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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-06-07 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC WORKSHOP MEETING MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Schreiber called the Workshop Meeting of the City Commission to order on Monday, June 7, 2004, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88t" Avenue, Tamarac, Florida. ROLL CALL: 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, and City Clerk Marion Swenson. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY MAYOR SCHREIBER: JUNE 9, 2004 AGENDA ITEMS: a. Item No. 6(c). TASK AUTHORIZATION FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES — CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF THE 2 MILLION GALLON WATER STORAGE TANK AND WATER TREATMENT PLANT IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT: (TR10454) Executing Task Authorization No. 04-15E with Eckler Engineering, Inc., to provide professional services for the construction management of the 2 Million Gallon Water Storage Tank and Water Treatment Plant Improvements Project, in accordance with the City's Consulting Engineering Agreement as authorized by Resolution No. R-2001-185, for an amount not to exceed $119,000.00; approving funding from the 2004 Revenue Bond proceeds.; authorizing the appropriate City officials to administer the contract. Utilities Director Gagnon introduced Assistant Utilities Director Moore who gave a presentation. Mayor Schreiber and Commissioner Portner questioned the storage and Mayor Schreiber asked about the cost of the tank. Utilities Director Gagnon said the total project cost was $2.4 million. Assistant Utilities Director Moore said the NFPTA takes into account the daily amount used within the City as well as the population, which brings us to 6 million gallons. We are currently deficient by 2 million gallons. Commissioner Portner questioned a previously discussed saving of $500,000 and Utilities Director Gagnon said it would come off the construction cost. Vice Mayor Sultanof questioned the change in design and Utilities Director Gagnon explained that a different firm had previously submitted a design. Vice Mayor Sultanof asked about ramifications if delays were caused in the set schedule due to shortages of concrete and steel. Utilities Director Gagnon said Tamarac would not be without water under any circumstances, and when the contract is written language will be included that there will be no interruption in the water plant's ability to produce water. The contract will also talk about material storage and delivery and there will be language regarding liquidated damages if the construction exceeds the contract time. Mayor Schreiber questioned the anticipated completion date and Assistant Utilities Director Moore said we are looking at June 7, 2004 City Commission Workshop the first quarter of the next calendar year. Commissioner Portner asked if there will be language in the contract wherein the contractor will not be held responsible due to shortages and Utilities Director Gagnon said there will be language regarding disasters, but not delivery. b. Item No. 6(d). TASK AUTHORIZATION FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES -- DESIGN OF SOUTHGATE BOULEVARD STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: (TR10466) Executing Task Authorization No. 04-17E with Mathews Consulting, Inc. to provide engineering services for the design of the Southgate Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project, in accordance with the City's Consulting Engineering Agreement as authorized by Resolution #R-2001-185; authorizing an expenditure for said purpose in an amount not to exceed $105,670.00; authorizing the appropriate City officials to administer the contract. Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation and said the redesign would tie in with the new park and include traffic calming. Mayor Schreiber questioned the timetable and Public Works Director Strain said this is just the design, which will take approximately 190 days. Commissioner Roberts asked if the intersection at Southgate and Nob Hill will be affected and Public Works Director Strain said it would not. Vice Mayor Sultanof questioned the design of the road and Public Works Director Strain said the configuration will change thereby creating more parking areas and park land. Public Works Director Strain spoke of a round -about in the road west of Nob Hill Road, and responded to Commissioner Portner's questions regarding models for street calming. There was discussion of traffic calming on 70t" street. Commissioner Partner asked how other major cities are handling traffic calming and Public Works Director Strain said it is a nationwide trend -- not for arterial roads but for secondary roads. Commissioner Roberts asked whether it would impact Spring Lake Villas, in particular the school bus route, and asked about the possibility of a turn light at that intersection. Public Works Director Strain said the engineers would take everything into consideration, and once the park is completed in that area and traffic flow increases it could meet the threshold necessary for a light. 2. DISCUSSION RE: SOLID WASTE CONTRACTS: Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation and said the current contracts have been in force for a long time without going out to bid, and staff recommends going out to bid at this time to test the waters to see if we can get a better deal than we currently have. Mayor Schreiber said there is a problem with opening up this service for bid because a vendor may come in as low bidder and be unable to perform. Mayor Schreiber said the current companies have provided the City with good service, and it would be more efficient to negotiate with them for a lower rate. Commissioner Portner asked how many other firms are in business and Public Works Director Strain said about 4-5 in the area; however, two are owned by the same company. Commissioners Portner, Roberts and Vice Mayor Sultanof agreed the contract should be renegotiated. Commissioner Flansbaum- Talabisco said while she agreed with her fellow commissioners, she questioned the legality of not going out to bid. Assistant City Attorney Steinerts responded that having looked at various options, going out to bid is not required. Mayor Schreiber suggested reviewing both contracts and then drawing up a contract that would be in the best interests of the residents, taking into consideration the tipping fee, COLA, and improved June 7, 2004 City Commission Workshop 2 services to condominiums. City Manager Miller confirmed that the commission was unanimous in authorizing the City Manager, Staff and City Attorney's office to negotiate contracts with the vendors. 3. DISCUSSION RE: MASTER IRRIGATION PERMIT: Public Works Director Strain gave a presentation and said this item was brought to the Mayor and City Commission in February and at that time staff was asked to look into the situation. Assistant City Attorney Steinerts distributed a memo prepared May 2004, and said because of using public funds for permitting fees and costs we must be sure there is a valid public purpose. Public Works Director Strain said the longest permit is for 20 years; smaller permits are renewed more often, and it is a less intensive process for the smaller permits. Mayor Schreiber questioned how the permits are determined and Public Works Director Strain said it goes according to the ownership of the land, and the permit is from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Vice Mayor Sultanof asked if the city has the right to help the various communities and prepare the permits for them. Public Works Director Strain said staffs recommendation is to notify the associations that they need to renew the permits privately. Vice Mayor Sultanof questioned if there is an overlap with county property and Public Works Director Strain spoke of the right of way on Commercial Boulevard; the city maintains the landscaping and irrigation system but the property owner must pull the permit. Commissioner Portner questioned the cost of the permits and Public Works Director Strain said minor permits are about $350.00 and major permits $900. There are approximately 13 major homeowner association permits; the rest are minor. Commissioner Portner asked if the City could take out the permits and Assistant City Attorney Steinerts said there would be liability issues, as the permit owners are responsible in the event of any violations. Public Works Director Strain explained there are 174 permits in Tamarac and this involves 44 of them. Commissioner Roberts asked how long the City has been paying for the permits and Public Works Director Strain said since the early 1980's, but the requirements for the permits has increased, to include monitoring devices and quarterly reporting requirements. The new system was instituted because of the last drought so the SFWMD would know how much water is being used for irrigation purposes. Staff would like to notify the public as soon as possible, even though this does not take effect for 1-1/2 years, but it will give them the opportunity to make whatever preparations are necessary. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco asked that a contact person be designated in the Public Works Department to handle any calls regarding this issue. 4. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED UPGRADES TO THE CITY'S PHONE SYSTEM: IT Director Sucuoglu gave a presentation and discussed the benefits of the proposed new system. Mayor Schreiber questioned the affect on the operation of the computers, and IT Director Sucuoglu explained it is the same premise as a DSL line. Commissioner Roberts asked about the downside of the system and IT Director Sucuoglu said when we take away the BellSouth Centrex system we take over the responsibility of maintaining the network. Each location will retain one connection to BellSouth for emergency purposes. IT Director Sucuoglu discussed projected costs, and Commissioner Portner asked if there are any outside funds available for this system. IT Director Sucuoglu said the City can look into funding but since this is an June 7, 2004 City Commission Workshop 3 operational system it is considered part of doing business. Commissioner Portner asked if department funds in excess of what they were originally earmarked for could be used to offset the cost and City Manager Miller said the answer is yes and staff will come back with financing proposals which can be discussed at budget time. It may also be possible to borrow money for the system and pay it back over time, which will free up cash for other uses. Vice Mayor Sultanof asked if there are federal programs available for the system, and Assistant City Manager Phillips said she could look into it. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco asked how long it would take to upgrade the system and whether additional staff would be needed to maintain the system. IT Director Sucuoglu said it would take about three months to implement the system, and it would be a crossover of one phone at a time. No additional staff would be needed. Commissioner Roberts questioned staff training and IT Director Sucuoglu said the initial expenditure includes training of each individual, which is included in the three-month period. Commissioner Roberts said she is not in favor of the new system at this time and she would like to see how Broward County fares using the system, before it is approved for use in Tamarac. Mayor Schreiber said this is the wave of the future and in the long run we will save money. IT Director Sucuoglu explained many other cities are moving in a similar direction and looking at the system. Commissioner Flansbaum- Talabisco spoke of a recent conversation she had with Verizon wherein IT Director Sucuoglu was complimented and she was told Tamarac is forward thinking. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco agreed this type of system is the wave of the future. Mayor Schreiber asked for an expression of interest to approve the project subject to information from the County and Burger King and give staff two weeks to gather and put together the information for the commission. All agreed. 5. DISCUSSION RE: CITYWIDE COLOR PALETTE: Building Official Jones introduced Code Enforcement Manager Woods who gave a presentation. Code Enforcement Manager Woods said various communities' building color regulations were looked at and a comparison was made of similarities in the ordinances, impacts and results of instituting the regulations. Mayor Schreiber said the City does not have the right to tell people what color they should paint their houses. Commissioner Roberts said the last time this was discussed the commission talked about making homeowner associations responsible for a color palette in their communities if they so wished. This will take staff time and the permit will be an added cost to the homeowner. Commissioner Roberts agreed with Mayor Schreiber and questioned how a citywide color palette would affect homeowner associations. Vice Mayor Sultanof agreed that the City does not have the right to determine house colors. Commissioner Flansbaum- Talabisco asked how commercial properties are handled and Building Official Jones said there are no color restrictions, as long as the exterior colors are in good condition and clean, there is no violation of the code. Commissioner Partner spoke of the Woodlands color palette and the fact that he objected to the color one of his neighbors painted their house. Vice Mayor Sultanof said the Woodlands had deed restrictions, and the color palette was part of the reinstatement of their restrictions. Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco said she spoke to several people in the Woodlands and they told her they chose to move into a community with deed restrictions, but she feels it is not up to the Commission to impose restrictions on all communities. Mayor Schreiber asked June 7, 2004 City Commission Workshop 4 1-1 1 for an expression of interest for the City to impose a color palette on the residents and Commissioner Flansbaum-Talabisco, Mayor Schreiber, Commissioner Roberts, and Vice Mayor Sultanof were not in favor of a color palette. Commissioner Portner was in favor of a color palette. There being no further business to come before the City Commission, Mayor Schreiber adjourned the workshop meeting at 11:45 a.m. Marion Swenson, CMC City Clerk June i, 2004 City Commission Workshop 5