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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-03-07 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2005 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Schreiber called the Workshop Meeting of the City Commission to order on Monday, March 7, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88t" Avenue, Tamarac, Florida. PRESENT: Mayor Joe Schreiber, Vice Mayor Marc L. Sultanof, Commissioner Edward C. Portner, Commissioner Beth Flansbaum-Talabisco, and Commissioner Karen L. Roberts. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Jeffrey L. Miller, City Attorney Mitchell S. Kraft, Deputy City Manager Michael C. Cernech, and City Clerk Marion Swenson. Mayor Schreiber led the pledge of allegiance. 1. MARCH 9, 2005 AGENDA ITEMS: a. Item No. 6(c). AGREEING TO ASSUME ROAD IMPROVEMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR PARCEL "R" — KINGS POINT REPLAT: (TR10648) Agreeing to assume the road improvement obligations for Parcel "R" of the Kings Point Replat (Case No. 1-MI-05). Community Development Director King gave a presentation. Commissioner Roberts questioned ingress and egress from the parcel and Community Development Director King said access to Parcel R will be through the existing park. b. Item No. 6(f). UTILIZING BID FOR ASPHALT AND CONCRETE SERVICES — VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: (TR10647) Utilizing the City of North Miami Beach Bid Number 2001-10 for the asphalt and concrete services in conjunction with the Veterans Memorial Park Improvement Project in an amount not to exceed $69,249.60 to Arrow Asphalt and Engineering. Public Works Director Strain and Purchasing/Contracts Manager Glatz appeared. Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation. Mayor Schreiber asked when the work would commence and Public Works Director Strain said next week with completion before Memorial Day. Vice Mayor Sultanof asked if the $69,249.60 is the total amount and Public Works Director Strain said the amount is not to exceed $69,249.60; there is a $50,000 grant with the remaining $19,000 attributed to reconfiguration of the Southgate entrance being done under the bond. C. Item No. 6(g). GRANT APPLICATION FOR HURRICANE WIND SCREENS AT FIRE STATIONS: (TR10650) Submitting an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Pre -Disaster Mitigation Program Funds for hurricane wind screens at city fire stations in an amount up to $50,000; providing for a 25 percent match of 112,500 in city funds in the event of approval of the application; providing for acceptance of the award and executing of documents upon approval. Chief Budzinski and Assistant City Manager Phillips appeared. Chief Budzinski gave a presentation. March 7, 2005 City Commission Workshop Page 1 of 5 Commissioner Portner asked if this product can be used for anything other tha fire stations and if the screens are as good as hurricane shutters. Chief Budzinski said the screens are available for commercial and residential applications, and the manufacturer says they are as good as shutters. Commissioner Portner asked what the screens are called, if they are available at local hardware stores and if they cost less than shu ters. Chief Budzinski said he would get the name for the commissioner, the screens are not available through local hardware stores, and he did not know if they cost less than shutters. Commissioner Portner asked how the screens are applied and whether the bay doors remain open. Chief Budzinski said they are like accordion awning co ers, they drop down and are anchored to the concrete; the bay doors remain closed. d. Item No. 7. THIRD ADDENDUM TO FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FOR Slh GLE FAMILY SOLID WASTE COLLECTION — ALL SERVICE REFUSE INC.: (TO 078) Motion to adopt Ordinance on first reading executing a third addendum to the 1994 agreement between the City of Tamarac and All Service Refuse, Inc. for furnishing single family solid waste collection for an additional term to begin April 1, 2005 anc end December 31, 2009. Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation and r oted changes from the previous contract which include one bulk pick-up per week inste d of six per year; $1,000 up front franchise fee payable to the city; housekeeping tang age; change of ending date for the contract; credit for seasonal homeowners; and form cleanup. Mayor Schreiber asked if we would not be better off stating that we want 15% of a set dollar amount, and Public Works Director Strain explained in the old contract the franchise fee was based on collected billed fees, and the city wanted the lang age changed to reflect billed whether collected or not; through negotiations it was ac reed that All Service would give the city $1,000 per year instead, which is more than we would have gotten had we kept the old language. Commissioner Roberts thanked Public Works Director Strain for his and his staffs work on the contract and saic she was glad to see bulk pick-up increased to once each week. Commissioner Flansb um- Talabisco thanked Public Works Director Strain for his work on the contract and said she liked the check and balance system through a -mails to track and follow up on complaints. Vice Mayor Sultanof thanked Public Works Director Strain for 80th and Nob Hill. Commissioner Portner questioned sweetheart deals with this company and asked if any other refuse company was able to do this work. City Manager Miller said the City of Tamarac does not allow for sweetheart deals and spoke of how the Florida Statutes addresses the proper way to handle purchasing and the city code addresses handling of contracts. There are processes that must be followed and the City of Tamarac corr plies with the processes. e. Item No. 8. ADDENDUM TO FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FOR RESIDEN RECYCLING COLLECTION — ALL SERVICE REFUSE, INC.: (T02079) Moti, adopt Ordinance on first reading executing a third addendum to the 1994 agreE between the City of Tamarac and All Service Refuse, Inc. for furnishing resid recycling collection for an additional term to begin April 1, 2005 and end Decembi 2009. Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation and said pursuant to statute we can not make money off recycling through franchise fees. We do, horn get an avoidance payment for disposal. Mayor Schreiber asked if newspaper rec March 7, 2005 City Commission Workshop Page 2 of 5 n to nent ntial �31 ling generates money and Public Works Director Strain said that is turned over to the recycling contractors; the contractors handle newspaper recycling and the contractors may or may not make money on it. Public Works Director Strain addressed changes in the contract, in particular the change of the ending date to December 31, 2009. Additionally a section was added requiring monthly data reports or the City of Tamarac would withhold payments. Vice Mayor Sultanof said he was on the committee when recycling started in the City of Tamarac, and asked if there is anything in the total scope of recycling by which there would be a monetary gain. Public Works Director Strain said only the avoidance fee, and the city can not make money on it. Commissioner Roberts questioned whether the monthly rates for single and multi -family recycling are increasing and Public Works Director Strain said the rates in the contract have been updated to reflect the this year's rate. Commissioner Portner questioned when constituents would be notified about the weekly bulk pick-up and Public Works Director Strain said a mass mailing would go out two -three weeks after the second reading of the ordinance. 2. ONGOING DISCUSSION REGARDING FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF DECEASED SERVICEMEN: Commissioner Portner said this was discussed at the last workshop and it was noted that several states were providing additional funds for families of deceased servicemen. Commissioner Portner said he would like to see Tamarac become a leader and not a follower and approve $50,000 of public funds to enable families or next of kin of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq or any other military operation to be eligible for a $5,000 grant. Vice Mayor Sultanof confirmed that this was discussed at the last meeting and the issue should be handled. Assistant City Manager Phillips said at the last meeting staff was directed to add an item to the agenda encouraging the Governor to move forward with a program on the state level. Continued discussion regarding a city benefit was moved to this workshop when all commissioners would be present. Staff has not been given direction to move forward; if there is a consensus staff will look at the statutes and come back to the Mayor and City Commission with a program. Vice Mayor Sultanof said he discussed this with the City Manager and was told setting aside $50,000 would not have a big impact on the city. Vice Mayor Sultanof said he would like to see a policy or procedure in place, so if the need should occur, the City of Tamarac is prepared to do what Commissioner Portner has requested. The federal government has already increased its benefit ten -fold. Commissioner Roberts said she was not in attendance at the last workshop meeting and she has a problem setting aside $50,000 which is a lot of taxpayer's money. The money could go for other needs of the city. Commissioner Roberts said she is not against doing something for the families if a soldier from Tamarac is killed in the course of the war, but it needs to be on an individual basis. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco said she recently had a conversation with a waitress, (who is not a Tamarac resident,) the wife of a soldier in Iraq. The woman explained what it is like to be the wife of a serviceman, and how she lives. This made a great impact on Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco, and Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco agrees we should do something. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco added she does not disagree with Commissioner Roberts; setting aside a sum of money may not be the right way to go about doing this. Additionally, March 7, 2005 City Commission Workshop Page 3 of 5 Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco said she did not agree with Commiss oner Portner's statement that Tamarac follows other cities; Tamarac thinks on its feet and makes its decisions wisely. Vice Mayor Sultanof said if we do not set aside $50,00 , let us go on record and say we will contribute $5,000 to families in their time of reed. Mayor Schreiber said this type of program belongs with the federal government. IV ayor Schreiber said it should be considered on a case by case basis. Fifty -Thousand Dollars could be put up through public services. If the families need assistance they can come to the city and we will consider helping them. Many agencies through the county and state provide this type of help. Money has been budgeted for the upcoming year and resources are becoming scarce. Commissioner Portner said he still felt the $513,000 should be set aside for this purpose and asked for a resolution or ordinance so the public could understand what is being done. Commissioner Roberts said she agreed with the backup included for today's meeting for this item, encouraging the govern r to develop a program to provide benefits on a state level, but can not see the city p tting away money at this time. Commissioner Roberts said there is no greater grief to a parent to lose a child through military service to country than if that child's car drove into a canal. Any decision to give money to families of service men and women who li a in Tamarac needs to be made on an individual basis. Vice Mayor Sultanof said he off ered a compromise; not to set aside $50,000 but to make $5,000 available and draft a resolution. Mayor Schreiber said we do have to create a resolution stating to whom the $5,000 will be provided for families of deceased service people, based on the cts presented. Commissioner Roberts asked what the requirements will be, as none lave been discussed. Mayor Schreiber asked for an expression of interest for a resol ition for $5,000 to families of Tamarac service people killed in the Afghanistan and Iraqtars. Commissioner Portner, Vice Mayor Sultanof, Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco, and Mayor Schreiber were in agreement. Commissioner Roberts asked how many Tamarac soldiers are in military service and City Manager Miller said it would have to be looked into through the defense department. 3. DISCUSSION REGARDING STREET PAVEMENT AT 5206 BAYBERRY LANE: Mayor Joe Schreiber said when hurricane debris was being cleared fron the streets, city equipment scraped the roadway in question, and he was told that rep it of the scratches would create a bigger problem than already existed. Mayor Schr iber said we demand and require people in our city to meet our code and we need to s t an example. Vice Mayor Sultanof said repair will result in a road that is not level hich may cause people to fall. Public Works Director Strain said he received a resident complaint which he investigated and evaluated. The scratches are cosmetic; there are other locations in the city with similar scratches. The solution to resolve the problem would be a patch, which is never as good as laying asphalt in a continuous method, and we will then get complaints from people driving over the patched area, and there will then be a black patch on a gray road. Public Works Director Strain said this is not a safety issue and will not cause premature failure ' of the road. Vice Mayor Sult not agreed with Public Works Director Strain. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco said this complaint is from her district; the community in which she lives. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco said she drove the community over the weekend and there are more than 55 scratches throughout the roads in the community. It goes withl the March 7, 2005 City Commission Workshop Page 4 of 5 territory and she agrees with Public Works Director Strain's recommendation. Commissioner Portner said he spoke with Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco about this and agrees that unless it is detrimental and hazardous nothing should be done. Mayor Schreiber responded he would let the resident know a repair is not warranted. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco clarified she had no communication with Commissioner Portner regarding this matter other than when he asked for the location and asked her if she went to the site. Commissioner Portner referenced a newspaper article written by Sallie James in the March 7, 2005 Sun -Sentinel. There being no further business to come before the City Commission, Mayor Schreiber adjourned the workshop meeting at 10:40 a.m. Marion Swe son, CIVIC City Clerk March 7, 2005 City Commission Workshop Page 5 of 5