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
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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
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City Commission Workshop
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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
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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
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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
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