HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-11-25 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC
CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2002
CALL TO ORDER,., Mayor Schreiber called the workshop meeting of the city
commission to order, on Monday, November 2 s., 2002, at 9,35 a.m. in Room 105 of
Tamarac City HaRI., 7525 NW 80 Avenue., Tamarac, FRorida,
PRESENT: Mayor Joe Schreiber, Vice Mayor Edward C. Fortner, 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. NOVEMBER 27 2002 AGENDA ITEMS
a. Item 6(b), TAMARAC CITIZEN CORPS COUNCIL: (TR9964) Supporting the
Tamarac Citizen Corps Council. (This item was tabled at the November 13, 2002
regular commission meeting to the November 27, 2002 regular commission meeting).
Chief Budzinski said a presentation was given at the last workshop meeting and he is
here to answer any questions the commission may have. Mayor Schreiber said
Commissioner Roberts's concern was about the Community Council's involvement and
who would be in charge. Mayor Schreiber said the money must come through the city
to fund the Citizen Corps Council, not through an organization. Mayor Schreiber asked
if Tarnarac was the prirne tunding agent. Chief Budzinski responded that at this point
no one knows about the funding, however, in order for the city or an agency within the
city to get FEMA money, 4 would have to come through the Citizen Corps Council, and
the benefit for Tamarac to establish its own Citizen Corps Council is so that Tamarac
can apply directly for funding, rather than go through the county. Commissioner
Sultanof said he wants to make sure that the city commission is the overseer of this
council, and not the Citizen Corps Council. Chief Budzinski said he understood
Commissioner Sultanof's concern, and believes if Tamarac takes the initiative now and
establishes parameters for the Citizen Corps Council we will be able to set oversight up
as one of the criteria. In the event of a disaster, there needs to be coordination and
establishment of responsibilities between organizations. Vice Mayor Fortner asked how
FEMA falls under, home rule or the security act, and Chief Budzinski said he cannot give
a specific answer at this time because The Bill has not been signed by the President. At
present, about 144 agencies fall under FEMA. Vice Mayor Portner said he believes the
creation of the Citizens Corps Council is a reaction to panic. Commissioner Roberts
said a group is needed through which to funnel money in case of an emergency.
Communication between police and fire is not on the same wavelength and this needs
to be corrected. Mayor Schreiber said after discussion this morning, there is no reason
not to approve the resolution. Commissioner Sultanof said he is in favor of approving
the resolution but with commission oversight of the committee.
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b. Item 6(i) AUTHORIZING A REVISION TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY:
(TR9980) Revising Section VII. Authorized and Suitable Investment Instruments, C.
Repurchase Agreement, of the City of Tamarac Investment Policy to include required
language for certification of the City of 'Tamarac Investment Policy by the Municipal
Treasurers' Association of the United States and Canada. Finance and Policy Officer
Leanne Williams gave a presentation, and Mayor Schreiber asked if MTA insists on the
change. Finance and Policy Officer Williams said it is MTA's recommendation to add
the wording so the Tamarac Investment Policy will be certified; plus it adds to
Tamarac's financial credibility. Commissioner Sultanof spoke about investments,
including 2--year notes from GMAC and Ford which are netting approximately 6.75%-
7%. Finance and Policy Officer Williams said she would look into it. Mayor Schreiber
said the city is obligated to invest in secure paper, and he does not feel Ford is a secure
investment as they are losing money each year_ Mayor Schreiber said he attended a
meeting of the Investment Advisory Committee the other, day and there was discussion
about purchasing investments of longer than 3-year duration because of increased
earnings. Vice Mayor Portner asked what not being certified meant and Finance and
Policy Officer Williams said there are no repercussions to the city; it is another feather in
our cap.
C. Item 60). ADDENDUM TO AGREEMENT — BSO POLICE SERVICES. (TR9985)
Executing the First Addendum to the Agreement for Police Services by and between the
City of Tamarac and the Sheriff of Proward County, Assistant City Manager Cernech
introduced Lt. Sill Friel, Assistant City Manager Cernech said this item stems from
budget discussions over the summer and allows for the addition of clerical and
analytical positions to better serve the community. The positions have been budgeted
and now final authorization is needed from the commission in order to move forward
with the agreement. Lt. Friel gave a presentation and discussed increased population
and calls, obligated time versus current staffing, supervisor time allocation, crime
analyst and clerical assistant positions. Commissioner Roberts asked how long it would
take a civilian to train for the fishbowl position, and Lt. Friel said it is a very busy and
demanding position. There is going to be a transition period for the person to learn the
position, and hopefully, SSO will come back to the commission for another position later,
on in the year. Lt. Friel said SSO would report to the commission in March 2003
regarding the success of the analyst and clerical assistant positions. Vice Mayor
Portner asked how much obligatory time would be decreased and Lt. Friel said with the
analyst that would be alleviated altogether. Vice Mayor Portner asked if there was a
person in mind for the position, and Lt. Friel said they have conducted interviews and
have someone in mind. Commissioner Mishkin said with so many people out of work
and the upcoming holidays, it seems there will be more problems, and asked if patrols
would be beefed up. Lt. Friel said they will take data from last year during the same
time frame and develop different tactics to address those issues, and will beef up
patrols. There was discussion about handbags being stolen and Commissioner
Sultanof said baggers in supermarkets should take out the wagons; women should not
go out alone.. Vice Mayor Portner said the burden should not be put upon the store;
people should take responsibility for themselves.
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City Manager Miller suggested Mayor Schreiber call for a short recess before taking up
Item #2 on the agenda, in order to give representatives from the SFWMD a chance to
set up their presentation. Mayor Schreiber recessed the workshop meeting at 10:25
a.m.
Mayor Schreiber reconvened the workshop meeting at 10.40 a.m. with all present as
before.
2. DISCUSSION RE: CANAL MAINTENANCE: Public Works Director Verma
introduced Assistant Public Works Director Linares, Michael E. Massa, Director, Field
Operations, SFWMD, Gordon E. Baker, Staff Environmental Scientist, SFWMD, Doug
Ritchie, Public Works Superintendent and Wes Tipton, Public Works Supervisor,
Stormwater. Mr. Baker said he has been with the SFWMD for over 30 years. Mr. Baker
discussed natural and exotic vegetation, and said there are conflicting ideas among
users about what is important, and we need to know the priorities of water bodies and
users. Mr. Baker spoke about the history, biology and ecology of the water system in
South Florida, as well as floating, submerged, immersed, and terrestrial native and
exotics. Mr. Baker said the three methods of eliminating overage of the plants is
herbicide, grass eating carp and harvesting. Commissioner Sultanof thanked Mr. Baker
for his presentation and said it is important that the public be educated, and we need to
be concerned about building into the Everglades, as that is our water source. Mr. Baker
said the community needs to understand the environment, and we need to manage our
water bodies for all purposes. Mayor Schreiber said the issue is the appearance of the
waterways, and people complaining about growth. The public's perception needs to be
changed, and education is the way to do it. Commissioner Roberts said she has lived
on a canal in Tamarac for 22 years and looking at aquatic growth in the canal is not
acceptable. There must be some way to deal with it. Vice Mayor Portner said all local
areas respond to clean their own canals, and asked why the SFWMD could not come in
and help, as it is expensive to clean the canals. Mr. Baker suggested speaking to the
Broward County Service Center. Vice Mayor Portner agreed the public needs to be
educated on canal plant life. Mayor Schreiber asked if Tamarac had the proper
program to keep the canals as clean as they could be, and Mr. Baker said our program
is good; we use a combination of mechanical harvesting, herbicide control and grass
carp. Commissioner Mishkin asked what could be done to permanently remove the
exotic plants, and Mr. Baker said there are 8 registered herbicides, regulated by the
EPA, and Tamarac is doing the best it can. Public Works Director Verma said today's
intent was to show that the plants in the canals are natural things and part of Florida's
11-month growing season. No matter what we do, they will continue to grow back. The
public needs to be educated. The City is trying to maintain a delicate balance between
harvester, herbicides, and grass carp. Our canals are kept up better than other, cities'
canals, and some plants provide a filter which is necessary to the water system. Mayor
Schreiber said we are charging the people $2.00 a month more for Stormwater service
and we must provide more service to the public. Public Works Director Verma
suggested a public outreach program, where Public Information Officer Crockett and
City Manager Miller could coordinate presentations to different organizations. Mr. Baker
said the SFWMD would be more than happy to assist in the presentations. Vice Mayor
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Portner said he would like to see the Sun -Sentinel and Herald write about the eco-
system in their newspaper. Public Information Officer Crockett said Public Works is
developing a brochure, soon to be released, and there is also a feature in the Forum.
This subject must be reinforced over and again. Mayor Schreiber thanked Mr. Baker for
his presentation and said Tamarac needs help on the C-14 canal; and asked that Mr,
Baker mention this to Mr. Dean.
3. DISCUSSION RE: AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENT: Chief Budzinski gave a
status report and recommendation for future action. Chief Budzinski said Tamarac has
an obsolete automatic aid agreement with North Lauderdale and Broward County,
which needs to be eliminated, and a new agreement needs to be executed between
North Lauderdale and Tamarac. The reason for obsolescence of the old agreement is
that because North Lauderdale took over what was previously unincorporated Broward
County's service area, and Oakland Park took over station 20 which was Broward
County, the county boundaries were eliminated between. As a result, Chief Budzinski
recommends termination of the existing 3-part agreement and initiating in its place a 2-
part agreement with North Lauderdale. Vice Mayor Partner asked if finances were
involved and Chief Budzinski said no finances, only exchange of services.
4. DISCUSSION — MONTEREY GOLF COURSE: Assistant City Manager Cernech
gave a presentation and update on discussions regarding the golf course. Assistant
City Manager Cernech said he has been in contact with the owner of the golf course
and the asking price is $2.8 million. The city has been provided with documentation,
and it appears there may be restrictions on the golf course. The City Attorney's office
has assisted and arranged for a title search to see if the restrictions are in force and
what restrictions were on the property at the time of the last sale. Assistant City
Manager Cernech said he would bring the information back to the commission in a few
weeks. Additionally, Assistant City Manager Cernech said that now that the price has
been established, staff does not recommend spending $2.8 million on a golf course. An
offer made by the City Manager in the future would rely on the amount of grant funding
available, which the city may or may not get from Broward County. The city will ask its
lobbyist to approach the county to determine if money awarded for the Island property
can be moved to this property. Commissioners Sultanof and Roberts and Mayor
Schreiber said they thought the previous asking price was less than $2.8 million, and
suggested looking at the minutes of the previous discussion on this item to see what the
asking price was at that time. Assistant City Manager Cernech said he would ask the
lobbyist to pursue grants, and if he is not successful, we will have to apply to the county
again. It is his understanding that they are opening another round of land acquisition
grants. Mayor Schreiber said he knows the county is giving money to municipalities to
purchase golf courses, and we have to determine if that is the direction in which we
want to go..
Vice Mayor Portner said there is a problem with Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport noise
abatement; which was to be brought up at the Ft. Lauderdale Commission meeting this
week. Marcia Gallagher; 6181 NW 55 Lane, Tamarac, spoke about expansion of the
Executive Airport and the Noise Abatement Group. Vice Mayor Partner asked the
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commission to sponsor, a resolution supporting the recommendation of the pilots as far
as noise abatement. Mayor Schreiber said he would like to see documents regarding
noise abatement before sponsoring any legislation. Vice Mayor Portner said he has the
documentation and would see to it that the commissioners each received a copy to
review. Commissioner Sultanof asked how many steps need to be taken before we
become noiseless — because that could hold up expansion of the airport, and the idea
behind this is to allow smaller jets to land at the Executive Airport, thereby easing
crowding at the International Airport.
Vice Mayor Portner said when the commission approved changes in rules of procedure,
the rotation vote was misinterpreted. Vice Mayor Portner said he would like a true
rotation no matter who is the maker or seconder of a motion. Mayor Schreiber said the
resolution would then need to be amended. Mayor Schreiber asked for an expression
of interest to amend the resolution, and Vice Mayor Portner, Commissioners Sultanof
and Mishkin said they were in agreement. Commissioner Roberts and Mayor Schreiber
said they were not.
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
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