforce development and skills training opportunities for the benefit of Tamarac residents and City employees; approving in -kind support and to waive fees for Broward College to hold classes for residents in City of Tamarac facilities; authorizing the appropriate City officials to effectuate the MOU; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. 4.f. TR13918 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, approving Task Authorization Number 23-09D with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., attached hereto as Exhibit "1"; in the amount of $8,615, and authorizing a cumulative expenditure for said purpose in an amount not to exceed $87,740.00; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. 4.g. TR13897 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, approving an Agreement with 3-D Paving Company for the Emergency Road Repair located at Bailey Road between Woodlands Blvd and nw 64th Ave in Canal Zone 9, utilizing the three -bid system authorizing an expenditure of funds for an amount not more than $72,305.00; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. 4.h. TR13935 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the city of Tamarac, Florida, encouraging homeowners association in the city of Tamarac to revise its rules and regulations to permit homeowners to install physical safety barrier in the rear yard for public safety reasons, which include preventing crime and accidental drowning of young children; direct the city manager or designee to initiate a public awareness campaign to encourage the installation of safety barriers near water bodies and water safety tips for adults and young children; providing for providing for an effective date. 4.i. TR13933 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, authorizing the appropriate City officials to execute an agreement with HRE, LLC DB/A Tenzinga to provide assistance to the City with the development and implementation of the first three steps of a 7-Step Plan for building a new vision, higher level of quality, greater accountability, strong leadership, better functioning organization, and increase process management and improvement; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. Minutes April 26, 2023 —Regular Commission Meeting 5. REGULAR AGENDA 6. ORDINANCE(S) — FIRST READING Page 6 6.a. T02525 - An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida terminating the zoning in progress on new self -storage facilities by amending Chapter 10, Article 3, of the City of Tamarac Land Development Code, entitled "Use Regulations", amending Section 10-3.2, entitled "Table of Allowed Uses", by specifically amending Table 10-3.1, entitled "Allowed Uses" to prohibit self - storage facilities in all zoning districts by instituting a ban on new self -storage facilities within the City of Tamarac; providing for codification; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. City Attorney Ottinot read the title for the record. Moved by Commissioner Villalobos; seconded by Commissioner Wright to approve Ordinance T02525 on first reading. There were no presentations and no discussion on the item by the Commission. Motion Approved: 5-0. Voting For: Mayor Gomez, Vice Mayor Bolton, Commissioner Daniel, Commissioner Wright, and Commissioner Villalobos. Voting Against: None. 6.b. T02512 - An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida to provide for easier enforcement of, and enhanced penalties for violations of the city's regulations of activities defined as "Special Events" by amending Chapter 10, the Land Development Code of the City of Tamarac, Florida by amending Article 3, "Use Regulations" by specifically amending Section 10-3.5 "Temporary Uses and Structures"; by amending Section 10- 6.2 "Use Categories and Use Types Defined"; providing for codification; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. City Attorney Ottinot read the title for the record. Moved by Commissioner Villalobos; seconded by Vice Mayor Bolton to approve Ordinance T02512 on first reading. There were no presentations and no discussion on the item by the Commission. Motion Approved: 5-0. Voting For: Mayor Gomez, Vice Mayor Bolton, Commissioner Daniel, Commissioner Wright, and Commissioner Villalobos. Voting Against: None. 7. PUBLIC HEARING(S) 8. ORDINANCE(S) — SECOND READING Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting 9. QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING(S) Page 7 9.a. TB070 - Board Order approving Special Exception approval for Worthy Moments Banquet Hall, to allow for the use of a modified one (1) story, one - thousand six -hundred square feet (1,600 sq. ft.) leased space for a hall for hire within an existing plaza in the MU-N (Mixed -Use Neighborhood) zoning district, pursuant to the Tamarac Code of Ordinances. City Attorney Ottinot read the title for the record. He outlined the City's procedures regarding Quasi -Judicial proceedings. He confirmed the public notice items were met. City Clerk Kimberly Dillon swore in those wishing to provide testimony. Mayor Gomez asked for any ex-parte disclosures and there were none to disclose. Moved by Commissioner Villalobos; seconded by Commissioner Wright to approve the board order. Mayor Gomez opened the public hearing, however seeing no one to speak, closed the public hearing. Attorney Ray Garcia provided a presentation on behalf of the applicant. The presentation is on file in the City Clerk's Office. Vice Mayor Bolton asked staff for clarification on the previous tenants and their parking requirements in the plaza. Assistant City Manager/Director of Community Development Maxine Calloway provided a brief overview of the tenant history of the site and stated parking was based on square footage and usage. Discussion continued regarding the parking requirements. Vice Mayor Bolton asked the applicant the hours of operation. Attorney Garcia explained under the proposed conditions, the site would be open 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Vice Mayor Bolton asserted the hours would not fit the typical times of funerals, weddings, or graduation parties, and stated it sounded like a club. Attorney Garcia responded that was not the intent of the applicant, and conditions could be added to address the concern. Vice Mayor Bolton asked the hours of the other banquet halls in Tamarac. Assistant City Manager Calloway stated there are three (3) existing banquet halls, and hours are typically 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Vice Mayor Bolton asked questions regarding any BSO issues with the use, the reason for the special exception, and ingress and egress to the site. Assistant City Manager Calloway responded. Vice Mayor Bolton inquired about fire access and any past issues with access at other banquet halls. Fire Chief Mike Annese stated he did not recall any issues but would research the matter and report back. Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page 8 Commissioner Daniel asked if the neighboring property could be used for overflow parking. Assistant City Manager Calloway stated it would be possible for the applicant to seek a shared parking agreement. Discussion continued regarding potential conditions of approval. Attorney Garcia suggested a clause could be added to the business' agreement with renters to limit the number of cars on site, rather than limiting the hours of the business. Commissioner Villalobos asked for additional detail regarding existing facilities like the application. Assistant City Manager Calloway explained. Discussion continued regarding parking concessions. Mayor Gomez inquired as to whether there was potential for the business to be open during the daytime on Saturday and Sunday. Attorney Garcia stated he would not want to limit that at this time. Mayor Gomez asserted parking restrictions were not enforceable, and stated she disagreed that the plaza was overparked. She asked questions regarding emergency access, alcohol, security, and lighting. Attorney Garcia responded. Mayor Gomez stated she did not believe this was a use that fit well with this plaza or added value to the community. She noted the restriction to the hours would be cutting off business and impacting the applicant's chances of success. Vice Mayor Gomez asked staff to describe the neighboring community. Assistant City Manager Calloway reviewed the neighboring businesses, and stated there is an existing wall buffering the business from the residential community. Discussion continued regarding the hours of neighboring businesses. Commissioner Daniel stated based on the amount of time that had passed without a business in that space she wanted to say yes, even though Mayor Gomez had made good points. She agreed that she would not want to place restrictions on the hours of operation, but nights were the only time it appeared there was sufficient parking. Attorney Garcia responded, and discussion continued. Mayor Gomez expressed concern regarding noise for downstairs neighbors, use for religious services, and ADA compliance. She stated she was not comfortable approving a project that was not fully vetted. Moved by Commissioner Daniel; seconded by Mayor Gomez to table TBO70 to the June 28, 2023, 9:30 a.m. Commissioner meeting. Motion Failed: 2-3. Voting For: Mayor Gomez and Commissioner Daniel. Voting Against: Vice Mayor Bolton, Commissioner Villalobos, and Commissioner Wright. Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page 9 Moved by Commissioner Villalobos; seconded by Commissioner Wright to approve the board order without conditions. Motion Approved: 3-2. Voting For: Vice Mayor Bolton, Commissioner Daniel, and Commissioner Wright. Voting Against: Mayor Gomez and Commissioner Villalobos. Mayor Gomez called for a recess at 11:32 a.m. Mayor Gomez called the meeting to order at 11:45 a.m. Mayor Gomez explained City Attorney Ottinot would share a memo regarding procedures to rehear an item. 10. OTHER 10.a. Selection of the 2023/2024 Broward League of Cities Board of Directors. Requested by City Clerk Kimberly Dillon City Clerk Dillon explained Vice Mayor Bolton had been selected by the Commission to serve as the Commission representative on the Broward League of Cities Board of Directors for 2023/2024. She noted an alternate was also required. Discussion ensued. Consensus was to name Vice Mayor Bolton as the Commission's representative to the Broward League of Cities Board of Directors, Commissioner Villalobos as first alternate, and Commissioner Daniel as second alternate. Vice Mayor Bolton sought to reverse the order of the alternates. 10.b. Backup Information for Items Under "Other" on Agendas. Requested by Commissioner Elvin Villalobos Commissioner Villalobos sought consensus to require backup for items listed under "other" on future agendas. Commissioner Daniel asserted that moving forward, the Commissioners should do their due diligence to try to provide backup, but she did not support it being a requirement. Mayor Gomez stated she agreed backup should be provided so the public knows what is being discussed and possibly voted on. She stated this had been the previous procedure to place an item on the agenda. Vice Mayor Bolton stated the form allowed for backup information to be optional, and it should remain as such. He noted the section of the agenda should no longer apply as workshops are again being held. Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page 10 Discussion continued. Consensus was that backup should not be required for items brought forward under the "other" section of the agenda. Voting For: Mayor Gomez and Commissioner Villalobos. Voting Against: Vice Mayor Bolton, Commissioner Daniel, and Commissioner Wright. 10.c. Travel Budget Reduction from $50,000 to $25,000. Requested by Commissioner Elvin Villalobos Commissioner Villalobos explained that he would like to discuss the Commission travel budget line item. He sought consensus to reduce the travel budget to $25,000. Commissioner Daniel stated she had come to realize the travel funding was needed. She noted the expense of a recent trip to Washington, D.C., and asserted while there had been a high cost, they had engaged in networking and brought back potential funding in excess of $7 million. Vice Mayor Bolton stated the Commission needed to be prudent, but it came back to return on investment. He shared stories of lobbying on behalf of the residents. Commissioner Villalobos argued it was the responsibility of the lobbyists and staff to lobby on behalf of the City, or Commissioners could visit the local offices of their representatives. Commissioner Wright shared his experience making a trip to Washington, D.C., and discussed the difference in visiting with members of Congress there versus in their field offices. He stated he would support not allowing Commissioners to spend beyond their allotted individual travel budgets. Mayor Gomez stated she believed there were worthy trips, as well as those which are not as worthy. She noted she agreed with Commissioner Wright regarding spending individual budgets and asked that any discussion of changing the amount be brought forward during budget workshops. Mayor Gomez sought and received consensus that each Commissioner should spend their own travel budget. 10.d. Discussion with a Decision to Reduce the Number of Community Engagement Liaisons (CEL) per Commissioner. Requested by Commissioner Elvin Villalobos Commissioner Villalobos summarized the item. He stated the regulation was written poorly and allowed for three (3) Community Engagement Liaisons (CEL) per Commissioner, which was not needed, and sought consensus to move to one (1) each. Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page it Mayor Gomez stated she did not have an issue with reducing the number of CEL, but she did have a CEL who was currently deployed, and the City was obligated to place him in his role or similar upon his return. Vice Mayor Bolton asserted that changing the number of CEL did not change the fiscal impact, as the budget was per Commissioner. He discussed the flexibility in skills afforded by having multiple people in the role and talked about the podcast his CEL was producing. Commissioner Villalobos asked whether there was something in the legislation that would stop the CEL budget from increasing in the future. City Manager Sucuoglu explained the line item was subject to Commission approval. Commissioner Wright stated he had not hired a CEL, and had not had the impetus to hire one, as he believed the members of the local government should be closest to the people and interacting with the residents. He noted using innovation allowed him to make this easier. Commissioner Daniel discussed the difficulty in hiring a CEL at the salary. She noted not everyone had the same talents and there are only 24 hours in a day, so staff could help to make things better. Discussion continued. ADJOURNMENT There being nothing further to discuss, Mayor Gomez adjourned the meeting at 12:45 p.m. Minutes transcribed by Crysta Parkinson, Prototype, Inc. and submitted by Kimberly Dillon, City Clerk. Kimberly Dillon, CMC Michelle J. Gomez, Mayor Minutes April 26, 2023 — Regular Commission Meeting Page 12 Note to the reader: The above signature is the City Clerk, of the City of Tamarac, Florida. If the minutes you have received are not signed, or completed as indicated above, they are not the official minutes of the Regular City Commission Meeting held Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Pursuant to Chapter 286.0105, Florida Statutes, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, he may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is based. The City of Tamarac complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a disabled person requiring any accommodations or assistance, please notify the City Clerk's Office at (954) 597-3505 of such need at least 48 hours (2 days) in advance. Additionally, if you are hearing or speech impaired and need assistance, you may contact the Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT COMMISSION MEETING APRIL 26, 2023 Madam Mayor, Vice Mayor and Members of the Commission, I am pleased to share with you that the City of Tamarac has once again been recognized for how it cares for its employees. Cigna has selected the City of Tamarac as a recipient of the 2022 Gold level Healthy Workforce Designation for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of its employees. The Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation, formerly known as the Cigna Well -Being Award, evaluates organizations based on the core components of their well-being program, including leadership and culture, program foundations, program execution, whole person health, and utilization of Cigna's capabilities. Organizations recognized with this designation set the standard of excellence for whole -organization health. Cigna is proud to honor our City with the Gold level designation for having created a healthy work culture through a well -established, progressive, and measurable employee well-being and engagement program. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication put forth by the Human Resources Department, our Executive Team, and every employee who supports the City's efforts. We are truly humbled and honored to be recognized by Cigna for our commitment to creating a culture of continuous improvement to meet the needs of our employees and their families. The City of Tamarac could not have accomplished the goal without our valued partnership with Cigna. We look forward to continuing our shared success as we endeavor to provide our employees with resources to choose a healthier lifestyle that enhances our physical, emotional, and environmental well-being. A special thank you to Arlene Walsh, Teresa Martin and Sadhana Swaroop for all of the foundational work that went into receiving this award. Congratulations! also have one announcement from our Public Services Department. On Saturday, May 6th, the City of Tamarac is hosting a Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Drop-off for the recycling and safe disposal of hazardous materials. The event will be held at the Public Services Complex from 9am - 2pm. Residents of Tamarac are invited to bring hazardous materials such as paint, fertilizer, oil, and gas along with old electronics such as rechargeable batteries, TVs, and Computer Monitors to the drop-off event. That concludes my report. Thank you. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SIGN-UP SHEET REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING Date: PLEASE PRINT FULL NAME * ADDRESS * PHONE NO. PRINT NAME ADDRESS PHONE ITEM# 1 4 N1 Lo Bj �I SfI S S j WiLqw u, q!5 . cv-764 G is orc Af-d -(i cc s s ­5o