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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-01-07 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC ' CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2008 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco called the Workshop Meeting of the City Commission to order on Monday, January 7, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88th Avenue, Tamarac, Florida. PRESENT: Mayor Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco, Vice Mayor Marc L. Sultanof, Commissioner Edward C. Portner, Commissioner Patte Atkins -Grad, and Commissioner Harry Dressler. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Jeffrey L. Miller, Assistant City Attorney Julie Klahr, Deputy City Manager Michael C. Cernech, and City Clerk Marion Swenson. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco led the pledge of allegiance. 1. JANUARY 9, 2008 AGENDA ITEMS: a. Item No. 6(b) on the consent agenda. AWARDING BID NO. 08-03B AND EXECUTING AGREEMENT — SURFACE PREPARATION AND COATING SYSTEM FOR WATER TREATMENT PLANT PROJECT: (TR11332) Awarding Bid No. 08-03B ' to J and J, Inc. d/b/a Eagle Painting and executing an agreement between the City of Tamarac and J and J, Inc. d/b/a Eagle Painting for an amount of $82,010.00 for the Surface Preparation and Coating System for the City of Tamarac Water Treatment Plant Project; approving funding for this project from the appropriate Utilities Operational accounts; authorizing the appropriate City officials to administer the contract. Director of Utilities Gagnon, Water Plant Superintendent Harvey, and Purchasing/Contracts Manager Glatz appeared. Water Plant Superintendent Harvey gave a presentation. Commissioner Portner asked how much money is in the Utilities Operational Account and Director of Utilities Gagnon said he would get the information. Mayor Flansbaum- Talabisco asked when the project would start and Water Plant Superintendent Harvey said it will begin in February and take three months to complete. b. Item No. 6(c) on the consent agenda. GRANT ACCEPTANCE FOR PURCHASE OF AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS (AEDSY (TR11331) Accepting a grant in the amount of $20,250 from a 2005 Broward County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grant for the purchase of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the amount of $20,250 for a total project cost not to exceed $22,000 to provide AEDs within the City of Tamarac. Fire Chief Budzinski and EMS Division Chief Sheridan appeared. Fire Chief Budzinski gave a presentation. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco asked how many businesses in Tamarac have defibrillators and Fire Chief Budzinski said he is aware of seven. Vice Mayor Sultanof confirmed the AED at Kings Point is ' examined regularly. Commissioner Atkins -Grad said she would like to see AEDs in all restaurants in Tamarac. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco confirmed the AED/CPR program offered to employees is also offered to residents. There was discussion regarding January 7, 2008 City Commission Workshop Page 1 of 4 requiring AEDs in businesses and Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco said she would discuss educating business owners with the Chamber of Commerce, and ask the Chamber to ' suggest placement of AEDs in businesses. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco questioned whether it is less expensive to purchase AEDs in bulk and Fire Chief Budzinski said going through the Chamber may be a savings in scale. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco spoke about the fact that once someone is trained to use an AED it becomes less daunting. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco asked Fire Chief Budzinski to bring back information regarding the training program. Commissioner Portner questioned hold harmless and expressed his concern regarding placing AEDs in restaurants and other establishments; especially should someone expire while being treated with an AED. Assistant City Attorney Klahr explained the Florida Legislature included language in the legislation that encourages people to use AEDs in public places while defeasing liability. This undermines the ability to be able to file a lawsuit. Fire Chief Budzinski explained if an AED is not used, the person will likely die, so there is no harm to be done. The airline industry was sued for not having AEDs available; this is a widely accepted technology. Commissioner Dressier said the decision to have or not have an AED on premises is up to the private sector to decide; the public sector's interest is in education. C. Item No. 6(d) on the consent agenda. AWARDING BID NO. 07-31B AND EXCECUTING AGREEMENT — HVAC REPLACEMENT FOR CITY HALL AND BSO BUILDING: (TR11334) Awarding Bid No. 07-31B and executing an agreement with HYVAC, Inc. for the replacement of the HVAC units at City Hall, 7525 Pine Island Road, and the BSO Building, 7515 NW 88th Avenue, in an amount not to exceed $134,120.00 from the appropriate accounts; authorizing budget amendments as needed for proper ' accounting purposes. Public Works Director Strain and Purchasing/Contracts Manager Glatz appeared. Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation and said there is a 90 day construction period from the notice to proceed. Vice Mayor Sultanof questioned where the money will come from and Public Works Director Strain said the R&R Sinking fund created 10 years ago for large capital items. Commissioner Dressler spoke of life expectancy and asked whether the SEER rating is tracked and factored in. Commissioner Atkins -Grad said with regard to greening she hoped the thermostats change automatically after hours. Public Works Director Strain explained the temperature is raised in the evening hours, but the air must be left at a certain level to keep humidity at bay and to protect the equipment. Most facilities have programmability. Commissioner Portner questioned the sinking fund and Public Works Director Strain explained it is for all major items and contributions into the sinking fund are based on predictions. d. Item No. 7 on the regular agenda. FRANCHISE AGREEMENT — TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY D/B/A PEOPLE'S GAS SYSTEM: (T02153) Motion to adopt Ordinance on first reading authorizing the Mayor to execute and to otherwise enter into that certain Franchise Agreement for construction, operation and maintenance of gas system facilities with Tampa Electric Company d/b/a People's Gas System. Deputy City Manager Cernech appeared, gave a presentation and introduced Sergio Abreu, representing TECO/Peoples Gas, located at 5101 NW 21 Avenue. Commissioner I Atkins -Grad asked if it is necessary to have a plant in Tamarac and Deputy City January 7, 2008 City Commission Workshop Page 2 of 4 ' Manager Cernech replied there is no distribution station in the City. The company's first interest is commercial customers and then residential, if the market exists. Vice Mayor Sultanof questioned safety and Mr. Abreu said the safety is regulated by the PSC and there is a Safety Director in Ft. Lauderdale who trained the Fire Department in the use and safety of gas. Commissioner Portner questioned natural monopoly and Mr. Abreu said the term is used in many franchises; the utility is regulated by the State for safety and the rates the utility may charge its customers. Commissioner Dressler spoke of the viability of using gas rather than electric due to power outages. 2. UPDATE ON CONSERVATION PLAN/PHASE 3 WATER RESTRICTIONS: Director of Utilities Gagnon, Community Development Director Bramley, BSO Chief Duguay, and Lab Manager Oney appeared and gave presentations on conservation and Phase III restrictions, coordination of efforts between Code Compliance, BSO and the Utilities Department, education, and water saving devices. The main contact during business hours is 954-597-3425 and after hours people are to call the non -emergency Sheriffs number. Vice Mayor Sultanof spoke of xeriscape, car washing businesses, the use of CSA's rather than BSO deputies for special duty enforcement, and education in the Homeowner and Condominium Associations. Vice Mayor Sultanof said we need to speak to people in Tallahassee to start working on a dam for Lake Okeechobee. Commissioner Atkins -Grad asked to be kept up to date on conservation information. Commissioner Portner said President Eisenhower saw a need to interconnect the highway system and questioned why the same thing can not be done for the water ' system throughout the country. Commissioner Dressler spoke of Governor Crist's meeting with regional governors regarding the drought conditions. Mayor Flansbaum- Talabisco confirmed the special detail would be out early on Sunday mornings and said she would like a report on the special detail's effect and the number of citations issued. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco said she would also like to bring education to the schools and send flyers home with the kids for their parents; additionally at HOA meetings, she would like a form circulated to collect residents e-mail addresses to be included in the Mayor and City Commission blast lists. Commissioner Atkins -Grad suggested, since the water pitchers at the commission workshop meetings are not all used during the meeting, that fewer pitchers be placed on the table. 3. UPDATE ON RENOVATIONS TO THE TAMARAC RECREATION CENTER: Parks and Recreation Director Warner and Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Probert appeared and gave presentations on the parking lot and traffic flow. Commissioner Dressler spoke of cars parked in the right lane of University Drive queuing to pick up children and Director of Parks and Recreation Warner said sign boards will be posted giving notice that there will be lane closures. Commissioner Dressler asked if there is a system in place from the school for pick up of children, and questioned whether the School Board had researched or established a traffic flow pattern. Director of Parks and Recreation Warner said for the north side of the school there is a system but it is limited to second and third graders. Additionally, the school ' has a Risk Division and he would contact Ms. Seiler to have her follow up with them. Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco asked if calls would be tracked and monitored and Director of Parks and Recreation Warner said there will be a consistent evaluation of the January 7, 2008 City Commission Workshop Page 3 of 4 process. Commissioner Atkins -Grad spoke of the system used in Challenger and Millennium Schools, wherein parents come to pick up their children at specified times; ' Commissioner Atkins -Grad also suggested car pool groups. Vice Mayor Sultanof said the setup for Challenger and Millennium Schools is different than Tamarac Elementary and it appears that what has been planned will work well and he did not think car pooling would be a good idea. Vice Mayor Sultanof asked how long the construction would take and Director of Parks and Recreation Warner said about a year. Director of Parks and Recreation Warner said Ms. Seiler, Tamarac Elementary Principal, would stand with Director of Parks and Recreation Warner and Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Probert at dismissal today. There being no further business to come before the Mayor and City Commission, Mayor Flansbaum-Talabisco adjourned the workshop meeting at 11:10 a.m. Marion Swenson, CMC City Clerk 1 January 7, 2008 City Commission Workshop Page 4 of 4