HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-25 - City Commission Regular Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING
--. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Harry Dressler called the Regular Commission Meeting of the City
of Tamarac to order at 9:06 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 in City Commission
Chambers, Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88th Avenue, Tamarac, FL 33321.
ROLL CALL: Mayor Harry Dressler, Vice Mayor Pamela Bushnell, Commissioner Michelle J.
Gomez, Commissioner Diane Glasser and Commissioner Debra Placko were in attendance.
Also in attendance were City Manager Michael C. Cernech, City Attorney Samuel S. Goren
and City Clerk Patricia Teufel.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Gomez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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1. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS:
a. Presentation of a proclamation by Mayor Harry Dressler proclaiming the month of April
2015 as "Water Conservation Month". (Requested by Public Services Director Jack Strain)
2. CITY COMMISSION REPORTS:
a. Vice Mayor Bushnell: Vice Mayor Bushnell talked about the District 1 Neighborhood
Meeting that everyone attended last evening and encouraged people to attend their District
Neighborhood meetings that will take place in April. Vice Mayor Bushnell said staff talked
about things that are going on in their neighborhoods. Vice Mayor Bushnell noted that there
are now 200 students who have attended Tamarac University and this is an opportunity for
residents to learn about the City and ask questions and educate other people about what
programs the City has to offer.
b. Commissioner Gomez: Commissioner Gomez said that the District 2 Neighborhood
Meeting will take place on April 15th at 6:30 p.m. at Millennium Middle School. Commissioner
Gomez noted that she attended the Concert in the Park; BSO sponsored Bike Rodeo for
children; Relay -for -Life meeting and the Tamarac University Meet and Greet. Commissioner
Gomez said she was not at the last meeting as she was at the National League of Cities
Congressional Conference in D.C. where approximately 2,000 cities elected and appointed
officers working for constant improvement in their communities. Commissioner Gomez said
the President of the National League of Cities appointed her to serve on the Transportation
Infrastructure Steering Committee whose primary goal is to focus on long term transportation
bills and then spoke about various items they are working on. Commissioner Gomez talked
about various meetings she attended including, but not limited to, dealing with Homeless
Veterans and Human Trafficking and at one meeting she attended President Obama was the
key note speaker. Commissioner Gomez noted that she had attended a Naturalization
Ceremony on March 13th; had Jury duty on March 16th and wished everyone a Happy
Passover and Easter.
c. Commissioner Glasser: Commissioner Glasser said she recently attended a book signing
by Ken Bering at the Community Center; the District 1 Neighborhood Meeting and noted that
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this is a good forum for people to ask questions and express their concerns and also
attended the Concert in the Park which was very well attended by Tamarac residents as well
as people from surrounding communities.
d. Commissioner Placko: Commissioner Placko said she attended the Broward County
Advisory Grant Board meeting and reported that they have two grants available; down
payment assistance on housing and assistance with emergency services. Commissioner
Placko said the Committee is looking to get the word out and has asked for some guidelines
on how many people within Tamarac would be eligible for these grants. Commissioner
Placko thanked the community of Lake Colony for being gracious when she was out and
about in that communi�. Commissioner Placko said the District 4 Neighborhood meeting is
scheduled for April 22n at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Center. Commissioner Placko noted
that Commissioner Glasser is being inducted into the Senior Hall of Fame and congratulated
City Attorney Goren on his 40th Anniversary on practicing law.
e. Mayor Dressler: Mayor Dresser reported that as a Trustee on the General Pension Plan he
attended a two day conference on fiduciary best practices and will share that information with
the other Trustees. Mayor Dressler said he attended the District 1 Neighborhood Meeting and
people had interesting questions regarding the quality of life in Tamarac. Mayor Dressler
noted that as far as quality of life issues we are very lucky to live in the USA compared to
other countries. Mayor Dressler said the Commission and staff are focused on all the
concerns that people bring before them. Mayor Dressler spoke briefly about the Code
Rewrite and how this will address quality of life issues.
3. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT: City Attorney Goren said there is a meeting scheduled for
April 7th at 12:30 p.m. following the regular County Commission Meeting this will be a joint
workshop between the Broward League of Cities President and the Chair of the Ethics Task
Force, Mr. Stermer. City Attorney Goren said there will be a joint presentation by Mr. Stermer
along with other members of the BLC along with the County Commission. City Attorney
Goren said that staff and the County Commission believe that interests of the local city
commission members that are affected by the Ethics Code and the County Commission are
not too different. City Attorney Goren said at some future date there will be a discussion
regarding the potential re -introduction of some type of Ethics Commission and a sub -set
discussion regarding some review body as a potential, or some central repository, for legal
opinions with regard to the Safe Harbor discussions we have had in the past. City Attorney
Goren reported that the number of Safe Harbor requests has been greatly diminished over
the past year.
City Attorney Goren said the Commission has been given weekly legislative updates from
their outside consultants in Tallahassee and his firm does their own internal review that tracks
items that affect Tamarac as well as other governmental agencies. One item that he wants to
bring to the Commission is a bill that is still pending this year with regards to the Police
Assessment Bill which has some legs because the bill that was proposed by North
Lauderdale is actually supported by Senator Smith. City Attorney Goren talked about
potential effects should this bill pass. City Attorney Goren said he will continue to follow this
bill and others and report back to the Commission.
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4. CITY MANAGER REPORT: City Manager Cernech reported the District 2 Neighborhood
Meeting is scheduled for April 15th at Millennium Middle School.
Upcoming Events: The Parks & Recreation Foundation will be hosting their 4th Annual
P.A.R.OT. Gold Tournament on April 24th at Colony West Golf Club which will culminate with
a "Concert on the Green" featuring the band "The Castaways" and for more information, to
make a donation or be an event sponsor please contact Linda Probert at
Linda. Probert(a)-tamarac.org or call 954-597-3632. The Springfest will take place on March
28th at 10.00 a.m. at Sports Complex from 10:00 a.m. to noon; Earth Day will be celebrated
Saturday, April 19th from 9:00 a.m. to noon at Veterans Park; the next concert in the park will
be held on Friday, April 10th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will feature country music band
Kim Betts & the Gamble; the next Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Drop Off, and
free document shredding event will be held in the City of Ft. Lauderdale in Mills Pond Park,
2201 NW 9th Ave., on Saturday, April 11th from 9.00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for more information
call 954-828-8000.
City Manager Cernech talked about the Law Enforcement Assessment as being an
investment in the Community. City Manager Cernech said he cannot emphasize enough the
value of community investment and said that five years ago staff asked to raise the Fire
Assessment to $265 a year and people complained. The City said we will do whatever we
can to make sure that money is used to better the Tamarac Fire Department. City Manager
Cernech talked about hiring a Fire Chief from out of state instead of promoting within in order
to make sure we had the best. City Manager Cernech said one of the Fire Department's
strategic goals for 2015 was to attain an ISO 1 rating. This distinction has only been attained
by less than 1 % of 48,000 fire departments in the United States. City Manager Cernech said
he is pleased to announce that yesterday we were notified that Tamarac Fire Rescue had
attained this rating and becomes the 102"d department in the United States to achieve this
coveted rating which takes effect July 1st
5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Mayor Dressler opened Public Participation and Margaret
Hesford, Esq., 10950 Sterling Rd., Davie, who represents Dayve Co., Inc. spoke about a
problem her client was having regarding work he performed at a home in Tamarac.
6. CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Dressler asked City Manager Cernech if there were any
changes/additions to the Consent Agenda and City Manager Cernech responded that there
were no changes/additions to the Consent Agenda. Vice Mayor Bushnell seconded by
Assistant City Manager Phillips moved approval of the Consent Agenda. Motion passed
unanimously (5-0).
a. Approval of the March 11, 2015 Regular Commission Meeting Minutes — APPROVED
b. TR12618 - National Football League (NFL) Foundation Grant Funds: A Resolution of the
City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, approving and authorizing the Parks and
Recreation Foundation of Tamarac (PAROT) and the appropriate city officials to submit an
application to the National Football League (NFL) Foundation for grant funds for the
development of a football field at the Tamarac Sports Complex in the amount of $2.00,000,
providing for a match in an amount not to exceed $500,000 in local funds in the event of
approval of the application; providing for acceptance of the award and execution of
documents upon approval; providing for a memorandum of understanding between the City
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of Tamarac and PAROT pending legal review in the event of approval of the application;
providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date.
RESOLUTION R-2015-21
Mayor Dressler opened the floor for discussing a matter for reconsideration. City Attorney
Goren said at the Workshop on Monday there was a discussion regarding the mural at the
BSO building and there was a consensus to transfer that discussion to today's meeting. City
Attorney Goren went over the Motion for Reconsideration process with the Commission. City
Attorney Goren asked Commissioner Gomez to state her reason for requesting a motion to
reconsider an item. Commissioner Gomez said that there was a discussion about the
Broward 100 Mural at a previous workshop and she stated her position that she felt it was the
wrong venue for the Mural. Commissioner Gomez said at the time she expressed her opinion
she thought it would come back to the Commission to discuss alternative locations for the
mural. Commissioner Gomez said she would like to have the location of the Mural
reconsidered and discussed further. Commissioner Gomez made a Motion for
Reconsideration to discuss the location of the mural and no one seconded the Motion. Motion
failed. City Attorney Goren asked Mayor Dressler to allow Commissioner Gomez to again
make a Motion for Reconsideration and Mayor Dressler asked Commissioner Gomez to
restate her Motion. Commissioner Gomez again made a Motion for Reconsideration to
discuss the location of the mural and again no one seconded the Motion. Motion failed a
second time.
7. REGULAR AGENDA: There were no Regular Agenda items scheduled for this meeting.
8. ORDINANCE(S) - FIRST READING: There were no Ordinance(s) — First Reading items
scheduled for this meeting.
9. PUBLIC HEARING(S): There were no Public Hearing(s) items scheduled for this meeting.
10. ORDINANCE(S) - SECOND READING: There were no Ordinance(s) — Second Reading
scheduled for this meeting.
11. QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING(S): There were no Quasi -Judicial Hearing(s) items
scheduled for this meeting.
12. OTHER12. OTHER: There being no further business to come before the City
Commission, Mayor Dressler adjourned the meeting at 7.30 p.m.
Harry Dressler, Mayor
trivia T ufe1, r
City Clerk
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