HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-01-07 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC
CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP
MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2013
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Talabisco called the Workshop of the City Commission to order at
9:31 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2013 in Conference Room 105, Tamarac City Hall, 7525
NW 88 Avenue, Tamarac, FL 33321.
ROLL CALL: Mayor Beth Talabisco, Commissioner Pamela Bushnell, Commissioner Patricia
Atkins -Grad, Commissioner Diane Glasser, and Commissioner Harry Dressler were in
attendance.
Also in attendance were City Manager Michael C. Cernech, Assistant City Attorney Jacob
Horowitz and Interim City Clerk Patricia Teufel.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Pamela Bushnell led the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. Legislative Update - Ronald L. Book and Kelly Mallette appeared. Mr. Book said that he
appreciates the continued opportunity to represent Tamarac. Mr. Book said since the summer
of 2007 he has been appearing before the Commission and since then has painted a bleak
picture as to where things had been from unemployment, revenue and cut perspectives. Mr.
Book said in May 2007 they left Tallahassee with a $73.5 billion dollar budget and last spring
they left with a little over $70.2 billion dollar budget and no more stimulus money. He said he
believes things are getting better and not only do the revenue estimates indicate that things
are getting better, but the Chief Economist of Florida believes unemployment numbers will
continue to decline and the revenue picture will continue to improve. Florida has seen a
robust early tourist season and is bolstered by events like the BCS Championship game that
is being played tonight. Mr. Book spoke about the economic uptick that Miami -Dade and
Broward are experiencing because of such an event as people have more money to spend.
He believes the revenue outlook looks like there is a couple of hundred million dollars more to
spend this year than last year which means the Governor's priority is going to spend more
money of K to 12. Last year after having cut K -12 spending by close to a billion dollars he
has now found a way to increase K-12 spending by $840 million and this increase in
spending will continue to increase over the next two years. In March or April the newspapers
will start with a budget outlook and we will not know the amount until the second week in
March. The next thing you will read about is Medicaid. The cost of Medicaid is almost one-
third of the State's budget which has grown by double digits for the last decade. Mr. Book
said the reason Governor Bush brought about the Medicaid Reform Program was because
they were trying to get a handle on the Medicaid Budget to stop the double digit increases.
They put in a pilot project in Broward, Duval, Clay and Nassau Counties and thereafter tried
to expand the Medicaid Reform statewide which required federal approval from the CMS;
however, CMS has been reluctant to approve the waiver to allow further expansion of the
Medicaid Reform Program.
Mr. Book said another aspect that we will read and hear about is the Affordable Health Care
Act (AHCA) and what direction Florida will take in that regard. There may be some form of
exchange as a part of this Act. Most people believe that there will finally be some action on
the Medicaid Reform Waiver. However, the feds have said they will pay for the mandated
expansions of Medicaid required by the AHCA but have only committed to pay for three
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years. We are talking about significant long term ramifications of Florida buying the AHCA
and we do not know what it will ultimately mean to us from a money perspective. In March
and April we will be looking at the budget, ACHA, Medicaid Waiver Program and whether or
not the legislature needs to go back and make any tweaks to Medicaid.
Mr. Book spoke about a pending pension case in the Supreme Court, which the lower court
ruled against the legislature, and said we don't want to see an affirmation of the lower court's
decision because all bets will be off for the aforementioned revenue spending.
Mr. Book spoke about the next phase of pension reform which is one of the Speaker of the
House's highest priorities. The Speaker of the House would like to force everyone over but
he recognizes that the best he will get is prospective hires being sent over to a conversion.
Mr. Book said the other issue we will read a lot about is higher education. The Speaker and
the Senate President both want to change, from a policy perspective, where Florida is on
higher education. They both see higher education as a critical component of economic
development. It is unfortunate that Florida does not have one or two colleges or universities
that are institutions of great excellence. Mr. Book said he believes we will see a desire to
create two universities of great excellence and get back to funding higher education in a more
meaningful way. Last year he expected the Speaker and Senate President to create another
state university and a virtual university which he now thinks will not happen. But he does
believe that we will see larger components of virtual learning in a larger and broader way than
we have today. You will also see an expansion in virtual learning in K — 12 as well in the
coming years.
Another issue we will be looking at is ethics and elections reform which will have some
impacts on local governments. This is not just the legislature looking at whether or not there
should be more early voting days, whether we should change equipment or whether we
should change the way supervisors of elections notify people about disqualified absentee
ballots or provisional ballots getting tossed but also ethics reform. Mr. Book said the way we
see soft money, campaign financing and voting conflicts will change. He said he cannot
predict what he thinks will happen regarding ethics, but the issue of how we will allow soft
money to be used will change.
Mr. Book said they have been working with water management districts to implement a pilot
program system to get back to funding local government storm water needs. He believes
there will be two programs that get implemented to award to worthwhile community projects
and local governments were recently solicited to submit potential storm water projects to be
looked at legislatively and at the district level. Last year the Governor did not understand the
significant need to take care of storm water mitigation in Florida and vetoed several storm
water projects. He did not understand the damage that is caused in communities that cannot
meet all of their storm water demands. Mr. Book said he believes the Governor, in a post
2012 hurricane season, now has a different understanding of local government storm water
needs and believes storm water projects will meet with a better results in the next session.
Mr. Book recognized Kelly Mallette and said she plays significant role in meeting the needs of
Tamarac and thanked the Commission for the opportunity to work for Tamarac. Mr. Book _
and Ms. Mallette addressed the questions and concerns of the Commission.
Page 2 of 3 COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING January 7, 2013
2. Item No. 6 (b) on the Consent Agenda. AWARDING BID NO. 12-07B TO AND
APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH KAILAS, CORP. FOR THE TAMARAC
BIKEWAY/WALKWAY SYSTEM PROJECT - PHASE 2: (TR12289) A Resolution of the City
Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, awarding Bid No. 12-07B to and approving an
Agreement with Kailas, Corp., for the Tamarac Bikeway/Walkway System Project — Phase 2,
beginning at McNab Road heading north on NW 70th Avenue; continuing westward on NW
82nd Street and including NW 71 st Avenue; continuing west on NW 82nd Avenue and
crossing University Drive; then heading south on NW 80th Avenue to McNab Road, in
accordance with Bid No. 12-07B for a contract amount of $1,395,734.00; a contingency in the
amount of $104,266.00 will be added to the project account, for a total project budget of
$1,500,00.00; authorizing an expenditure from the appropriate accounts; authorizing budget
amendments for proper accounting purposes; providing for conflicts; providing for
severability; and providing for an effective date. Public Services Director Jack Strain and
Purchasing/Contracts Manager Keith Glatz appeared. Public Services Director Strain gave a
presentation (on file in the City Clerk's Office) on Phase 2 and an update on Phase 1. Mayor
Talabisco confirmed that will there be posted signage by the bikeway and signage on the
ground and asked if the signage on the ground is damaged would the company repair it.
Public Services Director Strain said it would be covered during the warranty period if there is
a deficiency. Commission Dressler asked how much of the bid amount is offset by funds
from grants and Public Services Director Strain responded $750,000 and the way it works is
we get to spend the State money first and then we have to fund the rest. If we keep it at the
given bid price, we will not be required to contribute the full $750,000. Commissioner
Bushnell asked where the Kailas Corporation was based and Purchasing/Contracts Manager
Glatz responded Hialeah. Commissioner Bushnell asked if there were any bikeway/walkway
— projects scheduled in the east and Public Services Director Strain said we are looking into
possibilities.
3. Item No. 6 (d) on the Consent Agenda. SELECTION OF A VICE MAYOR: (TR12296) A
Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, appointing Harry Dressler
to fill the vacancy in the position of Vice Mayor, pursuant to section 4.03 of the City Charter;
providing for conflicts; providing for severability and providing for an effective date. Assistant
City Attorney Jacob Horowitz asked for a nomination of a Vice Mayor to serve until November
2013. Vice Mayor Glasser nominated Commissioner Dressler, all were in agreement and
Commissioner Dressler accepted.
City Manager Cernech said that in the past the Commission has expressed interest in our
Economic Development Program and he is happy to report that we have hired someone to fill
that position. Community Development Director Bramley introduced Ana Zeinieh as the new
Economic Development Manager and said Ms. Zeinieh comes to Tamarac from Dania Beach
and prior to that she worked for the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Alliance and she is pleased to
have Ana on board.
There being no further business to come before the City Commission, Mayor Talabisco
adjourned the meeting 10:33 a.m.
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Patricia Teuf rv7C
Interim Ci Clerk
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