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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-01-06 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2003 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Schreiber called the Workshop Meeting of the City Commission to order on Monday, January 6, 2003, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88t" Avenue, Tamarac, Florida. PRESENT: Mayor Joe Schreiber, Vice Mayor Edward C. Partner, Commissioner Gertrude Mishkin, Commissioner Marc L. Sultanof, and Commissioner Karen L. Roberts. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Jeffrey L. Miller, City Attorney Mitchell S. Kraft, Assistant City Manager Michael C. Cernech, and City Clerk Marion Swenson. 1. JANUARY 8, 2003 AGENDA ITEMS: a. Item 60). GRANT AWARD -- FIRE RESCUE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND GEAR: (TR10001) Accepting a grant award from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the amount of $195,230, with a City match of $83,670, for a total project cost of $278,900 for new Fire Rescue personal protective equipment and gear; authorizing the appropriate City officials to amend the grants fund budget in the amount of $195,230 in accordance with proper accounting procedures. Chief Budzinski gave a presentation and said due to the events of September 11, 2001, federal money is now available. Chief Budzinski informed the Commissioners that Tamarac received one of the largest awards in Florida. Commissioner Sultanof asked if anything prohibited us from tying in State and FEMA monies, and Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said there is no preclusion to matching federal with State monies. Mayor Schreiber asked when we would get the funds, and Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said she anticipated receipt in the spring. Vice Mayor Partner asked for an explanation of wild land gear and Chief Budzinski explained it is a light weight version of bunker gear. Mayor Schreiber asked if there is a risk involved in wearing lighter weight protective gear, and Chief Budzinski said there is no risk as long as the gear is used for the purpose for which it was constructed. b. Item 6(k). GRANT APPLICATION — FIRE RESCUE LIGHTWEIGHT PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: (TR10003) Submitting an application to the Florida Department of Community Affairs through the Emergency Management Preparedness and Assistance Trust Fund for an Emergency Management Municipal Matching Grant in an amount not to exceed $50,000, providing for a match of up to $100,000 for lightweight personal protective clothing for all City fire rescue personnel. Assistant to the City Manager Phillips gave a presentation and said certain points are awarded under the grant for a 2-1 match, part of which comes from money already budgeted and part from FEMA. Vice Mayor Portner questioned language in the backup referencing a partial application, and Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said the grant application is due at the end of the month and will be completed by then. Chief January 6, 2003 City Commission Workshop 1 Budzinski said a resolution in support of the application would assist us in getting the grant and maximizing our points. C. Item 6(o).GRANT APPLICATION — NEW FIRE STATION/EOC: (TR10004) Submitting an application to the Florida Department of Community Affairs through the Emergency Management Preparedness and Assistance Trust Fund for an Emergency Management Competitive Matching Grant in an amount not to exceed $300,000, providing for a match of $2,000,000 in the form of a hardened fire station and emergency generator and a total project cost of $2,300,000, for an Emergency Operations Center. Assistant to the City Manager Phillips gave a presentation. Commissioner Sultanof asked for clarification of "hardened" and Chief Budzinski said the terminology refers to a structure designed to withstand a wind load in excess of existing building codes. Vice Mayor Portner asked if there are any federal grants available for this project and Chief Budzinski said federal money is more readily available than it was in the past for equipment for existing departments, and is more common in rural areas. Vice Mayor Portner asked what the final cost figure for the Fire Station would be and Chief Budzinski said the budget was set for the project and hopefully the project would come in under budget. d. Item 6(q). GRANT APPLICATION — EMS TRANSPORT VEHICLE: (TR10002) Submitting an application to the Florida Department of Health for an Emergency Medical Services Matching Grant in the amount of $200,000, providing for a match in the form of personnel salaries and benefits, for one fully -equipped emergency medical services transport vehicle. Chief Budzinski gave a presentation and said money is being requested for an additional unit and staff. Mayor Schreiber asked how long the funding is for, and Chief Budzinski said about one year, however, there is flexibility in the grant plus implementation time. FDH will assist in purchasing and staffing the vehicle according to State standards for an allotted period, and then Tamarac would assume the cost. Commissioner Roberts said this would cost $1 million more in personnel and equipment, and it is a large increase. Commissioner Sultanof asked about transport income to offset costs and Chief Budzinski said there is some offset as the collection rate is approximately $1.5 million a year, but the cost of transport never pays for the entire cost of service. Vice Mayor Portner questioned past projections. Chief Budzinski said the city had only projected through 2002 and explained that service call volume has increased from 8,000 per year to an anticipated 12,000 in 2004. Vice Mayor Portner asked for projections through 2005 in order for the city to determine impending costs. There was discussion about changing demographics and Chief Budzinski said that while the age level of Tamarac is being lowered due to new families moving in, the volume of calls is anticipated to increase. Commissioner Sultanof said University Hospital reports that 44% of the cases are those of families. Commissioner Mishkin said younger families have problems with children falling into pools. e. Item 6(p). INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT — GRANT AWARD FOR TAMARAC PRESERVATION PARK: (TR10008) Entering into an Interlocal Agreement with Broward County accepting a $2,000,000 grant award for the acquisition of Kings Point Replat Parcel R (also known as Tamarac Preservation Park) and accepting the January 6, 2003 City Commission Workshop 2 Conceptual Open Space Management Plan included in the agreement for the development of Tamarac Preservation Park and providing for the inclusion of the project in the City's five year Capital Improvement Program; authorizing the appropriate City officials to execute the Declaration of Restrictive Covenants; authorizing the City Clerk to record the Declaration of Restrictive Covenants in the Public Records of Broward County; authorizing the appropriate City officials to amend the grants fund budget in the amount of $2,000,000 in accordance with proper accounting procedures. Assistant to the City Manager Phillips gave a presentation and said the park, for the time being, is being called Tamarac Preservation Park due to the fact that the County requires an environmentally focused name. Commissioner Roberts asked if anyone else is required to do this, and Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said other parks have an environmental flavor to them. Mayor Schreiber said he objects to the County's conditions; the purpose is to expand recreational facilities and now we are unable to use 10.6 acres of the land. Mayor Schreiber suggested going back to the County for a better deal, or perhaps we should not take the County's money and find another way to build what we need rather than what the County tells us to do. Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said when the County refers to active recreation they mean facilities constructed for the purposes of organized sports. Passive recreation means picnic areas, open practice fields or walking trails. Commissioner Sultanof said Broward County is not labeling it a passive park; it is being included in the sports complex. Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said if we intend to make any changes beyond those specified in the agreement, we would have to go back to the county, but we may be able to go back and say we have reconfigured the design. Commissioner Sultanof asked if any federal money is involved and Commissioner Roberts and Mayor Schreiber said not for this project. Commissioner Roberts suggested accepting the $2 million from the County and perhaps reconfiguring the old sports complex with the $2 million we have. Assistant to the City Manager Phillips said we could reconfigure the park we already own. Vice Mayor Portner agreed with Commissioner Roberts. f. Item 6(I). TAMARAC WATER UTILITY EASEMENT — TAMARAC EAST UTILITIES UPGRADE PHASE II: (TR10007) Executing a "Tamarac Water Utility Easement" with Tamarac Lakes South, Inc., for the Tamarac East Utilities Upgrade Phase II Project, located on the south side of West Commercial Boulevard between NW 318t Avenue and Prospect Road within Land Section 17, to allow legal access by City Utility Personnel for the installation, maintenance, and operation of a Water Distribution System Interconnect Meter with the City of Port Lauderdale; authorizing and directing the City Clerk to record said agreement in the public records of Broward County. Assistant Director of Utilities Doherty gave a presentation and said water is provided to residents on the east side of Tamarac by Ft. Lauderdale and should the existing water meter become inoperative it would leave Tamarac Lakes South and the Boulevards without water. Commissioner Roberts asked about the $10.00 and whether it was a yearly fee or good faith, and also asked if expenses would go up. Utilities Director Gagnon said it was a good faith cost, and expenses may go up, but so would revenue. Assistant Director of Utilities Doherty said Ft. Lauderdale would design and install the water meter and then get reimbursed by Tamarac for the $20,000, and Ft. Lauderdale would be responsible for maintenance of the water meter. Vice Mayor Portner asked January 6, 2003 City Commission Workshop 3 what the benefit would be to the people in those areas, and Assistant Director of Utilities Doherty said they are now served by one meter and one water main. A second meter provides a redundant supply of water. Commissioner Sultanof asked if it would generate additional revenue, and Utilities Director Gagnon said it would increase the water flow in the area, and an increase in pressure would bring additional revenue. g. Item 7. AMENDING CHAPTER 16 OF THE TAMARAC CODE — PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT: (TO1994) Motion to adopt Ordinance on first reading amending Chapter 16, entitled "Pensions and Retirement", Article VIII, Division 4, entitled "Benefits" to provide adjustments for normal retirement benefits; providing adjustments for early retirement benefits; providing adjustments for pre -retirement death benefits pursuant to amendments of Chapter 185 of the Florida Statutes; providing for codification. Human Resources Director Swanson gave a presentation, explained that this ordinance affects the Police Pension Plan, and puts Tamarac in compliance with State law passed in 1999. Mayor Schreiber questioned the project referenced in Item 6(i) on the consent agenda. i. WARRANTY BOND RELEASE — SOUTHAMPTON PHASES A-D, I-J AND RECREATIONAL CENTER: (TR10005) Releasing a Public Improvement Warranty Bond in the form of an Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit No. S002240 from Suntrust Bank in the amount of $46,412.75 for the Water Distribution and Sewage Collection System Improvements installed by Lennar Land Partners for the Southampton Phases A-D, I-J and Recreational Center Protect located on the west side of Nob Hill Road between NW 715t Place and NW 80" Street; authorizing the City Clerk to release Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit No. S002240. Assistant Director of Utilities Doherty explained the resolution and Commissioner Sultanof said it refers to the clubhouse. 2. DISCUSSION — REVISED ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS — PUBLIC SERVICES COMPLEX: Mayor Schreiber asked what the cost would be and City Manager Miller said this would be brought forward through the presentation. Utilities Director Ray Gagnon introduced Scott Wicks of Miller Construction and Steve Knight of Hansen Architects. Mr. Knight explained the options: first option original design; second option barrel vaulted roof system with more contemporary colonnade and arched tower; third option standing seam metal roof, painted blue, moderate changes to facade. Commissioner Roberts said the commission never discussed changes to all three buildings, only the one building that could be seen from the road. Additionally, the other two building designs have not yet been seen by the Commission, to determine whether they wanted changes made to them. Mr. Wicks stated under option two the cost for the public services buildings would be $48,250; for the utility facade it would be $25,750 and for the Fire Station $19,250, for a total cost of $95,250 for all three buildings. Commissioner Sultanof expressed consternation that in making changes to just the dome with no colonnade and extensions it would cost more. Mr. Wicks said it is a ripple effect — the tower is elongated and it requires more construction than the originally proposed tower. Commissioner Roberts asked why the tower was elongated and enlarged since the only change requested was the roof line. There was discussion January 6, 2003 City Commission Workshop 4 about painting the roofs blue. Vice Mayor Portner asked the cost of option three and Mr. Wicks said for all three buildings it would be about $125,000. Vice Mayor Portner spoke about the cost and construction of the Community Center, and Mayor Schreiber said the Community Center was constructed to attract people and a referendum was needed to approve the project. A second floor was not built because of the cost. Vice Mayor Portner said it was a mistake not to add the second floor to the community center. Mayor Schreiber said the commission is trying to do something that is not necessary; increasing the cost and delaying the project. It is not necessary to change the roof line for $50,000 — $100,000 of public funds. Commissioner Mishkin offered that at the end of the last meeting she said she did not care what style roof it was but was interested in knowing the cost of the change. 90% of the people in Tamarac will never see these buildings. Commissioner Mishkin suggested the buildings be made presentable and nice, but they do not have to be of the latest architecture. It is a shame for the city to consider spending so much money and delaying the project. Commissioner Roberts asked about the increase in cost of $30,000 from option 2 to 3. Mr. Wicks said the difference between 2 and 3 is the colonnade feature, the tower feature is more expensive, and the type of construction material is more expensive. Mr. Knight explained that for the squared tower look they can get pre -manufactured trusses, but for the rounded look they must be formed. Vice Mayor Portner asked the contractor to revisit the plans and come back with a price of $25,000 for all three buildings. Mr. Wicks said more than just bricks and mortar is included in the cost, there is also redesign costs, site plans and building plans to take into consideration. Mayor Schreiber asked for an expression of interest from the commission as to the action they wanted to take. Vice Mayor Portner said he wanted to get a reduced price from the contractor for all three buildings. Commissioner Sultanof said this contractor must find a way to accommodate the city. Commissioner Mishkin agreed with Mayor Schreiber that it was not necessary to change the design. Commissioner Roberts said she did not want to pay to change the design and would stick with the original design even though she is not happy with the original design. Mayor Schreiber said the expression of interest is in favor of the original tower and the contractor should move forward with the original design. Commissioner Sultanof said he is disappointed with Miller Construction and he would not vote for another project with this company. Commissioner Roberts asked where the contractor got the idea to change the roof color and Mr. Wicks said the general comments from the commission at the last meeting where they would like this. facility to resemble the new library. 3. DISCUSSION — PROPOSED BROWARD COUNTY PARK: Commissioner Roberts said one Broward County Commissioner was considering proposing a park for the U-Pick Site in North Lauderdale on McNab Road. North Lauderdale has asked for our support in urging the County not to make a park out of the property, as North Lauderdale needs residential property for a tax base. Mayor Schreiber asked for an expression of interest to support North Lauderdale and all agreed. 4. DISCUSSION — COMMISSION PROCEDURES AND THE CONSENT AGENDA: Commissioner Roberts expressed great disappointment in the fact that at the last commission meeting she asked to pull an item off the consent agenda for January 6, 2003 City Commission Workshop 5 discussion and was refused this courtesy by the commissioners. Commissioner Roberts asked City Attorney Kraft if Roberts Rules of Order speaks to consent agendas. City Attorney Kraft said it does not. Mayor Schreiber said in all his years on the commission he has never seen this happen to any other member of the commission where they were not allowed to pull an item off the consent agenda to speak on it. Vice Mayor Portner said one time he asked to have an item tabled and was denied by the commission. Mayor Schreiber explained it was a different scenario, he was not denied the opportunity to speak where Commissioner Roberts was denied this opportunity. City Attorney Kraft said the rules do not speak to what happens when members want to pull something off the consent agenda, but courtesy could be substituted for past practice. Commissioner Roberts asked to change the Commission rules and add a new rule that any consent agenda item could be pulled from the consent agenda for discussion without a vote. Mayor Schreiber asked City Attorney Kraft to draft the revision. Vice Mayor Portner said he is abashed by a statement from Commissioner Roberts that was printed in the Sun Sentinel, and said no one desires to punish anyone. Vice Mayor Portner said he would have preferred Commissioner Roberts name the Vice Mayor in the news article and not involve the rest of the Commission. Commissioner Roberts replied that Vice Mayor Portner said on the dais that he voted no just like Commissioner Roberts did when he wanted something and said she did mention his name but the article did not get written that way. Vice Mayor Portner asked what was taking so long for the Monterey Golf Course Project and City Attorney Kraft said outside counsel is diligently working on the title search. Assistant City Manager Cernech said he would have an answer for the Commission this afternoon. Vice Mayor Partner asked about the status of the canals at Sabal Palm; a small part of the canal was worked on but the rest is still to be done. Assistant City Manager Cernech said the Public Works Director is working on an agreement with the golf course owner for maintenance, and a solution has been reached. There being no further business to come before the Commission, Mayor Schreiber adjourned the workshop meeting at 11:25 a.m. Marion Swenson, CMC City Clerk n I1 January 6, 2003 City Commission Workshop 6